Newsletters

Year 7 Camp, week beginning 15th September 2025

Thank you to the families who have already completed and returned the consent form for Year 7 Camp!

This is a wonderful opportunity for our new Year 7 to spend two nights at our Outdoor Learning Centre, The Mill, in the Surrey Hills, making new friends while taking part in a range of team-building and personal development activities.

Year 9 will be returning from their final Key Stage 3 camp as you receive this newsletter - they have all completed the qualifying expedition for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, which is a huge achievement at such a young age. They are able to do this because of the skills and knowledge they built up over three years of camps at The Mill. More details of their trip will be in our main newsletter in June, but here's a sneak preview of some of their highlights.

Further details of the camp and the packing list can be found in your admission meeting pack and there will be further information and a chance to ask questions about camp at the Information Evening on 7th July.

This Half Term at WES

Here is a selection of the interesting trips, events and projects that have been happening in school over the last few weeks:

Ski Trip to St Anton am Alberg in Austria

Mr Altmann, Head of Secondary Transition and MFL teacher, writes:

Servus liebe Leserinnen und Leser!

Wir waren wieder in Österreich...*

*Hello, Dear Readers! We've been back to Austria...

...and we all enjoyed it, immensely! The sun shone, the snow glistened, and the boys skied!

We skied, swam, hiked, climbed, quizzed and bowled our way through the week at the start of the Easter break.

For some of our boys in Year 11, this may be their last trip and I must just give them a special mention. They have been outstanding, responsible students who have nurtured and supported the younger boys on every trip. This year they had an additional challenge to the one on the mountains; how to find the time to revise! I was so impressed with their commitment, they even found time to revise Romeo and Juliet on the slopes!

As I have said many a time before, in many a newsletter, the ski trip is a fantastic opportunity for all boys in every year group, be they beginners, intermediates or advanced, to enjoy what is, quite frankly, the most exhilarating of all sports.

I look forward to next year’s trip…

 

Tom in 8F writes:

The WES ski strip is an experience that brings pleasure and bonding to all that go on it. When I was there, we skied every day and did activities along with them. These activities were rock climbing, bowling, swimming, quiz and explored the local area.

We were in the St Anton resort in the Alps, Austria. The snow was the best I have ever skied on, and the experience is one I will never forget. We had a great instructor who made us do various activities to help improve our skiing and I feel like I am a better skier because of it. I have been skiing many times and this is definitely the most I have felt myself improve in one trip. One of my favourite activities to do up the mountain was the ‘Fun Slope’, which had jumps and tight turns to make the skiing experience that little bit better. Along with these entertaining slopes we were also getting down black runs to improve the quality of our skiing. These, while difficult, are another way skiing is a great experience to help challenge yourself and bring joy to your experience. For food, we would prepare our own sandwiches with local bread, salami and/or cheese. We would also grab a piece of fruit and an oat bar and off we’d go!

Some of the beginners, San, Harry and Ossian, making excellent progress.

Off the slopes, we did team bonding activities. My favourite of these were exploring St Anton and the rock climbing. Rock climbing is an activity that I am new to and have never done before. I was encouraged by my teachers and friends to try even though I was a bit frightened at the fact of climbing such a big wall. This brought me and my friends together by creating fun experiences like this and helping us do things that we were initially scared of. Another one of our activities was a trip to a swimming pool. There was a heated pool outside that had many different settings. One of these modes was a whirlpool, which had jets push us in a circle around the pool, making us try to latch on to not get spun in the loop. Swimming was a fun, light-hearted activity that made the trip more enjoyable, by spending time with our friends. 

The scenery of the location we were staying in was brilliant. There were beautiful mountains and delicately crafted buildings and statues, which we saw on our hike on the last day before our journey home. This was great to see and is a stark contrast from the city that we usually live in. The local area also had some of the freshest air I have smelt and breathed and great natural beauty, which was shown in a group of cascading waterfalls with beautifully clear water.

