Newsletter 11

8th March 2024David Ayres

Friday 8th January

Co-headteachers’ welcome

Welcome back to Spring 2! We do hope that everybody had a restful and enjoyable half term, despite quite a lot of rain across the UK! I am reliably informed that the next time we will experience a sunset before 5pm will not be until October 27th 2024 – I am sure we are all looking forward to longer and lighter days, and the promise of all that spring will no doubt bring.

Hope is such an important value for us at Simon Balle All-through School, and yet this value can be so hard to teach with news across the world at this time difficult to read, to comprehend and certainly to explain to our young people. Yet, of course, young people bring a hopeful outlook to every new day – their smiles, their commitment, their ambition and more. ‘Creating tomorrow’s citizens today’ could never be more important and I am delighted to bring a glimmer of what is going on pastorally, right now, across our all-through school in the opening to this newsletter: 

  • On Friday last week, an insightful Talk and performance – Drug Education, Mental Health and Healthy Lifestyles – for Years 7 – 10
  • Broadening horizons  is always a focus – a wonderful Berlin history trip for A level students last week, an enriching Hertford museum trip for Year 3 linked to their Stone age learning, and, OCR sports students focussing on outdoor activities, just to provide a few examples
  • Our Duke of Edinburgh programme offers so much from volunteering and community to the independence and skills with expeditions – we currently have 136 participants, 100 bronze, 21 going from Bronze to Silver and 15 undertaking their Silver expedition
  • Our full programme of careers guidance is well and truly in swing – Royal Navy activities for Year 9 provided enjoyment and inspiration last week
  • We recognise that each students’ own pastoral journey will include times where a little more support is required, and we are here to spot that early and to intervene. We currently have over 50 students with 1:1 mentors through our MCR pathways investment, and we ensure that trusted staff across our all-through school are mental-health first-aid trained (15 at present) and with time to support with age-appropriate interventions, including drawing and talking in the Larch phase
  • We are excited to welcome the Mental Health Schools Team to our school and you will have received a separate letter outlining the support that they will be providing. 
  • We know that when our young people engage with fulfilling activities, they are, quite simply, happier. We refer regularly through our assembly programme to the 10 keys to happier living to support our young people to make positive choices here. With just a couple of examples, please see  the Larch sport round-up below, our first publication of ‘On the Balle’ on social media; and in the next week in music, we have both an all-through celebration of brass concert plus our annual Big Band Evening on Saturday – reflecting years and years of practice (individual and ensemble) to reach such musical highs!

One of the aspects of Simon Balle that we believe is so special is that we work actively to ensure that there is no tension between this in-depth pastoral support and our academic expectations – always high. A huge thank you to parents who are so busy supporting their young people with learning at home at this time: whether reading every day in Reception and above (this is non-negotiable for us) or supporting with revision timetables in Years 11 and 13 and/or attending our focussed performance clinic meetings, we thank you. We know that great things are achieved when we work in partnership between home and school. 

And, finally from me, a reminder that all of our excellence in pastoral support (not that we are ever complacent) together with the academic achievements of your wonderful young people are achieved through a skilled team of staff, who deserve excellent training and support. There are many examples of this throughout each term, but our INSET days are crucial for the whole staff team in coming together to align all that we do each and every day for teaching and learning – please read more in our pedagogy portal below.

Comic Relief 2024

On Friday, 15th March, SBAS will be joining the global movement to end child poverty by participating in Red Nose Day. Visit our Just Giving page and make a donation: Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to our fundraising goal. Here is a link to our page: Just Giving Simon Balle School Comic Relief.

We’re asking students in the Larch to wear something red, and the sixth form will be holding a charity football match at lunch – there will be collection buckets for any secondary students wishing to donate while they watch the match.

In addition to supporting Red Nose Day, we are partnering with the local food bank charity Jedidiah to make a positive impact on our local community. There will be foodbank collection points in the Larch and in the main school office in the secondary. Please bring non-perishable items such as tins, pasta, rice, nappies, toiletries etc. You can read more about Jedidiah and their work here: https://www.jedidiah.org.uk/.

The canteen will also be providing a special Red Nose Day menu across the all-through school (you can download this special set of recipes to make at home). We hope all students, staff and parents can get involved.

Pedagogy Portal

On Monday 26th February we welcomed staff back with some quality training that puts students at the forefront of our thinking. Click the link below to find out more. 

https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/pedagogy-portal-staff-inset/

Message from the Governing Body

The relationship between governors and school leaders and staff is a critical one in ensuring that the school is run well from an educational and financial perspective to enable the best possible outcomes for all students and families.

As in any organisation, open, honest and transparent communication will determine how well that relationship works. We have therefore built strong connections with, and trust in, each other to prevent any miscommunication which, in my experience, is the cause of many of the problems we face.

We make sure this relationship is maintained and built upon through the following process:

  • The Chair and Vice Chair meet every two weeks with the Co-Heads to discuss a wide range of topics and any issues
  • The Co-Heads and two staff members are an integral part of every Full Governing Body meeting
  • At least one of the co-heads attends every committee meeting i.e. Achievement and Standards (A&S), Finance/Assets/Resources (FAR), Personnel, Student/ Community/ Partnerships (SP&C), and Health/ Safety/ Environment/ Sustainability (HSE&S). 
  • These committees are where much of the work of the Governing Body is done and where a wide range of leaders and staff present and contribute in order to ensure the Governing Body has a good overview of the rigour and breadth of education at the school
  • All suggestions for improvement in the way we work, or complaints, are dealt with in an efficient and effective way, regardless of how they are received e.g. email, post, verbally
  • Governors further support school leaders and staff through meetings, school site visits and attending events

This process means that any issues raised by students, teachers, parents or members of the community are fully understood and then handled with care, respect, transparency and a sincere commitment to find solutions, whilst ensuring we adhere to our own policies and Government guidance.

From Mr P. Connolly

Learning in the Larch- Phase 2

What a successful few weeks it has been in Phase 2. Year 2 have been busily preparing for their trip to Windsor Castle, an experience that will really extend their learning in history. In English, they have been reading a book called ‘Cinderboy’, a modern day version of Cinderella involving a football stadium and a television. I look forward to seeing their own versions very soon! 

Year 3 finished their ‘Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Mountains’ unit with a bang, erupting some of the children’s volcano models with baking soda and vinegar. It was a pleasure to witness the excitement and engagement. They also visited Hertford Museum to deepen their understanding of the Stone Age and to kick off their learning about the Bronze and Iron Ages. Fun was had by all, handling lots of artefacts and asking some fantastic questions! When asking the children their favourite part, the majority said handling the baby woolly mammoth’s tooth! 

Year 4 have started the term with ‘Journey to Jo’burg’ as their focus in English which is a fantastic text where children begin to understand about apartheid in South Africa. Already this week, we have seen some beautifully written diary entries and descriptions inspired by the text. They have also been focusing on branching databases in Science, learning how to classify a variety of animals.

Sports Roundup

In addition to this month’s new publication On the Balle, we’ve got a mini roundup of all the recent sporting fixtures from the across the Larch and Secondary. Head over the sports news feed to read more.

Outdoor Learning

We are excited to announce we are developing our Reception outdoor area! 

Our mission is to have an outstanding outdoor space that promotes curious, independent and resilient learners while continuing to support all seven areas of learning. We want to ensure the space allows the children to freely explore and experience the natural environment which is essential for their wellbeing. 

In order to be sustainable, we would like to repurpose/recycle as much as possible. Please take a look at this document (EYFS Outdoor Area), and if you are able to support us to source materials, or provide expertise and skills, we would be very grateful. Please contact Miss Ponder – pondere@simonballe.herts.sch.uk if you have any questions or can support this project in any way.

Canteen News

Hopefully you spotted the special Red Nose day recipe cards above. There are also a set of recipes celebrating British Pie Week – there are quite a lot to choose from so you’re bound to find something that you like the look of.

March – OVER 10’S – BRITISH PIE WEEK – RECIPE BOOKLET

Ski Trip

At half term Simon Balle returned to the slopes for our first Ski Trip in over 10 years. Despite a long journey the students were fantastic and once settled in their rooms, they were fitted with their Ski equipment and given time to explore the hotel. The students started their Ski lessons on Sunday with 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon, this continued for the following 5 days. 

