Simon Balle All-through School Logo

Simon Balle All-through School

Creating tomorrow’s citizens today

  • Community
    • Headteacher’s Welcome
    • Vice-Principal’s (Primary) Welcome
    • Vision, Values and Expectations
    • OFSTED
    • Staff List
    • Governors
    • Equality
    • Environment and Sustainability
    • Safeguarding
    • Online Safety
    • Parent Staff Association (PSA)
    • Student Leadership
    • Partners
    • Professional Development
    • Vacancies
    • Get into Teaching
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Subjects Overview
    • Curriculum By Year Group
    • Pastoral Structure
    • Teaching and Learning
    • Remote Learning
    • Assessment
    • Enrichment and extra-curricular provision
    • Careers
    • Examinations
    • Library
  • Admissions
    • Primary Admissions
    • Secondary Admissions
    • Sixth Form Admissions
  • Daily Life
    • Attendance
    • Calendar of events
    • Catering
    • Devices
    • Equipment
    • Our Musical School
    • Parent Pay
    • PE Fixtures
    • Remote Learning
    • Term Dates
    • Times of the Day
    • Travel to School
    • Uniform
    • Well-being
  • Inclusion
    • SEND
    • Pupil Premium
    • Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium
    • 16-19 Bursary
  • What’s on
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • PE Fixtures
  • Policies & Accounts
    • Policies
    • Financial Information
    • GDPR
  • Student Outcomes
    • EYFS Outcomes
    • KS1 Outcomes
    • KS2 Outcomes
    • GCSE Outcomes
    • Post-16 Outcomes
    • Destinations
  • Contact
    • Contact details
    • Emergency Closure
    • School Grounds
Simon Balle All-through School Logo
  • Community
    • Headteacher’s Welcome
    • Vice-Principal’s (Primary) Welcome
    • Vision, Values and Expectations
    • OFSTED
    • Staff List
    • Governors
    • Equality
    • Environment and Sustainability
    • Safeguarding
    • Online Safety
    • Parent Staff Association (PSA)
    • Student Leadership
    • Partners
    • Professional Development
    • Vacancies
    • Get into Teaching
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Subjects Overview
    • Curriculum By Year Group
    • Pastoral Structure
    • Teaching and Learning
    • Remote Learning
    • Assessment
    • Enrichment and extra-curricular provision
    • Careers
    • Examinations
    • Library
  • Admissions
    • Primary Admissions
    • Secondary Admissions
    • Sixth Form Admissions
  • Daily Life
    • Attendance
    • Calendar of events
    • Catering
    • Devices
    • Equipment
    • Our Musical School
    • Parent Pay
    • PE Fixtures
    • Remote Learning
    • Term Dates
    • Times of the Day
    • Travel to School
    • Uniform
    • Well-being
  • Inclusion
    • SEND
    • Pupil Premium
    • Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium
    • 16-19 Bursary
  • What’s on
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • PE Fixtures
  • Policies & Accounts
    • Policies
    • Financial Information
    • GDPR
  • Student Outcomes
    • EYFS Outcomes
    • KS1 Outcomes
    • KS2 Outcomes
    • GCSE Outcomes
    • Post-16 Outcomes
    • Destinations
  • Contact
    • Contact details
    • Emergency Closure
    • School Grounds
Simon Balle All-through School Logo
  • Community
    • Headteacher’s Welcome
    • Vice-Principal’s (Primary) Welcome
    • Vision, Values and Expectations
    • OFSTED
    • Staff List
    • Governors
    • Equality
    • Environment and Sustainability
    • Safeguarding
    • Online Safety
    • Parent Staff Association (PSA)
    • Student Leadership
    • Partners
    • Professional Development
    • Vacancies
    • Get into Teaching
  • Curriculum
    • Curriculum Subjects Overview
    • Curriculum By Year Group
    • Pastoral Structure
    • Teaching and Learning
    • Remote Learning
    • Assessment
    • Enrichment and extra-curricular provision
    • Careers
    • Examinations
    • Library
  • Admissions
    • Primary Admissions
    • Secondary Admissions
    • Sixth Form Admissions
  • Daily Life
    • Attendance
    • Calendar of events
    • Catering
    • Devices
    • Equipment
    • Our Musical School
    • Parent Pay
    • PE Fixtures
    • Remote Learning
    • Term Dates
    • Times of the Day
    • Travel to School
    • Uniform
    • Well-being
  • Inclusion
    • SEND
    • Pupil Premium
    • Year 7 Literacy and Numeracy catch-up premium
    • 16-19 Bursary
  • What’s on
    • Newsletters
    • Calendar
    • PE Fixtures
  • Policies & Accounts
    • Policies
    • Financial Information
    • GDPR
  • Student Outcomes
    • EYFS Outcomes
    • KS1 Outcomes
    • KS2 Outcomes
    • GCSE Outcomes
    • Post-16 Outcomes
    • Destinations
  • Contact
    • Contact details
    • Emergency Closure
    • School Grounds
Category

