Latest News

Music and Drama department celebrating outstanding results

Fyling Hall Music and Drama department are celebrating outstanding results from their year 11 to 13 students this summer. The school's results as a whole are excellent but in Music and Drama every student in year 11-13 achieved the top grades of Distinction or...

An exceptional set of examination results

For the second week running Fyling Hall pupils are celebrating an exceptional set of examination results. Our Year 11 pupils have endured a nerve-wracking wait for the publication of the GCSE results, but their patience has been rewarded. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of...

Year 13 pupils are celebrating

Fyling Hall’s Year 13 pupils are celebrating a successful return to the first externally assessed national examinations since 2019. The class of 2022 achieved a pass rate of 100% with 58% of exams entered being awarded the top grades (A*/A or equivalent), against a...

Excited to have all these memories

First of all, I came to school one week before school started. I met Martha and Rosa who were quarantining with me, this turned out to be great fun and we got to know each other really well and make friends. It was nice to meet them. Miss Anders (Head Matron) greeted...

Our Silver Duke of Edinburgh group

During the first three days of this year’s activities week, our Silver Duke of Edinburgh group went for their qualifying expedition, starting at the Hole of Horcum, going via Newton-on-Rawcliffe and Rosedale Abbey to Fryupdale. Read their account of their expedition:...

Getting children excited about their learning

Our fabulous Year 6 pupils had their final assembly and spoke about their time in the Junior School, recalling their favourite memories and thanking the teachers. It is always a very positive assembly but it is tinged with sadness as they are leaving to go up to Year...

Welcoming you back to our annual Prizegiving

“Mrs White, trustees, ladies, gentlemen and pupils, I take great pleasure in welcoming you all back to our annual Prizegiving.” So began our Headmaster, Mr Steven Allen, as he welcomed pupils, parents, carers, and staff to one of our favourite events of the year.  It...

A lovely way to end my teaching career

Our year 9 pupils have had quite a busy year in ICT.  They have completed a Level 2 Award in IT Skills (equivalent to the BCS ECDL Extra qualification) which gives them a variety of IT skills they would need in many jobs such as word processing, presentations and...

A nature walk at Falling Foss

Y6 have ended their science topic of 'Living Things and their Habitats' by going on a nature walk at Falling Foss. We walked along the beck from May Beck, looking at the woodland habitat along the way and stopping for a minibeast hunt. We found lots of different...

Great to see sport being played once again

Throughout the year it has been great to see sport being played once again and many pupils have thoroughly enjoyed the competitive element that fixtures bring. Through Covid lockdowns it was often very difficult for children to understand what they were missing out on...

Activities week is off to a flying start

Activities week is off to a flying start with our pupils getting creative! Inspired by the work of the great architect artist and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, our pupils have designed their own versions of stained-glass window designs and nightlights. As a...

Acts perform in the glorious sunshine

Over 180 people turned out at our Rose Garden Music Festival to watch 6 acts perform in the glorious sunshine! Everything was organised by Olivia from portaloos to staging, booking the acts to arranging BBQ and cake. We are so incredibly proud of everything...

A time of reflection

The Leavers Ball is always a time of reflection for me, especially when some of the children I taught in Reception have finished their exams and are leaving school for their next adventure. It is such a privilege seeing these pupils on their journey through Fyling...

Workshops for year 9 and 10 drama students

Imagine our delight welcoming back one of our alumni to run workshops for year 9 and 10 drama students. With the end of this academic year fast approaching, it is a strange time for teachers as pupils graduate and leave the school. This can be especially difficult...

Social and cultural history of the Georgian Age

Having addressed the issue of the very volatile politics of the time associated with the Jacobite rebellions which at times came close to toppling the Hanoverian regime, Year 8 pupils have turned their attention to the social and cultural history of the Georgian Age....

What better way to spend an afternoon

On such a beautiful day, what better way to spend an afternoon than counting flowers in the sunshine? This was the task set our Year 9s. The whole year group were split into randomly selected groups of 3 or 4 and provided with a metre rule, paper and whiteboards,...