Throughout the week it was amazing to see the students make significant progress, whether they were a beginner learning to snow plough turn and then parallel ski, or an advanced skier developing and refining the skill of carving on different red, black slopes and world cup slopes. 

Following the Skiing, students engaged in apres ski activities of bowling, a pizza night, swimming and use of the hotel facilities that included a sports hall, trampoline park, theatre room and a games room. 

Please look out for information about next year’s trip in the coming weeks as well as more posts on social media about about this year’s trip.

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

Coffee morning invites have been sent (meetings to be held at the Larch Centre –  26th March 9.30am led by ADD-vance). Further information can be found on the link https://www.add-vance.org

Drama lighting

Thanks to fundraising by the PSA we have had the drama studio lighting re-fitted. 

This week the students have been experimenting with different lighting states and exploring the impact of colour on mood and atmosphere.  The new lighting system will enable students across the year groups to work with different lighting techniques in their drama lessons.

Sixth Form News

This February we held our first ‘Apprenticeship Information Evening’ for students and parents/ carers in years 11-13. The information covered topics such as:

  • The types of apprenticeship available
  • Myths about apprenticeships
  • Applying for apprenticeships and the application process
  • The selection process
  • Developing the skills required for apprenticeships

We were also fortunate enough to have a speaker from GSK who discussed the apprenticeship opportunities available at the company. We hope that all the students and parents/ carers who attended found it useful and informative.

On Tuesday 27th February, Year 12 and Year 13 students attended a presentation from the University of Hertfordshire on Student Finance in the Main Hall. This discussed repayments of student loans as well as the different bursary and scholarship opportunities available to students. For Year 13 students who have not applied to university we arranged for the Director of Fore Street Recruitment to talk to them with a focus on making competitive job applications, employment contracts and tips on what to look out for when accepting jobs.

Amongst all this (and preparing for exams) the students have found time to hold a Valentine’s Bake Off competition. There were some fantastic entries – click on the pictures for a closer look!

 

Please click here for our latest careers opportunity blog. This edition includes

  • Virtual University fairs
  • Apprenticeship opportunities 
  • London Career Festival

Royal Navy Teamwork and Leadership Activities

On 29th of February our Year 9 had some great activity and enjoyable sessions from the Royal Navy. Each form had two hours, half in what the Navy calls Upper Deck Sports and the second a STEM building activity. In the sports the students had plenty of exercise playing two team games, the first a cross between cricket and dodgeball and the second a variation on netball where students with buckets replaced the hoops. The building activity had small groups using a kit to build a communications tower which had to meet three criteria. 1.It must be freestanding 2.It had to be over 6 feet high and 3.The wheels had to be mounted at the top. Once the tower was built it had to withstand a shake test from the RN team. All the activities were designed to improve life skills, the foremost being teamwork, leadership and communication and our students showed these in abundance.

Help needed!

On the 22nd – 26th April 2024 our Year 12 students will be taking part in Work Experience placements. Unfortunately, some students do find it very difficult to find placements that are linked to areas they are interested in pursuing in the future and this is where we hope that you can help. We still have a number of students who are still looking for a placement. If you are able to offer a placement during this week please contact us at workexperience@simonballe.herts.sch.uk  and let us know the area of business/industry that you work in and we will be in touch as soon as we can. We would be very grateful for any support!

Parent Staff Association

Vice Treasurer Opportunity

Simon Balle Parent Staff Association is seeking a dedicated individual to fill the role of Vice Treasurer. You’ll help tol support our Treasurer and work with the school, ensuring the financial health and success of our association. This is a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the success of our school community. To find out more, please come along to our next meeting on 26th March at 7pm (Secondary Library) or email us by March 31st psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Volunteers needed for the Wind and Brass evening

Can you help out on the bar during the Music Department’s Wind and Brass evening on April 27th? If so, please sign up via this link. Your commitment is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to creating memorable experiences together!

Secondary pre-loved uniform plea

The secondary pre-loved offering has been highly successful. We are running low on secondary items and so welcome your uniform donations, in clean condition with no stains or holes.  Please drop off to secondary reception.

Slice of Summer, 13th July – Sponsor search

Is your business in the position to sponsor our summer fair? Match Funding is an easy way to boost fundraising efforts – Does your company support this initiative?

Can you donate a star prize to the Summer Raffle? From Spa days to holiday home stays, vouchers to experiences –  all donations will be well received!

Please email psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Interested in taking a pitch at the summer fair? Join our Stallholder Database to express your interest.

PSHRE

On Friday 1st March all students in Year 7-10 were fortunate enough to have a performance and talk from up and coming singer Grace George.

Grace talked about her own experiences coming across substances, why she chose to say no, and how she has seen other people affected negatively by these substances and making bad decisions. She discussed how living a healthy lifestyle is beneficial at all stages of life and impacts all areas of life. She talked through how these situations arose, her reaction, what she did, along with the risks and consequences of the situations. She also discussed the best ways to tackle peer pressure at school. The main message of the presentation was “to make the right decisions in life”, and “to live a healthy lifestyle.” On top of this, she discussed mental health, the causes of mental health problems (stress at school, relationships etc), her own mental health issues and who to turn to for help as well as the importance of speaking up. Alongside this she also performed some well known songs and her own tracks which the students thoroughly enjoyed!

Safeguarding

Please find the time to watch these important videos about railway safety – over 20 million students, parents and teachers from across the UK have already watched these videos which has led to a significant decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries in their area through watching the safety videos.. There are different versions aimed at different age groups please choose the one most appropriate for your children.

Dates for your diary

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

  • Saturday 9th March: Big Band Evening
  • w/c 11th March: Y8 & Y10 Spain trip
  • Friday 15th March: Model United Nations
  • w/c 18th March: Reception parent evenings 
  • Monday 18th March: Y2 Windsor Castle trip
  • Tuesday 19th March: Y12 UCAS trip
  • Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd March: Y10 Geography day trips
  • Thursday 21st March: Year 5&6 District Netball at Wodson Park
  • Friday 22nd March: Year 5&6 District Football at Wodson Park
  • Monday 25th March:  Simon Balle’s Got Talent (more details to follow
  • Monday 25th March: Years 3,4,5 and 6 Cross Country at Hertford Rugby Club

Reminders:

  • Forgotten Items – If your child has left something at home and they need to have it in school, please bring the item in a bag with their name on it, to the school office from where the student can collect it.  Unfortunately, we are unable to take items directly to students.
  • Dogs –  We kindly remind everyone that dogs are not permitted on the school grounds. This is in place to ensure the well-being and safety of all individuals within our school community.

Wishing everyone in our community a positive and fulfilling fortnight ahead.

Yours sincerely,

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

Pedagogy Portal – Staff INSET

8th March 2024Ian Finch

Staff INSET 28/02/24

Teacher INSET (In-Service Education and Training) days play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of education by providing us with dedicated time and resources for professional development. These days allow teachers to stay abreast of the latest educational trends, methodologies, and technologies, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of young people. INSET days offer a valuable opportunity for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill-building among staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our all-through school. Our current INSET day sparked healthy discussion regarding Assessment and Curriculum content as we continued our focus towards our school improvement priorities.

Here is how some staff have reflected on the day:

“During Monday’s INSET training, the staff concentrated on the significance of assessment and feedback. Throughout these sessions, we were presented with diverse examples showcasing how some of our colleagues implement assessment methods and provide feedback, which proved to be incredibly inspiring. Additionally, we had the chance to collaborate within our subject departments, allowing for meaningful discussions with fellow colleagues from both primary and secondary levels about our respective subjects”.

“Staff Inset days are integral to our continued professional development as teachers. Monday 26th February was an excellent opportunity for staff to share their expertise and knowledge across departments with the focus around feedback and assessment. It gave me lots of new strategies for assessment that I am looking forward to applying in my own lessons” 

“INSETs provide great opportunity for professional growth; well-considered speakers (both internal and external) allow recent research and best practised to be shared. We are lucky at Simon Balle to be able to draw on the experience of teachers in our community with current and previous involvement in consultancy work and teacher training. Networking with colleagues from different phases and departments is hugely beneficial in developing our spiral curriculum and cross curricular links”.

