Arete Schools Non-Sports Day Event 2025

A Day of Innovation and Excitement!

We are thrilled to share highlights from our first non-sports day event of 2025, where our four Arete Schools came together for a vibrant celebration of creativity and talent. The day was filled with exciting competitions in Business, Baking, Chess, Astronomy, e-Sports, and Coding, all leading up to an awards ceremony.

Business Challenge:

In the business segment, teams of six from each school faced a tough challenge: to design a product or service in one of three categories - children's toys, revision/study aids, or wearable technology. Each team dedicated themselves to extensive research and brainstorming, transforming their ideas into innovative concepts. They worked diligently to refine their ideas, transforming them into realistic and innovative products that showcased their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. The judging panel posed tough questions to each of the four teams, challenging them to think on their feet. It was remarkable to see the passion and business acumen displayed as the teams articulated their ideas clearly and confidently, demonstrating both quick thinking and thorough preparation. Blenheim School emerged as the overall winner with their ground-breaking concept for wearable technology in the medical profession.

The judges were impressed by the passion and acumen displayed by all teams.

Biscuit Challenge:

Our students truly showcased their culinary skills and artistic flair in an event that buzzed with creativity and enthusiasm. The atmosphere in the food room was amazing, filled with the delightful aromas of freshly baked biscuits and the spirit of competition. Each school brought their unique touch to the challenge, and it was inspiring to see such innovation on display. While Gordon’s School took home the overall championship, we were incredibly proud that Woking High School excelled in the Year 10 category. Congratulations to our talented students! Their dedication and hard work truly paid off as they prided themselves on perfecting their biscuit recipe and creating a visually stunning presentation. Their winning entry not only dazzled the judges with its delicious flavours but also captivated everyone with its original and pleasing design. The countless hours spent in practice certainly showed, and their achievement has filled our school community with pride and excitement. The competition was a fantastic opportunity for students to connect, learn from each other, and develop essential skills like teamwork and healthy competition. The camaraderie witnessed among the competing teams was uplifting, as students exchanged tips and motivated one another.

Python Programming Competition

The intense Python programming competition was a real test of our students’ coding prowess. In teams of four, 32 participants tackled various complex challenges, demonstrating their logic and problem-solving skills. With quick thinking and teamwork, Blenheim School emerged as the winners after an exhilarating 45 minutes of coding under pressure. Well done to all who participated! Following the coding competition, students enjoyed a hands-on workshop, where they learned to code a Micro:Bit device using Python. It was a fantastic opportunity to enhance computational thinking and refine problem-solving abilities!

e-Sports - Nintendo Switch Super Smash Bros. Tournament

The air was electric as students engaged in a thrilling Nintendo Switch Super Smash Bros. tournament. Eight players from each school showcased their skills and strategies, leading to nail-biting matches that had spectators on the edge of their seats. With cheers echoing through the venue, a talented player from Gordon’s School ultimately claimed victory and secured the coveted championship trophy.

Chess Tournament

Our chess tournament concluded with closely contested matches, with Gordon’s School finishing in first place with an impressive 17 points, just edging out Woking High School, who followed closely behind at 16 points. Special recognition goes to the top players from Woking High School: Aron Kohari (Y10), Shourya Raj (Y9), and Josh Seet (Y11) for their brilliant performances.

Astronomy Masterclass Convention

Dr Ashton, Head of Astronomy and Teacher of Science, led the students from the four schools through an Astronomy Masterclass where students were introduced to the night sky. Discussions and questions were posed by students on the nature of black holes, multiple universes, dark matter and alien life. The students learnt the most common constellations and how they can be used to locate various nebulae and galaxies in the night sky. The students signed up for access to a research-level remote robotic telescope so that they could take images of some of these astronomical objects in their own time and the students were then trained how to use free software to align and edit images taken through telescopes. 

The session was a resounding success and all the students from each school were thoroughly engaged. Dr Ashton was very pleased with the thought that went into the questions posed during the session and the effort put into completing the tasks.

To cap off the day, all students who participated in these competitions were awarded trophies, Arete medals, and certificates, celebrating their hard work and dedication.