A full taster day of senior school

Our Year 7 Transition Day for Year 6s will be a full taster day of senior school on Friday 1st July. If your child is currently in the Junior School in Year 6 or if you've applied for a place from elsewhere, your new 'student' needs to arrive at 8:30am outside Main...

Professional Development Day is a great success

Last year we could not send our Year 10 groups into the real world of work (we all know why) and this year local companies were not yet ready to accept students back for traditional work experience. Instead we ran an internal Professional Development Day which proved...

All good things come to an end

Never was the expression "all good things come to an end" more true. It was with a bittersweet feeling for me that my year 11 class trooped into my classroom last week for the last time following their final English GCSE exam for a glass of (sadly) non-alcoholic...

Celebrating their first year in secondary school

Mrs Milner's Year 7 students are celebrating their first year in secondary school, having had an extremely busy first year at Fyling Hall School. In their final term at school, they have worked on a writing project in which they had to create a ‘space journal’ about...

Five weeks to sort out a play

When Mrs Jeeves, Head of Drama, said that we had five weeks to sort out a play, I was a bit worried because of how short a time that was. However, we worked hard and managed to put a play together.  The play was about what it's like to be a teenager and the...

A fantastic school trip back in history

Form 2 had a fantastic school trip back in history last week when they visited Eden Camp. The class have been learning all about World War Two, throughout the term the children have read Goodnight Mr Tom, studied beautiful war time poetry and created their own...

Last call for your Yearbook!

It's the last call for your Yearbook! Your last chance to secure your time capsule! The deadline for orders is THIS WEDNESDAY, 15th June which is the latest time I can place the print order to get them in time - so we need to act fast. Thanks if you've already placed...

A nerve-wracking time for 15-18 year olds

May and June in senior schools around the UK are a nerve-wracking time for 15-18 year-olds as they sit their GCSE and A level exams. These exams hold the key to continued study in the sixth form or further education at University. This period is equally challenging...

Three days and more of varied tasks and activities

For those who do not recall, Activities Week is three days and more of varied tasks and activities, plus, plus. It is almost a distant memory thanks to the recent pandemic. I have really missed the opportunities it has offered and as a result tried to organise a full...

Poetry recital competition is back

There is a buzz of excitement and anticipation up and down the corridors, in the classrooms, and throughout the hallowed halls at Fyling Hall; the Daisy Hardy poetry recital competition is back!  That’s right, back to her original format at last, the Daisy Hardy...

Congratulations to all our learners on their success

Congratulations to all our learners on their success! We may have only just returned to finish the Summer Term and academic year, but before the term hurries past, we pause to congratulate our students who sat the IELTS exam before our Half Term break. What is...

Grand Summer Draw

Fresh from the success of their first ever Bake Off, the Friend of Fyling Hall / PTA are planning a Grand Summer Draw. Our Bake Off raised over £250 which will go towards a little treat for our Junior School pupils (with seniors receiving a donation earlier in the...

Working here and living in beautiful North Yorkshire

It’s been almost 5 months since I first arrived at Fyling Hall and I have enjoyed working here and living in beautiful North Yorkshire. I first arrived here in the middle of winter but was glad it ended up being quite a mild winter so it was not too much of a shock –...

Onto Fylingdales Moor to do some pond dipping

As part of their science work on living things and their habitats, Forms 2 and 3 recently went out onto Fylingdales Moor to do some pond dipping. We found lots of different creatures including: palmate newts, damselfly and dragonfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae, water...

First half of the term has been busy

As you can imagine the first half of the term has been busy and a lot has been underway.  A variety of activities have taken place during the first half of the term, and I am sure there is a lot more to come in the second half!   The boarders, as well...

Experiencing life at a British boarding school

Many international students dream of experiencing life at a British boarding school. This Summer Term, Fyling Hall is lucky enough to welcome a number of Spanish students who are staying for this very reason. For a short while, Spanish pupils will not only experience...

Fortunate to be surrounded by such glorious countryside

The first half of the Summer Term has been busy with the pupils enjoying trips to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and pond dipping on the moors. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such glorious countryside and that we are able to make the most of it. Trips are...