Sports Roundup

7th March 2024Daire Brennan

It’s been another busy 3-4 weeks with many competitions reaching the later stages. At the time of writing we have 5 boys football teams in District semi finals alongside our U13 Girls still in a National Football competition. Although weather conditions have not been great, we have still managed to fulfill our Saturday fixtures giving lots of boys an opportunity to represent the school. Netball continues to go from strength to strength with our Year 10 Girls reaching the final of the county plate competition. This will take place at 2pm on Tuesday 19th March at Herts and Essex school. In Sportshall Athletics, our teams performed well with the Year 7 Boys finishing 2nd and our Year 7 girls finishing 3rd in the District out of 9 teams competing. As you will have read in our ‘On the Balle’ edition, the Simon Balle Sports leaders continue to lead at many many events throughout the District and County, officiating and leading to a high standard, in doing so giving so many students the opportunity to participate. We are coming towards the end of the Basketball season too and will keep you updated on our progress on social media. Please see below for a quick round up of key moments from the last 2-3 weeks. 

Larch Sports

Sport continues to go from strength to strength within the Larch and there is plenty to celebrate. Fundamental to PE and sport is the development of gross motor skills in EYFS; this is hugely supported by the delivery of specialised gross motor interventions for our reception children as well as ensuring regular access to an array of equipment and opportunities to develop whole body movement. Always striving to develop further, our Outdoor Learning team has made great strides in developing a new vision to further support gross motor development. 

Engagement in structured sport and tournaments at lunch time continues to be high, with Mr Leonard and Mr Rouse’s Premier League football in full swing for KS2. We are also delighted to see that 70% of our KS2 children have engaged in extracurricular sports clubs this academic year, including dodgeball, karate, table tennis, indoor cricket. 

We continue to work with the Hertford and Ware School Sports Partnership to provide varied and enriching opportunities for all in our community. 30 of our Year 4 students recently attended an ‘engage and inspire’ event, led by the partnership, where they participated in a range of activities including: Bollywood dancing, athletics and bowls. 

The partnership also provides competitive event opportunities and it is important to note the success of our Y5&6 netball and football teams. Our football team has battled fiercely against local schools and have successfully earnt a place in the semi-final of the Hope Cup which is taking place next week. The netballers have also fought hard and after winning their 3rd round match 15-0 they too are through to the semi-final and face Hunsdon on 14th March.

Upcoming dates and advanced notices:

  • Thursday 14th March: Year 5&6 Netball Semi-Final vs Mill Mead
  • Thursday 21st March: Year 5&6 District Netball at Wodson Park
  • Friday 22nd March: Year 5&6 District Football at Wodson Park 
  • Monday 25th March: Years 3,4,5 and 6 Cross Country at Hertford Rugby Club

U16 Netball

The U16 netball team have progressed fantastically across the season. We entered the County League knowing we would come up against tough opposition.  The team demonstrated excellent tenacity and resilience every game. The girls have developed strong connections across the various court areas and have especially developed their through court attack. This was proven in our last match against Queenswood winning by a staggering 20 goals. The team were fearless in defense flying for interventions, calm and patient in attack and excellent communication and rotations in the shooting circle. It was a great way to end the season.

Year 7 Netball fixture vs Chauncy on Tuesday 6th March. 

We played a small tournament between 4 teams. Both SBS teams won all their games. They played really well with excellent passing and moving around the court. Particular merit must go to Lucy B for excellent movement into space. Well done to all! 

Hockey

Well done to the year 7 and 8 boys hockey team who went to the county tournament at Haileybury school at the start of the month. Up against some strong opponents the boys put in some fantastic performances narrowly missing out on a place in the semi finals. It has been a great year watching these boys improve and we look forward to seeing them play on an 11-a-side pitch next year!!

U16 Rugby

The Y10/11 Boys rugby team played in the Herts U16 7’s competition yesterday at Woollams and performed very well. They beat JFK in their first game by 3 tries and in their following games against QE Boys and St Clement Danes, we lost out by a try in each game. Charlie O captained the team fantastically and player of the tournament was Stanley M. Well done to all the boys who competed. 

Football

Saturday football update – As always, it has been brilliant to see so many students participating in Saturday Football, representing the school and proudly displaying our school values. Saturday mornings has always and will continue to be an opportunity for all students who attend training to be able to participate in competitive matches for the school but not only this students are able to play with their friends and enjoy it.  

Unfortunately, this year, due to frozen and waterlogged pitches there have been some disruption to our games against Richard Hale, Katherine Warrington and Roundwood Park with only one or two games going ahead because of access to a 3g surface. We are looking forward to our final fixtures of this year against John Warner (16/03) and Sir John Lawes (23/03). 

Year 7 boys 

Year 7 Boy’s have had excellent turn out with over 35 boy’s representing the school in Saturday football matches. The team have also made the Semi-Final of the District cup against Richard Hale (8/03). 

Year 8 boys 

The Year 8 boys have reached the District semi final after a good win against Richard Hale School last week by 4 goals to 2. We now look forward to this weeks’ semi final against 

Year 9 boys – Following a 4-1 win over St Mary’s and a bye against Leventhorpe. The Year 9 boys football team play John Warner in the semi final of the district cup. A replay of last year’s final.

Senior boys – What a great season this team has had! After beating Merchant Taylors in the quarter final of the county cup with goals from K.Francis and E.Day the team booked themselves a place in the semi final against Sir John Lawes. Unfortunately, on the day Sir John Lawes were too strong for us and progressed into the final. A great achievement to reach a county cup semi final and the first time a Simon Balle team has gone this far in this competition for some years. All thoughts are now focused on the district cup semi final to be played in a couple of weeks. 

Girls

The Girls have had a great half term of success in the District and National Cup. The U13 Girls have won both their games to secure their sport in the third round of the National Cup. Which will be played in Billericay on the 7th March against Mayflower High School. A fantastic achievement as the majority of the Girls are playing up an age group. The U12 Girls have also made it to the district final after winning their group stage which will be played against Chauncy.

 

Career Opportunities 8

22nd February 2024Ciaran Prendergast

HOP into Construction

TUESDAY 9TH APRIL 2024

Join CITB, Bam, Willmott Dixon and Morgan Sindall Construction, AVV Solutions for an informative session on career paths in the construction sector. Gain valuable insight and knowledge as well as a practical taster in Plumbing or Electrical or join us for BOTH.

Click here for more information 

 

Are you in Year 12 and want to gain some experience in the law industry?

​DEADLINE FRIDAY 1ST MARCH !!!
Allen & Overy are a global law firm that helps the world’s leading businesses to grow, innovate and thrive. They currently have Work Experience opportunities that you can apply for, both virtual & in-person!

Applications closes THIS FRIDAY so be quick to apply! Check out the programmes below and apply today

Click here

 

INTERESTED IN working with one of the UK’s largest construction firms?

CBRE GWS Virtual Insight Session
Thu 7 Mar | 18:00 – 19:00
There are iconic buildings around the country that CBRE GWS have been a part of from planning and acquisition, through design and construction, operation, adaptation, and final disposal. Buildings include The London Emirates Stadium, Ikea & Pure Gym to name just a few!

Click here

 

Diverse entry routes into tech careers with Amazon

Women in leadership roles at Amazon and Blackbullion will be discussing their career beginnings in the tech industry.

Wed, 6 Mar 2024 15:00 – 15:30

Join forces with Blackbullion and Amazon for an engaging webinar featuring insightful conversations with two remarkable women with careers in the field of technology. Additionally, hear from the team at Amazon about their Future Engineer Bursary programme worth up to £20,000.

Click here

 

Virtual Parent & Carer Open Evening to DISCOVER! Creative Careers

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:30 – 19:30 BST

1 hour

A virtual evening where we will introduce you to the exciting future for the creative sector. Highlighting new opportunities available.

Click here to register 

 

Russell Group – Webinar

30 April to 2 May

These interactive virtual events will allow your students to explore all 24 Russell Group universities.

Students in Years 11 to 13 can learn from staff and student ambassadors as they cover a range of topics.