Front Page News

Post inside this category will show up on the front page

Exciting Year 6 plans

22nd February 2021Kallie Batchelor

We are writing to follow up on our November workshop ‘Looking Forward at Simon Balle’ to update you on some developments and keep you informed.

Year 7 admissions and exclusive open day at Simon Balle

Firstly, we would like to reassure you all that every Larch student is guaranteed a place in Year 7 at Simon Balle All-through School. There is no need to make an application at any point (to Hertfordshire or to Simon Balle) as your child’s place will automatically be transferred to the secondary phase. We hope that you agree that this is a fantastic position to be in, as we know that secondary transfer can cause a lot of worry – we are so pleased to already have a home-school relationship with each and every family so we can support each child’s transition in a personalised way. 

That said, we are very keen to ensure that you as parents, and your children, are fully informed about the opportunities in Year 7 and your child’s journey (both wellbeing and academic) ahead. As you may know, an open day for admissions to secondary schools is typically held in the early part of the autumn term. For our Larch Simon Balle families, we would like to invite you to an exclusive open day to be held in September 2021. Parents will have the opportunity to see the secondary site, to speak with Mrs Saunders (Headteacher), Mrs Owen (Assistant Headteacher with a focus on Year 6 and 7 transition) and other key staff. Children can look forward to a morning of immersion which will help them begin to experience how Year 7 at Simon Balle will be. Specific dates to follow later this year, with the cohort divided into smaller groups to ensure a personalised experience for all. A google form will also be circulated to you in the summer term, so that we can understand more about your intentions, and any particular questions you have that you would like us to explain in the next stages of the transition process. 

 

Chromebook scheme 

Simon Balle All-through School is a ‘One Person, One Device’ school, with every student from Year 7 upwards currently using a school-purchased device during lessons and for home learning. This scheme has been highly successful in recent years in the secondary phase in ensuring excellent access to learning and the best possible use of technology to support this. Indeed it has been absolutely essential during periods of remote learning over the last year to ensure that every child can continue to access the highest quality of teaching and learning, albeit remotely.

Following on from our workshop in November, we would like to announce that we will be introducing this scheme to Year 6 in September 2021! It is a very exciting prospect that all children in our first Year 6 cohort will be able to benefit from G-Suite resources (Google Classroom, School Gmail (our email system) and Google Drive plus many other opportunities with the use of Chromebooks across lessons/subjects and for home learning. It will prepare children incredibly well for the secondary phase across areas of independence, E-safety, responsibility and specific computing skills. 

We have now sourced a new, cost-effective wholesale and insured Acer Chromebook that will be used by all Year 6 and Year 7 students from September 2021. Final costings are currently being calculated but the model will be approximately £340 outright cost. This includes a Google licence, a three-year warranty and a three-year insurance package. We work alongside a company called Edde who run a finance scheme for each device over 36, 24 and 12 months. We expect the 36-month package to cost approximately £10 a month. There will be a reduced cost available for those who qualify for Pupil Premium funding.

A separate letter will be sent out before Easter with more information about the device, confirming the breakdown of costs and finance options. As we said when we met in November, the use of the chrome book will, of course, be balanced with continued handwritten learning – both so important in Year 6.