Hiking on the last day

All in all, this is a great trip for all year groups and a great place to start skiing. Although I am an advanced skier, I know that we all enjoyed it, from beginner to advanced, and I know that we all made lots of progress. I am looking forward to next year and to spending more time on the slopes with my friends. This is the most fun I have had on a trip before. From experience I would recommend it to anybody, and it is an opportunity that shouldn’t be passed up.

 ‘We happy few’ All WES boys, with staff and ski instructors

German Exchange Programme Julian in Year 11 writes: The second part of William Ellis‘s exchange program with Dietrich-Bonhoeffer Gymnasium in Wiehl, Deutschland, got off to a tasty start  - thanks to all the parents who brought food to welcome our German visitors! Throughout the week, both sets of students were treated to the chance of boosting their foreign language grades, and strengthening the bonds that lasted the 6 months and 600 miles. On the first day, the students from Germany were all brought into school for a full day of our lessons. They all found it a very interesting experience and had fun talking with our English schoolmates. However, they were very surprised about how strict our school's rules are and the detention system is (to all the teachers reading this). On Wednesday, we went bowling, where Rufus casually bowled 94 and won out of all of us exchange students. Then it was back to my house for a pizza party - everyone was very well-behaved and I hope it was great fun for everyone there. On Thursday we went to the 'Back to the Future‘ musical, which we all found sensational, and had us awestruck from beginning to end (and the rest of the afternoon). All of our activities together unfortunately made it into a very hard goodbye on Friday for everyone. Hopefully, these strong relationships we’ve formed will inspire some of them to visit us again, or we might have to take matters into our own hands. All in all, it was a great experience for learning and so much fun for all involved.  Thank you for this opportunity, William Ellis!