End of year exams

It seems like only a few months ago since we started the school year in September, but last week already saw us doing not only the A-level and GCSE exams, but also Key Stage 3's end of year exams! How time flies! That means that over the last weeks there has been a...

Researching and investigating female scientists

In the last three weeks we have been researching and investigating female scientists in our English lessons. We chose the topic 'female scientists' because we wanted to be inspired by their hard work and efforts. We gained some  additional natural knowledge about...

What we are all doing in English

As we move into the final term of another academic year, I thought I would give you all an update on what we are all doing in English. The Alevel students are looking at their second comparative literature text, ‘Dorian Gray’, and examining Wilde’s language and his...

My first EP is now available

After spending around 6 months with my guitar tutor Paul Whittaker, my first EP is now available to listen on musical steaming platform such as Apple music and YouTube music. The EP is called "Long Story Short", and it is a summary of major things which happened in my...

Some fun on the water

On their most recent weekend adventure some of our pupils, boarders and dailies, went to Wykeham Lakes for some fun on the water. Well, that was the plan although Keith and Ibrahim seemed to spend more time in the water than on it. In fact whilst paddle boarding the...

When I first came to this school

I remember when I first came to this school, it was on 5th January 2022. Also this was my first time in the UK. In that moment when I looked at the environment in this school, my feeling was really excited and I can't imagine that I was really staying here in the UK....

The Environment through an A-level lens

How would you view "The Environment" through an A-level lens? Head of Art, Ms Gillings gave our three A-level Photography students the assignment and students then chose their own subject matter within that theme. As you might expect, Charlie, Joseph and Brogan all...

The opportunity to take part in athletics

As the summer term is now well underway it has given the pupils the opportunity to take part in athletics. Whilst the thought of running around a track does not always thrill the masses, the great advantage of athletics is that there is an event for everyone, whether...

If it moves, it’s Physics

One of the simplest definitions of my particular sphere of science is: 'if it moves, it's Physics'. Fitting then that our year 10 topic is the Physics of Forces and Motion. It's a topic that lends itself to practical activities as it is inherently a practical topic....

A great few days making model volcanoes

Form 2 had a great few days making model volcanoes. This design technology topic was a lovely way to end their Geography unit which has been Mountains and Volcanoes. The Junior School children worked in small groups to complete their task. They were given a number of...

Hearing the pupils’ excited shrieks

Hearing the pupils' excited shrieks as the locomotive chugged beneath us, enveloping us in great clouds of steam, was a definite highlight of the trip for me. We travelled to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Pickering, it is a wonderful station and the volunteers...

Faster and better than ever

After a much awaited 3 years, the Staff vs Students hockey match was back; faster and better than ever. It’s every student’s dream to be able to play against their teachers in a fast pace, competitive atmosphere and hopefully, win. From the first push back, the pace...

A familiar sight to Fyling Hallers past and present

Old St Stephen’s (aka Raw Church) will be a familiar sight to Fyling Hallers past and present, whether as a milestone on the Senior Cross run, the spot for spooky midnight walkabouts or as the setting for the annual Harvest Festival. We’ve even heard tales of students...

Creating scale models of Harry Potter’s bedroom

Y6 have been having fun in maths lessons creating scale models of Harry Potter's bedroom at Hogwarts. Using their knowledge of scale and ratio, our Junior School pupils worked in groups to choose from a list of items and scale down real-life dimensions by a scale...

Boarders enjoyed the lovely city of York

This past weekend our boarders enjoyed the lovely city of York. Our short stay Spanish visitors also joined the trip to this fabulous city. Whilst our "permanent" boarders enjoyed shopping, the Spanish spent their time visiting the Railway Museum. Going out on the...

Our first Duke of Edinburgh expedition of the year

This last weekend saw our first Duke of Edinburgh expedition of the year. On Saturday morning, seven young people set off on the minibus to explore the Esk Valley on their Bronze practice expedition. Blessed as we are with our surroundings, we didn’t have to go far....