 

Student leadership

We have already started the process of recruiting our Sports Ambassadors, with applications for other leadership roles being released gradually over the coming months. Music Ambassadors, continued Larch Librarians, Eco Leaders and Computing Champions all to follow. The last role we will be advertising is for Larch Head Boy and Girl and their deputies. We know this will be a popular role and be desired by many students, so we will ensure a fair and proper process takes place, with the Year 13 Head Boy and Girl being involved in leading this. For all leadership roles, we will be asking the children to explain to us how they show our school values consistently in school, outside of school and virtually, including during remote learning. We are very excited about this process in the coming months and are looking forward to awarding badges and introducing responsibilities. 

 

Lunchtimes and use of the whole all-through site

We have lots of plans in place to support the children’s transition into Year 7 and to ensure that they fully benefit now from all the opportunities of being a student in the all-through school. You will know, of course, that this has already begun, with specialist teaching (from Reception!), including foreign language teaching, music and sporting activities and so many examples of cross-phase activities. 

From September 2021, the Year 6 children will eat their lunch in the secondary dining room. Hot lunch options will be available as of now, and children will be excited that our catering company (Accent) will be providing more grown-up options for them (more specific detail to follow). As in Year 5, it will be possible too to have a packed lunch from home. A Year 6 adult or member of the leadership team will look after the children, and, in this way, they will be fully supervised and supported as Year 6 children should be, yet also able to experience more of the all-through site and to begin to mix with Year 7. 

As well as lunchtimes, we are planning opportunities for the Year 6 children to benefit from using the main library, the music block and the science laboratories too (almost certainly amongst other examples!) 

Your children’s safety and their wellbeing is always our priority. Therefore all of the above exciting activities have been planned with careful attention to how we can support children’s developing sense of responsibility and independence. We will be putting in place a transition programme for the Year 6 students that will importantly include a ‘passport’. In this ‘passport’, they will be trained in ‘transition steps’ and will be asked to evidence their use of school values when using the whole all-through site. For example, they will travel from the Larch to the music block (signing in and out of each) in a particular way, with a training programme to eventually lead to independence. Opportunities will increase throughout Year 6, as each individual child demonstrates their readiness through completion of their passport. 

 

Curriculum 

We are very proud of our bespoke all-through curriculum, from Reception to Year 13, at Simon Balle All-through school. Whilst a curriculum is always ‘living’ and always adapted, it is exciting indeed to know that the children’s learning will progress seamlessly from Year 5 to Year 6 and then again to Year 7. All of our curriculum overviews are published on our website and all include full details for Year 6 in 2021. You can read more detail on the website, but it is an ambitious and broad curriculum, with no apology made for the importance given to every subject. All children will be prepared for their SATs, of course, but this is just a part of their learning journey and experience. Specialist teachers will continue to teach music and PE, with more detail to follow. The children will continue to study French from Year 5, but we will also commit to offering extra-curricular Spanish (at no charge) so that children can be prepared for Year 7, in which they will study both languages. We are so excited about the next stage of finalising our Year 6 curriculum – including our Literary Canon, our plans for an ambitious project beyond SATs and a residential trip. 

 

Accelerated Reader

During the summer term of Year 5, every student will be given access to Accelerated Reader (AR). This is a programme used by every student in Year 7 at Simon Balle All-through school. AR is a computer program that helps us manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice. Your child will choose books at his/her own level and read it at his/her own pace. When finished, each child takes a short quiz on a device – passing the quiz is an indication that your child has understood what has been read. It has so many benefits: children can earn house points and certificates to support motivation (as well as, of course, their intrinsic motivation formed through the love of reading); it will support comprehension skills pitched at exactly the right level for the individual child and you, as parents, will be able to log in to see their progress. There is a world of literature out there and preparing children for this is one of the most important things we can do at Simon Balle in the Larch; Mrs Syme will continue to be there to inspire and support!