Teens & Toddlers Project Ms White, School Counsellor, writes: 'Teens & Toddlers' is an innovative scheme that has just completed its second cohort at William Ellis. A group of Year 8 and 9 students were selected for the 16 week programme which supports them in becoming buddies to nursery age children in a local primary school for one session per week. The programme leader Ella Green said the following about the students: 'I am proud of the boys for their commitment to the programme - they showed up every week as positive, kind and engaged role models for the nursery and reception children, despite navigating external challenges. During the workshops, the group engaged in activities, discussions and assessments around interpersonal skills, positive communication with each other and contributing to their community. I am pleased to have witnessed the group grow as a team, and saw individuals develop strategies to self regulate and make positive decisions for themselves. Well done to our William Ellis mentors for finishing Teens and Toddlers and qualifying with an NCFE Level 1 Award in Interpersonal Skills.' And this is from the school staff where the students were placed: 'The Nursery children really looked forward to seeing their mentors each week. It was lovely to watch everyone’s confidence grow over the weeks together. ' 'The Reception children really enjoyed having an older buddy to help with their learning and to engage in play with, and there were always lots of smiling faces! '      Year 7 Saracens Rugby Tournament Mr Levitt, Head of PE, writes: At the end of April our year 7 boys competed in their first rugby tournament at Saracens Stone X Stadium. The competition consisted of 8 different schools, split into 2 groups based on ability. William Ellis competed against the higher-level opposition, playing 3 matches on the day. They did so well considering most of them have only had 8 weeks of rugby in their PE lessons, and they were up against schools steeped in a rich rugby history who were much more experienced than them. In their first game William Ellis took a 2 try lead, both being scored by Michael in Year 7, before being pegged back to 2 – 2. Michael then added a third with a TERRIFIC solo effort. Unfortunately, experience told with our boys running out of steam and conceding 2 late tries to narrowly lose 4 – 3 with the last play of the match. The second game started in similar fashion with Michael again scoring 2 tries before our opponents drew level. Michael then added a third and assisted Luca for a fourth to give our boys a victory of 4 tries to two. The final game, against Finchley, was arguably the most challenging, with Finchley having won all of their games. Although our boys showed resilience right to the end, they were beaten by a more experienced team. Years 8 and 9 have also played in this tournament for their respective Year Groups in the last few weeks. Rugby club is available weekly after school for all students, with a coach from Hampstead Rugby Club (our community link). Camden Schools Track and Field Competition Mr Levitt also  writes: On Wednesday 30th April, several key stage 3 students were selected to represent William Ellis in this year’s Camden Schools Track and Field competition. On a beautiful day all of our students shone through. Firstly, in Year 7, Joshua and Michael ran out winners in their heats and finished 2nd and 3rd in the final of the 100m. The team also finished second in the relay. Michael and Theo both dominated the shotput, finishing 1st and 2nd respectively. Noar finished 2nd in the 800m with Matthew not far behind. Luke set a personal best in the long jump and Luka and Joseph both finished in the top 3 in their 200m races. In Year 8, Evan & Kingsley finished 2nd and 3rd in the 100m final. Huxley and Khamil both finished in the top 3 in their 200m heats. Whilst in the 800m Ben finished in the top 3 with Tommy not far behind him. In the throwing events Cooper and Bobby both got PB’s in the Shot and Discus. The Relay team finished second. In Year 9 Zeph and Josh both won their 100m heats before a 2nd and 3rd place finish in the final. Josh and Idriss both finished runner up in their 200m races. Rowan won the 800m with a lifetime best time. In the field, Tony and Qayyum finished 1st and 2nd in the shot putt. Idriss won the high jump and Zeph and Colin finished 1st and 2nd in the long jump. Other notable performances on the day came from Harry, Kobi. And to round the day off in the main event, the Year 9 relay team grabbed gold. All in all, it was a really successful day at Hampstead Heath Athletics Track. Athletics Club runs weekly after school; everyone is welcome. Year 7 Biology fieldwork on the Heath! Ms Gurkan, Science Teacher, writes: Year 7 biology students recently carried out a practical study of species distribution on the Heath. This fieldwork provided a valuable opportunity to apply scientific methodologies in a real-world context. Students used quadrats and transect lines to sample and analyse the distribution patterns of insects, plants, and other invertebrates. This hands-on experience allowed them to develop their observational and identification skills, while also gathering quantitative data for analysis. The activity directly supported their understanding of ecological concepts, including species identification and the factors influencing their distribution. Students also explored the interconnectedness of organisms within food webs and considered the potential impact of environmental disturbances on these delicate systems. The best bit was doing all of this under the glorious sunshine!

Year 9 Art Collaboration with The October Gallery

Ms Au-Yeung, Head of Art, writes:

Over the past few months, a group of Year 9 students have had the exciting opportunity to work closely with the October Gallery, a unique venue in the heart of King’s Cross, London (24 Old Gloucester Street, WC1N 3AL).
The students collaborated with talented local artists Lilo and Esther through a series of engaging workshops and gallery visits. Lilo, known for her expertise in 3D art using materials such as grout and Modroc, guided the students as they created their own pieces of art inspired by the workshops. These artworks will be showcased at the October Gallery in late June 2025.

During their gallery visit, the students explored a range of works by female artists, discussing the materials, techniques, and possible inspirations behind the pieces.
In the workshops, Lilo encouraged the students to explore the connection between music and art, particularly how colour and sound can evoke emotions, drawing inspiration from the work of Wassily Kandinsky. The students also studied René Magritte’s iconic 'The Son of Man', using it as a starting point to develop their own creative interpretations of extraordinary creatures.

The final pieces, made from Modroc, grout, cardboard, and acrylic paint, reflect the students' innovative approaches and unique artistic styles.

 

Year 9 Drama Technical Skills Workshop

Ms Hughes, Head of Drama, writes:

Year 9 students had a fantastic opportunity to learn about technical theatre skills at the Criterion Theatre on Friday 16th May. They brought a short scene from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to life, with workshops in lighting, sound, stagecraft and directing.

Students worked with professionals in the industry and were able to use theatre equipment to bring their creative ideas to life. A highlight was directing professional actors however the students liked - with hilarious results!

Students will take these skills into their GCSE drama study. Many have asked about doing further work experience or workshops like this…watch this space!

