Friday 28th June

Co-headteachers’ welcome

The second half of the summer term is always exceptionally busy, but reminds us all as staff that we do genuinely have the best jobs in the world. At this time we are privileged to see almost every aspect of education lived out in the daily lives of our wonderful all-through students. 

Whilst we have already written about public examinations, it is so important to note that students in every year group (all the way from Reception up) are showing such wisdom and responsibility with internal assessments at this time, and we are proud of each and every one of them. Whilst our approach is always age-appropriate, our message is the same to all – ‘please show us your best, and we look forward to supporting you with what is next.’ As many sets of results filter in, we look forward to celebrating these with you, both individually and as a collective community. 

We pride ourselves on our work to support with transition at Simon Balle. Sometimes this is just as important at interim points from year to year as it is for the big milestones across key stages or even schools. In all, our ‘why’ is to ensure that ‘nothing is left to chance’ and to lead with commitment in our communication across students, parents/carers, feeder schools and more. It is with great delight that we are visiting nursery settings and Year 6 in primary schools, hosting induction days (please see sixth form induction below) with Year 7 soon to follow, and spending time with so many to ensure high support and high expectations in equal measure. Much more to come in the next four weeks!

It is a great problem to have, but where do I start with celebrating how pastoral and personal development enrichment experiences are supporting students across our all-through school in this fortnight?! To provide a flavour, I am keen to share:

• Sports. District athletics on Wednesday (secondary) and Thursday (primary) this week – just so many achievements to share, as well as being the overall district athletics champions at both Primary and Secondary levels. It is a joy to see skills, honed through careful practice; determination, built over time; and just such community spirit in support of one another.
• Politics. If you thought the nation were gripped you should zoom in further to all that is taking place at Simon Balle. We are so proud of our sixth form politics students who are passionate and knowledgeable, as well as gaining their own experiences of all that is required to be compelling politicians, aiming to inform and persuade. Do keep an eye on our social media for more!
• Music. At the time of writing, a phenomenal (and hot!) rock gig is underway. Thank you already for so many parent comments of support in relation to both the musicality, independence and autonomy shown in such sophisticated music making. No concert must overshadow another at this time of year, and the Year 2 strings showcase is also to be very much looked forward to: the numbers and quality are a delight! Saffron Hall – the time is nearing – please keep students committed to rehearsals- please see our website for FAQs – and we look forward to welcoming you all. You can read more about all these events in June’s Musical News post.
• STEM. From the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham (which included innovation from deterring seagulls from our school site to designing and building a low-cost laptop using a 3D printer and a mobile phone as the CPU) to the Year 9 industrial cadets celebration at Glaxo, Ware, where innovation and teamwork were celebrated in winning both events!

And finally, what a community we are! It is a great time of year to celebrate this and we welcome you into school and to so many events from our Awards Ceremony to Sports Presentation Evening, and from our music concerts to Larch transition opportunities. Please do check dates and invites here and in email communications to all. Finally, an enormous plea to support us at A Slice of Summer. All details are below, but we literally cannot continue to offer all that we do as an outstanding academic school, with amazing and enriching experiences, without your support. We thank you in anticipation for all that you can offer, and we look forward to the fortnight ahead.

District Athletics Champions (Primary and Secondary Level!)

• Y3 first place
• Y4 first place
• Y5 first place
• Y6 joint first place

We only have these headlines at the moment (the news was breaking as we were going to press), so we’ll have a full report for you in next week’s Sports News https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/category/sports-news/

Sixth Form Induction Day – A Glimpse into the Future

On Monday, 24th June, our school welcomed soon-to-be sixth formers for an engaging and insightful Induction Day. This event provided students with a valuable opportunity to experience subject lessons, participate in team-building activities, and immerse themselves in the vibrant life of a sixth former.

The day began with students attending a series of subject lessons, designed to give them a taste of the diverse and challenging curriculum that awaits them in September. From the complexities of further mathematics to the creative freedom of art and design, the sessions were tailored to ignite curiosity and enthusiasm. Students appreciated the chance to meet their future teachers, ask questions, and get a feel for the academic expectations of sixth form.

In addition to the subject lessons, the induction day featured a variety of team-building activities. These exercises were not only fun and engaging but also essential in helping students build strong relationships with their peers. By working together to solve problems and complete tasks, students developed trust and camaraderie, laying the foundation for a supportive and cohesive sixth form community.

The sense of community is a cornerstone of our sixth form. Throughout the day, the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment was emphasised. Whether through academic collaboration, social events, or peer mentoring, students were encouraged to contribute positively to the sixth form community. The induction day highlighted how a strong community can enhance the overall educational experience, providing a network of support and encouragement.

As students look forward to starting sixth form in September, the induction day serves as another crucial source of support. The experience equips them with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their subject choices and future pathways.

Slice of Summer and Art exhibition

Don’t forget that the Art Exhibition and the PSA’s Slice of Summer event are both taking place on Saturday 13th July. We hope to see as many of you there as possible.  Please also see the PSA section at the end of this week’s newsletter.

Youth Sports Trust – Gold!

We are delighted to share that we have again achieved the Gold award in the School Games Mark. This is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and the entire school community.

Our commitment to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle among our students is at the heart of what we do, and this recognition highlights the importance of our efforts. 

We look forward to continuing to build on this success in the future as we head towards earning the Platinum award.

Assessment in the Larch

Following the completion of Year 6’s SATs in early May, there have been a number of other exciting opportunities where students across the Larch have been able to showcase their academic progress and attainment. 

In EYFS, the team has worked alongside students to complete the EYFS Profile which has now been successfully submitted and will be shared with parents in their child’s end of year reports. Headlines for the cohort’s data include 82% of students meeting the Literacy early learning goal, 89% meeting in Communication and Language, 90% meeting in Personal, Social and Emotional Development and 95% in Physical Development.

We’re delighted to share that 95.2% of our Year 1 students have passed their Year 1 Phonics Screener. This is significantly above last year’s national average of 81% and gives our students the best possible grounding as they develop as life-long readers.

This week in Year 2, in readiness for their transition to Year 3, students have completed the optional SATs. Every student has risen to the challenge of their assessments and there is much to celebrate! We look forward to sharing each individual’s outcomes with their parents in due course.

Year 4 have worked incredibly hard across the year to master their times table facts and across two weeks in June have completed their Multiplication Tables Check. The average score for our Year 4 cohort is an impressive 23.1 out of 25 with 59% of students securing 25 out of 25. These figures are both above last year’s national averages of 20.1 out of 25 and 31%.

All the while, alongside the usual end of year assessments happening in each year group in addition to those mentioned here, we have completed a cross-school writing moderation process with Millmead Primary School to standardise our judgements from EYFS to Year 6 in writing. 

We look forward to sharing your child’s end of year data with you all before the end of the academic year and celebrating their impressive progress since September!

Please click here for our latest careers blog, including information about a fantastic virtual event opportunity with Lloyds Banking Group for Y10 – 12 students

Industrial Cadets Bronze Award

A group of Year 9 students attended the Industrial Cadets Bronze Award Celebration event at Glaxo, Ware. For the last 12 weeks students have been working on engineering projects, investing 20 hours of study. 

At the event, students presented their projects to a panel of industry professionals, competing against other local schools.There were two awards at stake: the Innovation Award and the Teamwork Award. We are pleased to announce that our students managed to win both awards, which are already on show in the trophy cabinet!

The Big Bang Fair

Following the success of the Year 9 Industrial Cadets, three students represented our school as finalists at the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham last week.

Sam and Daniel (Year 12) experimented methods of deterring seagulls from the school site, modifying a drone by attaching a model falcon to it. Bors (Year 10) designed and built a low-cost laptop using a 3D printer and a mobile phone as the CPU.

All three students did an amazing job in qualifying as finalists, competing against other students nationally. Bors finished runner-up in his category, which is a fantastic achievement.

UK Maths Trust Junior Maths Challenge invitation-only follow on round

Congratulations to Year 8 students Oliver H and Eva W for being invited to take part in the UK Maths Trust Junior Kangaroo competition. This invite-only event is open to those that have achieved highly in the Junior Maths Challenge. Just been invited puts these students into the top 0.25% in the country. Both did extremely well, narrowly missing out on merit status by a few marks.  Congratulations both.