 

Extra curricular activities

As you know, we are deeply committed to providing all of our students with extra-curricular opportunities in which they can thrive, develop specific skills and enjoy themselves with all the benefits of social interaction. Whilst Covid-19 has curtailed our current offer, Year 6 children can look forward to the following: 

  • Opportunities within sports teams (boys and girls) to represent Simon Balle through participating in matches, fixtures, competitions and events. Team training for football and netball will continue to be fully inclusive and free of charge. Miss Riddle and Mr Brennan (Head of Department for PE) are currently working on our all-through charter to ensure that the Simon Balle values are at the forefront of every aspect of sport. 
  • Opportunities as musicians – whether strings, wind, brass or singing. Choirs will continue, 1:1 music lessons will continue, and ensembles and concerts will be truly all-through, with opportunities to play with children in the secondary phase whenever an individual student is ready. 
  • A breadth of opportunities, consistent with that being currently offered at Explorers. Parental surveys tell us how important this is and we are delighted that our staff can provide such a range of activities. We are planning for some activities to be designed so that Year 6 and 7 can join together – another way to support transition. More to follow!

 

Other opportunities to develop independence 

Before Christmas we asked for parents to let us know if you wanted to give your child permission to walk independently to, or from school on specific days. This is just a reminder that when school reopens fully, we will be using previous permissions given by parents – so please do let us know if you would like this to be updated or amended. 

Children having their own pencil case has been very helpful in developing their responsibility for resources that are used every daily. These will increase in Year 6 – for example, each child having their own protractor for use in mathematics. 

We do apologise for a long letter and lots of information! That said, we are very keen indeed to ensure that Year 5 to Year 6, and Year 6 to Year 7 are times of exciting growth and development for your children and for you as parents. We know that we will rely on our continued and important partnership between home and school, and therefore we wish to fully involve you in every stage. Please do not hesitate to email us with any immediate questions, but equally please be reassured that we will write again with specific plans related to the headings above.

Mrs Alison Saunders (Headteacher), Mrs Rachel Kirk (Vice Principal), Miss Katie Boyce (Phase leader for primary phase 3), Mrs Lucy Owen (Assistant Headteacher, including responsibility for Year 6/7 transition)
Front Page News

Primary Phase Newsletter 12.02.21

12th February 2021Kallie Batchelor

Download this newsletter

Front Page News,Newsletters

Secondary Phase Newsletter 12.02.21

12th February 2021Kallie Batchelor

Download this newsletter

Front Page News,Newsletters

Snow update: School open

8th February 2021Harry Ingram

Simon Balle All-through School remains open for those attending, with the premises team doing a great job clearing snow and keeping the site safe.

 

Front Page News

Message to Year 9 students and parents

4th February 2021Harry Ingram
Year 9 students and parents, please find here a link to the virtual preferences evening where you will be able to hear and read information about the process to follow and some guidance about making your preferences. It includes details of how to email questions if you need further clarification.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy3w3lVgoeA

A form has been sent to each student’s school email address. Please complete this form and submit by next Wednesday 10th February.
Front Page News

Children’s Mental Health Week: 1st Feb – 7th Feb 

1st February 2021Kallie Batchelor

Expressing yourself is about finding ways to share feelings, thoughts, or ideas, through creativity. It is about finding a way to show who you are, and how you see the world, that can help you feel good about yourself.

Place2BE, Children’s Mental Health Week 

 

Children’s Mental Health Week: 1st Feb – 7th Feb 

At Simon Balle All-through School we are proud to be supporting and promoting Children’s Mental Health Week. Mental health and Wellbeing is of vital importance in times such as these and we want to ensure that our students get the opportunity to relax and express themselves. We recognise that talking about our mental health and expressing our feelings can be difficult, no matter our age. 

 

This year’s theme is to ‘Express Yourself’. We are encouraging all of our students to take part.

 

The primary phase will be sent a short assembly to watch and are encouraged to take part in some of the age-appropriate activities suggested by some of our departments. This will be a wonderful & beneficial way to engage in this important event in the current climate.