Click here to register

 

Unifrog Virtual University Fair 

13th March 4.30 – 7.00pm

Get to know more about university and join our virtual fair where you can join live sessions and get in touch directly with universities across the UK. We’ll be joined by top universities including the Universities of Exeter, Portsmouth, Sussex, Cardiff University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and many more! You’ll have the chance to get your questions answered and network one-on-one to get top tips on how to find and apply to your dream university course.

Click here to register

 

Unifrog Virtual Work Experience

During the week of 1–5 July 2024, Unifrog will be hosting virtual work experience in collaboration with five top employers. This will be free and open to all Unifrog students from Y10 to 12.

Each day will be hosted by a different employer to give students a taste of a variety of sectors: NHS, BBC, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Tesco, and Get Into Teaching. Students will start and end the day with live webinars, and spend the time in between completing a relevant workplace task set by the employer through Unifrog’s Courses tool.

Click here to register

 

Asda

Calling Y13 students from all subject areas. Asda are offering retail management degree apprenticeships across the UK. Students will earn a starting salary of £24,000 and get their tuition fees paid towards a Chartered Management degree. They could be running their own store within five years!
See Asda’s apprenticeships

 

Government Social Research – Apprenticeships for social science students are rare, so share this opportunity with keen students! The GSR are looking for Y13s to apply for roles in UK Government departments such as HM Treasury, Work and Pensions, and Health and Social Care at sites across the UK.
Get students to apply before 28 Feb

 

Essity – The name behind brands such as Cushelle and Lotus tissues, Essity has a range of apprenticeships in manufacturing, engineering, and technical areas, with sites across the UK. Perfect for students post A-Level, BTEC, or GCSE.
Learn about Essity’s apprenticeships

 

Lloyds Banking Group – Y13s are encouraged to apply soon to LBG’s wide range of degree and intermediate level apprenticeships. They have 20 roles in areas such as cyber, data, customer service, finance, and HR.
More about LBG’s apprenticeships

All students are encouraged to do Unifrog’s short course ‘Prepare for the world of work with Lloyds Banking Group’. Taking on as independent study, this is a great opportunity for students to gain a completion certificate to display on their CV.
Preview LBG’s course on Unifrog (click ‘use the platform as a student’ first)

 

London Careers Festival

​Wednesday 28 February 2024​
Meet with the likes of, British Airways, Savills, Gerald Eve, Thorpe Park, University of Surrey plus more to be confirmed!

This is an excellent opportunity for 14-25 year olds to meet with real professionals and learning providers to discover the many different routes to secure a successful career. 🚀

This careers expo-style event has been especially curated for the London Careers Festival 2024 to showcase an array of post-16 opportunities!

Event Details:
​
⏰ Wed 28 Feb | 10:00am – 2:30pm
📍 Guildhall Yard, London, EC2V 5AE

Click here to register

 

Speakers for Schools

Please explore our ‘What’s On?’ flyer which features our upcoming opportunities. Please share this e-copy with your Year 10-13 students : Click here

Spotlight Opportunity: Green Skills and Sustainability Careers in the Energy Industry

Encourage your students to sign up for this 2-day virtual work experience placement with Simens Energy on 13-14th March, 10am-2pm daily. In this interactive virtual experience, students will hear from professionals at different stages of their careers, who will share their experience working with circular energy, recycling, carbon footprint, and carbon emissions and their career journey to date. There will also be a CV masterclass and industry expert panel session. Students aged 14-19 can apply directly through our experience portal – view the full advert here

To see more fully-funded employer encounter opportunities, please click here: https://www.speakersforschools.org/work-experience-opportunities/

Featured Inspiration Broadcast: Infrastructure Industry Foundation: Sharing My Infrastructure Story

Join us on Tuesday 5th March from 10-10:45am to hear from a range of speakers on how they’re making the world more sustainable through their industry. You’ll hear how they got started in the industry, what they most enjoy about their job, and why you should consider a career in Infrastructure Investment to help reach our climate goals and power your future! Register a group or cohort of students here!

Buildings Update Number 2

16th February 2024Rachel Kirk

Dear Parents/Carers,

Re: Building and facilities developments at Simon Balle All-through School 

We hope this letter finds you well. As we approach the half term break, we wanted to take a moment to update you on the building works. 

First and foremost, we are pleased to announce the completion of the Modern Foreign Languages block. This will officially be handed over to us next week, with occupation from the start of March. This week also saw the successful move of one of our IT classrooms into the recently converted Jubilee Suite: thanks to the hard work of all the staff involved in moving and installing the computers there was a seamless transition for the students. Explorers (our after school club) will also move into the Jubilee Suite shortly, paving the way for the demolition of the two mobile classrooms at the front of the school in preparation for work to commence on the new sports hall.

As previously communicated, the erection of the contractors’ compound at the front of the school will cause considerable disruption to the car park. We are now in a position to confirm that this will be happening during the Easter holidays, so those parents currently in possession of an access pass may continue to use it until the end of the Spring term (Thursday 28th March).

From the start of the Summer term (Monday 15th April) there will be significant changes to the car park:

  • Access to the carpark will be limited to staff and a very small number of parents where a medical need means that walking to the site would be impossible. We are in the process of reviewing and communicating with parents that have applied for a new access pass.
  • The car park barriers will be closed from 0810 to 1545. Those dropping students at the Busy Lizzies breakfast club will need to arrive before 0810.
  • Parents without an access pass should not attempt to enter the car park at drop off or pick up times, nor should they drop students in Mangrove Road: this is dangerous for our students and other road users. The London Road car park (next to the fire station) is a far more suitable site: there is ample space to wait, and access is far easier (and quicker) than attempting to drive along Mangrove Road. It is an 11 minute walk from the London Road car park to the school: students and parents should factor this into their journey time.
  • The car park behind the Larch and astro will be a staff-only car park. 
  • Although not a change, we would like to remind you that there is absolutely no parking on site for sixth form students.

For those walking to the Larch, the contractors’ compound will block several footpaths within the carpark. The safest way to reach the Larch will be to walk along the pavement on the opposite side of Mangrove Road until you have passed both the current entrance and exit gates, and then cross over and walk up beside the swimming pool (please see this link for photos and maps).

We understand that this change may inconvenience some of you, but we are confident that it is in the best interest of everyone involved. 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement these changes. Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our students, staff, parents and neighbours, and it is important to remember that these changes are necessary if we are to provide our students with such exciting new facilities.

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can ensure that our school remains a place where every student can thrive and succeed.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Rachel Kirk, Mr Michael Moss and Mr Haydn Walsh

Co-headteachers and Director of Business 

Newsletter 10

16th February 2024David Ayres

Friday 19th January

Co-headteachers’ welcome

As we finally reach the end of the spring half term I wonder where the time has gone. The days are definitely getting longer and the emerging bulbs remind us that summer is on its way. I for one am looking forward to lighter and warmer evenings which bring the chance to get outside as much as possible. 

The biggest pleasure of being a headteacher is the ability to walk around the school visiting classrooms and seeing students grasp ideas, concepts, skills and knowledge. To watch students methodically work their way through problems on their own, or with their peer group, is great to see. I was lucky enough to be in the primary phase last week and heard Miss Blackman’s class talk enthusiastically about the Vikings. They proudly showed off their model longships which were simply stunning. I was struck by the level of completed work and the deep learning which had taken place. It was wonderful to witness the level of commitment, enthusiasm and dedication of the students to their learning. I left with a smile on my face and a new understanding of Viking coastal raids.

Last week I attended a fantastic presentation on apprenticeships delivered by our sixth form team, with a representative from GSK as our external speaker. The range of careers and pathways of entry for students is expanding and it is well worth making yourself aware of the opportunities available. Our careers education has flourished under the leadership of Mr Prendergast and day to day work of Mr Carr. Year 9 students have taken part in a careers day encompassing interview practice and feedback, with external employers, teamwork activities and problem solving. Initial feedback to the day has been excellent. It is so important to develop the academic and personal skills young people need to be confident articulate adults ready for the outside world. This is symbolised by our key message of  ‘Creating Tomorrow’s Citizens Today’. Sometimes as Milton Berle said, ‘If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door’!

The new MFL block is now pretty much ready for occupation, with the final pieces of cladding are being applied to the exterior. Yesterday we received delivery of the furniture, and lessons are scheduled to start in there at the beginning of March. We will be emailing a separate buildings update later today.