Open events 2024

We are looking forward to holding our annual open day on Saturday 21st September. We expect all secondary students to attend school on the morning to act as guides or helpers in departments. We also invite all Year 5 (current Y4) students to be on site. Students will either be conducting parent tours in the Larch, or helping in Larch classrooms. Some children will additionally be involved in music or sport – we will write to you separately if this is the case. We will send a Google Form in September to confirm if your child is available to support.

Full details will be sent out early in September.

Our full calendar of open events in the autumn term is as follows:

• Saturday 21st September 0830-1230: All-through Open Morning
• Wednesday 2nd October 1730-1930 – Sixth Form Open Evening
• Wednesday 27th November 0900-1015- Primary Open Morning

Transition – Year 6 into Year 7

We are really looking forward to welcoming our new cohort of Year 7s that will start with us in September. The transition process is well under way and new Head of Year 7 Mr Gordon, along with other staff, have conducted primary visits to our feeder schools to meet with every new student. This process was also completed in the Larch too with our Year 6 classes as we look to get to know the students even better. There is a real sense of excitement about moving on to the next step in the educational journey, as well as a few nerves! Mr Gordon is now working on the form lists for next year and there are some key dates coming up:

• Wednesday 3rd July – Parents Transition Evening – Secondary Hall – 5.50 arrival for a 6pm start (this is a parents-only event)
• Thursday 11th July – Transition Day – All Year 6’s to arrive in school at 8.20am
• Wednesday 28th-Friday 30th August – Summer School 

Summer School Sign Up Link

Food hygiene rating

Congratulations to our catering team for achieving the highest possible rating of 5/5 during the recent inspection by East Herts District Council. This is a fantastic achievement and testament to their hard work and dedication.

Student Presidents

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of six exceptional Year 12 students as our new Student Presidents. This year, the selection process was more competitive than ever, reflecting the outstanding calibre of our student body.

The journey to becoming a Student President was rigorous. Candidates underwent a comprehensive application process that included written submissions, interviews, and delivered a talk on the importance of student leadership. They all demonstrated a profound commitment to our school community and commitment to the role.

Meet Our New Student Presidents:

• Grace Swaffield
• Isabel Pullara
• Jesse Davies
• India O’Sullivan
• Taylor Arm
• Zoe Gollop

These students have shown that they possess the qualities necessary to lead our school with integrity, creativity, and passion. They are not only exemplary students but also role models who embody the values we strive to instil in all our students.

As they step into their new roles, we are confident that Grace, Zoe, India, Isabel, Taylor and Jesse will continue to inspire their peers and contribute significantly to the school’s growth and success. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will undoubtedly make in the coming year.

Please join us in congratulating our new Student Presidents and supporting them as they embark on this exciting journey!

A reminder that your child can sign up for the summer reading challenge either online or in person at your local library. The challenge runs from July 6th in England, welcoming children aged 4-11. Participants can read any books they like (really – anything!)  and earn rewards for their efforts. This year’s theme, “Marvellous Makers,” celebrates creativity in various forms, from dance and drawing to music and junk modelling.

You can read more about the summer reading challenge on their dedicated website.

Summer reading letter to parents and carers: Summer Reading Challenge 2024

Nominate your school to win £1,000 for the library

This summer, our big schools prize is back to give five schools the chance to win £1,000 in National Book Tokens and a year’s free membership to the School Library Association; PLUS one overall winner will receive £500 to help them create a fun and welcoming library space for all.

Nominate a school and if yours is one of the five winning entries, you’ll also receive a £100 National Book Tokens gift card to spend in your favourite bookshop.

Click here to nominate a school
This competition will close after 31/07/2024.

Drama Club Performance

Students from years 7-10, who have been attending our weekly drama club, presented their first play to years 3 and 4 on Thursday 20th June. 

Jamie in the Land of Dinnersphere is an educational play promoting the importance of healthy eating. Jamie travels to the land of Dinnersphere on a mission to defeat the evil dinner witches who have taken control over school dinners…for the worse! With the help of the audience, Jamie and his new friends ensure that children in  British schools eat well so they live healthy, happy lives.

The performers have shown outstanding commitment getting the piece ready and consistently demonstrated our values of community, courage and aspiration. They also had a great time

A special thank you to Martha Hursey in year 10 for her prop making skills – robot dude and a giant key brought the story to life for both cast and audience.

Parent Staff Association

Slice of Summer final countdown!

Final plea for volunteers. Can you spare just an hour on 13th July, and support your year group at this year’s Slice of Summer? Student signups will be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher. Sign up now!

5th July – Larch Character Spoon Competition. Win a voucher from The Entertainer.

W/C 8th July – Year 7 and 8 Hampers. Prize for the forms with the best hamper.

Wednesday 10th July – Larch Summer Accessory Day (donate a bottle)

Friday 12th July – All-through Summer Bake Off. Drop names entries to the staff room.  £20 Amazon voucher goes to the winning bake.

Summer Raffle reminder – please return your purchased or unwanted tickets promptly. Don’t miss out on your chance to win a two night stay for up to 6 people in a beautiful Whitstable holiday home!

By 10th July – If you are able to donate any soft toys that are in good, clean condition, these will support the Year 2 Teddy Tombola area at the Slice of Summer. Please drop donations to the office by 10th July.

Bar and Refreshment support needed

The PSA are happy to be supporting the Year 8 Celebration Evening on 9th July and the Sports Presentation Evening on 10th July.

Are you able to lend a hand with these events? Help is needed with serving refreshments.  You will not be alone but we do need more offers of help.

Please see the sign up sheet for information on timings and to sign up.  Thank you in advance.

Sports Hall construction begins on Monday 15th July

We are excited to announce that work will be starting on the Sports Hall before the end of term. The contractors will be arriving on site on Monday 15th July and will begin erecting the compound that will enclose the works.

As previously communicated, the building works will cause considerable disruption to the front of the school, particularly the car park. We will send more detailed plans in the next two weeks, but students who travel by car should make alternative arrangements for dropping off and collection: the London Road car park is an 11 minute walk, has ample space and is far easier to enter and exit than the school site.

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

• Wed 3rd July: Year 2 Deer Class Development Day and Y6 into Y7 transition evening (parents-only)
• Sat 6th July: Saffron Sounds
• Mon 8th July: Year 2 Rapid Fire Cricket and Awards evening 6-7pm (Invitations to follow)
• w/c 8th July: Year 7 and 8 Hamper competition
• Weds 10th July: Sports Presentation Evening (Invitations to follow)
• Weds 10th July: Larch Summer Accessory Day
• Weds 10th July: Phase 3 Open Afternoon 3.15pm – 4.15pm
• Thursday 11th July: New Reception Parents Morning
• Thursday 11th July: Larch Transition Day
• Fri 12th July: Larch Sports Day (more details to follow in due course)
• Fri 12th July: Year 3 and Year 4 Dress Rehearsal
• Fri 12th July: All-through Summer Bake Off
• Sat 13th July: Slice of Summer and Art and Design All-through Exhibition 12-4pm
• Monday 15th July: Year 3 and 4 School Production 5.30pm – 7pm
• Monday 15th – Wednesday 17th: Year 6 School Journey to Sherringham
• Wednesday 17th: Phase 1 and 2 Open Afternoon 3.15pm – 4.15pm
• Wednesday 17th: Year 2 Celebration Event (parents invited)
• Friday 19th: Year 6 Leavers Assembly 8.50am (parents invited). Will be held in the secondary hall.

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

Yours sincerely,

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

Friday 14th June

Co-headteachers’ welcome

I am always astonished at how quickly the school year goes by. We are already moving quickly through June but there are so many events coming up for our All-through school. For example, you may be scheduling your calendar around the Olympic Games but Simon Balle’s own talent is firmly in the spotlight with the annual sports day coming up on the 28th June for the secondary and 12th July for the primary phase.  On the music front we can also see all that practice and dedication being displayed in the Saffron Sounds all-through music extravaganza! 

