October Sports Blog

25th October 2024Daire Brennan

It’s been another busy month of sport at Simon Balle, with teams still involved in District, County and National competition across many sports. We have also this month had our Inter-house sports competition where girls have completed Hockey and boys on touch rugby. We also have the District swim gala on Friday with more information to follow in our next blog.

Football Update

Girls Football

Year 8 girls had a very impressive 4-2 win over Herts and Essex in the County Cup last week. Lola W was player of the match, however she was closely followed by a phenomenal team performance and on this evidence, the team will hope to progress further.

The under 16 girls had a very challenging game in the national cup where we unfortunately lost however showed great spirit and togetherness.
U15- Played really well despite losing and only playing with 10 players for the whole game.
Year 8 Boys Football
A tough game for the county cup which the team fought until the end against a strong side from Queens. With some last minute changes to the team due to injury we went out with an altered starting line up which were able to work well and play some excellent passing football. However the game finished 3-0.
Year 9 Boys Football
The boys played Leventhorpe in the first round of the National cup losing out by 3 goals to one. The boys now play Marriots School in the second round of the County cup after half term.

Rugby Update

Year 8 rugby vs Leventhorpe– A fantastic performance from the boy’s with the first half ending 4 tries to 3 in a close match that could have gone either way. Our students showed the determination and drive to want to win the game with excellent tackling and rucking all over the pitch with some incredible try stopping tackles. On the attack the boy’s seemed unstoppable with some great steps sending their defence in the wrong direction as well as some fast bursts to break through their defensive line. Finishing the game 11 tries to 4.
Year 9 rugby v Leventhorpe – Also this week, the year 9 boys began their District league competition, away to Leventhorpe. Against a strong Leventhorpe team the boys started well, however after 15mins, some got isolated and therefore left us a few tries down at half time. In the second half the boys came out strongly scoring a try and a few penalties. However in the end lost out 47-11. We now look forward to our next game against Freman College in November.

Netball

The Year 7s have got off to a great start on their first netball matches v Presdales.
The A team won 18-15 in an exciting game and the B team worked really hard but unfortunately lost 19-10 in the end.
Year 8 & 9 had a successful evening this week against Robert Barclay. The 8s winning 18-4 and 9s winning 37 – 9 both teams playing some excellent netball.

District Cross Country League

The final league meeting took place at St Edmunds College on an excellent cross country course in touch conditions. Going into the race, our Year 7 boys had an outside chance of winning a team medal. In the girls Junior age-group Cora N & Evie T were 1st and 2nd respectively in the league after 2 rounds.

In the Junior Girls both girls went to the front and were one and two for the whole race, finishing for the third race in the row in 1st and 2nd. Therefore Cora N became the District Cross Country league champion for the second year in a row, with Evie T finishing as league runner up. Well done to both girls. In the Year 7 girls race, Grace P ran another strong race to finish second and in second place overall in the league, a mark of phenomenal consistency from Grace. The Minor boys led home by James P (Y7) finished 3rd on the night and 3rd overall in the league.

Well done to all who competed over the league series and now athletes look forward to the Herts Cross Country Champs in February.

Primary Cross Country success

On Wednesday this week, our Larch students competed in the District Primary Cross Country Championships at Haileybury College in glorious conditions. After winning last year, the pressure was on again, however our students didn’t disappoint, once again winning the overall title. Congratulations to the team. Key results are as follows;

  • Matilda M in Year 4 – 1st
  • Orson B in year 6 – 2nd
  • Daisy W in Year 6 – 3rd
  • Year 3/4 boys – Team winners
  • Year 3/4 girls – Team winners
  • Year 5/6 – Overall Team winners

Simon Balle Year 3-6 Overall winners

 

Inter-House Sports

This week we have held Interhouse Sports for Year 7-11 where all students experience both competitive sport as well as participating with their houses, provinding a carnival atmosphere throughout the week. We have been very fortunate with weather conditions. The boys have all participate in touch rugby and the girls in hockey and Netball (Y10-11). The results are as follows;

Interhouse Results – Round 1

Year 7 

Boys Rugby Girls Hockey Overall
1 Lea Beane Beane
2 Beane Mimram Lea
3 Ashbourne Lea Mimram
4 Mimram Rib Ashbourne
5 Rib  New Rib
6 New Ashbourne New

