Friday 15th November

Co-headteachers’ welcome

We started the new half term with another amazing week full of learning, engagement and exciting activities. It is a long term but I am always amazed by how well resilient, thoughtful and energised our students are. Here are a couple of highlights…

Each year, it is always a poignant and powerful moment when our entire all-through school community gathers on the playground to pay our collective respects. This week, we came together to mark Remembrance with a heartfelt and moving ceremony. The atmosphere was filled with solemnity as we listened to beautiful music, the chamber choir’s stirring performance, and students reading poetry and delivering speeches that truly resonated with us all. The occasion was made even more special with Poppy and Millie performing the Last Post, which led us into the two-minute silence, observed with deep respect by everyone present. It was a profound reminder of the importance of reflection, unity, and gratitude as we honoured those who have given so much.

This week, our Year 6 students had the incredible opportunity to perform their play in the brand-new Beam Theatre in Hertford. It was truly inspiring to see our students bring to life such an important text, like Macbeth, with such enthusiasm and understanding. This performance is part of our ongoing mission to foster a deep love of literacy and to introduce our students to the timeless works of Shakespeare. Building a strong foundation in these classics not only enriches their learning experience but also prepares them for future studies, as Macbeth is a key text at GCSE level. A huge well done to our talented Year 6 performers and all the staff who supported them! It’s moments like these that showcase the power of literature in our students’ educational journey. The importance of literacy was also evident as The Senior Leadership team recently read with our Larch students and showed the importance and joy at reading books and discussing story lines, characters and what may happen next. Such imagination and enjoyment for all to see!

We are also delighted to share the fantastic news about our students’ recent participation in the Quadcopter Challenge — a nationwide competition designed to inspire young minds to take up Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. This competition helps students develop skills that will be invaluable throughout their lives and in future careers. Our four Year 9 students showcased incredible creativity, dedication, and teamwork by pitching their ideas, preparing models, and finally test-flying their quadcopters over the past few months. This was our first year entering the competition, and we are thrilled to announce that Simon Balle placed 3rd overall! This amazing achievement is a testament to the hard work and enthusiasm of our students, and we would like to extend a huge thank you to Mr. Hopwood and Mr Hughes  for their dedication to promoting STEM within our school. Congratulations to everyone involved!

Staying with Stem we are absolutely thrilled to share some outstanding news regarding our recent A-Level Chemistry practical moderation. An AQA exam moderator recently visited to observe a lesson, speak with students, and review folders. Their feedback was nothing short of phenomenal! Out of the 450 schools assessed by this moderator, Simon Balle was recognized as being within the top 5 — and, in their view, quite probably number one. This exceptional feedback highlights the tireless dedication of our staff, the robust systems we have in place, and the high-quality teaching that takes place every day. I would like to extend a public thank you to our incredible science department for their commitment and passion. This is truly a proud moment for our school community!

There is still so much to look forward to in the run up to Christmas and we cannot thank you enough for your tireless support, engagement and positivity for our fantastic all-through school.

Year 6 Macbeth performance at the BEAM

The Beam Theatre was an amazing experience for our year 6 production. We were all so bewildered by the scene we saw before us; it was very astonishing and many of us didn’t get over it. We were very impressed with all the lighting, sound effects and the stage itself. We all really enjoyed rehearsing on the stage where some great actors performed before us. It was very fun acting with all the lights, staging and sound, it felt like we were professionals. The wings were very dark with cool lighting. When it came to the big moment, we were all quite nervous. When Owl’s half came to a successful conclusion, we all watched the audience file out of the auditorium for the interval, it was our turn. We all stepped onto the stage feeling quite nervous. But in the end it was all quite fun being on the stage with our friends with our parents there in the audience. After the show we all felt very proud and our parents were too. We hope the year 5’s enjoyed it and we look forward to performing it again someday.

Written by Amelie and Florrie in Eagles Class

Year 9 Volcano Day

On Thursday 24th October, Year 9 Geography students participated in Volcano Day, showcasing their creativity and knowledge of Topic 9.1 Tectonic Hazards. Each student created a unique volcano to enter into a competition, and all the entries were displayed in the hall throughout the day as a celebration of their hard work. The volcanoes came in a variety of materials, from cakes and Lego to tissue paper and intricate artwork. Some even featured eruptions, while others included impressive wooden carvings and crocheted designs. The time, effort, and creativity put into the projects was truly remarkable, and the Geography Department were delighted with the fantastic results.