 

In the secondary phase, every lesson two from Tuesday 2nd February to Friday 5th February inclusive will be collapsed in order to give students the time to participate in an activity or pursuit that benefits their mental wellbeing; for example, the department suggested activities, taking a walk/run, going for a bike ride or reading a book. We want to encourage students to take a break from the screen and therefore no lessons during period two (9:45 am to 10:45 am) will take place.

 

If you would like to share any of the activities you’ve tried during Children’s Mental Health Week, please upload to your class or year group classroom or email me at pooleyj@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

 

What is mental health? 

Here are some videos you may wish to share with your child when discussing mental health this week. 

 

Video aimed at primary aged students 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hVAPFyukvY&feature=emb_logo

 

Video aimed at secondary aged students 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxIDKZHW3-E&feature=emb_logo

 

Department suggested activities 

Try these at home or in school with your bubble during Children’s Mental Health Week 

Department  Suggested activity 
Drama Find a space where you can lay down, close your eyes and clear your head. Focus on relaxing and keeping your breathing steady. If you are relaxed you will have no tension in your shoulders or arms, legs or ankles – that means the floor is taking your weight entirely and your arms and legs are fully supported by the floor – they are not crossed over your body, you should be pretty floppy! (To get this relaxed usually takes a few minutes) 

Now focus on your senses; touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. In your mind’s eye, imagine a place where you would love to be -this can be a real place or a made up one. 

What can you see? – At first look around in your imagination at the general shapes, colours and textures around you, but then zoom in and really look in detail. What sounds can you hear? Listen closely with your imagination. Are there textures you can feel? Are there smells or tastes that you associate with this place?

Once you are relaxed and you have really looked around your imagination at this place, you can do any of the following:

  1. Record your voice describing your imagined place
  2. Write a description of your imagined place
  3. Draw/paint a picture of your imagined place
  4. Stay relaxed and thinking about your imagined place and just enjoy the feeling of being there.
Geography  Take a picture of you doing something outside – it could be exercising, walking. Extra recognition will be given to those who can explain the geography in the photo around them. 
English
  • Get a blank book and use it to jot down your thoughts and feelings. Try some free writing where the ideas flow and all the usual rules of writing don’t apply. Add doodles. Make a list of your favourite words. Write down your hopes and fears; descriptions of things you notice; anything at all. 

  • Write friendly notes for the people in your house and hide them in places to be found unexpectedly, like in the biscuit tin or inside their shoes.
  • Send a letter or an email to someone who has helped you or inspired you to let them know how grateful you feel.
  • Ask a friend for a book recommendation then talk about it together once you have finished reading it. Recommend books you have enjoyed to your friends.
  • Choose a beautiful or significant poem and copy it out carefully in your best handwriting, then illustrate it and give it to someone who you care about.
  • Find the books you liked reading when you were little. Read them aloud and enjoy the words and pictures again.
Maths  Primary students: 

How many different shapes can you spot during your walk? How many times did you see each shape? Can you draw a diagram (poster, bar chart, pictogram, tally chart) to represent this data?

Secondary students:

Try these origami challenges

Origami Challenge One – Easy Origami Turtle – How to Make Turtle Step by Step

Origami Challenge Two – How To Make an Easy Origami Butterfly (in 3 MINUTES!)

Origami Challenge Three – How to make Origami Hummingbird

Share images of any designs you make!

Computing All students, practice mindfulness activities using the videos below: 

Breathing: https://youtu.be/cEqZthCaMpo

Meditation for stress: https://youtu.be/c1Ndym-IsQg

Meditation to feel calmer: https://youtu.be/lACf4O_eSt0

More available here: https://www.headspace.com/meditation/meditation-videos 

(These may need to be approved for Simon Balle on YouTube)

Science  Nature walk

Take a walk looking for signs of spring (starting with snowdrops and quickly other spring bulbs joining in) you could take photos or maybe using the “seek” app to find out more about what you have seen. You could find out about phenology and how the seasons are studied and how they are gradually changing. You could even submit some of the dates you first see things to help scientists track the seasons.

Birdsong and bee royalty!

Go outside in the morning and listen to birdsong, look for activity of birds and bumblebees as February starts… bumblebee queens have been hibernating and will now be looking for nest sites and foraging from early flowering plants.  