Year 8

Boys Rugby Girls Hockey Overall
1 Lea Ashbourne Lea
2 New Beane Asbourne
3 Beane Lea Beane
4 Mimram Mimram New
5 Ashbourne Rib Mimram
6 Rib New Rib

Year 9

 

Boys Rugby  Girls Hockey Overall
1 Beane Lea Lea
2 Lea Ashbourne Beane
3 Rib Rib Rib
4 Ashbourne Beane Ashbourne
5 Mimram Mimram Mimram
6 New New New

 

Year 10 results to follow

Year 11

Boys Rugby Girls Netball Overall
1 Mimram Mimram Mimram
2 Lea Beane Lea
3 New Lea Rib
4 Rib Rib New
5 Beane New Beane
6 Ashbourne Ashbourne Ashbourne

 

Sports Extra-curricular Programme

For changes to the extra-curricular programme please go to our Sports web page – https://www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/sport/secondary-sport/

 

Career Opportunities 19

15th October 2024Ciaran Prendergast

Apprenticeship Roles in London, Surrey, Essex and Herts – GetMyFirstJob

MKS has launched 8 fantastic Apprenticeship roles and I wondered if you had any Students in Y13 that might be considering Apprenticeships as well or instead of the Uni route?

Role Start Date Salary Link Location
Corporate Audit Services AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link London City
Nonprofit Audit AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link London City
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link London City
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link West End
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link Romford
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link Heathrow/Hayes
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link Redhill
Advice, Audit Accounts AAT Trainee Programme September 2025 £26,000 Link St Albans

Here is the link to the main page:  https://www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk/Employers/moore-kingston-smith

 

Browne Jacobson October Law Work Experience
Tuesday, 29th October from 9:00am – 4:00pm

If you’re a law student at university or an aspiring legal professional in school/college, there’s one event that you absolutely cannot miss this year – the Browne Jacobson Law Virtual Insight Event on Tuesday, 29th October from 9:00am – 4:00pm.

Why is this the must-attend law careers event of the year?

It’s simple. This event is packed with unrivalled legal insights, an incredible lineup of speakers, and hands-on career advice from the most prestigious legal figures. Whether you’re planning to work in private practice, join an in-house legal team, or carve your path as a barrister, this event covers all bases.

Star-Studded Line-Up:

We’re beyond thrilled to announce Baroness Hale of Richmond (Lady Hale), Former President of the UK Supreme Court and widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in law, as our headline speaker. You’ve read her judgments, now hear her wisdom live! She’ll be joined by a host of other legal luminaries, including:

  • Richard Medd, Managing Partner of Browne Jacobson – an unparalleled opportunity to hear directly from the leader of one of the UK’s top law firms.
  • Charlotte Leigh, Head of Legal at Mace—a global construction and consultancy powerhouse with an annual turnover of £2 billion—will delve into the dynamic and evolving world of in-house legal careers, offering invaluable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by legal professionals within major corporations.
  • Katy Handley and Alex Taylor, Barristers at 4 Pump Court, will provide a first-hand account of the realities of life in a barristers’ chambers, giving you a glimpse into the world of advocacy.
  • Akil Hunte, CEO of NRG Lawyers, will lead a panel discussion on non-RG (Russell Group) lawyers, showcasing how individuals from non-traditional university backgrounds can stand out and succeed in the legal field, with contributions from students, trainees, and apprentices.

Plus, you’ll gain insights from a panel of SQE trainees, on how to tackle the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and build a personal brand that will help you stand out.

What Makes This Event Different?

You won’t find another event that offers such a comprehensive, real-world look into the different areas of law, led by top-tier professionals.

From in-house legal advice to insights from barristers and a special session on personal branding, this is where you’ll gain practical knowledge, understand what employers are really looking for, and most importantly, stand out from the competition.

Why Attend?

This event is your direct access to the brightest minds in law and a chance to gain actionable advice on how to navigate your legal career in the most competitive field. Whether you’re aiming for a law firm, chambers, or an in-house role, the Browne Jacobson FAIRE Virtual Insight Event is designed to help you get there faster, smarter, and with confidence.