 

Year 7 and Year 10 Theatre trips

Ms Hughes also writes:

On Thursday 24th April, Year 7 students visited the Hackney Empire theatre for a performance of 'Romeo and Juliet'. The performance included rap, R&B and soul music, as well as Shakespeare's original language. This performance will support students in their study of drama, as we embark on a Shakespeare unit next term. It also links with their work on Hamlet in their English lessons.

Drama students in Year 10 have also experienced a theatre production, visiting the National Theatre on 7th May for a performance of 'Dear England'. This performance focuses on the England football team during Gareth Southgate's time as manager, with a focus on team morale, sports psychology and having the right mentality to succeed. The performance gave the students lots of inspiration for their upcoming practical drama exam, as well as preparing for their written exam in Year 11.

 

Year 10 Science trip to Imperial College

Ms Laattoe, Head of Science, writes:

A group of the Year 10 Triple Science cohort recently went on a day trip to Imperial College London, a Russell Group university. They participated in activities and seminars from leading climate scientists, learned about upcoming research and trialled their own experiments in the ReachOut lab.

This allowed them to not only conduct practical work in a real-life laboratory setting, but also to meet academics and current students. This was an opportunity to find out about what it takes to study a science subject at a higher level and to reflect on their own career aspirations. Students were engaged and proactive throughout - well done to all involved.

 

Year 10 Economics Trip to the Bank of England

Ms Mallick, Business & Economics Teacher, writes:

Year 10 Economics students recently visited the Bank of England Museum where they discovered the history of the Bank and saw an exhibition on the future of money and its role in society. This was followed by a walk around London's financial centre, visiting Lombard Street, the original site of stock trading in London, the former houses of famous economists and finally, the London Stock Exchange building.

 

Year 10 Food Technology Projects

Ms Sinnott, Food Technology Teacher, writes:

The plants Year 10 students have planted in the raised beds are growing really well and will soon be ready for market day.

Well done to the Year 10 students for being responsible. The plants are responding to your care!

 

Year 10's also recently visited the Global Generation Story Garden at King's Cross, involving themselves in practical ways of bringing to life curriculum topics including food & health, habitats & biodiversity and the importance of water & climate change.

 

A-Level Maths Trip to London School of Economics

Ms Neli, Maths Teacher, writes:

The A-Level Mathematics students recently had the exciting opportunity to visit the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)—one of the world’s leading universities for mathematics, economics, and social sciences.

During the visit, students toured the campus, participated in an interactive lecture, and got a taste of what studying at a top-tier institution is like. They also learned about the real-world applications of mathematics in economics, finance, and data science.

Here are some of the comments students made about the trip:
• “It was a nice excursion around the university and conversation with the students was really useful”
• “All round great experience, I enjoyed the speeches”
• “The trip makes me consider studying Maths at university”
• “This trip was very fun - I loved how the professor was very passionate about her expertise”
• “The trip was a lovely eye-opening experience on how university works. It has great facilities for anyone interested in Maths and Economics. It also has a lovely community”

 

William Ellis on the Radio On the final day of final day of Spring Term in April, BBC Radio 4 ran a news story about the great work that William Ellis School is doing in our student community to help create positive male role models and tackle misogyny. Presenter Evan Davis came into school and interviewed several students as well as our headteacher Izzy Jones and Y9 parent and University of Middlesex Prof Dr Helen Bendon who has been working with WES on this important topic for three years.

It’s great to be able to share the conversations boys want to have about positive masculinity, and who they choose as role models.  Here is the link to the programme - the section recorded at our school starts at 21 minutes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0029hwp

Coming up: International Evening, Tuesday 1st July

One of the annual highlights of the Summer Term at William Ellis is our International Evening, where the whole school community - students, families and staff - come together to celebrate the diversity in school. There will be food, music, dancing, activities and competition prizes sponsored by local businesses.

We are currently finalising arrangements and will send further detail of this event when booking opens; we'd love you to join us!