Bathtime? Science time!

Develop your liquid handling skills using jugs/containers and bottles in the bath or kitchen sink, even more fun with colourful bath bombs which you could look up a recipe for. Try displacing water from containers to find the volume of objects. Notice how bubble bath insulates the surface of the water by trapping air in foam!

Psychology  ‘Happy Jar’

At the end of each day, write or draw a positive memory of that day. Something that made you smile! Place them in a jar and at the end of the week, enjoy reading them!

PE  ‘it’s okay not to be okay’ – Create a dance to express how you are feeling.

Physical Activity Goal – Physical activity releases endorphins that make you happy. Set yourself a weekly move target. Eg. Run/walk/cycle 20km by the end of the week or set a daily steps target (5000-10000 steps per day). 

History Historical connections

Have a virtual chat with an older relative or neighbour about a period of history or event that they lived through and their memories of it. Write a story or diary entry about the time- it can be about global events like World War Two, the Cold War or 9/11, or more local experiences, like what Hertford was like in a different decade.

Food Bake Yourself (& others) Happy! 

Reach out to someone without words and take time out to bake anything at all (sweet or savoury) to say something  – I miss you, I’m thinking of you, I’m sorry (!) or thank you to a parent, carer, sibling, neighbour, friend or other significant in your life. Some lovely websites and video tutorials for inspiration include:

Cupcake Jemma  or Jamie Oliver– YouTube recipe channel

Enjoy a podcast as you go to shut off the world & enjoy:

  • My Life in 5 Dishes – Yottam Ottolenghi on finding peace in cooking
  • Desert Island Disks (all with a strong food link) Joe Wicks, The Roux Brothers or Mary Berry
  • The Power of Food Emoji’s or if it’s gone pear shaped … Lockdown food Fails– both by the Food Chain 
Sociology Social Media Cleanse – In today’s world, many of us rely on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram to find and connect with each other. While each has its benefits, it’s important to remember that social media can never be a replacement for real-world human connection. It requires in-person contact with others to trigger the hormones that alleviate stress and make you feel happier, healthier, and more positive. So this week, take a social media break- go for a walk with a member of your family and leave your phones at home, communicate with each other. Alternatively,  turn off your social media apps for an hour a day and sit down with a family member or watch a film together with your phones off or in a different room. Perhaps try leaving your phone downstairs when you go to bed for the week. 
Art Art therapy. Create an abstract expressionist piece of art in the style of Jackson Pollock whose paintings are famous expressions of his mood. No paints doesn’t matter! Anything you can find will do.
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics Try out some Buddhist Samatha meditation.  https://youtu.be/5GSeWdjyr1c 

How did this make you feel?

What techniques do you have to calm your mind?

Zen Buddhists believe that any action done mindfully is a form of meditation: cleaning, eating, walking are all examples. For your next task, take time and consideration with each movement. If you are eating, slow down and notice flavours and sensations. If you are walking, take care with each step. What can you feel beneath your feet?

Economics and Business ”I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin. When he smiled I realised I’d passed it on to him.I thought about that smile, then I realised its worth.

A single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth.” Spike Milligan

Smiling and laughing are great for us in so many ways.

The Econ/Bus department love a good joke – as many of you know!

So…

Find us a really funny Econ or Business related joke (or it could be a poem or a limerick.)

Or, even better…write your own.

Examples: 

My friend Jack is amazing. He runs a fruit and vegetables stall.   He can communicate with vegetables.

Well…Jack and the beans talk.

What do you call monkeys that share Amazon accounts? Prime mates.

A photograph of you holding your joke or poem would be good.

But, a video of you reading the poem would be splendid! 

We’ll be looking out for the ones that make us laugh our socks off! 

3D Design Take the time to go for a walk by yourself or with family. Take 10 photos of the most interesting buildings, trees, cars, anything you see. This could be a close up photo called a macro photo looking at a texture or pattern. Choose your favourite photo and try and sketch this in pencil, pen, watercolour, collage whatever you can creatively show.
Politics When out for a walk or run, relaxing or doing some of your weekly chores (which I know you all do lots of!)  try listening to a podcast.