As the nation gears up for the upcoming general election on the 4th July 2024, high-profile figures, such as Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak are actively engaging in TV debates, presenting their visions for the future and vying for the public’s support. This exciting period of democratic engagement serves as a fitting backdrop to our own school event and activity this term. We are thrilled to announce that our school will be hosting student hustings and conducting our very own general election across Key Stages 2, 3, 4, and 5. This initiative aims to engage our students in the democratic process, allowing them to experience firsthand the excitement and responsibility of voting and standing for election. During the hustings, student candidates will present their platforms, debate key issues, and share their visions for positive change within our school community. This event not only enhances their understanding of political processes but also develops essential skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, and respectful discourse.

Following the hustings, students across all key stages will then have the opportunity to cast their votes in a school-wide general election. This immersive experience is designed to teach students the importance of participation in democracy and the impact of their voices in decision-making processes. By simulating real-world elections, we hope to inspire a lifelong interest in civic engagement and empower our students to become informed and active citizens. We look forward to seeing the enthusiasm and thoughtful discussions this event will undoubtedly generate, and we encourage all students to participate fully in this unique educational opportunity.

Please look at the school calendar as there is so much to support and for students to participate in. Finally I would like to say how proud we are of our students who are participating in external or internal exams.  Our public exams are past the halfway mark and the Key Stage 2 exams are finished, but we know how much effort students put in and our key values shine through.

Finally, we would like to thank our whole Simon Balle community for coming together over the last few days for our final Ofsted visit. Once again, students were phenomenal in every way with student voice, visits to lessons, work scrutiny and the way that they daily demonstrate our Simon Balle values. With many thanks for parental support, governor dedication and, of course, our incredible staff team. We look forward to sharing the Ofsted report with you in the coming weeks.

SBAS X MCMULLEN’S BREWERY

Educational trips are not only about having fun outside the classroom; they also offer valuable insights into potential career paths for students. Recently, our year 8 students embarked on an exciting journey to McMullen’s Brewery, where they got a taste of the brewing industry and learned about the various career opportunities it offers, showcasing the symbiotic relationship between educational institutions and industry. This experience not only enriched their understanding of the brewing process but also connected them with potential career paths. By opening their doors to our students, McMullen’s were able to showcase their operations, foster interest in their industry, and highlight career opportunities. For employers, this translates into early access to potential candidates who have already shown an interest in their field.

At McMullen’s Brewery, located in Hertford town centre, students were greeted by enthusiastic professionals eager to share their knowledge and experiences of the hospitality industry. The tour began with an overview of the brewing process, from sourcing ingredients to packaging the final product. Students witnessed first-hand the meticulous steps involved in creating different types of beers, from traditional ales to innovative craft brews. The visit highlighted the importance of teamwork and collaboration, as each department played a vital role in ensuring the success of the company. This trip also exemplified how educational experiences can support the Gatsby Benchmarks, which outline best practices for career guidance in schools. By providing encounters with employers and employees, our students gained valuable insights into the world of work. By providing encounters with the world of work, employers directly support students in making informed decisions about their future careers – a crucial aspect of career development.

Visits to employers such as McMullen’s play a crucial role in career education by offering students first hand exposure to various industries and professions. These experiences allow students to explore different career paths, discover their interests, and develop a deeper understanding of the skills and qualifications required in the workforce. By engaging with professionals in real-world settings, students gain valuable insights into potential careers and the pathways to achieve their goals.

Our visit to McMullen’s Brewery was not just a field trip; it was a journey of exploration and discovery. By immersing themselves in the world of brewing and hospitality, our year 8 students gained valuable insights into potential career paths and learned how their interests and skills align with various roles within the industry. Through experiences like these, we strive to empower our students to make informed decisions about their future careers.

Please click here for our latest careers blog

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, please use the following booking link: Booking link

Year 10 National Scientific Thinking Challenge Awards

Year 10 took part in the National Scientific Thinking Challenge on Thursday 25th April, period 5. The challenge lasted 50 minutes and involved a series of multiple choice questions, which students had to complete online using their Chromebooks. The questions did not require recall of taught material. Students had to look at data, graphs and text and make deductions, spot trends, suggest hypotheses and identify anomalous results. Congratulations to the following students, who achieved awards in the Challenge.

Bronze

10H: Benjamin, Louise, Jenna, Ellie, Enzo, James; 10A Tatiana, Jakub, Mateusz, Emma, Laurel, Zara; 10C Evie, Nicoly, Evie, Ewan, Elliott; 10D Eloise, Carolina, Allan.

Silver

10H Eva-Mae, Isabella, Robin; 10A Lucas, Mitchell, Samuel, Robert; 10C Chloe, Adam, Charlie, Dominic; 10D Bobby.

Gold

10H: Bors; 10A Ryan, Isobel, 10A Bethany; 10C Naomi, Thomas; 10D: Charlie, Reubin, Leon, Lorenzo, Sophie, Keo.

Art exhibition

Primary art ambassadors have been over in the secondary school learning different printing processes. They have had great fun creating hanging installations for the art exhibition (Saturday 13th July at the Slice of Summer event). Well done to all, they look amazing!

Calculators wanted

For any students leaving, businesses or families at home that may have any unused calculators going spare, any donations would be very much appreciated in school. Please hand in to reception. Thank you!

Safeguarding

Please spend a moment reading these two guides to keep you and your children safe online.

What parents need to know about friendly-competition

What parents need to know about Palworld

Young Carers

Library news

Sports Writing Workshop with Alice Hemming

On Tuesday 4th June the author Alice Hemming held a Sports Writing Workshop and launched the Sports Diary Entry writing competition to celebrate National Writing Day and the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

In preparation for the writing competition, we looked at lots of different Olympic and Paralympic sports and shared our ideas on how the athletes might be feeling using all the senses and emotions. There were lots of creative ideas.

Upcoming events – click on the images below to find out more

Congratulations

Well done to Mr Pooley for being named coach of the season for all his hard work with Hemel Aces FC Under 9 Lions. He tends to keep this kind of news to himself, so make sure you ask him all about it when you see him…

Reminder about parking

Please remember to be courteous to our neighbours and other road users when accessing the school site. We have had reports from both the cricket club and local residents about parents becoming abusive when asked to move their vehicles. In all but the most exceptional circumstances there should be no need to drive to the school site.  If a student needs collecting by car they should walk down to the London Road car park and be collected there. Thank you for your support on this matter. Local residents are a valuable part of our school community and we want to maintain our fantastic relationship.

PSA news

Frozen Friday and Slice of Summer – Volunteers needed!

We currently do not have enough helpers to offer Frozen Fridays, especially on 5th and 19th July.

If you are able to support your year group Frozen Friday sale after school, please sign up to a slot.  Stock will be purchased each week, we simply need help running the sales.

• 21st June – Year 4
• 28th June – Year 3
• 5th July – Year 2
• 12th July – Year 1
• 19th July Reception

All funds raised from the Slice of Summer will go towards a shade and shelter project for students in both phases of the school.

Please support your year group at the summer fair, by taking a volunteer slot. Sign up today! 

Student sign ups will receive house points and will be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher, once they have completed their slots. 

Let’s work together to make this year’s summer fair a success. 

• Year 9, 10, 11 + 6th Form – Prize table
• Year 8 – Inflatable Archery
• Year 7 – Ice Cream
• Year 6 – Human Fruit Machine
• Year 5 – Nerf Fruit Splat
• Year 4 – Lucky Lollies/Win a Stanley Cup
• Year 3 – Splat-the-rat
• Year 2 – Teddy Tombola
• Year 1 – Buried Treasure
• Reception – Hook-a-duck

In addition, other areas that need volunteer cover include: Bar, BBQ Serving, Inflatables, Candy Floss, Admissions, Shortbread Decorating, Bottle Tombola, Pre-loved Uniform.

Summer Raffle. Tickets now on sale.