Reserve your spot today and make this the career-defining moment of your journey in law!

Register now to secure your spot:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Browne-Jacobson-Law

September Sports Blog

27th September 2024Daire Brennan

Cross Country Update

The Cross Country season has got off to a great start with 2 races already completed, the Year 7 mob race and the first round of the District Cross Country League. In the mob race Grace P finished 3rd overall with the Year 7 team finishing 2nd team. James P finished 4th in the Year 7 boys race leading his team to a third place finish overall. 

On Monday this week, the first round of the cross country league took place at Leventhorpe School. Simon Balle took athletes from Year 7, 8 & 9 to compete. The star performers of the meet were Cora N (Y9) and Evie T (Y8) who finished 1st and 2nd respectively in the Junior Girls race, with Lilia T running very well to finish 8th. Cora ran from the front from the gun and opened up a big gap early on to win comfortably. She is already the reigning champion and on this form she is a big favourite for this year’s league. In the Year 7 Boys James P ran strongly to finish 4th in a highly competitive field, with the team holding 5th place so far and not too far off the top 3. The Year 7 Girls performed well and are currently in 3rd place overall with a strong team performance, led home by Grace P (3rd) and followed in by Alice D (5th), Mariella T (11th) and Sofia B (26th).

Football News

Last week the Senior Football team played The Grange academy. Despite taking the lead, with a great finish from James W, in the county cup first round game vs The Grange Academy the team lost 4-1. We were much the better team for large parts of the game but struggled to turn our possession into chances in the final third. We now welcome Goffs to Simon Balle next Wednesday for our National Cup first round fixture.

The Y11 boys have made a great start to the school football season. Alex S, Georgio G and Ephraim D scored as the team beat Etonbury Academy 3-0 in the first round of the National Cup. They welcome Sandrigham to Simon Balle for the second round in this competition. A bye in the first round of the county cup means the Y11 team play Birchwood in the next round of the competition. 

Our Year 10’s start their football season off this Friday with a first round county cup fixture away to Nicholas Breakspear.

The Year 9 Boys played their first fixture of the year on Tuesday against a strong Leventhorpe side. Despite a bright attacking display from the team, the boys went in 2-0 down. After half time, the boys played very well and Dylan W scored a goal from the corner flag to make it 2-1. It stayed like this until the last 10mins, when Leventhorpe moved away scoring 2 late goals to win 4-2 and progress to the next round of the National cup. The boys now look ahead the Herts cup. 

The Year 8’s have had a fantastic start to the season with 40 students attending training. The teams first fixture demonstrated that they have started the season how they finished in year 7 with a dominant 6-0 win in the second round. The teams next game will be taking place on Thursday 3rd October (County Cup game).

There has been a great amount of girls for both year 7 and 8 turning up to training each week. The Year 8 girls have their first fixture of the year against Marlborough in the first round of the National cup on Tuesday 1st October. 

Netball News

The attendance at extracurricular netball club has been fantastic across all age groups. Over the last 3 weeks students have been developing their connections across their teams. In preparation for upcoming games, training has had an attacking focus developing our through court attacking principles. We look forward to seeing these strategies in action in future fixtures. Next week the year 7 and 8s have their first fixture against Presdales to kick off the season.

Hockey news 

Monday hockey club continues to be a fantastic opportunity for all age groups and experience levels to develop their skills and enjoyment for the sport. We have seen some exceptional talent across the year groups, partially from our year 7 players who have shown great promise. Thank you to all the hockey players who represented the school in our hockey masterclass on Open Morning. We will keep you posted on upcoming hockey fixtures for both boys and girls.

