Great Torrington School

✨ Inspiring Futures at GTS ✨

We were delighted to welcome a fantastic range of guest speakers into school on Monday morning to work with all our Year 7 students as part of their Personal Development programme.

It may be a big ask first thing on a Monday, but our pupils rose to the occasion—listening, engaging and asking some thoughtful questions.

We were incredibly lucky to be supported by a variety of local and national employers and professionals, including:

🐾 Forthglade (Okehampton) – We were joined by Katie Smith (GTS Alumni & Quality Control) Rachel Rust (HR Officer) sharing insights into dog nutrition, product development and quality control – also they bought in some lovely doggy treats for pupils to take home – we can imagine there were some very happy dogs in the Torrington area.

🎨 Steve Tricker, Blue Soup – Gave a passionate presentation about careers in advertising and about the creative roles that happen behind the scenes .

🎖 The British Army – They challenged pupils to think about the huge variety of careers and trades available in the Army and the work/lifestyle they have. They also stayed behind to deliver a whole Year 10 assembly in tutor time.

👩‍🍳 Ashley (GTS Food Technician) – inspiring pupils with her journey as a private chef and business owner

⚓ Natasha Batty (GTS alumna, Appledore Shipyard) – highlighting her career pathway and opportunities within the shipbuilding industry

💼 Mrs Reeves (GTS) – sharing her experience of running a business alongside volunteering and her vital role in our support team.

🌦 Dr Daisy Harley-Nyang (Met Office) – offering a fascinating insight into her PhD work and career in meteorology and shoed us lots of photos of her lab work and what collecting samples outdoors in nature looked like. Year 9 make a note that you can do an online work experience ‘Forecasting Your Future’, complete this you could then apply for an In Person work experience. Work Experience at the https://careers.metoffice.gov.uk/early-careers/work-experience

🌱 Chloe Ellis (Rosemoor) – discussing careers in horticulture and her own career pathway. RHS also offer work experience programme: https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/qualifications-and-training/new-shoots/work-experience

Each class had the opportunity to hear from two different speakers and take part in a Q&A session—giving pupils valuable insight into different industries, pathways and possibilities for the future work experience.

👏 A huge thank you to all our speakers for giving their time to inspire the next generation.

👉 If you are an employer or professional who would like to support our pupils and get involved in future events, we would love to hear from you—please get in touch with the school.

👏 If you are in Year 9, and think that one of the above industries is of interest for you for work experience next April- please do pop in and see Mrs Leonard.

Forthglade Natural Pet Food RHS Garden Rosemoor Bluesoup Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay Careers Hub Torridge District Council

Dear Parents / Carers,

Due to an emergency road closure in Torrington some of our school buses will be delayed.

Torr-7 will be leaving school early, but will arrive at the normal time with pupils at their usual stops.
Torr-8 will be leaving school half an hour late, but is likely to be about an hour late delivering pupils at their usual stops due to diversions in place.
Torr-11 will be on-time leaving school, however may be up to half an hour late with pupils due to diversions in place.
Stagecoach buses should be on-time, however with diversions in place there is a potential they may be late to Bideford.

We are in conversation with Devon Transport about tomorrow, which will be affected in the morning and afternoon.

Normal service should resume on Friday, providing the road works have been completed.

Kind regards
Great Torrington School

Year 11 Leavers' Day 2026! 🎉

Today we said farewell to our wonderful Year 11 pupils!

Celebrations began with the GTS tradition of shirt-signing with delicious Hockings ice-creams, followed by a BBQ lunch cooked up by our resident chef Mr Anderson. The day ended with an emotional Leavers' Assembly full of memories, music and magic.

To all of our Year 11s: we are incredibly proud of what you have achieved here with us at GTS and the fantastic young adults you have become. Keep dreaming high, keep believing in yourselves, and keep achieving great things!

Reminder tonight is A Level Open Event at North Devon College

Meet their lecturers, hear from the Senior Leadership Team, and discover the opportunities available beyond the classroom, including the EPQ, Sports Academies, Reach Academy, and Extend and Excel programmes. Register here: https://bit.ly/3QcTQQi

🕐 16 June, 5-7pm
📍 Sticklepath, Barnstaple

Reminder - our A Level Open Event is tomorrow!

