A group of Year 9 students who are part of the Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) programme had a trip to the University of Reading. HPQ requires students to research an area of their choice, write a 2000-word essay, and then complete a presentation. The students have picked a wide range of topics concentrating on climate change, time travel, the importance of literature, and supercomputers, to name a few. The students were involved in study skills sessions such as academic writing, referencing, critiquing sources, and how to refine their research questions.

Mrs Tustin-Reeves said: "Students were enthusiastic and exemplary role models on the trip, and the staff at the university commented on how impressed they were with the Year 9 students in their conduct and their ambitious choice of research areas to focus on."