The event also saw Year 9 students leading guided tours of the volcano models for students from the Larch. Pairing up, Year 9 students enthusiastically shared their favourite volcanoes and explained the geography behind how volcanoes form and erupt. The maturity and enthusiasm shown by the Year 9 students was commendable, and the Larch students actively engaged, asking insightful questions throughout the day.

House Leader food bank collection

From the week commencing the 25th November, the House Leaders will be leading the KS2, 3, 4 and 5 assemblies and advertising the collection for Herts and district food bank. We would be so grateful if our Simon Balle families could donate to this collection if they are able to. We will be collecting:

• Tinned meat, fish, fruit, baked beans
• Tea, coffee, UHT milk, long life juice
• Packets of soup, rice and pasta
• Baby products such as wipes and nappies
• Toiletries
• Feminine hygiene products
• Biscuits 
• Christmas selection boxes

In the secondary phase, please leave your items in a safe place in your form room.

In the primary phase, please drop your donations off at reception.

The deadline for all items is Tuesday 10th December.

Many thanks in advance!

Ms Cannon and the House Leaders

Click here for our latest Careers Opportunity blog which includes:

• Apprenticeship vacancies
• Law opportunities

Anti-Bullying Ambassadors

This week 11 of our secondary students received training as part of the Princess Diana Award to become our Anti Bullying ambassadors. They engaged in a variety of workshops and started to plan their project to bring back to school. We look forward to hearing more about the training and thank all the students for being great role models and representatives of the school.

SEND

If you would like to speak to a member of the SEND team you can book a virtual appointment of up to 15 minutes with a member of the SEND team, using the following booking link: Booking link

Teacher training

Come and train to teach at Simon Balle All-through School – applications are now open!

We are proud to be a placement school for Initial Teacher Training at Alban TSH who offer flexible, highly-personalised, school-based routes into teacher training. This includes: tuition fee paying, salaried positions, assessment only and Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship for a wide range of secondary courses as well as primary (5-11 and 3-7). There is also the opportunity to gain PGCE status in addition to QTS. Alban TSH is an experienced provider of teacher training and has established partnerships with many outstanding schools in the region. Get in touch with our team teaching@albantsh.co.uk to find out more or our Assistant Head, Mr I Finch.

Reporting absence via the Arbor app

You can use the Arbor parent portal app to report absence. Go to the homepage of the Arbor app, click on the orange Quick Actions tab, click attendance, and on the right-hand side you will see a green box where you can click ‘Log Absence‘. 

Don’t forget that the app is also where student reports will be published: Y8 and Y13 parents and carers should check the app at the end of the day today.

Instructions for how to get the app and use it can be found here on Arbor’s support page.

Musical News

November has started with lots of piano success across the All-through, some brilliant music medal results and details of our upcoming concerts – read all about it here: https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/musical-news-november-2024/

Library News

Behaviour and safety

Please take a moment to read the two attached guides to Online Bullying and Respect.

choose-respect

combat-online-bullying

Sports Hall Update

Work continues at pace and the roof and side walls are starting to appear. We have had several large deliveries that have resulted in minor disruption to the entrance gate, but thanks to your continued support in avoiding picking up and dropping off at the school site things have run smoothly.

In the case of on site evening events such as the upcoming Y9 student consultation evening, we would ask you to avoid driving to the site, as you would during the day. There will be limited parking and the construction work means that the car park is much darker than it would normally be.

If you do need to drive, we would ask you to make use of one of the town centre car parks. The Old London Road car park next to the fire station is an 11 minute walk. Please respect our neighbours and the parking restrictions that exist in the roads surrounding the school.

Parent Staff Association

Doughies – 22nd November

This is a reminder to order your artisan pizza or cookie kits before Monday, for delivery on Friday 22nd November. Larch orders will be sent home with the children.  Secondary orders can be collected from the Larch office.

Pizza kits cost £7 and £2 of every sale will be donated to the PSA.

https://doughies.co.uk/products/simon-balle

See flyer for more information

Winter Raffle

Tickets for our fabulous Winter Raffle are now available to purchase from the PSA website where you can also view a list of prizes. Be one step ahead and pay for yours online today.

Next week, families in Reception to Year 9 will receive a set of 20 tickets.  Families in Year 10 and above can collect tickets from the Larch office.

Payment can be made any time online which is our preferred method.  Alternatively, you can pay by cash or cheque via the pre-printed ticket envelope. All counterfoils need to be completed and returned by 6th December.