Key Stage 3 Inter-house

We have started our Key stage 3 lessons with an inter-house competition where students have participated in the Long Jump, 100m, Vortex throw and a Cross Country run. The results are as follows;

Year 7 

1st place: Mimram 

2nd place: Beane

3rd place: Lea and Ashbourne 

 

Year 8 

1st place: Ashbourne and New 

2nd place: Lea 

3rd place: Rib 

 

Year 9 

1st place: Ashbourne 

2nd place: Beane

3rd place: Lea and Rib

 

 

July Sports Blog

19th July 2024Daire Brennan

What a fantastic month it’s been, when normally many schools would be winding down after a busy year, Simon Balle were still competing for honours across Athletics, Rounders and Cricket. We also had our Larch Sports Day last week too which was a very successful day, in glorious conditions with many sprint, obstancle races and relays. A first edition of the Larch Interhouse sports took place through Rounders over the past few weeks which ran very smoothly. We also had our sports presentation evening as well. Please see below a round up from a very successful month. 

Sports Presentation Evening

     

On Wednesday 10th July, we hosted our Sports presentation evening where parents, carers and students all showed up to provide a fantastic atmosphere on the night. There were many award winners as well as nominees for a wide range of sports and main awards. The evening began with a review of the year and a celebration of our District Athletics winners, it was then onto our awards. Our 4 key main award winners were as follows;

  • Sportswoman of the Year – Naomi P
  • Sportsman of the Year – Ellis D 
  • Larch Sportswoman of the Year – Grace P 
  • Larch Sportsman of the Year – Louis B

Sportsman of the Year

Sportswoman of the Year

Year 8 Rounders District Champions

The Year 8 Rounders team competed at the annual District Rounders tournament last week. Emily P was outstanding in batting against Chauncy in the group stages. In the semi final we beat Presdales to reach the final again against Chauncy. In the final the girls performed very well in quite a competitive game where Simon Balle won by 5½ to 2 rounders to become District Rounders Champions. 

Athletics Round up

In Athletics this month, we have had our end of season Girls and Boys Invitational events. Winners from the Nicky Morris Girls event were as follows;

  • Georgina B – Y7 Shot Putt
  • Emily P – Y8/9 Discus
  • Cora N – Y8/9 800m
  • Naomi P – Y10/11 400m

Overall our girls finished 4th overall out of ten teams behind winners Presdales.

At the Bruce Longden Boys event, Rex T-W was the star performer winning the Year 7 Hurdles, standing Triple Jump and was also part of the victorious 4 x 100m relay team. Rex was also awarded the Sally Gunnell award for up and coming hurdlers. Mason K won the Year 7 100m and alongside Marley H and Max F was part of the winning relay team too. Barney W-B won the senior 800m. Overall our boys team finished 4th in Division one retaining their position in the league, amongst some strong schools of the calibre of Saffron Walden & Richard Hale. 

Cricket Round up

This has been one of our most successful seasons in recent times. Year 7, 8 and 10 Boys teams were still involved in both County and District competitions right up until this week. 

The year 7 Cricket team played well in the semi final against Broxbourne with a convincing win with only 3 batters chasing down Broxbourne score within 12 overs. We then went into the final against Richard Hale, opening with our best bowling performance of the year keeping Richard Hale down to 82 runs off 20 overs with 10 wickets made up of some excellent bowling as well 4 very good catches within the field. However, Richard Hale were also able to put up a good fielding performance keeping our batting down finishing with 69 runs. Well done to our Year 7’s and we’re looking forward to next season for more of the same. 

Year 7 District Runners up

The Year 8 team captained by Jack T had a phenomenal game against Richard Hale in the semi final at Hertingfordbury. By the 5th over, Simon Balle had scored 9 wickets with Jack T scoring 5 and Teddy G scoring 3 to set Simon Balle up to chase down a score of 48 runs which we did to earn a final against Broxbourne. 

In the final Simon Balle bowled first and star performer was Jaiveer A, with 3 wickets and an excellent catch in the field. This meant that Simon Balle had to chase only 59 runs which they did by the 10th over becoming District Champions. Congratulations to all the boys on a tremendous year. 

Year 8 District Champions

The Year 10 Boys reached the County Plate final against Parmiters school beating Hemel School in the semi final at Hertford CC. 

The final was played this week at Parmiters Sports grounds, a fantastic setting with Simon Balle winning the toss and chose to bowl first. With Parmiters on 120 runs in the 18th over, the rain arrived and after 30 mins of rain we decided to postpone the game until yesterday. 