With a top prize of a two night stay in a Whitstable holiday home (kindly donated by a Larch family) for up to six people, don’t miss out on this year’s Summer Raffle! You can now pay for Summer Raffle tickets via the PSA website where you can also view the most up to date prize list. Secondary online orders can be collected from the office, once marked dispatched. Primary students have received a pack.  Just remember to then return completed counterfoils to either school office by 12th July!

Summer All-through Bake Off – 12th July

Drop off your nut-free Summer bakes for the Slice of Summer on Friday 12th July, to the staff room (secondary) or Larch office (primary) between 8am and 8.35am in a sealed, named container. Come to the Slice of Summer on 13th July to enjoy an afternoon of games, Summer fun, candy floss and cakes! Vote for your favourite bake online. The winning bake wins a £20 Amazon voucher!

Larch Summer Accessory Day – 10th July

Wear a summer accessory with your uniform to school on Wednesday 10th July and bring in a bottle donation to support the Slice of Summer. Bottles can be dropped off at Larch reception, or into the playground crates.

Ideas: Own shorts OR shirt. Own skirt OR t-shirt. Flower garland. Hair accessory. Non uniform sun hat. Summer shoes (not flip flops or sliders). Beach bag instead of book bag.

Family Magic Show – Save the date!

Amigo’s Magic will be visiting Simon Balle on Friday 18th October, offering two family shows after school. Early bird tickets will be released in July; be sure to take advantage of the discounted rate.  This is an event for the entire family to enjoy.  More information to follow.

Dates for your diary

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

• w/b 17th June: Y7 assessment week
• w/b 17th June: Y10 Mock exams
• Mon 24th June: Sixth Form Induction
• Mon 24th June: Year 6 Ultimate Frisbee Festival at Sele School
• Weds 26th June: District Athletics Championships
• Thurs 27th June: KS2 District Athletics
• Friday 28th June: Foreign Language Friday Food Fiesta
• Fri 28th June: Secondary Sports Day
• w/b 1st July: Silver DofE expedition departs
• Wed 3rd July: Year 2 Deer Class Development Day 
• Mon 8th July: All-through Awards Evening
• Mon 8th July: Year 2 Rapid Fire Cricket
• Weds 10th July: Sports Presentation Evening (Invitations to follow)
• Weds 10th July: Larch Summer Accessory Day
• Fri 12th July: Larch Sports Day (more details to follow in due course)
• Friday 12th July: Doughies and All-through Summer Bake Off
• Sat 13th July: Slice of Summer 12-4pm

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

Yours sincerely,

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

Friday 24th May

Co-headteachers’ welcome

This point in the school calendar never fails to be momentous as we see so many of our students reach milestones and begin to go through those familiar rites of passage. All of which always leaves a mark on students, families and teachers alike, not least in the poignant leavers events of the last few weeks. 

As we reflect, the last half term alone has been a significant one as we have seen Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 begin the process of engaging with public exams where they have the chance to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have acquired in their time with us in a range of subjects. There is a definite energy around the school at this time and mere moments spent speaking to students during breakfast before each exam, whether students are aged 11, 16 or 18, speaks to their readiness to show they are indeed our educated citizens of tomorrow. 

But as always at Simon Balle, there is so much more on offer and so hard to do justice to the breadth of what takes place in and out of the classroom. There have been ample opportunities for physical wellbeing including our excellent performance at the County League Athletics Competition; the fantastic Year 5 hockey festival; the frolics of the Year 3 and 4 gymnastics event; the Freestyle Martial Arts sessions for Year 1 and above, and much, much more besides. On the music front there has been a veritable feast not least the incredible showcase of music at the Celebration of Wind and Brass which saw 95 performers from Year 5 onwards delight and dazzle the audience. And, when looking ahead for the students, whether it is for the next stage of education or for experiences in later life, we have seen such a range of ambitious opportunities including the McMullen careers visits for year 8, the Young Enterprise event for Year 12 and the Festival of Ideas university visit for year 9. 

And so, in reflecting on all the wonderful things that have taken place, it is time to look ahead to the last half term. We have started the process of welcoming our new families to the Simon Balle fold and begin a final, fond farewell to those who will be moving on. We never take for granted the privilege of our role in each student’s education journey and look forward to beginning this path again with those who will join us in September.

Your Past. Your Journey. Our Inspiration.

At Simon Balle All-through School we are extremely proud of our former students, and are keen to keep in touch with them.

If you are a former student of Simon Balle All-through School then why not sign up to join our Alumni network using the form below. We are always looking for inspirational stories and journeys our students have made since leaving the school, and would love to invite our Alumni to help and advise our current students by sharing their experiences.

Please fill out our Alumni Contact Form

Alumni Contact Form

PE and Sports News

Larch Sport

This week, we were delighted to welcome Chris Barlett from Hertford Freestyle Martial Arts into the Larch. Every class from Year 1 upwards engaged in a taster session where they explored the basics of the sport. Please visit our social media pages for the highlights! 

Despite it being a rainy afternoon on Tuesday, our Year 5 and 6 tag rugby teams showed fantastic resilience and determination when competing at the Hertford and Ware Tag Rugby Festival. Both teams dominated play in their tournaments and won most of their games. 

We were also delighted to see some of our Year 3 children represent the school (many for the first time) in a badminton festival on Wednesday. Again, the highlights will soon feature on our social media pages. Well done to all involved. 

Upcoming fixtures and events are listed in the ‘Dates for your Diary’ section at the end of the newsletter. Please note, not all children can be selected for these events due to limited spaces and letters will be sent out if your child is participating.

Secondary Sport

It’s been a good start to the summer term with our students competing across Athletics, Rounders and Cricket with lots of fantastic performances and so many students competing for the school. For all sports news from this month please visit our monthly sports blog – May Sports Blog

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, please use the following booking link: Booking link

Tickets are selling fast for this year’s Saffron Sounds, so you’ll need to move quickly to secure yours. This month’s Musical News is packed full of highlights, including the Rock Gig, the Larch Celebration of Music and Mrs Kemp’s Singing Evening. You can watch the videos and read about the upcoming events here.

The Winning House: 2023-24

Since September our students in the Larch centre and the Secondary phase have been earning house points for demonstrating our school values. Many have contributed to the House events put together by Ms Cannon and the House Leaders. We have had form boards, pumpkins, Christmas cards, House sport, the get rewarded for reading scheme and the Secondary talent show. This week, Ms Cannon and Mr Pooley were delighted to announce the overall winner: ASHBOURNE house. There will be the opportunity for Ashbourne students to attend a reward trip/afternoon in the lead up to the summer holidays.  

Please click here for our latest careers blog

Festival of Ideas

We are thrilled to share with you the wonderful trip our Year 9 students embarked upon at the University of Hertfordshire’s ‘Festival of Ideas’. This enriching experience was more than just a field trip; it was a gateway to boundless inspiration and a glimpse into the fascinating realms of academia and innovation.

The Festival offered an eclectic array of talks and interactive workshops, each designed to ignite curiosity and provoke thought. Among the highlights were:

Cracking the Case: Murder Trial Simulation: Students immersed themselves in the world of forensic science and law, as they participated in a gripping murder trial simulation. This hands-on experience not only stimulated their critical thinking skills but also provided a glimpse into the complexities of the justice system.

The Fascinating Past, Present, and Future of Robots in Healthcare: From robotic surgical assistants to AI-powered diagnostic tools, students delved into the transformative role of robotics in healthcare. They gained insight into how technology is revolutionising patient care and explored the ethical implications of these advancements.

Stars, Planets & Constellations: A Guided Tour of the Universe: Led by experts in astronomy, students embarked on a cosmic journey through the vast expanse of the universe. They marveled at celestial wonders, learned about the intricacies of space exploration, and contemplated humanity’s place in the cosmos.

Widening Access – Pathways to University: This workshop provided invaluable guidance on navigating the path to higher education. Students received practical advice on university applications, financial support, and the myriad opportunities available to them as aspiring scholars.

Worldbuilders – How AI is Creating New Worlds for You to Explore in Games: Venturing into the realm of gaming and artificial intelligence, students discovered how AI is reshaping the landscape of interactive entertainment. They explored the creative possibilities of AI-driven game design and gained insight into the future of immersive storytelling.