We wish those travelling to Austria for the ski trip at half term a safe journey and a wonderful adventure. Please consult the calendar  about the vast array of events taking place next half term. Whether it is music, drama, art, sport or even the talent event organised by our House Leaders in late March. There is lots to look forward to and I wish you a happy half term break!

Y11 Business Trip

Last week 73 of our Y11 Business students enjoyed the magic of Disneyland Paris whilst attending a Business convention. As well as enjoying the rides, attractions and shows, the students gained an insight into Disney as a Business. With live talks from Disney executives, students gained a greater awareness and understanding of how Disney markets their brand, which links directly to their GCSE course. 

Students also got to experience first hand the disruption caused by pressure groups and how businesses are affected by government decisions, although this did mean we had to postpone our trip to Paris. 

Whilst away, students accepted the trust bestowed upon them. They were punctual, polite and certainly more courageous than me on some of the rides.

STEM Update

These are just some of the exciting projects being worked on at STEM Club:

  • Falcon drone to keep the seagulls away
  • Dynamo with gears that can be attached to a bicycle
  • Wind turbine to generate free electricity
  • 3D printed chromebook
  • Robot that collects rubbish
  • Hydraulic machine to lift heavy objects

If you would like to get involved, please come to S8 on Thursdays after school, 3:10pm – 4:10pm.

Spotlight on phase 3

Year 5 have been busy writing balanced arguments about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. We have been impressed by how they have developed their ideas to provide the reader with a tricky decision to make at the end. In Maths, they have been finding the volume of shapes, remembering to use the correct units and applying their knowledge of times tables. TT Rockstars has been a huge hit and we are seeing great uptake across Phase 3.

Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed their visit from Michael Owen as part of our careers work over the last few weeks. Prior to his visit, they spent some time researching his career to formulate a range of questions to ask him at school and were very excited to see his memorabilia.

 

Last week, Year 6 also had the opportunity to visit the food tech rooms and make smoothies with Miss Newman. The lesson involved following the recipe to create two different smoothies, taste test and then describe the texture and taste using a range of vocabulary – the green smoothie was a huge hit! 

In English, they really have shown off their writing skills with their current narratives – based on our WWII text ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. We have discussed using ‘show not tell’ in their writing to really capture the reader’s attention as well as making mature decisions with vocabulary and punctuation. Each and every pupil has been so proud of their achievements and hard work through this unit of writing

Library news

It’s been another busy fortnight in the Library. 66 people took part in Thursday’s Harry Potter quiz – you’ll need to head on over to the latest Library news blog to find out who won. You’ll also be able to catch up on all the news about the visit to Bishop’s Stortford College, the most recent Speaker’s Corner and plenty more besides that.

Library News #4

Pedagogy Portal

A ‘deep dive’ is a phrase given to the process that is used to gain a deeper understanding of a particular subjects’ curriculum. Through close inspection of several subjects, schools are better judged on the overall quality of the education they deliver. Lesson visits, student voice & curriculum discussions are all part of a ‘deep dive’ experience.

At the start of the academic year, we shared the feedback of Maths within our all-through school and now would  like to follow this by celebrating the success of a recent deep dive in Music and Geography, led externally by our improvement partners from the local authority. Click this link to find out more https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/pedagogy-portal-deep-dives/

Holocaust Memorial Day workshops at St Albans Cathedral

On the 30th January the history and PRE department took 40 students from Y9 and Y11 to St Albans Cathedral to take part in a series of workshops focused around Holocaust Memorial Day. The students participated in a series of workshops delivered by the Holocaust Educational Trust on pre-war Jewish life, the Wiener Library on resistance and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust where they discussed the importance and purpose of Holocaust Memorial Day. They then had the opportunity to listen to Antoinette Mutabazi, who described her harrowing experience of the Rwandan genocide. 

This was followed by a presentation by Robert Voss, the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire whose family came to England during World War II to escape persecution in Nazi Germany. Roxy (Y11) spoke with Mr Voss after the presentation to share her own family’s experiences.

The day came to a close with Y11’s Meredith Wing, Elizabeth and Grace reading the Statement of Commitment and Roxy reading the ‘The Jewish Shtetl’ Poem under the Peace Doves installation. 

A truly thought provoking and memorable day.

ELSA Next Generation ‘Get Work Ready’

On Friday 2nd February our Year 10 had a great day provided by ELSA Next Generation,. The students all attende 6 workshops throughout the day based on how big company recruitment carousels can work. ELSA ran one workshop themselves, another was interview practice (with the fantastic support from Simon Balle parents and carers) and the remaining workshops were provided by Local employers (Fortem, Bowmer and Kirkland, the Royal Navy and NGTU). The students were incredibly grateful for the change to experience an interview for the first time and many found it a far more daunting task than they initially thought, however, the session provided them with some really valuable feedback to help improve any interviews they have in the future.The Royal Navy session focused on students team work, leadership and communication skills. In one activity they were asked to follow a series of instructions in a knockout style competition – it was wonderful seeing the students encourage their classmates in the later stages of each competition. Students then had to create a raised border which could hold all the students in their group and were challenged to make the border smaller and smaller – the creativity demonstrated by some groups was outstanding! All the activities encouraged team building, leadership and communication skills and the students even carried out logistical planning for a construction site! We trust the day encouraged the students to think about how they present and sell themselves as well as how to work in and communicate with a team.

Careers related activities taking place this term

  • Y8: McMullan trips – including a tour of the brewery and kitchens and a talk about careers in hospitality 
  • Y9: Royal Navy – Leadership and Team building day
  • Y12: Talks from the British Army, Ernst Young, and a Student FInance talk from Hertfordshire University

Unifrog

Just a reminder that all students in Y7-13 have access to Unifrog – the universal destinations platform, which helps students compare every university course, every apprenticeship, and Further Education courses. Students can also explore a range of careers and labour market information using the site. 

Careerometer

If your child is interested in finding out more about different careers, the careerometer is a tool that allows you to compare different jobs e.g. wages, growth etc click here

YHT Careers Fair

On Friday 9 February twelve of the year 10 students who are taking part in the YHT programme had the opportunity to visit a Careers Fair held at the UOH Fielder Centre, Hatfield,  which was put on by Hertfordshire Opportunities Programme.  This was a great opportunity to talk to a variety of companies about opportunities they have including degree apprenticeships as well as local colleges and universities.  

Employers and Providers in attendance include:

Army

Bower and Kirkland B & D

BPL/Kedrion

Care Tech

Computacenter

Crane & Staples Solicitors

CT Catapult

Fire & Rescue Service

GLL trading as Better

Hertfordshire Building Control

Hertfordshire Sports Village

Herts Academy of Beauty

Herts Sport Partnership

Home Instead

HOP

HR Owen

Iknaia

Institute of Motor Industry

 JPA Furniture

Learning Curve Group

Lovells

Morgan Sindall

NHS

Not going to Uni

Oaklands College

Pay Point

Pitman Training

Police

Quantum Care

Right At Home

Roche

Royal Air Force

Royal Navy & Royal Marines

Siemens

Police

Quantum Care

 Right At Home

Roche

Royal Air Force

Royal Navy & Royal Marines

Siemans

Simmons Bakers

Skillnet

Sky Studios

Stevenage Football Club

Teach In Herts

Tesco

Tewin Bury Farm

The Royal Veterinary College

Toffee’s Beauty House

Tottenham Hotspurs FC

University of Hertfordshire

 

Blog

Please click here for our latest Careers Blog.

Young Enterprise

Colour 2 Learn, a company comprising 16 Year 12 students,  as part of a business social program called Young Enterprise, have created a colouring book with educational elements and are hoping to begin selling soon. Young Enterprise is a registered charity and gives students the opportunity to create a business, create a product or service and then bring their business to market, with a competition between different Young Enterprise businesses across the UK competing. This gives them the full experience of running a business including running their finances, research and development ,and introducing them to the real business and working world. 

We  have created a colouring book with educational elements aimed at children aged between 3 and 7 that allows them to explore and colour various topics including sports, jobs and world landmarks. Please see some examples of our hand drawn pages here. We are excited to be offering a launch offer for our Larch students with the first 30 copies sold priced at £3.50. After these initial copies, our book will retail at £4.99. We are really excited about launching a product of which we feel very proud and would love support for our Young Enterprise competition too.