In glorious conditions again at Parmiters Sports ground on Thursday we were back for the rearranged final. This time Parmiters won the toss and bowled well restricting Simon Balle to 54 runs. Parmiters went on to chase this score and by the 10th over they had won. Well done to the Year 10 boys in their final game for the school and congratulations to George C on captaining the team to the final. 

Year 10 County Runners up

We will be publishing our sports enrichment programme during the first week in September.  From the PE department we would like to wish you all a fantastic summer and look forward to another busy year of sport. 

Career opportunities 14

19th June 2024Ciaran Prendergast

An Insight to Lloyds Banking Group, the UK’s Largest Bank

Dear Student,

Hope you are enjoying the week so far.

We are thrilled to announce a fantastic virtual event opportunity with Lloyds Banking Group!

If you’re a school or college student, taking a gap year, or even at university and considering what to do next, this event is perfect for you!

Lloyds Banking Group is hosting a virtual ‘Careers Live’ event, bringing together colleagues to share their experiences and insights into the world of work. This is a unique opportunity to learn from professionals, ask questions in the live chat, and hear from some of their apprentice colleagues.

LBG is a top UK financial institution, known for innovation, diversity, and excellent career opportunities. They offer a supportive work environment, exceptional training programmes, and a culture of collaboration, making it an ideal place to grow and succeed in your career!

Event Details:

Title: Lloyds Banking Group Careers Live Virtual Event

Topic: How to find a job at as top global banking institution

Date: Tuesday, 2nd July

Time: 17:00 – 18:00

During the event, participants will:

Gain valuable insights into various roles within Lloyds Banking Group

Hear from some of their senior leaders, apprentices and wider recruitment colleagues

Have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with professionals

Hear firsthand experiences from apprentices and LBG leaders on some of the exciting projects they are working on

You’ll also receive a certificate of participation for attending this incredible virtual event, which is great to share on your LinkedIn profile to engage with everyone you met during the session.

This is also a great chance to network, build skills, and get inspired about future careers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn more about the exciting opportunities at Lloyds Banking Group.

To join the event, please use the following link to register:

Apply Now:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5D652MV

 

Speakers for Schools – Fully funded virtual work experience opportunities 

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFgWrcGXkU/DtycRdW77kMpQi8TB9Qjrg/view 

Career Opportunities 10

15th April 2024Ciaran Prendergast

Unifrog opportunities

Student Ambassador HE virtual Fair 

Wednesday 8th May, 4:30 pm to 6.30pm

Uni students from 30+ universities, incl. Loughborough University, University of Exeter, and SOAS, will share their honest experiences. Your students can chat 1:1 with them and gain insider tips for their personal statement, the best student bank accounts, what to pack, and how to prepare for living away from home. Perfect for Y12 & Y13! Sign up here.

 

Social worker – webinar

https://www.hopinto.co.uk/virtual-employer-encounters/virtual-employer-encounters/

Our live webinars allow students to hear directly from a professional within a particular career field. By attending live you will have the opportunity to interact with the host and panel by posting your own questions which we’ll always endeavour to ask.

THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2024
4:30—5:30PM

 

Air traffic control – webinar – HOP

https://www.hopinto.co.uk/virtual-employer-encounters/virtual-employer-encounters/ 

 

Future Talent Programme – Sky Studios

The Future Talent Programme (formally known as the ‘Content Academy’) is a 12-month paid placement designed to catapult school leavers and graduates into a career in Film and TV

https://www.skystudioselstree.com/future-talent-programme 

 

Unifrog Virtual Work Experience Week: 1 – 5 July

We’re pleased to announce that students can now sign up for the days they are interested.

Meet the employers

Each day from Monday to Friday will be hosted by a different employer, offering the chance to develop a wide range of employability skills and an introduction to careers in these fields:

Host employers for Unifrog's Virtual Work Experience Week

Try something new!

Your students can sign up for just one day, a few days, or the entire week.

How each day will be structured

Each day will begin with a live webinar at 9am to meet the host employer, who will introduce their organisation and explain the work experience task. The student will then carry out and submit the workplace task via the Courses tool. The day will end with another live webinar at 2pm to debrief with the host employer.

This Virtual Work Experience Week will take place during school hours. Your students will need the ability to watch the live webinars at the start and end of each day – this could be individually with headphones or in a classroom setting. For the time in between, students will require individual computer access to complete their task.