Meet our lecturers, hear from our Senior Leadership Team, and discover the opportunities available beyond the classroom, including our EPQ, Sports Academies, Reach Academy, and Extend and Excel programmes. Register here: https://bit.ly/3QcTQQi

We look forward to seeing you there!

🕐 16 June, 5-7pm
📍 Sticklepath, Barnstaple

Calling all girls aged 13 to 18 who are curious about what a future in aerospace and defence could look like!!

We’re excited to invite you to a Girls in Aviation Day at the AirTanker Hub, Brize Norton on Saturday 19 September and applications are now OPEN! Applications close 12th July 2026.

On the day, you will:
✈️ Step inside a real aviation environment at the AirTanker Hub
✈️ Take part in hands-on activities and team challenges
✈️ Get closer to aircraft and explore how they work
✈️ Experience how flight planning and operations come together
✈️ See how different skills and interests link to real careers

Know someone who might be interested? Share this opportunity with them - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GIAD26

AirTanker looks forward to welcoming the next generation into aviation

Our Year 10 Catering classes had an incredible opportunity last week, visiting local fish and chip shop Taffs Fish and Chips in Torrington across two days 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

We were warmly welcomed by the owner, who shared her inspiring journey to becoming a successful business owner. Pupils gained valuable insight into:

✨ Food hygiene and allergens
✨ Sourcing ingredients and supporting local produce
✨ Understanding customer tastes across the UK
✨ The day-to-day running of a professional kitchen
✨ The entrepreneurial skills needed to run a business

Pupils also enjoyed live demonstrations and even had the chance to try different types and flavours of fish – a brilliant hands-on experience! 😋

This visit was a fantastic way to bring classroom learning to life, helping pupils understand how their lessons link directly to real careers and industry practice.

👏 A huge thank you to Team Taffs for hosting us and providing such a valuable and engaging experience.

Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay Careers Hub

📚 Applications are now open for Phase 1 of RABI’s Return to School Grant.

⚠️ We're aware that some people are currently experiencing difficulties accessing the application page. Due to the high volume of visitors, some users may be able to access the site while others experience delays or error messages. Our team is working to resolve this as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Eligible farming families can apply for support with back-to-school costs, with grants available to help with essentials including:

✔ Uniforms
✔ Shoes
✔ Bags
✔ School supplies

Applications are due to close at 6pm today, but we expect demand to be high and available grants may be allocated before then.

🔗 Apply now: rabi.org.uk/returntoschool/

📩 After submitting your application, you’ll receive an email with your Unique Identification Number (UIN), confirming your application is in progress.

If you haven’t received this within four hours, please check your spam or junk folder. If it’s still missing, contact RABI’s 24/7 helpline on 0800 188 4444.

🎨 You’re Invited to Our Annual Art Exhibition! 🎨

We are delighted to invite members of the public to our current Exhibition, showcasing the fantastic work and creativity of our pupils at The Plough Arts Centre

🌟 Come along and explore a wide range of inspiring displays
🌟 Celebrate the hard work, talent, and achievements of our young people
🌟 Support and engage with our school community
📍 Location: The Plough Arts Centre Gallery, Torrington
📅 Opening hours 10am - 4pm Wednesday - Saturdays , last day to view work is 4th July

Everyone is welcome – bring your family and friends!

Calling all girls aged 13 to 18 who are curious about what a future in aerospace and defence could look like!!

We’re excited to invite you to a Girls in Aviation Day at the AirTanker Hub, RAF Brize Norton on Saturday 19 September and applications are now open!

On the day, you will:
✈️ Step inside a real aviation environment at the AirTanker Hub
✈️ Take part in hands-on activities and team challenges
✈️ Get closer to aircraft and explore how they work
✈️ Experience how flight planning and operations come together
✈️ See how different skills and interests link to real careers

Too many young people rule out careers before they have had the chance to see what they involve. Giving girls access to real environments and experiences helps change that.

Know someone who might be interested? Share this opportunity with them - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GIAD26

AirTanker looks forward to welcoming the next generation into aviation.