If you are able to donate a prize for the Winter Raffle, please let us know by emailing psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Frost Fair 7th December – volunteers

We are excited to invite you to volunteer at our annual Frost Fair on Saturday, 7th December! Each year group of the all-through will be responsible for running a specific area, coordinated by the PSA. However, you’re welcome to sign up to help in any area that suits you best. 

• Reception – Hook-a-bauble
• Year 1 – Teddy Tombola
• Year 2 – Snowball Scavenge
• Year 3 – Splat-the-sprout
• Year 4 – Money Tree
• Year 5 – Nerf Splat & win a Stanley Cup/AirUp
• Year 6 – Human Bauble Machine
• Year 7 – Gingerbread decorating/creative room
• Year 8 – Festive bake off (serving)
• Year 9 – Boba bar (serving)
• Year 10/11/12/13 – Prize Table

Volunteering is a great opportunity for families to join in together, or for adults or children (upper KS2 and secondary) to help on their own.  House points will be awarded for student signups. 

To help with your volunteer planning, we can share that Mrs Cox’s dance group and the choirs will be performing as follows:

• 1pm Mrs Cox’s dance group.
• 1.30pm Secondary Choir.
• 2pm Larch Choir, years 4, 5 and 6.
• 2.30pm Larch Choir, years 2 and 2.
• 3pm Mrs Cox’s dance group.

Parenting support sessions

Please find attached details of free parenting support sessions for parents and carers living in Hertfordshire.

Supporting Links Course Brochure Spring 25

Supporting Links ASD & ADHD Workshops Spring2025

Looking ahead to Christmas

Christmas dinner

This year’s Christmas Dinner will be on Tuesday 17th December for secondary students, and Wednesday 18th December for primary students. Tickets for Christmas Dinner will be available to purchase via ‘Parent Portal’ between 15th November and 1st December. After this date it will not be possible to purchase a ticket.

This year the cost of tickets will be £4.50 for secondary students and £4.25 for primary students. Primary students who have school dinners on a Wednesday will not need to pay for Christmas Dinner as already included in invoice.

A letter outlining the details has been sent home today. You can read the full text of that letter here: 2024 Christmas Dinner letter

Save the date – Carol Service

The annual Simon Balle Carol Services are taking place during the last week of term: 

• Monday 16th December, 7pm – Secondary Carol Service
• Tuesday 17th December, 6pm – Larch Carol Service

The PSA will serve refreshments before each service. If you are able to volunteer with the serving of refreshments, please sign up here: https://volunteersignup.org/WT7KY 

We ask all our music families to donate a box of mince pies or a packet of shortbread, these should be brought to the music office any day this week.

Save the Children – Christmas Jumper Day

We’ll be raising funds for Save the Children on their annual Christmas Jumper Day (Thursday Dec 12th). In exchange for a donation via the fundraising link here, students can wear a Christmas jumper instead of their normal school jumper.

PSA Frost Fair

Please come along to our very popular Frost fair on Saturday 7th December. As usual there will be festive games, entertainment and refreshments on offer.

Art & Design Christmas Card House Competition

Students from the Larch and secondary school are invited to design a festive or winter themed card to be featured on the front of the co-headteachers official Christmas card. All details are on the attached poster (click to enlarge).

Dates for your diary

A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.

• w/b 18th Nov: Y7 assessment week, Larch end of term assessments
• Wed 20th Nov: Larch celebration of music
• Fri 22nd and Mon 25th Nov: secondary flu immunisations
• Wed 27th Nov: Y11 PRE trip
• Thurs 28th Nov: A level Business revision trip
• Fri 29th Nov and Mon 2nd Dec: Occasional days – school closed
• Sat 7th Dec: PSA Frost Fair, 1-4pm
• Thurs 12th Dec: Christmas Jumper Day
• Mon 16th Dec: Secondary Carol Service, All Saints Church, 7pm
• Tues 17th Dec: Secondary Christmas dinner
• Tues 17th Dec: Larch Carol Service, All Saints Church, 6pm
• Wed 18th Dec: Larch Christmas dinner
• Friday 20th Dec: Last day of term, early finish 12pm Secondary; 12.15pm Larch

Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)

Friday 25th October

Co-headteachers’ welcome

Dear all,

At this incredibly busy but wonderfully positive half term draws to a close, Mr Moss and I would like to thank you all – students, parents/carers, staff, governors and trustees – for all that you have contributed to Simon Balle during Autumn 1. We wish you a restful and happy half term, and we look forward with eagerness to the second half of the Autumn term where we know that academic and enrichment opportunities await every student ages 4 – 18!

