Schools/colleges

A new breakfast club for school children in Chertsey has been launched this week.

Club 326, who have been running after school clubs for children aged between four and 11 since April 2004, have now extended the club to accept children before school.

Parents can now drop their children off at the club in the grounds of Stepgates School from 8am and then staff will walk the children to school.

Various venues in Chertsey are hosting art exhibitions to display pieces of work from children aged 3 - 18 years.

As part of the Chertsey Partnership of Schools, the exhibitions, with the theme, Links and Connections, are being displayed at Chertsey library from October 7 until Novermber 18, the out patients corridor at St Peter's Hospital between October 6 and October 27 and at St Peter's Church from October 8 to November 12.

Five students from Sir William Perkins's School, have returned after representing the UK in a competition run by the Italian Government.

The girls, all of whom are 14, took part in a healthy eating competition, in which they had to create a video promoting healthy eating amongst teenagers.

Although they did not win, they spent a week in Italy, where there video was shown in the festival, Food4U.

The competition was organised by the Italian Department of Agriculture and was promoted to 16 European Countries.

Girls at Sir William Perkins's School in Chertsey exceeded the national GCSE results by achieving 100% A* to C grades.

All 31 GCSE students at Guildford Road-based private school, scored nine or more straight A* or A grades, and four achieved straight A* grades.

Some 42% of all the grades were A* and 82.6% A* or A grade - and 10 girls got at least 8 A* grades.

Head teacher, Mrs Del Cooke, said: "We are all delighted that the girls' hard work paid off to give us the best ever results. These GCSE results, along with last week's fantastic A level results, have made us very proud of our students.

"It confirms our belief in the importance of having high quality extracurricular opportunities in addition to a rigorous and stretching academic programme."

Three girls managed to get marks in Edexcel exams that put them within the top 10 in the country - Kirstin Hay (Additional Science - out of 54000 candidates), Natalie Hudson and Alice Cox (French - out of 47000 candidates)

Salesian School head teacher James Kibble said he was "thrilled" and "delighted" with this year's GCSE results, which he says are the best in the school's history.

He said: "For the first time over 80% of students achieved at least five A* to C grades, and, significantly, the vast majority of these included English and maths.

"These are truly remarkable results from a non-selective comprehensive school and all the students and teachers deserve tremendous praise for their hard work."

Sabrina Sardo, from Addlestone, got five A*s and eight As. She said: "I was just so relieved and so over-whelmed and happy that all my hard work paid off.

"I was quite worried about my science results but I got three As for biology, chemistry and physics. The atmosphere is great, it seems everyone is really happy."

Rebecca Lynch, from Addlestone, achieved an A*, four As, five Bs and two Cs. She said: "I was really surprised. I knew I had done OK but I wasn't expecting these results at all." She said she wants to be a fashion buyer and will study English Language, maths mechanics, French and economics at A level next year at Salesian.

The Friends of Stepgates Community School have enjoyed a record year of fundraising this year, having raised £8,000.

In previous years The Friends have found it difficult to push past the £2,000 mark, and say they are delighted with this year's success.

Stepgates School in Chertsey is appealing for donations to help replace its swimming pool.

The swimming pool is suffering the effects of wear and tear and the board of governors will be trying to raise about £250,000 for a new one, which they are hoping to make available for the Chertsey community as well as the school.

Anyone who wishes to donate should call the school on 01932 563022.

Youngsters from 14 different schools spent a week at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals sites as work experience at the end of term last week.

The 15 and 16-year-olds visited different areas of the hospital at work and heard first-hand experiences from staff.

Students from Sir William Perkins's School, in Chertsey, were among more than 1,000 children from schools and youth groups across the UK to choose the winning science book for the Royal Society Junior Prize for Science Books.