EY – Summer work experience opportunities for Y11/S4 and Y12/S5 students across the UK! Gain insights into finance and technology roles with EY’s Career Starter programme, and meet apprentices and graduates.
Learn more
Liverpool John Moores University – LJMU’s scholarships and bursaries aren’t only awarded for academic skill. Whether students are active in their community, have championed inclusion or taken part in one of LJMU’s outreach activities, they can find out what’s available and apply now.
Learn more
Royal Horticultural Society – Discover the incredible range of green careers available at RHS’s Green Careers Open Day in Wisley (27 Apr, 10:30–15:30). Students can network with employers and training providers. There will be talks, fun activities, and tours!
Learn more
Manchester Metropolitan University – Top tips on funding and scholarships! Find out about finance available to make sure students are supported during their studies.
Learn more
Stagecoach – Brand new engineering apprenticeships have launched – including coach building, electrical and mechanical engineering roles at sites across the UK. For students with GCSE/Nationals as a minimum qualification.
Learn more
Aldi – Store management, logistics, and driver apprenticeships for Y11/S5 and Y12/S6 leavers looking for versatile and practical opportunities across many UK stores and depots!
Learn more
 

 

 Norwich University of the Arts – Calling all teachers, technicians, and career advisors! Norwich University of the Arts invites you to their campus on 14 June for a day of free workshops and CPD sessions, designed to support those who advise students interested in creative arts and careers. Experience workshops like: Expanded Painting, Intro to Concept Art, Physical Computing in the Creative Arts, and Fabric Manipulation.
Learn more
Global Citizen Year – Immersive experiences for students aged 17–21 to gain lifelong skills and learn from experienced human rights advocates advancing social justice in South Africa. Apply by 19 April for the autumn term programme (12 Aug–6 Dec).
Learn more

Library News #4

15th February 2024Rosemary Iles

Harry Potter Quiz

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

Congratulations to the winners and runners-up!

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

Speakers’ Corner

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

Year 6 visit to the secondary library

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

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

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

Children’s Mental Health Week

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

New book shelves with PSA funding

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

Music Monday

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

FREE books for our school with Britannica Magazine!

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

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

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

Upcoming library events

World Book Day

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

Book Battles

 

Career Opportunities 7

6th February 2024Ciaran Prendergast

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

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

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

OR

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

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

Apply here

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

Key Information

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

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

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

 

CV writing workshop for Sixth Form students – 27th Feb

Click here to sign up

 

HSBC Apprenticeships

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

Click here

 

Apprenticeships Guide 2024

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

IBM L4 Junior Management Consultant Apprenticeship 2024

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

Utility Companies Apprenticeships

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

PWC Virtual Insight Programme (meets BM5)

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

Career Opportunities 6

23rd January 2024Ciaran Prendergast

Higher and Degree Apprenticeship Listing – Jan 2024

Explore 1,400 Higher and Degree apprenticeship vacancies in the January edition of the Higher & Degree listing 2024.

Discover vacancy details from over 70 employers, including:

  • Vacancy locations
  • Salary information
  • Direct application links

Click here

 

Unifrog – Apprenticeship virtual event

Get involved with National Apprenticeship Week! Join our virtual fair to learn all about the world of apprenticeships. Explore the latest apprenticeship opportunities, attend live sessions with top employers including BBC, British Army, KPMG, Lloyds Banking Group and Unilever, and network one-on-one to get top tips on how to find and apply for your dream apprenticeship.

Click here

 

TFL apprenticeships

Our L6-L4 apprenticeship roles are live!

We are looking to hire more than 80 L6-L4 apprentices in September 2024.
Apprenticeships provide you with on-the-job training and responsibilities from day one. You’ll spend 20% of your time working towards an industry-recognised professional qualification.

We have a wide range of roles across the business, including engineering and technology as well as on the network.