The main introduction to this fortnight’s newsletter (below) comes from three valued members of our community who are now embarking upon important leadership roles within our local governing body and wider Trust. The purpose of this short piece is to introduce themselves to you all. On behalf of all of the senior leadership team, we would like to emphasise what a crucial role all governors and trustees play in our school – their expertise across so many areas, their transferable and considerable knowledge and skills, and their tireless energy and enthusiasm as volunteers. We are hugely appreciative and privileged to work with them all, together always placing our young people at the centre of what we do, to ‘create tomorrow’s citizens today.’

Welcome from the governing body

Greetings to all, whether you are a parent/carer, staff member, or member of the wider community,

We have just completed a planned change to be the Laurel Education Trust and the Simon Balle Governing Body. As the incoming Chairs and Vice Chair of the boards we wanted to give you some information about what it is we do.

Jo Brown is Chair and Will Davies is Vice Chair of the Laurel Education Trust. The purpose of this body is to hold schools within the Trust to high academic and pastoral standards and provide infrastructure and administrative services to allow the schools working within the Trust to do what they do best: catering for the academic and pastoral needs for the children and students who attend each setting.

Adam Cooper is the Chair and Will Davies is the Vice Chair of the Simon Balle Governing Body. The day to day governance and oversight of  school business sits here. They focus on how the school engages with its children and young people as they grow through the school, overseeing safeguarding, academic results, student and parent voice and school improvement initiatives amongst other things.

This is obviously a change to the way the way governance has historically operated. We are looking forward to Mill Mead joining the Trust and these changes will also allow for future expansion. We are in no rush to do this and wish to ensure everything is running as it should before this is considered.

We all have children in various phases at the school (see the governors/trustees bios here) and truly believe that this is a school that should work for the whole community. If you see us (at sports events, parents information events, music events etc) please do talk to us, in fact any governor or trustee, we will be happy to talk to you, get your views and answer questions you might have.

Jo, Adam and Will

Year 9 Battlefields visit

Year 9 students visited the battlefields of the Western Front of the First World War, exploring a variety of sites linked to the conflict in and around Ypres, Belgium. One highlight was our students laying a wreath on behalf of the school community at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate; seeing the thousands of names of men whose graves are unknown, including relatives of some of the students, was a poignant moment and helped them to reflect on the brutality of war in the past and around the world currently. Members of the public commented to staff how respectfully our students observed the minute’s silence and how well they conducted themselves in general. Overall, the trips were a huge success, offering an invaluable opportunity for cultural enrichment and complementing the students’ learning of history and war poetry. Planning has already begun for next year.

Poppy Appeal

After half term we will have our poppies throughout the school for staff and students to purchase. Donations can be cash or via a QR code. We will be holding our annual remembrance day service on Monday 11th November. Break time will be slightly later than normal for our secondary students, so please make sure they have eaten breakfast in the morning, and that they have a coat in case of bad weather.

Generation Hertford Careers Fair

On Monday 21st October we had the pleasure of taking all our Year 10 and some Year 13 students to the careers fair at Beam, organised by the Careers Enterprise Company, to help students explore potential career paths and gather information about various industries. The event featured a wide range of exhibitors, including local businesses, colleges, and vocational training organisations.

This was an opportunity for our students to talk to employers and it was great to see so many of our students actively participating by asking questions and engaging with exhibitors. Many representatives reported positive interactions with our students and appreciated their enthusiasm.

Most students found the fair informative and hopefully provided them with insights into various options and the skills needed in their plans for the future.

Please click here for our latest Careers Opportunity blog

Year 8 New Scientist Live Trip

The Science Department took Year 8 students to the New Scientist Live exhibition at the ExCeL Centre in London on Monday 14th October 2024. The trip featured handpicked speakers who showcased everything that science offers, from mind-bending maths puzzles to the wonders of nature. Students met dozens of exhibitors and saw the huge range of careers STEM can offer. There was a programme of talks by leading scientists on recent advancements in STEM and the students had access to a range of interactive exhibits on the show floor, providing a hands-on experience with technology of the future.

Year 6 Globe Theatre Trip

The trip of a lifetime

The Globe was built by the company William Shakespeare was in (the Lord Chamberlain’s Men) over 500 years ago. Then it caught fire due to a misfire of a cannon (which was meant to be for a battle scene). When Shakespeare died, the globe was pulled down and rebuilt over 400 years after it was originally built! The Globe was home of drama and it still is today!