Our first ever Bake Off competition!

We are very excited to tell you about our first ever Bake Off competition! It will be held on Monday 23rd May and judged that morning by Sarah Muir from the Arches Cookery School. The winner will receive a baking course at her fabulous school in Grinkle. The...

First impressions of Fyling Hall boarding life

What are our newest students first impressions of Fyling Hall boarding life? Mrs Jeeves, Head of English as a Second Language, asked Laure and Mathilde to share their thoughts. Both girls are French, are in Year 9 and will stay with us for one term. When I arrived at...

As we start the final term of the year

As we start the final term of the year I have found myself reflecting on my many years at Fyling Hall. It is as usual a very busy term. Year 11 and year 13 are about to 3 start their external exams (the first to run since June 2019) and KS3 and Year 10 will have...

Time Capsule! (A Yearbook is coming)

On 7th June 1971 the three presenters of the BBC children television programme Blue Peter, Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and Peter Purves, buried a 'time capsule' in front of the BBC Television Centre in London, live on television. The idea was that it would be...

A fantastic afternoon of live music with local bands

Our Rose Garden Music Festival is a fantastic afternoon of live music with local bands, in the glorious setting of Fyling Hall's Rose Garden. After two years without it, I am super excited that this Festival is going to happen again this year. For those who haven't...

Weekly clubs are back for the summer

Weekly clubs are back for the summer. Here's what we'll be doing up to half-term starting this week, 2nd May which is WEEK 2 of our five-week half-term. MONDAY 4:30-5:30pm Drama (for years 5-8) with Mrs JeevesMaths Revision (Years 11 and 13) with Mr WalshBoard Games...

A big warm welcome to our new boarders

I would like to start by saying, welcome back to all of our boarders and a big warm welcome to our new boarders that have joined us this term. This week has been a busy one and it certainly has been for our new pupils.  They have all had their induction into...

English as a second language students improve in their studies

As English as a second language students improve in their studies application of language to a range of settings is increasingly important. Over the past half term, year 11 students have considered the future of technological developments and in particular the rise of...

Our programme of assemblies and Learning for Life

During the Spring Term we've taken tentative steps to return to our programme of assemblies and Learning for Life sessions after two years of hybrid events, broadcasting, videos and small groups. Aside from our outside gatherings on the Fountain Lawn and...

Electronics coming to life

In teaching the same topics come around again year after year and again in each year group at different times. In Science we call it 'spiralling' as students see the same topic again in a different year but at a more advanced level. For example, I teach electricity in...

What makes me happy or feel at home

What makes me happy or feel at home is when I can spend time with the horses at the stables. The stables are next to the chemistry and physics lab. We have very nice and beautiful horses.  We have a lot of horses and a very nice teacher, Coleen. Riding Mistress,...

A team is defined as . . .

A team is defined as a number of people who do something together as a group, but what defines a team? I think most people would probably agree that teams are often defined by success. As you move up the sporting world this generally comes through fame money, fame and...

Acquiring new knowledge

Gig -economy, livestream, overshare, sofa surfer. What do all these words have in common?  They were all added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2021. We may not realise it, but we are constantly acquiring new knowledge. The average person learns the equivalent...

Time to get ready for the expedition season

Spring has finally arrived in North Yorkshire, and with the physical, skills and volunteering sections well underway, it is now time to get ready for the expedition season! During our first DofE training session in 2022, our Bronze group have learnt how to cook a...

When history directly affects us in some way

History is often most interesting when it directly affects us in some way. A personal connection can often help us engage more fully with events in the past. This is evident in the two pieces included below, from two enthusiastic year 10 History Club and GCSE...

Taking part in the SUMS enrichment day

In the last week of the Spring Term the Year 12 girls maths students visited Newcastle University, taking part in the SUMS (Steps to University for Mathematical Students) enrichment day. When we first arrived at the university in the morning, we were given a lecture...

Investigating tourism in Geography

Once again, the year 9 geography groups have been investigating tourism. Two years ago, we were in lockdown at this time so I decided that a good activity would be to create an iconic landmark from a chosen city/country. As it worked so well I decided to keep doing...