There are lots of great podcasts on BBC Sounds such as Profile which is a 15 minute weekly podcast about someone in the news. 

Lately, there have been podcasts about Marcus Rashford and his success on and off the football pitch, Kamala Harris (the new American Vice President) and Dr Kathy Sullivan who has just become the first person to walk in space and reach the deepest point in the ocean. Happy listening!

MFL Get creative! Draw a simple picture of your face/whole body. Label it with words to describe your feelings in either French or Spanish. Recognising your feelings and saying them out loud can help to improve your mood and doing it on paper allows you to express yourself in a way that is personal and private. 

Now change colour and add on things that you do/could do to improve your mood. 

Use this video to remind yourself of how to use wordreference so you can do this accurately. 

https://www.loom.com/share/f341ea34e37b423a967f681cebe8dabd 

KS4 and KS5 this is also a great chance to revise vocab you already know! 

Mindfulness activity – stop wherever you are and give yourself 2 minutes to scan what you can see and name as many things in French or Spanish that you can e.g. la table, le mur, le tapis, la télé, etc. 

Music Grab your favourite Album or get onto a Spotify playlist. Listening to music is a great way to boost your wellbeing, whether it’s singing along to a classic or discovering new music.

 

Useful resources:  

Please find below some helpful website and resources you may also want to explore. 

https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

https://youngminds.org.uk/starting-a-conversation-with-your-child/activities-and-conversation-starters-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/

https://www.annafreud.org/

Front Page News

Secondary Phase Newsletter 29.01.2021

29th January 2021Kallie Batchelor

Download this newsletter

Front Page News,Newsletters

Primary Phase Newsletter 15.01.2021

15th January 2021Kallie Batchelor

Download this Newsletter

Front Page News,Newsletters

Secondary Phase Newsletter 15.01.2021

15th January 2021Kallie Batchelor

Download this newsletter

Front Page News,Newsletters

Information letter: January Staggered Start

4th January 2021David Ayres

Dear Parents 

 

We would like to thank everyone in our community for all that was achieved in the autumn term of 2020 – thanks to parents, children, staff and governors our students received an enriched experience and had a great understanding of all of the measures needed to keep everybody safe. We believe that this along with the actions taken in school on a daily basis, meant that we unlike other local schools, were able to carry out a highly sophisticated track and trace system which resulted in very few children actually missing school.  We are grateful too, for the many messages, cards and gifts we received from so many parents, thanking us for working so hard, whilst putting in so many health and safety adjustments, still focusing upon a first class educational experience for all of the students. 

 

However, as we enter this new spring term, we would like to politely remind everyone that  it is a social responsibility that we all share as adults – all parents, staff and governors – to follow all Covid-19 national guidance to keep everyone safe and minimise any transmission, particularly with this new strain of the virus. Everyone’s conscience, must guide us to:

  • Socially distance at all times 
  • Not leave the house if any of the household display any Covid-19 symptoms at all, including a new continuous cough, high temperature, loss or change in taste or smell
  • Perhaps most importantly, if any member of the household deem it necessary to get a Covid-19 test, for any reason at all, the whole household must isolate immediately. It is not possible to have a test ‘just in case’ or ‘as a precautionary measure’ – any test means that all in the household need to stay at home until a negative result is received. To seek a test must mean that there is a chance, albeit remote, that there could be an infection
  • Ensure that you know that your own children are following the rules 

 

All parents are so aware of the tensions surrounding the start to the Spring Term; keeping children and staff safe, coupled with the vast importance of children being educated, which is entwined with their wellbeing. What is so irritating is the rapid changes of policy and decisions. 

 

We with all other secondary schools are delivering learning remotely this first week to all students (except for those particular categories) and are planning on welcoming back Years 11 and 13 next week. The external public exams this week will take place and many of those students will get further information from their teachers, including revision sessions. 