Activities

We arrived at The Globe after a train journey from Hertford East station to Liverpool Street Station and then walking across Southwark Bridge. When we got there, we had a tour which was extremely interesting. We found out that some people didn’t even get to sit down – it only cost one penny to stand and these people were referred to as ‘groundlings’. You could pay one penny for an additional cushion if you had a seat or you could use the money to buy a snack such as a pie. Then, we were split into three groups and did a drama activity linked to Macbeth. It was very fun and we learnt a lot about characterisation, my favourite activity was the ‘Yes, No, Maybe’ game where we took it in turns to say each word but we had to use a completely new gesture every time – which was over the top for an audience to understand (Dorothea). My favourite activity was ranking the characters within a scene 1 to 5 – when King Duncan was found dead – to show the level of importance for each character (Harry F).  

Written by Harry and Dorothea in Year 6 Owls.

Year 11 revision workshop

The whole of year 11 have been participating in a “How to  revise”  workshop in the hall. Lots of useful tips and hands-on activities, so that the half term can be put to good use, creating resources and timetables to help with revision in the run up to the Mock exams in December: They should be doing revision every day, little and often and repeating, little and often and repeating.

SEND

Understanding Neurodiversity Session

We were delighted to welcome Alison Lindsell, of Amwell View, to the Simon Balle Larch.

Alison ran an informative, interactive session for our Year 5 & Year 6 students exploring neurodiversity, in particular Autism and ADHD. The students were fascinated to discover how many famous people have neurodiverse disagnoses; and were enthusiastic to answer questions and share their understanding.

If you would like to speak to a member of the SEND team, you can book a virtual appointment of up to 15 minutes with a member of the SEND team, please use the this Booking link.

Parent meetings

This half term the SEND team have met with parents of Year 7 and Year 10 SEND students to reflect on the start of term. These conversations have been really useful to speak about adjustments in place for students and celebrate their successes.  

Courses for parents

Several informative courses for parents and carers can be found at SEND Station. Some of these courses are free and others have a small cost to attend.

PE and Sport Update

In the last week of this half-term, our students have been actively participating in our Inter-house Sports competitions. All students have shown fantastic engagement and displays of sportsmanship all around. The boys have taken on touch rugby, while the girls have been involved in hockey, applying the skills they’ve been honing during their lessons. 

The enthusiasm and effort shown by all students have been truly inspiring, as they put their teamwork, strategy, and skills to the test. Each house has given their best, and it’s been wonderful to see such strong camaraderie and sportsmanship both on and off the field. Results from the competitions will be emailed to students after the half-term break. 

Well done to everyone involved, and we look forward to seeing more of this energy in the upcoming lessons and events.

It has been a busy half term with extracurricular fixtures starting across all sports in friendly, district, county and national competitions. 

For more information on our fixtures as well as recent Inter House sports results, please go to the following link; https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/wp-admin/post.php?post=46389&action=edit

You can view all upcoming events/fixtures on the Simon Balle Sport page here: https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/sport/

Music news

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in music, from a RNCM workshop for our A Level students, to piano recitals and a Larch Brass Performance!

Read all about our musical news here: https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/musical-news-october-2024/

Library News

The Great European Larch Bake Off

Well done to everyone who baked cakes for the Larch MFL bake off on Thursday 3rd October. We were very impressed with all of the entries! There were 38 entries altogether.

Congratulations to the winners:

• Juliette, Wrens
• Ella, Doves
• Iris, Kingfishers

Here are the other entries:

Speakers’ Corner

Well done to Rowan, Natish, Alex, Samuel, Isla, Isaac and Milly for your Speakers’ Corners this half term. We have had a large variety of topics from puppets and pantomime to countries and different cultures around the world. Lots more Speakers’ Corners to come after the half term holiday!

To sign up to do a Speakers’ Corner you just need to speak to Miss Iles and Mr Belsey and we will arrange a date with you.

You can do your Speakers’ Corner individually, in pairs, or in small groups.

Here are a few suggestions for what you could talk about for your Speakers’ Corner:

• A recent sporting/musical achievement.
• An art project you are working on.
• A science experiment or other school competition or project you have taken part in.
• An exciting holiday you have been on abroad.
• An interesting trip you went on in the UK or an exciting event you attended. 
• A topic you are interested in that you have researched. 
• A hobby you enjoy doing.
• Books you enjoy reading.
• A culture/language/faith/traditions that are important to you.