If you would like to sign up to a preorder one of the reduced price copies, please email 12e-ye@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

PSHRE

We are currently reviewing our PSHRE curriculum and we would really appreciate your feedback to help improve our PSHRE programme even further. If you have time, please complete the relevant questionnaire below:

  • Primary school parent questionnaire – click here
  • Secondary school parent questionnaire – click here

Our PSHRE curriculum helps children and young people to identify, celebrate and manage the many personal, economic and social challenges they face, in order to become responsible and active members of society. Secondary school students work on a carousel where they will learn about different topics for 5 weeks in one of the following areas: physical health, mental health, relationships and living in the wider world. We have designed our curriculum so that each year group experiences a different aspect of these core themes e.g. in the physical well-being unit students will learn about healthy diets in year 7, maintaining a healthy lifestyle in year 8, the importance of physical health (dental health, sun safety, vaccinations) in year 9, vaping in year 10 and blood and organ donation in year 11, alongside many other topics.

A list of the different topics covered in PSHRE can be found here: click here

World Book Day week celebrations in the Larch

After half term, we are looking forward to celebrating World Book Day throughout the week w/c 4th March! 

On Tuesday 5th March, we will be hosting our first ever book swap morning during the school day where children in the Larch will get a chance to explore books donated and choose one to take home to read and keep. If you have any spare children’s books at home you’re able to donate, please send your child in with them by Friday 1st March. If you have more than one book to donate, this would be greatly appreciated to support those who may not have any books to donate. Please ensure the children’s books are not in a poor condition and could be enjoyed by another child in the Larch. 

As in previous years, instead of dressing up we will be focusing on the true meaning of World Book Day- reading! Please watch this space for upcoming dress-up and wow days in your child’s year group (such as the fantastic Year 4 Roman Workshop day on Thursday!).

There will be lots of reading based immersive activities throughout the week such as all of the the younger and older children in every class reading with and to each other.

Hall of Fame Results

Having counted down our Top 15 Hall of Fame pieces over the past weeks, we revealed our 2023-24 Hall of Fame champion in our assemblies last week. It was very tight at the top, but Wagner’s  Ride of The Valkyries just pipped Debussy into the top spot. Below are the standings for the top 15 this year:

  • Ride of the Valkyries- Wagner (up 3 places)
  • Claire De Lune- Debussy (down 1 place)
  • Fur Elise- Beethoven (down 1 place)
  • Moonlight Sonata- Beethoven (new entry)
  • Theme from Swan Lake- Tchaikovsky (up 1)
  • Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy- Tchaikovsky (down 3)
  • Winter from The Four Seasons- Vivaldi (new entry)
  • Spring from The Four Seasons- Vivaldi (up 1)
  • Ode to Joy- Beethoven (down 4)
  • Symphony no.5- Beethoven (up 1)
  • Nimrod- Elgar (new entry)
  • William Tell Overture- Rossini (new entry)
  • The Lark Ascending- Vaughan Williams (new entry)
  • Piano Concerto no.2- Rachmaninov (new entry)
  • The Firebird Suite Finale- Stravinsky (new entry)

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 using this Booking link. 

The latest parent newsletter from DSPL3 can be found here: DSPL3 Parents February Newsletter

A coffee morning on Neurodiversity being held 12th March 2024 in the Larch from 9.30am to 10.30am. Further information about Add-vance can be found on this link https://www.add-vance.org. . If you would like to attend this coffee morning please email vivashk@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

Safeguarding and health

Read the latest what parents need to know about online-dating-platforms and video chat service monkey

The latest Public Health Nursing newsletter can be read here: PHN Newsletter teen Winter 2023 2024 Final (1)

A separate letter will be sent home today on behalf of the Hertfordshire Association of Secondary School Headteachers (HASSH) regarding vaping in schools. It is a joint letter to parents from all secondary school headteachers in the county.

Larch Sport

Year 5 and 6 have participated in a number of fixtures and events over the past two weeks. A huge well done to the Y5/6 netball team who are through to the next round of the Evans trophy after beating St Mary’s 14-6. The Y5/6 football team are also through to the next round of the Hope cup after beating Mill Mead 4-1. A number of students also represented the school at a Sportshall Athletics competition on Monday, where the girls came 5th and the boys achieved 2nd place. Well done to all who participated.

Simon Balle Parent Staff Association

Vice Treasurer Opportunity

Are you detail-oriented, financially savvy, and passionate about supporting your school community? Simon Balle Parent Staff Association is seeking a dedicated individual to fill the role of Vice Treasurer. You will support our Treasurer and work with the school, ensuring the financial health and success of our association.

This is a wonderful opportunity to make a meaningful impact and contribute to the success of our school community.

To find out more, please come along to our next meeting on 26th March at 7pm (Secondary Library) or email us by March 31st psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

PSA Meeting flyer

Volunteers needed for the Wind and Brass evening

We’re still looking for bar support for the Music Department’s Wind and Brass evening on April 27th. If you’re available and willing to lend a hand, please sign up via this link. Your commitment is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to creating memorable experiences together!

Secondary pre-loved uniform plea

We are really pleased that the secondary pre-loved offering has been a success so far. We are now running low on stock and so welcome your uniform donations of items, in clean condition with no stains or holes.

Please drop off to secondary reception.

Pre-loved flyer

Slice of Summer, 13th July

Can your business sponsor our summer fair?

Does your company offer Match Funding?

Are you able to donate a star prize to the Summer Raffle?

Please get in touch if you are able to help us psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Interested in registering on our Stallholder Database?

Slice of Summer flyer

Red Nose Day

On Friday, 15th March, SBAS will be joining the global movement to end child poverty by participating in Red Nose Day. We are lining up some exciting activities for the day, ensuring that everyone can participate and contribute to this worthy cause. Among these will be a sponsored football match in Sixth Form, a Wear Something Red fundraiser in the Larch and we will also be providing a special Red Nose Day menu across the all-through school. We hope all students, staff and parents can get involved.

How You Can Contribute:

Donate Online: Visit our Just Giving page and make a donation. Every contribution, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to our fundraising goal. Here is a link to our page: Just Giving Simon Balle School Comic Relief Just Giving Simon Balle School Comic Relief

Foodbank Collection: In addition to supporting Red Nose Day, we are partnering with the local foodbank charity Jedidiah. Let’s help make a positive impact on our local community. You can read more about Jedidiah and their work here: https://www.jedidiah.org.uk/

We will provide more details regarding the donations and activities planned for Red Nose Day closer to the time. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Dates for your diary

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

  • Monday 26th February: INSET Day
  • Tuesday 27th February: Y13 Berlin trip departs
  • Wednesday 28th February: Y3 visit to Hertford Museum
  • Thursday 29th February: Y9 Royal Navy Activity Day
  • w/c 4th March: Y3,4 and 5 swimming to begin . More details will be sent via letter.
  • Wednesday 6th March:  Y13 Parents’ evening
  • Thursday 7th March: World Book Day
  • Saturday 9th March: Big Band Evening
  • w/c 18th March: Reception parent evenings 
  • Monday 25th March:  Simon Balle’s Got Talent (more details to follow)

Wishing everyone in our community a positive and fulfilling fortnight ahead.

Yours sincerely,

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

Pedagogy Portal – Deep Dives

16th February 2024Ian Finch

Our Director of Music, Mr Taylor and Subject Lead in Geography, Miss Chuchla give an overview of the experience.

We approached our Music deep dive with a degree of apprehension and anticipation, but we found it to be an amazing experience. We are rightly proud of our all-through musical curriculum, and this ‘mock’ exercise gave us the opportunity to evaluate and endorse what we do. The learning, the experiences, the curriculum that has musical responses at the heart of everything we do. 

The day enabled us to bring all of the hard work of Team Music together, to show our ethos and to be humbled when the students talked of their musical learning with such passion. It was wonderful to see and hear our amazing rehearsals, to see sixth formers support younger students, including those from the Larch and to hear our students talking musically about Simon Balle and all we strive to achieve.

