Beacon Programme

Tormead's academic enrichment programme designed to stretch girls with tasks beyond the normal curriculum, intellectually demanding activities and lectures.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

My first ever Tutor group at Tormead - 6 years later, what a wonderful bunch of young women ready to meet the World’s Challenges. Proud as punch...

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

In a first for Beacon, our Head Girls Team devised and delivered their own Beacon Challenge: The Great Beacon Breakfast Off. It combined the labs to test for energy properties, the F&N room for cooking mastery and a presentation to build intellectual confidence. A great success!

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

A busy couple of weeks for Beacon. On WBD we had our 6th Form English students share their favourite reads. The Handmaid’s Tale and A Street Cat Called Bob made the final cut!

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Beacon MiniTalk on the science behind wildfires. Contributions from Mrs Jones, Gabby our 6th Form Eco Captain and Y8 student, Etta.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Our first Beacon Briefing sees another philosophy talk led by @Tormead_RS on Hegelian slave relationships and sense of self. Fascinating stuff! We previously investigated Mr Keey’s extensive musings on the subject of Evil.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Year 7-9 converting binary to hex in today’s challenge: How do computers work?

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Excellent first Beacon Challenge of 2020!

[Tormead Drama @Tormead_Drama]

Fantastic Upper School Drama Beacon Challenge on ‘Developing a Character’, led by Samantha Swanborough today. It was lovely to see Drama stalwarts mixed with less regular performers working on scenes together and all gaining skills in presenting to an audience. @DramaBeacon

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Today’s challenge invited Y7-Y9 girls to the chemistry labs to answer the question: How good is your shampoo? Lots of ingeuinty on show as girls created their own experiments to test viscosity and degreasing.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

This was truly inspiring yesterday. We held our first Beacon Demo with over 40 students packed into the library for a National Poetry Day Open Mic event. So many volunteers we almost ran out of time! Intellectual confidence and creativity in bundles. #HPLedu

[HeadofEnglish @Tormead_Eng]

Wow. Here is Amelie reciting the poem she wrote for #NationalPoetryDay to Year 8 this afternoon, after impressing us all so much in our celebration of poetry today in the library. Read the text of her poem below! Wow. @Tormead_Beacon @Tormead_Lib

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Girls participate in research, resolution writing, lobbying, debating and voting on the UK’s resolution to the climate crisis. Great intellectual confidence on show from our Y7-Y9 students. #hpledu

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Beacon Challenges off to a great start as Y9-6th Form handle letters sent from Dot, Tormead teacher, to Billy her sweetheart on the frontline. A brilliant story for the girls to explore.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

“Why did I ever think of teaching. I’ve been working every night till 10 for the last threeweeks! Don’t worry, it won’t hurt me, I’ve been far too lazy in the past, & we get jolly good holidays.” Agnes Dorothy French, Tormead teacher, to Billy her sweetheart in the trenches, 1917

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

“What I should be doing instead of talking all this drivel to you is swotting up some notes on China & such apparitions. Why do I teach Geography or anything besides for that matter? I know nothing whatsoever about any of it... quite a minor detail in my profession.” 5.6.1917

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

“I think Miss... is old-fashioned if she wants children to work while she is educating them. A certain amount of work is... necessary but isn’t the modern idea to make life interesting... and tickle their imagination so they become curious and want to know more.” @Tormead_Hist

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

At tomorrow’s Beacon Challenge Y9-6th Form pupils will get their hands on an archive of letters written by former Tormead teacher, Agnes Dorothy French, back in 1917. The archive is a treasure trove of life at Tormead, wartime guildford and life on the front. Best quotes to come!

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

The first Beacon Briefing of the year discusses the last 24 hours in parliament. Girls asking some brilliant questions showing that they are both enquiring and concerned for society. #hpledu thanks to @Econ_Tormead @Tormead_GovPol for the expert advice!

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Fascinating lectures to kick off this year’s Beacon Programme with Dr Crick and Gabby, 6th Form Eco mentor, discussing environmental issues that affect us on a daily basis and what actions we can take to help. Great links to #schoolstrike4climate

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

An excellent turn out and a feeling of the old operating theatre at our Beacon Demo yesterday. An excellent event to end the Beacon year on a high.

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Today’s Beacon Briefing discusses the #EUelections2019. Mr Sykes sharing his expert view on how the vote works, what it’s for and why the election matters... Y10-6th proving to be very well informed!

[Beacon Programme @Tormead_Beacon]

Some excellent ideas at this week’s Beacon Challenge which is investigating socioeconomic justice. Is it ok to be born into money? Is it fairer to redistribute wealth? Those with their hands up managed to get a share of the King’s wealth... #HPL