The Festival of Ideas was not just an educational trip; it was a gateway to future possibilities. Through engaging with these diverse topics, our students gained valuable insights into potential career paths and the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the University of Hertfordshire for hosting such an enriching event, and to all the speakers and organisers who made this experience possible. May this journey serve as a springboard for our students as they navigate their academic and professional futures.

Safeguarding

Please spend a moment reading these two guides to keep you and your children safe online.

What parents need to know about online financial scams & exploitation

What parents need to know about sharing photos online

Learning in the Larch

In Year 1 we held our animal dress up day to support our Geography topic of animals and their habitats. The children have written their own versions of Snail and the Whale in literacy with lots of exciting twists and animal choices. They have begun to create their own animal habitats using junk modelling and craft materials. We have shared non-fiction animal books and engaged in lots of animal discussions of various topics and interests.

In Year 2, the children have been writing their own ‘How to…’ guides based on a text called ‘Monsters’, writing clear instructions and top tips on how to look after their monsters effectively. They have also enjoyed Science, learning about the parts of a plant and what they need to survive. 

In Year 3, they’ve been creating their own stop motion movies using the iPads and Chromebooks and growing plants as part of an investigation in Science. We have been amazed by the quality of writing over the past few weeks in both English and Geography. 

Year 4 have begun their play preparations and are all very excited to learn their lines and songs! We cannot wait to see them perform. They have also been extremely busy practising their times tables ready for the upcoming Multiplication Tables Check. We’re so proud of the progress they’re making and it’s great to see this supporting their Maths lessons too. Please continue to use TTRS and other strategies shared at the recent workshop to support them maintain and improve their recall of this important knowledge.

Library news

Lots to celebrate in the Library this half term, and lots to look forward to in June!

The winners of ‘Get Rewarded for Reading’ have been announced, along with the winners of the book review competition. We’ve also had the Disney quiz, deliveries of new books and regular favourites Speakers’ Corner and Music Monday. On June 4th author Alice Hemming kicks off the diary writing competition with her Sports Writing Workshop.

Head over to the Library News to read more about all of these events

Cheerleading Success

Emilia C from Y10 has recently represented the UK in an international cheerleading competition

• The competition was called International Cheerleading Union 
• Team: Cheerleading England – Youth All Girl Advanced (Won the competition)
• Also competed for her team ‘Twisted Cheer’ (7th place) 
• Emilia has been cheerleading for 7 years and has been a part of Team England for the past year. 
• This was her second visit to America to compete. The first was in Year 8 with her team, Twisted Cheer’.
• Beating Team USA felt like a huge achievement as America is where cheerleading originated and is recognised more widely. 
• Teamwork was a huge part of their success, hard work and determination played a key role in terms of training weekly in the run up to the competition. 

A student in Y10 competed for the UK in America for a national cheerleading competition and they WON….student is Emilia C

Updating your contact information

Please ensure that your contact details are up to date with us.  You can do this yourself in Arbor (instructions here). You can also send any changes in writing or via admin@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

If you don’t already use the Arbor Parent Portal or the Arbor App, you can read about it here.

LAMDA lessons

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Corinne Vallé, from The Vallé Academy of Performing Arts, to offer individual and small group LAMDA Drama lessons for students. LAMDA exams offer students the opportunity not only to build confidence in acting but also public speaking and speaking of verse and prose. Students this year have had great success and we look forward to seeing their confidence and skills continue to develop.  

Looking ahead to September we will have more spaces available for secondary students. 

Should students be interested in signing up for LAMDA or if you would like more information about cost and logistics please contact Mrs Nicki Rooke at rooken@simonballe.herts.sch.uk by Monday the 1st July.

Uniform

In another great example of student voice in action, we have updated our uniform policy to allow secondary students to wear shorts in the summer months (after the Easter holidays and until the October half term). Thank you very much to all of the students that have contributed, and continue to contribute, to the democratic process that is our wonderful all-through Student Parliament.

If students wish to wear shorts, then these must be smart black shorts (equivalent appearance to school trousers). They can be purchased from Stevensons (as with all secondary uniform) or the high street (as they are non-logo items) but they must be formal shorts, not sportswear, made of similar material to the uniform trousers. Here is a link to the appropriate item on the Stevensons website.

We have also updated the uniform page on our website with a new, clearer uniform policy and the latest information on how to order uniform in time for September. For Year 6 transitioning to Year 7, please make sure that you keep Wednesday the 12th June in your diary for the secondary uniform sizing event.

Parent Staff Association

Slice of Summer Saturday 13th July – Volunteers needed!

The Slice of Summer VolunteerSignUp sheet is now open! Sign up today to support your year group. Funds raised from the Slice of Summer will go directly towards funding shade and shelter projects in both the primary and secondary outdoor areas. 

Let’s work together to make this year’s summer fair a success. 

• Year 9, 10, 11 + 6th Form – Prize table
• Year 8 – Inflatable Archery
• Year 7 – Ice Cream
• Year 6 – Human Fruit Machine
• Year 5 – Nerf Fruit Splat
• Year 4 – Lucky Lollies/Win a Stanley Cup
• Year 3 – Splat-the-rat
• Year 2 – Teddy Tombola
• Year 1 – Buried Treasure
• Reception – Hook-a-duck

In addition, other areas that need volunteer cover include: Bar, BBQ Serving, Inflatables, Candy Floss, Admissions, Shortbread Decorating, Bottle Tombola, Pre-loved Uniform.

Student sign ups will receive Housepoints and will be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher once they have completed their slots. 

Summer Raffle. Tickets now on sale.

With a top prize of a two night stay in a Whitstable holiday home (kindly donated by a Larch family) for up to six people, don’t miss out on this year’s Summer Raffle!

You can now pay for Summer Raffle tickets via the PSA website where you can also view the most up to date prize list.

After the May half term, secondary orders can be collected from the office and primary orders will be sent home via bookbags.  Just remember to then return completed counterfoils to either school office by 12th July!

Frozen Friday – Volunteers still needed!

If you are able support your year group Frozen Friday sale after school, please sign up to a slot.  Stock will be purchased each week, we simply need help running the sales. We can not do this without your help.

• 7th June – Year 6
• 14th June – Year 5
• 21st June – Year 4
• 28th June – Year 3
• 5th July – Year 2
• 12th July – Year 1
• 19th July Reception

Dates for your diary

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

• w/b 3rd June: Y8 Assessment week
• Tues 4th June: Year 4 Tri-Golf at Sele School
• Tues 4th June: Sports Writing Workshop with Alice Hemming at lunchtime in the secondary library.
• From Tuesday 4th June to Wednesday 19th June: Sports Diary Writing Competition 
• Thurs 6th June: Year 5 Wodson Park WW Games
• w/b 10th June: Y12 threshold exams
• Mon 10th June: Year 5 and 6 Dynamo Cricket at Sele School
• Tues 11th June: Y7 Parent’s evening
• Wed 12th June: Stevenson’s uniform sizing event
• Thurs 13th June: Year 5 BMX day
• w/b 17th June: Y7 assessment week
• w/b 17th June: Y10 Mock exams
• Mon 24th June: Year 6 Ultimate Frisbee Festival at Sele School
• Weds 26th June: District Athletics Championships
• Thurs 27th June:  KS2 District Athletics
• Fri 28th June: Secondary Sports Day
• Wed 3rd July: Year 2 Deer Class Development Day 
• Mon 8th July: Year 2 Rapid Fire Cricket
• Weds 10th July: Sports Presentation Evening (Invitations to follow)
• Fri 12th July: Larch Sports Day (more details to follow in due course)

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

Yours sincerely,

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

Friday 10th May

Co-headteachers’ welcome

The sun has finally made an appearance and it is a wonderful coincidence that it was this week that our year 7 students visited Bawdsey Manor. I’m sure that each and every one of them will have made fantastic memories and will have stories to tell their families and those of us back at school.Today when walking around the Larch and secondary phase popping into lessons, listening to student discussion, debate, enquiry and having ‘light bulb’ moments I start to think about what it is like to be a child at Simon Balle All-through School? What is it like on a day to day, month by month and over the course of their education. We have such a strong curriculum which builds and reinforces knowledge and we look to enhance this experience by our wide enrichment opportunities. Currently the trips committee are plotting what opportunities are on offer in each year group and it is lovely to see the variety of experiences.