We ended the day knowing that we do our very best to ensure that each student has the best possible musical experience at Simon Balle, in all year groups. Team Music is an incredible team and as we know that includes our students, our families and our staff. The day was long, but exhilarating. Most importantly, the day  demonstrated that we are an amazing musical school. 

 

The Geography Department recently took part in a Deep Dive which was an insightful experience that we are excited to share. A Deep Dive is an opportunity for us to explore and celebrate the incredible work happening in our school, from our youngest learners in Reception to our secondary students. It’s a day of discovery, reflection, and growth. 

The day began with a discussion about our school’s vision for Geography and the detailed curriculum that we are proud of as a department. We were able to talk about the progression in fieldwork and map skills that we have mapped across the all-through school, to ensure that each student is deepening their learning through each key stage. The curriculum was highlighted as a strength during the feedback of the day, and members of the department all demonstrated a deep understanding of both the curriculum and their students.

The day provided an opportunity for students to discuss their love of Geography and the positive challenge that the lessons provide them with. Lesson visits demonstrated the strong use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to allow students to interact with analysing data and maps, an area that the Geography Ofsted subject review highlighted as a challenge for many schools. Quality first teaching and consistency across the department was also clear, with all students being given the opportunity to “think and speak like a geographer”. 

The insights gained from the Deep Dive will play a pivotal role in shaping our Department/Phase Improvement Plan in Geography to ensure that we continue to use research-led pedagogy to inform our practice. We are committed to continuous improvement and will use this feedback as a catalyst for growth.

 

Thankyou to all members of both subjects for the continued hard work and success.

Library News #4

15th February 2024Rosemary Iles

Harry Potter Quiz

Well done to the 66 participants in the Harry Potter quiz on Thursday 15th February.

Congratulations to the winners and runners-up!

  • In joint 1st place – Max and Ishaan in 13N and team ‘Mischief Managed’: Mr Poley and Mr Dear
  • In 2nd place – Daisy and Archie, 7A
  • In 3rd place – Isshi and Lucas, 7L

Speakers’ Corner

Well done to Thomas, Ryan, Thomas, Maxwell and Hazel for their well-prepared and well-presented Speakers’ Corner talks this half term. Their presentations covered a wide range of topics from Rubik’s cubes and video games to books and the enjoyment of reading and from New Zealand to countries all around the world. Speakers’ Corner takes place in the secondary library at lunchtime on Thursdays. If you are in the secondary school and would like to do a Speakers’ Corner next term, please speak to Miss Iles.

Year 6 visit to the secondary library

On Monday 22nd January year 6 visited the secondary library to explore the library resources and to learn about all the secondary school library events, competitions and activities they will be able to participate in when they start secondary school in September. Well done to the secondary library ambassadors Christos, Luke, Ben and Matthew for their excellent presentation.

Rewards trip to Bishop’s Stortford College Festival of Literature.

On Tuesday 13th February some students in years 7, 8 and 9 went to Bishop’s Stortford College Festival of Literature as a reward for their participation in library events, their help in the library, and their achievements with Get Rewarded for Reading. We met the award-winning poet Matt Goodfellow.  He spoke passionately about writing poetry, performing and being proud of our own voice and using our voices to create poetry. Matt Goodfellow kindly donated signed copies of two of his published books for our school library.

Children’s Mental Health Week

During Children’s Mental Health Week (5th-11th February), we had a crafts session in the library. Students made collages about what is important to them.

New book shelves with PSA funding

Thanks to a generous amount of money from the PSA, we now have three extra book shelves in the Larch library which has given us space for new books and has allowed us to create a new section in the library for book series. 

Music Monday

Well done to Ryan, Charlotte, Ethan, Ziva, Lola, Bors, and Eva for playing the piano in the library this half term for Music Monday. If you would like to play the piano in the library next term for Music Monday, please speak to Mr Lovell, Mrs N Iles or Miss R Iles.

FREE books for our school with Britannica Magazine!

We can benefit from getting £200 worth of FREE non-fiction books for our school library if we get 10 or more parents to sign up to any of Britannica’s subscription plans at www.whatonearth.co.uk which start at just £24.99 for six months. 

Parents/carers can then enter the code SIMONBALLE in the discount code box at the online check out at www.whatonearth.co.uk. Once Britannica  receives 10 orders from parents/carers using this unique school code they will send a £200 book voucher to the school.  

Everyone who signs up also gets a FREE Britannica Encyclopaedia worth £25.

Upcoming library events

World Book Day

  • Bingo at lunchtime in the library on Thursday 7th March.
  • Guess Who? quiz.

Book Battles

 

Career Opportunities 7

6th February 2024Ciaran Prendergast

Applications Now OPEN for Apprenticeships programmes at Standard Chartered Bank, London.

Do you have Year 13 students who would like to work:

On the Trading Floor of a global bank, learning the mechanics of trading from experienced city traders

OR

With the Corporate and Commercial team learning how to support our international clients

If you think you have students who would be interested in gaining the Level 4 Investment Operations Specialist qualification whilst on our 2 year apprenticeship based in London, please ask them to apply by 23rd February 2024.

Apply here

Financial Markets Apprenticeship (trading floor route) Financial Markets Apprenticeship programme – Standard Chartered (sc.com)
Client Coverage Apprenticeship (client relationships) Client coverage apprenticeships – Standard Chartered (sc.com)

Key Information

Qualification: Level 4 Investment Operations Specialist Apprenticeship including 3 x CISI qualifications, dependent on programme
Starts: 7th September 2024
Academic criteria – Must be on target for 3 x A levels, Grade B and above (or equivalent) in any subject and have achieved 5 x GCSE’s including Maths (6) and Eng (5)
Location: Moorgate, London. Please note, whilst on apprenticeship, the candidates will work from the office location to enable them to learn from their peers and colleagues

If you would like any further information please look at our Early Careers information pages or contact me: Early careers programmes – Standard Chartered (sc.com)

EDT Placements’ first Virtual Open Day session for 2023/24
Wednesday 14th February at 4pm
EDT’s, ‘The Year in Industry’ (YINI) Placement scheme, helps place school-leaving students into paid 12-month long placements into all areas of engineering, science (particularly physics), technology/electronics, business, marketing and finance across the UK.
YINI offers students a free resource when searching for a year out paid placement and has been helping students for over 37 years. Find out how the scheme can help you in searching for a paid placement, as well as how we support each student during their placement. Plus, hear from our Placement Team and currently/former placed YINI Placement students talk about their placement experiences.
 

 

CV writing workshop for Sixth Form students – 27th Feb

Click here to sign up

 

HSBC Apprenticeships

If you want alternative pathways into the world of finance other than A-Levels and university, then HSBC’s Digital Experience and Accessibility foundation apprenticeship or Wealth and Personal Banking degree apprenticeship could be for you!

Click here

 

Apprenticeships Guide 2024

https://79590737.flowpaper.com/2024ApprenticeshipGuide/#page=1

IBM L4 Junior Management Consultant Apprenticeship 2024

https://careers.ibm.com/job/19847521/l4-junior-management-consultant-apprenticeship-2024-remote/?codes=WEB_SEARCH_NA

Utility Companies Apprenticeships

https://careers.energyutilitiesjobs.co.uk/jobs/job-search-results/lc-Hertford,-Hertfordshire/lcr-25/jt-4,6/co-225/?sortorder=1

PWC Virtual Insight Programme (meets BM5)

https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/our-programmes/insight-weeks.html

Newsletter 9

2nd February 2024David Ayres

Friday 19th January

Co-headteachers’ welcome

It is hard to cover in a short co-headteachers’ welcome all that January has encompassed at Simon Balle All-through school – it has certainly been an exciting and busy month. As always, we talk of no tension between high academic expectations (not just our Year 11 and Year 13 cohorts but across our school) and wonderful enrichment – from business to art to MFL trips, and from sporting success to on-site activities such as the Year 6 science Wonderstruck and Year 4 Gaudi workshop. What is important for us as leaders at Simon Balle is that nothing is left to chance – our bespoke and planned curriculum allows us to plot and implement exciting academic and personal development opportunities in each and every year, and to seek student and parent/carer feedback as to every young person’s journey. Please do keep a watchful eye on our social media posts as recent posts include incredible success amongst our Year 13s and their future destinations; celebration of phonics outcomes from 2023 with our Year 1s (thank you Damian!); careers opportunities a-plenty; ‘more to experience’ activities for our Year 6 cohort as they prepare for their transition to the secondary phase; and enrichment from sport to art to music and more. It has been a great month too for our ongoing partnership with parents – with so many thanks for the enormous success of our in-person Year 11 parents’ evening, and the engagement so tangibly felt with Year 9 preferences this week. 