 

The reason for this delay is for the preparation of testing in schools. This is a vast job; rooms allocated have to abide by certain regulations, for example, flooring and doors. Staff need to be trained and allocated roles. We will need volunteers to help us but as yet we can not commit to times, but we will need to be flexible. These staff do not administer the actual test (the individual does this themself) but rather is involved in other aspects. There is also a lot of paperwork including consents that need to be sorted and parents need to understand that tests are not entirely reliable. The other mitigation measures we tackle daily need to be kept to at all times. 

 

So, we await further information as to when and how we can start, and shall keep you informed of our plans. If you do feel that you can offer help, please email into admin@simonballe.herts.sch.uk with your details so we can contact you. Thank you.  

 

Please do look at our remote learning information below. This will also be explained to students in a pre recorded virtual briefing at 8:45am tomorrow morning and lessons will start at 9.00am.

 

So a happy new year to all and we sincerely hope, a more positive one. 

 

Alison Saunders

 

Key Information for Remote Learning Period January 5th – 15th:

 

All students must ensure they are attached to a Google Classroom for all their classes as we will set work via the class’s Google Classroom and students can return work also. Links to ‘live lessons’ or pre-recorded Google meetings are accessible on this platform.

 

The information below provides a process to which students should be accessing work during anytime remote learning is required.  

 

 

  • Registration: students will be sent a Google Form every morning at 8.15am so they can register their attendance by 8.45am. Parents must notify the school, in the usual process, if their child is unwell
  • Students and staff will follow their timetable (Same timetable as the final week of term with KS3 lunch earlier than KS4/5 and Learning for Life at the end of the day with the form tutor)
  • All work will be set on Google Classroom – students MUST ensure they are signed up to a Google Classroom for each of their subjects and contact their teacher if there is an issue 
  • We aim to have 50% of lessons each week be ‘Live’ or Pre-recorded. We will be prioritising Y11 and Y13 exam classes this week.
  • Live lesson interaction may vary. Students may have the teacher visible only at the start and/or end of the lesson, the teacher may be online throughout the whole period leading instructions or interact only when specific timed tasks have been completed. 
  • Pre-recordings may be sent to students instead of a ‘live lesson’ to help explain the context of the lesson.
  • Online lessons will be between 40-60 minutes depending on the Key Stage and context of the lesson. Work will be accessible to all students.
  • Work can be submitted on Google Classroom as per normal. Feedback can take a variety of forms.

 

 

KS3 students also have access to optional, enrichment resources in every year group that will complement the annual curriculum content. At KS4, these materials include retrieval/revision activities linked to their GCSE subject and exams.

 

  • Year 7 Google Classroom code: nqseq5k
  • Year 8 Google Classroom code: ke7ynum
  • Year 9 Google Classroom code: gxs7rtt
  • KS4 Google Classroom code: ncltrds

 

As always, we value your cooperation and support in these times. Our experiences over the previous school closure period found that students operated best when they were kept in good routines and had plenty of breaks for exercise and relaxation. When students are online, please ensure that their device has charge and that they are situated in an appropriate area with suitable dress – with all resources and materials nearby. 

 

As a school we put a lot of emphasis on values and wellbeing. The pastoral team will continue to support students remotely through a range of methods such as form tutor google tutorials, online counselling, virtual assemblies and contact for the Heads of year. Students are encouraged to continue the work that we have already introduced to them around the 10 Keys to Happiness. 

 

If you have any queries, please email the member of staff concerned.

Front Page News

Post navigation

← Older posts
Simon Balle logo

Simon Balle
All-Through School

Simon Balle All-through School, Mangrove Road,
Hertford, Herts, SG13 8AJ

01992 410400

admin@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

  • OFSTED
  • Parent Pay
  • Go4Schools
  • Leave of absence request
  • Staff Home
  • Cookies
School website powered by

On this website we use first or third-party tools that store small files (cookie) on your device. Cookies are normally used to allow the site to run properly (technical cookies), to generate navigation usage reports (statistics cookies) and to suitable advertise our services/products (profiling cookies). We can directly use technical cookies, but you have the right to choose whether or not to enable statistical and profiling cookies. Enabling these cookies, you help us to offer you a better experience. Cookie policy