It is certainly the time of year where we are now heavily involved in staff recruitment in a climate where nationally it is hard to recruit teachers and support staff. We are passionate about our students receiving a broad and ambitious curriculum and maintaining the highest quality teaching. I am well aware that the biggest asset we have are our students who sell our school by acting as ‘tour guides’. As they take candidates into lessons and walk the corridors they always speak about the calm atmosphere and the focus on learning. The relationships between staff, students and parents are certainly key to our success!

This week I have enjoyed attending Larch assemblies, listening to our students playing fantastic music in assembly, handing out lots of sport certificates and recognising students for living our values. 

As many of our students near their public exams it was fantastic to attend the Year 13 final assembly. The array of costumes under the guise of film and TV characters was amazing and everyone took part, even the sixth form staff! It was surreal to share the school hall with the Mario Brothers, inflatable dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, Buzz Lightyear and a hotdog! Spirits were high and it was a fantastic send off.  The sixth form team deserve a big thank you for organising the event. On Friday we will have a similar event for Year 11. 

Next week, exams start in earnest in year 6 (SATS), year 11 and year 13 (A levels and vocational qualifications). The results they achieve in these assessments will celebrate their academic achievements but we are so very proud of the many other ways in which these students have developed. The exams won’t measure the kindness they have shown to their friends, the perseverance they have shown in their sports teams, the confidence they have developed to speak up, the hours of practise they have put in with their musical instruments, the ways in which they have overcome challenges faced both in and out of school, nor will they capture the creativity the students have shown when developing the ability to solve problems. Exams are important as they provide stepping stones to greater things but it is worth remembering just how much our young people have grown in other aspects which are just as valuable.

Young Enterprise Area Finals Trip

On Tuesday 30th April, 7 students from our Y12 Young Enterprise Company went to the University of Hertfordshire to represent Colour2Learn at the Area Finals. The students spoke passionately about their business, their journey and all that they had learned along the way and they showed the school values of responsibility, wisdom and community in leaps and bounds. A special mention to Taylor Arm, who stood solo on the stage to present the company to an audience of over 200 people with charisma, confidence and clarity. The educational colouring books were praised for their innovation and the judges were impressed with the quality of the final product. Colour2Learn still has a few weeks left to trade and so if you would like to snap up a colouring book before the opportunity passes, please email 12E-YE@simonballe.herts.sch.uk. They are £6 each or 2 for £10.

Y10 Trip to Farm Fitness

Last week, twenty-one year 10 boys travelled  to Farm Fitness – voted as one of the ‘best gyms in the world’ by Men’s Health. This was a rewards trip for the students who have been working hard at Mrs Butler’s lunch time fitness club throughout the year. 

The students were put through their paces by the owner Tom Kemp and functional fitness coach MJ and given the opportunity to transfer the skills and techniques learnt at school to some functional fitness movements on the farm. The boys showed excellent resilience and teamwork throughout 4 varied workouts.

Year 5 and 6 update

Year 5 have been thoroughly enjoying the careers talks taking place over the course of the last few weeks. They sparked great conversations and the pupils were lucky enough to hear from an engineer, pharmacist, user experience designer, art curator and someone who works in health economics. 

Year 6 are enjoying their Science lessons – taught by Mr Davison – on Monday afternoons in preparation for their transition into Year 7. SATs revision is well underway and we have been blown away by the effort each and every pupil is putting in. We wish them all the best of luck next week.

SEND

The SEND team are pleased that Mrs Gibbins is joining the SEND team as Inclusion administrator. She will be a familiar face to those in the Larch. 

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 following booking link: Booking link

The Local Offer has shared an online training session about Autism which is open to parents as well as schools. Level 1 Autism training This covers:

• some basic principles of autism, challenging some myths and stereotypes
• the strengths and areas of difference
• simple reasonable adjustments and strategies for practitioners to consider.

Library news

We’ve got two exciting events coming up in the next month. First we have the return of our popular Disney Quiz on Thursday 23rd May. And then after half term we are very excited to welcome back author Alice Hemming to celebrate the 2024 Paris Olympics and National Writing Day. She will be hosting a Sports Writing Workshop and launching a Diary Writing competition (closing date Wednesday 19th June).

Please speak to Library staff or see the posters in the Library for more information about both events.

Please click here for our latest careers blog

Uniform reminder

As the weather improves, we kindly ask that the children come prepared for the warmer days. This should include applying sun cream before school, bringing a named hat and a filled water bottle.

Please take a moment to review the summer uniform standards by following the attached link https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/daily-life/uniform/

Parent Staff Association

Slice of Summer, 13th July – Volunteers needed!

The Slice of Summer VolunteerSignUp sheet is now open! Sign up today to support your year group.  All student sign ups will be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon Voucher.

• Prize Table – Year 9, 10, 11 + 6th Form
• Inflatable Archery – Year 8
• Ice Cream – Year 7
• Human Fruit Machine – Year 6
• Nerf Fruit Splat – Year 5
• Lucky Lollies/Win a Stanley Cup – Year 4
• Splat-the-rat – Year 3
• Teddy Tombola – Year 2
• Buried Treasure – Year 1
• Hook-a-duck –  Reception

In addition, other areas that need volunteer cover include: Bar, BBQ Serving, Inflatables, Candy Floss, Admissions, Shortbread Decorating, Bottle Tombola, Pre-loved Uniform.

Frozen Friday – Volunteers needed!

If you are able to support your year group Frozen Friday sale after school, please sign up to a slot.  Stock will be purchased each week, we simply need help running the sales.

• 7th June – Year 6
• 14th June – Year 5
• 21st June – Year 4
• 28th June – Year 3
• 5th July – Year 2
• 12th July – Year 1
• 19th July Reception

Summer Raffle. Tickets now on sale.

Pay for Summer Raffle tickets, via the PSA website where you can also view the most up to date prize list.

New customers will need to register and wait for admin approval before completing transactions.

After the May half term, secondary orders can be collected from the office and primary orders will be sent home via bookbags.  Just remember to then return completed counterfoils to either school office by 12th July!

21st May – PSA Meeting,

Join us at 7pm on Tuesday 21st May in the secondary library, for our next meeting where we will be reviewing recent and upcoming events. You do not need to be a committee member to attend.

If you’re unable to attend but are able to offer support, please sign up to one of our many volunteer slots – see below!

Hertford Family Pride Day

This weekend (Sunday 12th May, 2-4pm) the Town Council will be hosting Hertford Family Pride Day in Castle Park. You can read more about the event here: https://www.hertford.gov.uk/news/hertford-family-pride-day/

Dates for your diary

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

• W/b 13th May: Y6 SATS week
• Wednesday 15th May: Y5 trip to the Barbican
• Friday 17th May: Y9 Aim High Trip – Festival of Ideas
• W/b 20th Mat: Larch parents’ evenings
• Wednesday 22nd May: Y1 animal dress up day
• Thursday 23rd May: REception Ugly Bug Ball
• Tuesday 21st May: PSA meeting
• Thursday 23rd May: Disney Quiz in the Library
• Thurs 14th June: Sports Writing Workshop lunchtime in the Library

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

Yours sincerely,

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

Friday 26th April

Co-headteachers’ welcome

Welcome back to the Summer term. We hope that everyone managed to have a restful Easter break and recharge their batteries ahead of what always proves to be a busy term.

Since the term started we’ve already had quite a lot going on: the MFL department have taken 80 students to France, Y12 have been on work experience, Y7 and Y8 have taken part in the UK Maths Challenge, our Y11 and Y13 students have started practical exams in MFL, Art, Textiles, 3D Design and PE, our Early Years team opened their wonderful new outdoor environment for learning and our Year 5 and 6 netballers and footballers reached the district finals – wow!