One of the hardest decisions

Choosing which school to send your child to is one of the hardest decisions. Apparently not for my husband - Fyling Hall was the only school he wanted our daughter to go to.  He did not like my answer - no way were we sending our daughter to a private...

Boarding life returns to “normal”

I am pleased to say that boarding life has returned to "normal". Indeed, what a Spring Term it has been!  There have been an array of activities that the boarders have enjoyed throughout the duration of the term.  Many have been challenging such as a...

A wonderful, fun way to end

The PTA's Chocolate Bingo was a wonderful, fun way to end a busy and productive half term in the Junior School. Thanks to very generous donations of chocolate and lots of pupils, parents and staff attending, the evening was a huge success. The prizes were so large...

The 32 second Romeo and Juliet

Time flew in Mrs Milner’s Year 9 English class recently when they all decided that Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ could do with a bit of a ‘trim’ so cut out a few lines and attempted what is known in the business as: ‘The 32 second Romeo and Juliet’. They actually...

A great day at this year’s Maths Feast

It was a truly great day at this year's Maths Feast. Taking place at Teesside University, Maths Feast is a fun educational challenge for Year 10 students which tests problem-solving and teamwork skills. Maths Feast is delivered nationally by the Advanced Maths Support...

The most interesting parts of history

Let’s be honest, some of the most interesting parts of history are those that we can most relate to: What did people eat? What did they wear? What sort of houses did they live in? What kinds of jobs did they do? Year 7 have investigated what life was like for medieval...

A small school with a big heart

Even though we are a small school we continue to have a big heart, often thinking of others who are less fortunate. With that in mind, we are running the Rotary Club Shoebox Appeal again next term. Many of you will already be aware of what this entails but for...

How much sugar can be found in drinks

Form 2 have investigated and researched how much sugar can be found in drinks and the effects of sugar on their teeth. Their research was done on a wonderful Science afternoon to accompany our topic of Animals including Humans. First the children predicted how much...

Boarders take on Treetop Challenge

In their latest weekend activity, it was time for our boarders to take on a treetop challenge. On a stunning afternoon 13 brave (well some of them) students faced Go Ape’s Treetop Challenge at Dalby Forest. After the safety courses and instructional tutelage was...

Our annual House Run is back!

Our annual whole school cross-country House Run is back! A precursor to the summer term Sports Day, the House Run is a whole school activity from the juniors to sixth form with teachers either joining the run or stationed at a checkpoint along the route. Starting at...

The much loved Technology Tournament

After a two year hiatus the much loved Technology Tournament, organised by Rotary, is back. A team from Fyling Hall has won every year since the tournament began fourteen years ago. The secret to our success? Read on...  On the 17th March we sent six teams to...

This year’s Rotary Club ‘Speak Out’ competition

In our blog a couple of weeks ago we promised that we would let you know how we got on at this year's Rotary Club ‘Speak Out’ competition, so here is our update. Fresh from success at the Eskdale Festival, our fabulous teams set out for St Hilda’s Church in Whitby to...

A Masterclass by our Rotary Writers

Recently, the Rotary Club hosted a writing competition asking for poems or short stories with the title ‘Environment’ and, true to form, our Fyling Hallers stepped forward to take part. There were several age categories in which we could enter and I was absolutely...

Year 11 and Year 13 musicians perform amazingly

After weeks of preparation, our Year 11 and Year 13 musicians really did perform amazingly at the RockSchool concert events. Both events went smoothly (bar some technical drum issues!) and the audience expressed their love for the performers.  Some particularly great...

Trying their hand at golf

This weekend a group of boarders set off to Snainton Golf Centre set on trying their hand at golf. For many it was their first experience.  The morning started off with a 'Full English' and conversation focused on the question of how difficult golf could be, surely,...

Pi Day is a long established tradition

Pi Day is a long established tradition, taking on the US-based date system of month-day giving us the first three digits of pi: 3.14 on the 14th March. This year's event at Fyling Hall was another very successful and popular event with some very accurate...