Find out more about the scheme and apply now!
www.tfl.gov.uk/apprentices

 

BRE Apprenticeships – mostly in London

Click here

 

Success at school resources and webinars:

Ask an Apprentice Webinar– February 6:30pm – 7:15pm click here

Plant-Based Careers in Horticulture Webinar – 5th March 6:30pm – 7:15pm click here

Apprenticeships with National Audit Office Webinar – 20th Feb 6:30pm – 7:15pm click here

Markel Apprenticeships. London – Insurance, Finance and Marketing click here

1 day Python Programming Taster Day – Saturday 10th February click here

QA Apprenticeships click here

 

University of Hertfordshire online Student Events

Degree Apprenticeships: How are they similar to/different from a traditional university degree and how to start looking for one – 05 February 2024, 16:30 – 17:15

UK Student Finance: What’s available and how to apply– 22 February 2024, 19:00 – 19:45

In Year 11? Making the right choices for you post-16 – 07 March 2024, 16:30 – 17:15

UK Student Finance: What’s available and how to apply – 04 April 2024, 10:30 – 11:15

How to choose a course and university – 16 April 2024,16:30 – 17:15

To find out more/ book please visit https://www.herts.ac.uk/study/open-days-and-events/undergraduate-events/online-events

 

Hertfordshire and west Essex Health and Social Care Careers Expo

Wed 7th Feb

Click here for more information

 

Apprenticeship recruitment with University of Hertfordshire

On Thursday 8th February 2024, from 16:00 – 18:00, the University of Hertfordshire will be discussing their existing apprenticeship provision, exciting additions to their 24/25 portfolio, and the support the university can provide to SMEs in apprenticeship recruitment.

Click here

 

Rate my apprenticeship

Hundreds of live apprenticeship vacancies – click here

 

Deloitte work experience

Deloitte are offering two work experience opportunities for Year 12 students. Their ASPIRE Work Experience programme is open to Year 12 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds (closing date for applications 8th May). All Year 12 students can access a virtual work experience day on Thursday 1st February.

Amazon Engineering

The Amazon Future Engineers programme aims to increase access to computer science education for students from underserved and underrepresented communities. It includes opportunities for live chats with current Amazon employees. Amazon has also joined forces with The Royal Academy of Engineering to offer the Future Engineer national bursary programme, aimed at supporting female students from low-income households who wish to study computer science or related engineering courses at UK universities.

Click here for more information

 

Business Legal Support Apprenticeship

Hatfield Business Park – click here

 

Pathway CTM – Apprenticeship events

Click here for information regarding a wide range of apprenticeship opportunities

 

Careers in an airport

Our HOP webinar series returns for 2024 on Thursday 1st February (4:30) with a focus on Careers in an Airport. We will be joined by Alex Smith, Education Manager from Stansted Airport who will be able to talk about the wide range of roles and skills required to work in an Airport (excluding Air Traffic Control that will be covered in a future bespoke webinar, and Cabin Crew – which has been covered previously).

With four major international airports all on the Hertfordshire borders (Stansted, Luton, Heathrow and London City) there is huge demand for talented people to work in these vibrant, dynamic and exciting workplaces.

Registration is now open via HOP for the opportunity to join this webinar live and to be able to ask your questions to the panel. As a reminder all previous webinars recorded are available in the Virtual Encounters section of HOP which includes the extremely popular episode about Careers as Film Director recorded in December 2023.

 

Free medicine conference:

Our next conferences are for aspiring Doctors at the FREE LIVE VIRTUAL Get Into Medicine conference:
Saturday 27th January, 9:30am – 3:30pm
Saturday 3rd February, 9:30am – 3:30pm
Saturday 4th February, 9:30am – 3:30pm

Students and parents can register for free at this link:
Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/get-into-medicine-ucas-conference/

All aspiring doctors in years 10-12 are invited to register.

 

Not Going to Uni – Your Life Plan 1st Feb 11:00 – 12:00 – ideal for year 12 and 13 students

Click here

 

Not Going to Uni – Resources

Click here

 

Roche – IT Consulting – Digital and Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship (BSc)

Click here

 

Roche – MSc Medical Statistics Apprenticeship

Click here

 

Roche – Data Science Apprentice (MSc)

Click here

 

British Army Apprentice Webinar – for National Apprenticeship Week 8th February 3:00pm (the link is correct)

Click here

 

Second British Army Webinar – 6th February 9:00am

Click here