This week we have been delighted to welcome an inspection team from Ofsted and show them all of the fantastic things that we do at Simon Balle All-through School. We are incredibly grateful for all the messages of support from our community, and the hard work put in by both teaching and support staff across the all-through school over the past few days. However, we always say that our students are the best advert for what we do here, and once again this was the case during the inspection. They worked hard, demonstrated an excellent attitude to learning and truly embodied our Simon Balle Values.

By the time the next newsletter is published, the exam season will be well and truly underway with the written exams starting in the hall, our Year 6 SATs ready to go, and our Y7 students will be on the way back from their residential trip to Bawdsey Manor. And if we’re lucky we might have enjoyed a sunny bank holiday weekend…

Chemistry Olympiad

Year 13 Chemistry students took part in the 2024 Chemistry Olympiad competition. This challenging competition allows students to develop their critical problem-solving skills and test their knowledge in new, real-world situations. All students were successful in gaining certificates, with 55% achieving the Bronze level. An outstanding result for our students.

On Tuesday 23rd of April Year 13 Chemistry students visited the University of Hertfordshire to listen to talks on a variety of analytical techniques including NMR, Mass Spectrometry and Infrared Spectroscopy. Students were able to bring along their own synthesised Aspirin samples for analysing! An excellent day and fantastic opportunity for our students.

Year 12 Work Experience Week

This week, our year 12 students have successfully completed work experience placements across a number of industries with a range of employers including; Thames Water, EY, Roche, Vivienne Westwood, NHS, Hertfordshire County Council, University College London, the Bishop’s Stortford Independent, Handlesbanken, McMullen, Sotheby’s and more.

The work experience process began in September as students joined the Sixth Form. Attending weekly enrichment workshops, students have gained the confidence to engage and connect with employers and professionals. Work experience is a vital part of a student’s development as they prepare to choose a next step destination after leaving Simon Balle All-through School.

We look forward to hearing all about their fantastic placements on their return to school. However, it has been great to hear so much positive feedback from employers throughout the week. 

A huge thank you to all the employers who continue to support our careers programme.

Click here for our latest careers opportunity blog

Larch outdoor area opening

We were delighted to officially open our Reception Outdoor Area this week! After much research, planning and preparation, the Reception team have worked hard to transform our outdoor provision. Their aims were to create an environment that promotes the holistic development of all students, and to ensure the area provides a space that enhances skill development and open-ended play opportunities linked with all seven areas of the EYFS curriculum.

We are proud to have invested as a school in new resources and provision, as well as having a number of resources and furniture designed and built by our Design and Technology Department here at Simon Balle. Our Reception children also helped to paint some of our resources and the fence themselves! They were so excited to start their learning through play outside, and particularly enjoyed our new ‘Larch Reading Hut’ and our stage area! It has been wonderful to see them taking risks, problem solving and being creative and curious learners. We really look forward to seeing this year’s cohort enjoying the new area, as well as our Reception cohorts in the years to come. 

Please head over to Instagram to see photos of the grand opening

Music News

Our musicians have been keeping themselves busy performing at a series of events. you can read (and more importantly hear) what they’ve been up to in the most recent Musical News Blog.

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, please use the following Booking link.The Hertfordshire SEND Local Offer website lets parents, young people and professionals know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them.

PSA News

10th May – Doughies Pizza. Order today!

Calling all pizza and cookie fans!

The next Doughies delivery is booked for Friday 10th May.  Any orders for pizza or cookie kits need to be placed via the Doughies website before 4th May.

Click on the link to see the promotional poster: Pizza Evening – Simon Balle.

Summer Raffle. Tickets now on sale.

To pre-order Summer Raffle tickets, visit the PSA website where you can view the most up to date prize list. This will be updated when new donations come in. As always, there are some superb prizes on offer.

Secondary pre-orders can be collected from the office after the May half term holiday.  Primary pre-orders will be sent home via bookbags.  Just remember to return completed counterfoils to either school office by 12th July!

Slice of Summer. Volunteer sign up open.

The Slice of Summer VolunteerSignUp sheet is now open! Sign up today to support your year group.

We are trialling a new sign up process this year, enabling you to view the live volunteer sign up sheet and choose a time and area that best suits you.  Please take some time to carefully read the sign up instructions at the top of the form before committing to a slot.

All student sign ups will be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher.  The more slots filled, the more chances of winning!

We have a limited number of Friday set up Film Club slots available this year.  If you would like to help us set up but have difficulty helping due to childcare, look no further! Staff members will be on hand to keep an eye on your Larch children, so that you can get stuck in.

Larch Frozen Friday. Helpers needed.

Each Friday after the May half term, weather permitting, Larch children (and adults!) look forward to an ice cream sale in the playground.  As always, we can only offer events like this with a good number of supporters to assist with the sales.

This year, we are trialling a new volunteer sign up option where each Larch year group will have the opportunity to host a sale. See attached poster for the year group rota.

If you are able to support your year group, please sign up to a slot.

Library News

Extreme Reading Challenge

Well done to everyone who did the Extreme Reading Challenge during the Easter holidays. A lot of reading was done in unusual places and in creative ways (including a hologram and an action film)!

London Marathon

Congratulations to Mr Townsend for completing the London Marathon last weekend. If you’d like to contribute to his fundraising you can do so by visiting this link.

Dates for your diary

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

• Tuesday 30th April: Y12 Young Enterprise Finals
• Thursday 2nd May: Singing Recital
• Friday 3rd May: Y13 Leavers Event
• Friday 3rd May: House Reward Event
• Friday 3rd May: Y3/4 Gymnastics Competition
• Monday 6th May: Bank Holiday
• Tuesday 7th – Friday 10th May: Y7 Bawdsey Manor Trip
• Wednesday 8th May: 8N McMullens Visit
• Friday 10th May: Y11 Leavers Event
• W/b 13th May: Y6 SATS week
• Friday 17th May: Y9 Aim High Trip – Festival of Ideas

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

Yours sincerely,

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

Friday 22nd March

Co-headteachers’ welcome

As we dust off our tennis rackets and bring out the cricket pads from the garage we can reflect back at a fantastic term and look forward to an exciting summer term ahead. Although the summer weather is not upon us we are certainly able to benefit from the lighter evenings.

Last week we were pleased to announce the opening of our new MFL block. This is a replacement building for our dilapidated mobiles and they look amazing. We did an official opening with students across our all through school, our MFL department and members of our governing body. A special thanks goes to our Business Manager, Haydn Walsh for his vision and tenacity in pushing this build over the line. This is all part of future proofing and providing the very best learning environment for our teachers and students.

We have had several enrichment activities over the last few weeks. From our Spanish trip in Year 8 and 10, our sixth form in Berlin, our politics students attending as delegates at the Model United Nations to Year 2 on a trip to Windsor. Within school we also had a ‘awe and wonder’ week as our science staff took over the assemblies. It is hard not to be excited about learning opportunities across our all through school!

In the next academic term we again have yet more wonderful opportunities. Year 12 are on work experience for a week, Year 7 are off to Bawdsey Manor and Year 8 and 10 are off to France. There are, as usual,  numerous musical and sporting activities for your children to participate in. We all know the impact this has on mental health and positive wellbeing.

Finally the new term for many will signal the final preparations for the public exams starting as early as mid April. A big thank you goes out for all the hard work by staff in preparing our students to do their very best. Our students have worked really hard and we wish them our very best!

Simon Balle’s Got Talent!

On Monday 25th March, at 6pm, we are hosting our first talent show! We have an array of talent on display, from musicians, to drama performances, dance, and much more! Please come and support our students. 

Tickets are now available through the parent portal and will be on sale until 3 hours before the show. They must be purchased in advance, and are a bargain at just £3!

https://simon-balle-payments.co.uk/

Go to Make a Booking, then Music Events. Please select the correct event – Talent Show! Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis and are unreserved. You will receive an email confirmation.

Library News

There’s lots happening in the library at the moment. World book day was celebrated right the way across the all-through school, our regular Speakers’ Corner and Music Mondays have been taking place, and there’s a host of exciting events coming up to celebrate Easter.