Forest school is something I look forward to

Forest school is something I look forward to at the end of every week. Our pupils love our Friday afternoon sessions too, indeed we often hear the children making plans during the week for improving their dens or a game they'd like to play. In a world where children...

Your Vision of Whitby

What is your “Vision of Whitby”? Have you seen it captured in a photograph? Could you capture it in a photograph? Everyone has the opportunity to enter this amazing competition which will showcase your photos. This is an excellent opportunity which could result in...

Chocolate Bingo

The PTA, Friends of Fyling Hall, are delighted to announce that Chocolate Bingo is back! Date - Wednesday March 30thStart Time - Doors 5.30pm Flying Hall Dining RoomEyes down - 5.45pmAdmission - £5 per child to include all food, drink, bingo cards and a...

Experts on the ancient world

Year 6 are becoming experts on the ancient world! Having completed their study of ancient Egypt, its cult of the god-king pharaoh, its farming, trade, industry and dependence on the Nile for existence, they have turned to examine the ancient Greeks and how their...

This weekend’s quad biking event

This weekend's quad biking event was great fun for Fyling Hall students. Quad biking is one of the newer, and in my opinion, more exciting, activities added to our activities programme. It is one which is seemingly individual, but is actually, great for building...

Pupil, Teacher and Headmaster

We are saddened by the news of the passing of John Woolley - Pupil, Teacher and Headmaster at Fyling Hall School. Mr Woolley was an integral member of our Fyling Hall community, and we will fondly remember him. We all extend our deepest sympathies to his family and...

Competing in all aspects of music and drama

Eskdale Festival is two weeks of competing in all aspects of music and drama. This festival is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn new skills and step outside the comfort zone of their school. The festival kicks off with verse speaking, poetry...

A new scheme of learning

We’re looking at a new scheme of learning that focuses on studying and writing a variety of non-fiction texts from journal writing to newspapers to writing about our surroundings. Over the past few weeks, some year 7 students have been stranded on a desert island. But...

Software skills and experiences

In our Year 7 this year, they all have a very different set of software skills and experiences. There are some pupils who were at Fyling Hall Junior School and some pupils who attended different primary schools in the Whitby and Scarborough areas. Consequently, so we...

Delving into the human body

Year 7 pupils have been delving into the human body. How? By learning about the various systems that all interlink to make the body. This has included practical lessons, measuring their heart rate in response to exercise. Measuring their lung capacities with the use...

Learning how to write persuasively

This term in English Year 6 have been learning how to write persuasively, and some of the children put their newfound skills to good use by writing letters to Mr Allen in the hope of persuading him to let them wear their own clothes to school and introduce a ‘Bring...

Year 8 students put quill and ink to paper

As the crowds surrounding the king’s scaffold at Whitehall disperse in anger and bewilderment, our year 8 students put quill and ink to paper and write in the king’s defence! The year is 1649 and the month January. King Charles I has been illegally condemned to death...

The Magic of Reading

Our thanks go to all of those who submitted their book photo to our World Book Day competition. The idea was to take a photo of you reading your current of favourite book. The judges were looking for good composition and some combination of relevance or connection...

An exciting time planning and preparing

This term, we’ve had an exciting time planning and preparing for the year 11 and year 13 RockSchool Concert which is part of their course. Both nights should be fantastic events with songs being performed on a multitude of instruments. The pupils have been working and...

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Surviving and thriving in the outside world after school, after Sixth Form, isn't just about qualifications. It isn't just about getting a university place, an apprenticeship or a job. It's about who you know, how you meet them and how you get on with them: it's about...

A nice way to end our History topic

We were very lucky to go on a school trip to the National Railway Museum, in York, on Thursday 24th February as a nice way to end our History topic. School trips are a great way to reinforce learning outside the classroom. The Junior School have been learning all...

Taking on the karting challenge!

A cold, blustery day in February saw another group of pupils taking on the karting challenge! Twelve boarders were ready to race each other around the track, all hoping to be victorious. The first groups consisted of Richard, Ryan, Ethan, Marcus and Alexandre. From...