IT’S been just over a year since the Mercury last paid a visit to Haygrove School, so we thought it was about time for us to pop in to ask what’s been happening there over the last 12 months.

It seems the answer is they’ve been up to quite a lot.

At the start of the autumn term the school welcomed 219 new Year 7 students and introduced a house structure, naming the school houses after famous explorers, all of whom had scaled Mount Everest.

The house system has already led to a number of highly competitive inter-house tournaments and competitions which have featured in the Mercury over the past weeks and months.

Head teacher Mrs Karen Canham said: “The leadership, endeavour and resilience of the explorers whom we decided to name our school houses in mirrors the qualities that we aim to develop in our students.

“We are immensely proud of the broad range of extra-curricular activities that our students are involved in.

“During just the first term students journeyed to Paris and London, as well as to more local destinations such as Bristol Zoo and the Eden Project in Cornwall.

“Particularly exciting was our first ever student trip to China where 14 students experienced the wonders of Shanghai and spent time with fellow students from our partner school, the Yew Wah International School, Shanghai. Back in September, a group of Year 9 girls designed and painted a mural for the new community garden in West Street and Year 7 students were involved in a competition to name some of the streets that will be part of a new housing development in Durleigh.

Mrs Canham continued: “We place a lot of emphasis on helping others and are proud to say that since September 2014, the school has raised significant sums for local and national charities, including donating to the Bridgwater Food Bank and sending over 30 Christmas hampers out into the community.”

The staff and the 1,058 pupils at the school are all eagerly anticipating the grand opening of the new music centre following the demolition of the old buildings in October.

“The standard of musical talent at Haygrove is stunning and it is wonderful to be able, at last, to provide an inspirational environment for this talent to flourish.”