Dropping off and picking up

Thank you for your continued support with regard to the use of the car park. Can we once again urge you to pay careful attention to signage and parking restrictions both on our site and in the surrounding streets. The ‘White Lodge’ turning is a no entry road and must not be accessed from Mangrove Road. Several of the roads in the immediate vicinity of the school have their own parking restrictions in the form of yellow lines, no waiting areas and resident-only zones. In addition to this we would ask you to respect other peoples’ driveways, the footpaths and the verges. As previously communicated, the best place to drop and collect students from is the Old London Road car park next to the fire station. The 11 minute walk should be manageable for the majority of our students, and the collecting from there means that you can avoid the traffic on Mangrove Road.

Online Safety

Please take a moment to read the two attached guides to Age-Inappropriate Content and Cyber Resilience.

age-inappropriate-content

12-top-tips-for-building-cyber-resilience-at-home

Arbor App for Parents

While we are in the process of moving certain systems and functions to Arbor, it is a good time to remind parents about the Arbor Parent App. Our records show that 95% of parents have already engaged with the app at least once this year. There is a degree of experimentation going behind the scenes whilst we tweak how various pieces of information are displayed, so please be patient with it. The Y9 and Y11 reports are due to be sent out via the app later today, which will be the first major test for it.

Instructions for how to get the app and use it can be found here on Arbor’s support page.

Uniform reminder

As we head further into autumn and winter can we remind you to make sure that students come to school wearing appropriate clothing. A coat is an essential item once the colder, wetter weather sets in. Please remember to clearly label items so that they can be reunited with their owners when they are inevitably misplaced around the site. It might also be worth taking the time to check that students are still in possession of all the equipment they started the year with, and that shoes and uniform are in good condition.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service newsletter

Please take the time to read through the autumn edition of the quarterly schools newsletter from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. There is advice on keeping your home warm and safe, fireworks, fire safety and vaping.

EAST HERTS & BROXBOURNE Autumn 2024 Accessible – V2

PSA

PSA AGM – Wednesday 6th November

Please do join us for our Annual General meeting on Wednesday 6th November, at 7pm.

Head towards Larch and make your way to the Sycamore Room which is located behind the PE changing block.

It would help us if you could register your interest here, so that we have an idea on numbers attending and who is on site.

Frost Fair 7th December – volunteers and raffle

Families, students and staff – please support your year group where you can, to ensure this event is a success! Volunteers can sign up to a time slot here: volunteersignup.org/L3Y3Y

If you are able to donate a prize our eagerly anticipated Winter Raffle, please let us know by emailing psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Joules Outlet Sale – 8th ~ November

We’re reaching out today to ask for your help with promoting our upcoming Joules Outlet sale on Friday 8th November.  This event is open to the wider community so please do share with friends, family and colleagues! The Joules Outlet team have advised us that the sale is subject to a minimum number of tickets being sold so please do help us by sharing our booking link.  At the moment, we have not sold enough tickets and are at risk of having to cancel the event:

https://www.pta-events.co.uk/simonballepsa/?event=event&eventId=75551

Doughies – 22nd November

Sadly, Doughies will close their business at the end of the year.  The good news is, we have a final delivery date booked!  To place your final order for a cookie or artisan pizza kit, please click here before

Pizza kits cost £7 and £2 of every sale will be donated to the PSA.

https://doughies.co.uk/products/simon-balle

Community events

Hertford Library event

Hertford Library are hosting a Creative Writing Poetry Workshop for Young Adults 14-18 on Monday 28th October. You can read more about the event here.

Drama Day at BEAM theatre

Dates for your diary

A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.

• Mon 4th Nov: Y12 Assessment week starts
• Mon 4th – Thurs 7th Nov: Y13 Geography field trip to Dorset
• w/b 4th Nov: Y12 assessment week
• Tues 5th Nov: Y6 Macbeth at Beam
• Wed 6th Nov: Y11 expectations evening
• Thurs 7th Nov: GCSE drama visit
• Thurs 7th Nov: Y4 Phasels wood information evening
• Fri 8th Nov: Joules seconds sale
• w/b 11th Nov: Y9 assessment week
• w/b 18th Nov: Y7 assessment week
• Fri 29th Nov and Mon 2nd Dec: Occasional days – school closed

Wishing you all the best for the half term holiday,

Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)

Friday 11th October

Co-headteachers’ welcome

We are now in week six and, although busy, it is lovely to feel the buzz around the school. 

We have been so appreciative of the wonderful support we have received for our Simon Balle All-through School Fund. So many contributions have been so gratefully received, and your comments too are so affirming, related to opportunities, enrichment and learning. We must ask again please that if you can give, please do so, no matter how small or large your contribution. You can donate to the Simon Balle All-through School Fund here, and we cannot stress enough how much we need your contributions to continue to offer what we do. Read on to gain just a glimpse of the last fortnight – so much to celebrate and to reflect upon. 