I trust that you have had the opportunity to read our standalone letter in relation to premises developments. We are truly excited to be creating new buildings that are state-of-the-art classrooms, investing in the very best possible facilities for our young people, and, of course, preparing for our Simon Balle four-court sports hall. We thank you in anticipation of your understanding where compromises are required – for example, with parking. 

And finally, for our co-headteachers’ update, it is important to let you know that we are excited to share the possible expansion of our multi-academy trust (MAT) at Simon Balle. You will already know how important our community is to us at Simon Balle – including all of our stakeholders, our local area, our feeder primary schools and more. We value outward facing leadership and partnership with others – always with our young people at the heart of decision making. The Department for Education have granted an academy order for the expansion of our Trust and Mill Mead Primary School are currently undergoing a consultation process with their parents/carers and staff. We look forward to sharing more information with you very soon. 

We hope that this newsletter is informative, exciting, relevant to all and providing great hope for all that 2024 will continue to bring!

Art update

Gaudi Mosaic Day

Year 4 were lucky enough to have a visit from Claire Costello a local mosaic artist who worked with both classes to create individual mosaic tiles, which is the beginning of our Gaudi garden. We teamed this up with a stained glass window workshop. The outcomes were amazing!

GAUDI GARDEN PROJECT

We are looking to source some outdoor garden flooring (outdoor tiles or artificial grass) for a small space . Please if there is anyone who works in the gardening business who will have offcuts or anything that is no use to them please can you contact ledsterh@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

New kiln

It was exciting seeing the first load of the year 9 pots go on in our new kiln! Thank You again to the PSA for making this possible.

Spotlight in Phase 1 in the Larch

In Reception the children have been thoroughly enjoying our Literary Canon texts ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ and ‘How to Catch a Star.’ Using our Talk for Writing approach, the children have enjoyed retelling the stories, creating story maps and then creating their own versions of the stories. We have had some wonderful ideas such as ‘We’re Going on a Crocodile Hunt’ and ‘How to Catch the Moon’! We are very proud of how hard the children are working on their letter formation and beginning to write sentences. We have also been focusing on numbers 6 and 7 along with subtraction in our numeracy. The children have also enjoyed our PSHE learning about staying hydrated and healthy teeth – our role play area of the dentist surgery has proved extremely popular!

In Year 1, the children have been doing brilliant learning in their Phonics as they review the sounds taught so far in Level 5. The children have such a positive attitude to their daily phonics lessons and are always keen to practise their reading and writing! In Maths, we have been learning about odd and even numbers as well as capacity, and we have been encouraging the children to use accurate vocabulary to explore different containers and their amounts. Finally, in Geography, we have been exploring rainforests and comparing this environment to a familiar environment to us.

Computacenter Careers Presentation Y8,Y11 and Y12

On Tuesday last week we were lucky to have Renée Ramsay-Nicol from Computacenter coming into school to give a presentation about Computacenter. They are local employers with a global footprint as an independent technology and service provider (e.g. screens for airports and software for Domino’s). The students learned about the choices she had made and the path she had taken to gain her current position. Even though Computacenter is an IT company the presentation showed there were roles that did not require IT skills and for the right candidate even the IT training could be provided as an employee or as an apprentice.

Please click here for our latest careers opportunity blog.

PE & Sports News

The past couple of weeks have been action packed with so many competition and sports taking place. Our students have participated in the District Indoor athletics championships and Sportshall Athletics league to name but a few. We have also had District and county competitions in Football, Basketball, Rugby, Netball and Hockey, with so many resilient performances. On Saturday our students are representing the school at the Herts Cross Country Championships and we wish them all the best of luck. For more information and reports from a very successful month of sport, please see our January Sports Round Up.

February in the canteen

Our catering partner Accent have published a set of recipe cards for you to use to cook up some healthy meals this month. They’re all based on the theme of Blue February. You can find these recipes (and latest menus and offers) on the catering page of the website.

KS2 Healthy snacks at break

We kindly ask for your support in providing healthy snacks for break time for key stage 2, following on from the healthy offer for our key stage 1 children. A nutritious snack fuels their bodies and minds, enhancing their focus and productivity in class until lunch. Please consider sending in snacks such as fresh fruits, vegetables, breadsticks, crackers, or a small sandwich. By choosing more healthy and substantial options, it helps ensure our students have the energy they need to thrive throughout the day and reduces waste from packaging. Thank you for your support.

Library news

Well done to all those students ‘getting rewarded for reading’. Click on the images below to see the current leaderboard.

The RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch

The secondary library ambassadors joined forces with the Larch and secondary school eco groups on Friday 26th January to take part in the Big Schools’ Birdwatch which is a nationwide research project that helps the RSPB to monitor how British wildlife is doing throughout the country. Our top 4 birds were the carrion crow, wood pigeon, jackdaw and blue tit. We observed the wildlife on the school playground, school field and woodland and we found different species of bird in each location. Our results have been submitted to the RSPB to add to their national data. Well done to the birdwatching team!

Pedagogy Portal

Educational Expert Dylan Wiliam suggests:

“It’s the commitment we make as teachers to never stop learning that will build good habits, develop great teachers and ultimately move the lives of the young people in our care forward. Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”

In this week’s blog, we look at two members of our staff body who have recently completed and started some National Professional Qualifications. As they share their journey, we celebrate the progress that they have made and look forward to updating you on many other staff achievements of those undertaking these qualifications.

https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/category/teaching-learning-news/

Parenting Support Programme

Please see the attached flyer for information about the bespoke parenting support programme being run by Leon brown and Colette Marino.

Simon Balle parenting support programme

Parent Staff Association

Bar support needed for Wind and Brass evening.

We are seeking your support for upcoming events in the spring term. We’re in need of bar support for the Music Department’s Wind and Brass evening on April 27th. Your involvement will add a wonderful touch to the musical night and contribute to the success of our school community events. If you’re available and willing to lend a hand, please sign up via this link. Your commitment is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to creating memorable experiences together!

Have you any unwanted bottles gathering dust?

Help us uncork generosity! The PSA welcomes your unwanted bottles of booze, patiently gathering dust. Turn clutter into community spirit by donating them to support our initiatives. Let’s raise a toast to shared goodwill! #SipAndGiveBack

Sponsorship – can you help us?

We are looking for a number of sponsors for this year’s summer fair. Can your business sponsor either of these areas:  The Bar.  The Summer Raffle.  The BBQ. The Slice of Summer will take place on Saturday 13th July, 12-4pm. Save the date!

Securing sponsorship not only adds to the success of our events and fairs but also strengthens our bonds within the local community. Your involvement is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the school’s spirit and provide much-needed fundraising support for the Simon Balle Parent Staff Association. With your support, we can make our events and fairs unforgettable and continue to build a stronger school community.

psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Dates for your diary

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

  • Thursday 8th February: Y5&6 Evans Trophy Netball vs St Mary’s – home
  • Thursday 8th February: National Apprenticeships Week information evening
  • Thursday 8th February: Y5&6 Hope Cup Netball vs Mill Mead – home
  • Monday 25th February: Y5&6 sportshall athletics
  • Thursday 15th February: Y4 Roman Britain Workshop
  • Friday 16th February: Ski trip departs
  • Monday 26th February: INSET Day
  • Tuesday 27th February: Y13 Berlin trip departs
  • Advance notice: Y3,4 and 5 swimming to begin w/c 4th March. More details will be sent via letter.
  • Advance notice: Wednesday 6th March Y13 Parents’ evening
  • Advance notice: Reception parent evenings w/c 18th March
  • Advance notice: Monday 25th March Simon Balle’s Got Talent (more details to follow)

Wishing everyone in our community a positive and fulfilling fortnight ahead.

Yours sincerely,

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