Click on the posters above to see the upcoming events, and then read about everything in the latest Library News blog post.

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

• Film
• Medicine
• Construction
• Sustainability
• University bursaries 
• Career as a pilot

Sixth Form

Red Nose Day Football – rain or Shine

The annual Sixth Form Charity Football match to support Red Nose Day was another highly entertaining match. We had sunshine, a VAR decision, rain, a dramatic last minute goal, more rain and a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw.

Well done to all the students that participated and thank you to Mr Prendergast for officiating and everyone else that came to support and remained until the very end.

UCAS Excel Trip

Year 12 students had the opportunity to engage with a number of next step providers as they begin to consider life after A Level study at Simon Balle All-through School. Following weeks of enrichment preparing for the event, it was great to see students interacting with universities such as @rncmlive and employers and asking those all important questions as they continue planning their destination after Sixth Form. Our staff enjoyed upskilling themselves and learning more about the opportunities available and making connections with @ucfbuk @unioftheartslondon and the @dysoninstitute to support the careers provision at Simon Balle All-through School.

A Level Politics Conference

A Level Politics students attended a conference last week where they heard from a range of speakers across the political spectrum including politicians from Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Reform UK.   The conference finished with the hosts of the Rest is Politics podcast, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, answering questions from the students about current political events. The speakers touched on so many aspects of our Politics course including whether the voting system for general elections needs to be reformed, policy differences between political parties and the protection of human rights within our political system.

Year 12 Next Steps Evening

On Thursday 21st March we held our ‘Next Steps Evening’ for Year 12 students and parents/ carers. Annabelle Bullock from Hertfordshire University delivered a talk focusing on University applications, labour market information, improving employment prospects and finance and funding for university applications. We also discussed our internal next steps programme and the support provided to all students in year 12 for apprenticeship and university applications. We hope that the evening was informative and has given our Year 12 students the motivation to start exploring their next steps in more detail. 

Arts Ambassadors

Thank you to all those students who applied to become Arts Ambassadors. We were really impressed with the range of skills and knowledge of different art, craft and design techniques. Congratulations to the following students who will represent the all-through Creative Arts:

Freddie, Chloe, Jack, Alec, Aluna, Albert, Callum, Cara, Gemma, Mya, Isabelle, Eloise, Grace, Sophie, Issachar, Jessica, Csongo, Lottie, Isabella, Carolina, Christina,  Kaiyah, and Lila  – As Larch Arts leadership role.

Look out for the House World Arts Day information via student email next week. This is due on the first day back after the Easter break on Monday 15th April. Arts ambassadors will collect them in morning form in the Larch and any submissions in secondary can be delivered to the main reception before morning form. A selection chosen by the ambassadors will be submitted for the underpasses in the local community.

Science Week

The Simon Balle community had a wonderful time supporting this year’s British Science Week! The theme this year was ‘time’. In the Larch, all year groups were able to participate in exciting assemblies led by Mr Davison and the secondary Science staff, which included some fascinating experiments. Years 3-6 also had a session called ‘Ask a Scientist’ in which Mr Davison was really impressed with the quality of questions and answers. Year 5 also had the opportunity to visit the secondary labs and use bunsen burners for the first time! The Larch Science team are really looking forward to seeing the children’s entries for the Poster Competition, winners will be announced in due course! Please take a look at our social media pages for some brilliant photos capturing all the excitement of British Science Week.

Learning in the Larch – Phase 1

It has been another few weeks of amazing learning in Reception and Year 1!

Reception have been reading the story ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’ and learning all about plants. We have even planted our very own runner beans, and will be keeping a diary to record our observations as we watch them grow! We continue to develop our outdoor area and the children have been really enjoying the new resources introduced so far… watch this space for our launch after Easter! The children are learning important skills to carefully look after our resources and how we tidy up responsibly. We hope this continues at home! 

In Year 1, the children have been thoroughly enjoying learning about shape poems, and we have been using our senses to explore fruit to inspire writing our own poems. We are learning all about ‘Who Were the Greatest Explorers?’ in History, and the children have been fascinated by the explorations of Captain Cook, Roald Amundsen and Captain Scott. Finally in DT the children are designing and creating their own ‘fabric faces’, and we have been so impressed by their sewing skills!

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, please use the following booking link: Booking link

STEM Update

Last week we launched the Industrial Cadets Programme for Year 9 students. Industry mentors from Glaxo will be coming in every Thursday to support students with their projects. Students have chosen the following project titles: My school is an island and A theme park for the future.

A group of Year 12 students have built a drone with a falcon attached, which is designed to deter seagulls from visiting the school grounds. Below are some images, illustrating their work to date.

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

Secondary Dinners

From Tuesday 26th March we will be sending out automatic alerts on ParentPay every Tuesday and Thursday for students with a dinner money balance in arrears.

Students’ accounts are allowed to be overdrawn by £5.40 (equivalent to a meal deal for two days) to give two days’ grace for account balances to be topped up. If you do receive an email alert, please make sure that you top up your child’s account as soon as possible to ensure that their account is in credit.

If you would like to receive low balance reminders before your child’s account becomes overdrawn, you can set this up on your individual ParentPay account on this link (requires logging into your account before clicking the link). Instructions on how to set up low balance reminders can be found on the ParentPay website by clicking on the ‘Help’ link at the top of the screen, then choosing ‘Managing Your Account’ in the knowledge base, and then choosing ‘How to set alerts’.

PE News

It’s been an incredibly busy March already for Sport and PE, with still many more fixtures to go. We have had much success across Football, Netball, Basketball and Rugby as well as a ‘This Girl Can’ trip and the continued great work from our Year 9 and 10 Sports Leaders. 

This week we have had our Year 10 Girls play in the County Netball final against Herts & Essex School. There are 3 teams in District Football finals with the Senior team still in with a chance of reaching another final. The Year 7 Boys Basketball team are currently unbeaten in the District league with one game to play.

We’ll be publishing our Easter Sports Blog on Thursday, and this will include Inter House Sports results, an update on the District Swim Championships, as well as next term’s Sports extra-curricular programme.

Parent Staff Association

Slice of Summer – Raffle donations needed!

Our summer and winter raffles have been tremendously successful over the years.  We are looking forward to launching the summer 2024 raffle next term but need your help.

Are you or your company are to able to donate a prize or sponsor the raffle?

Previously, we have given away ipads, spa days, hotel stays, gift vouchers, afternoon teas and lunches, theatre vouchers, experiences, uniform vouchers and more.

Please get in touch if you can help us! 

psa@simonballepsa.org.uk

Slice of Summer, 13th July – Sponsor search

Is your business in the position to sponsor our summer fair?

Does your company offer Match Funding? It is an easy way to boost fundraising efforts!

Can you donate a star prize to the Summer Raffle?  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.

Larch Frozen Fridays

Traditionally, each Friday after the May half term, the PSA offers ice cream sales to Larch families.  This is a much enjoyed treat for the warmer months but can only happen with a good number of parent helpers.  If you are able to support sales on a Friday between 3-3.30pm, please sign up to a slot via this form. 

Thank you in advance.

Dates for your diary

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

• Monday 25th March:  Simon Balle’s Got Talent 
• Monday 25th March: Years 3,4,5 and 6 Cross Country at Hertford Rugby Club
• w/b 25th March: House sports
• Thursday 28th March: last day of spring term (finish at normal time)
• Monday 15th April: first day of summer term (start at normal time)
• Tuesday 16th April: Y8 France trip
• w/b 22nd April: Y12 Work experience
• Tuesday 23rd April: Y8 parents evening (virtual)
• Wednesday 24th April: Gym and Dance display

Wishing everyone in our community a happy Easter

Yours sincerely,

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

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.

• NEW Primary school version: Suitable for KS1 https://learnliveuk.com/ks1-primary-school-safety-talk/
• NEW Primary school version: Suitable for KS2 https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-primary-school-safety-talk
• NEW Secondary school version: Age 11-16 https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-secondary-school-safety-talk/
• College & University version: Age 16 plus https://learnliveuk.com/network-rail-college-safety-talk-lnw

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)

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:

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)

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)