After our successful all-through Open Morning, this week we showcased our amazing sixth form. We are extremely proud of our outstanding academic student outcomes, but we know that we are so much more than our exam results, enriching our students’ experiences with a plethora of enrichment activities to develop the citizens of tomorrow. Our strap line is ‘More Than Just Great A-Levels’ and I do hope it came across. We are passionate about developing confident, resilient, adaptable citizens to react to the ever changing business world. I think our Colour Run for Year 12 and 13 summed up our ethos of hard work and fun!

Back to the day to day, it is lovely to walk around our all-through school and listen to students talking about what they are learning and their career aspirations. Hearing students rephrase their answers, develop points and logically work through their problems is why we come into teaching. 

When students leave school they will often recall their best teachers, an amazing experiment, a situation in class but more often it is recalling a caring moment from a teacher or an enlightening trip. Year 6 is soon off to visit the Globe Theatre in London. What an inspiration this will be for their very own performance of Macbeth at the Beam Theatre, Hertford. The underpinning of these enriching experiences leads to exceptional oracy, excellent reading and inspired writing. Our Reception children too are enjoying our revamped outdoor area which provides a wide range of learning opportunities, both socially and academically. 

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of accompanying our Year 9 students on their recent battlefield trip, and I can confidently say it was a truly enriching educational experience for everyone involved. These trips offer our students a unique opportunity to step outside the classroom and engage deeply with the history they are learning, and this one was no exception. Our journey took us to some remarkable and historically significant sites, including Tyne Cot Cemetery, Essex Farm, Langemark Cemetery and the Menin Gate, where students paid their respects and reflected on the sacrifices made during World War I. We also visited the informative and moving Passchendaele and Flanders Museums, which brought the history to life in a way that no textbook ever could. The students were incredibly engaged throughout the trip, asking insightful questions and demonstrating a genuine interest in understanding the events that shaped our world. It was truly inspiring to see them connect with the history on such a personal level.This was a trip that will leave a lasting impression on us all, and I’m confident it has deepened the students’ understanding of the past in a way that will stay with them for years to come.

On a sporting front I am delighted to share that we have marked an exciting milestone in the construction of our new sports hall with the official signing of the steel framework. This symbolic event represents the strong foundation we are building for the future of our students’ health and well-being. The new sports centre will provide state-of-the-art facilities that will enhance both our physical education program and extracurricular activities, and we look forward to its completion in the coming months. 

On Tuesday we celebrated a wonderful Harvest Festival at All Saints Church, where our primary phase students took part in a heartwarming service. The children filled the church with joyful hymns, thoughtful poems, and beautifully told stories, all reflecting the importance of gratitude and giving during this special time of year. It was a truly uplifting event, and I want to thank all of the students, staff, and families who contributed to making this a meaningful and memorable celebration.

It’s already been such a jam packed term yet unbelievably there is still so much to come. Our youngest students will begin to prepare for the rite of passage that is the Nativity play which we are all looking forward to and the eldest students are preparing for mock exam season. We would like to thank you for all the support you give our students and teachers to make this such a special place.

House Leaders 2024-25

At the start of September, Year 12 signed up for a range of enrichment and leadership activities. Fifteen eager and enthusiastic students formally applied to be House Leaders, showing the Simon Balle value of responsibility in their applications. Our House Leaders are:

They have formally met once and have already started to plan their first House event which will be launched next week! Stay tuned!

Y13 Business and Economics trip to New York

I certainly fulfilled a dream when I took thirty, year thirteen students to New York in September. I couldn’t believe it when we took our first walk down Broadway to our evening meal, I had done it! A year of meticulous planning to make sure that every student got the experience they dreamed of was worth every sleepless night. To see the astonishment on their faces when looking out at the New York skyline at night or sailing past the Statue of Liberty for the first time and walking through the bright lights and carnival of Times Square, places they had only ever seen in the movies. Mr Pooley, Mrs Smillie and I were proud of every single one of our year thirteen Simon Balle students. They were mature, responsible, polite, kind to each other and generous to others, never missing a meeting time, following instructions and looking out for each other. This was not only a business and economics trip, this was bigger than that, this was an opportunity to showcase what the Simon Balle community has achieved, we have all contributed to our Simon Balle objective of making our students responsible citizens that we can all be proud of. 

Mr Papas

SEND

If you would like to speak to a member of the SEND team you can book a virtual appointment of up to 15 minutes with a member of the SEND team, using the following booking link: Booking link.

Following on from Open morning the SEND team have been running some ‘talk and tour’ visits for students where there are additional needs. Visiting school during the day has provided parents and potential students with an insight into how secondary schools look when lessons are taking place. 

Hertfordshire Community have Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners who are holding workshops for parents this term. These sessions will look at emotional literacy, sleep and self-esteem along with general support for emotional wellbeing. Further details regarding when these sessions are taking place are shown on the attached flyer. No referral is needed to access these workshops.

Fire Safety Guide

Whether it’s during a major event like bonfire night or simply while using a heater on a chilly day, fire safety is a vitally important topic on which to educate children and young people. One mistake with fireworks, electronics or open flames can have catastrophic consequences: damage to property, serious injury or even worse.

As parents and educators, it’s vital that we teach the children in our care how to protect themselves around fire and flammable materials in a mature and responsible manner. This free guide offers expert advice on how to educate children and young people on fire safety, detailing what precautions can be taken to keep them as safe as possible when exposed to fire-related dangers.

Fire safety guide

Please click here for our latest Careers Opportunities blog

Assessment

Over the course of the next two half terms secondary students will be completing the first of their two main assessment points. The first is referred to as the mid-year assessment, even though it might feel as though it is very early. More information about these will be sent out by heads of year at an appropriate time in advance of each assessment. Subject staff will also be talking to students in lessons.

You can read more about assessment on our website. This page includes elements of the presentation that was shown to KS3 (Y7-9) parents at the recent expectations evening.

Poppy Appeal

After half term we will have our poppies throughout the school for staff and students to purchase. Donations can be cash or via a QR code. We will be holding our annual remembrance day service on Monday 11th November. Break time will be slightly later than normal for our secondary students, so please make sure they have eaten breakfast in the morning, and that they have a coat in case of bad weather.

Online Safety

Please take a moment to read the two attached guides to Instagram and In-Game Chat.

In-game-chat

Instagram

Dropping off and picking up

Thank you for your continued support with regard to the use of the car park. Can we please urge you to pay careful attention to signage and parking restrictions both on our site and in the surrounding streets. The ‘White Lodge’ turning is a no entry road and must not be accessed from Mangrove Road: please do not use this to turn round in or as a way to drive into the main school car park as neither pedestrians or motorists will be expecting traffic from the wrong direction. Several of the roads in the immediate vicinity of the school have their own parking restrictions in the form of yellow lines, no waiting areas and resident-only zones. In addition to this we would ask you to respect other peoples’ driveways, the footpaths and the verges. As previously communicated, the best place to drop and collect students from is the Old London Road car park next to the fire station. The 11 minute walk should be manageable for the majority of our students, and the collecting from there means that you can avoid the traffic on Mangrove Road.

PSA

Joules Outlet Sale – 8th ~ November

We’re reaching out today to ask for your help with promoting our upcoming Joules Outlet sale on Friday 8th November.  This event is open to the wider community so please do share with friends, family and colleagues! The Joules Outlet team have advised us that the sale is subject to a minimum number of tickets being sold so please do help us by sharing our booking link:

https://www.pta-events.co.uk/simonballepsa/?event=event&eventId=75551

Doughies – 22nd November

Sadly, Doughies will close their business at the end of the year.  The good news is, we have a final delivery date booked!  To place your final order for a cookie or artisan pizza kit, please click here before 

Pizza kits cost £7 and £2 of every sale will be donated to the PSA.

https://doughies.co.uk/products/simon-balle

Frost Fair 7th December – volunteers and raffle

Families, students and staff – please support your year group where you can, to ensure this event is a success! Volunteers can sign up to a time slot here: volunteersignup.org/L3Y3Y

If you are able to donate a prize our eagerly anticipated Winter Raffle, please let us know by emailing psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Dates for your diary

A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.

• Mon 14th Oct: Y8 Science Live trip
• Wed 16th Oct: Y10 student consultation evening (virtual)
• Wed 16th – Thurs 17th Oct: Larch student consultations (face to face)
• Thurs 17th Oct: Drum recital
• Mon 21st Oct: Y6 Globe Visit
• Mon 21st – Tues 22nd: Y13 English trip to Stratford upon Avon
• Thurs 24th Oct: Y9 Volcano Day
• Fri 25th Oct: Y12 Media/Film trip to Sky Elstree
• Mon 26th Oct – Fri 1st Nov: Half term holiday
• Mon 4th Nov: Y12 Assessment week starts
• Mon 4th – Thurs 7th Nov: Y13 Geography field trip to Dorset

Wishing you all the best for the week ahead,

Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)