Speakers for Schools:
Fully funded virtual work experience: click here
HOP opportunities:
DIGITAL ENGINEERING APPRENTICE – VINCI BUILDING – LONDON
Click here for more information
APPRENTICE SITE SUPERVISOR
Click here for more information
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Speakers for Schools:
Fully funded virtual work experience: click here
HOP opportunities:
DIGITAL ENGINEERING APPRENTICE – VINCI BUILDING – LONDON
Click here for more information
APPRENTICE SITE SUPERVISOR
Click here for more information
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…
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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)!
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.
A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.
Wishing everyone in our community a positive and fulfilling fortnight ahead.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)
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:
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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
It’s been a fantastic month for Sport at Simon Balle with so many students representing the school across a variety of sports. Our Year 9 & 10 students have yet again been involved in Sports leadership events across County and District Athletics and Cross Country events, officiating and leading at their usual high standards. Thank you to all who have volunteered their time. March has also been a very busy month for Saturday football with successful block fixtures against Roundwood Park, John Warner and Sir John Lawes schools.
In the Larch, congratulations to our Cross Country teams, Football and Netball teams who have had a great term. In Cross Country, at the recent district competition, four teams came 1st, four teams came 2nd with the school finishing first overall. In Netball and Football, both Y5/6 teams have reached finals which take place after the Easter break.
Finally, please find next terms extra-curricular programme by clicking on the following link – Summer Term – Sport extracurricular programme 2023_24
Please see below for a comprehensive round up of the months Sporting successes.
Last week the Year 10 Boys played in the District Cup Final v Robert Barclay Academy. It was a very tough game but the boys worked extremely hard and battled superbly. Playing some great football they managed to take the lead but were pegged back and the full time score was 1-1. After a stalemate in extra time the game went to penalties. The students showed real courage and determination to step up and take penalties (10 out of 11 players had to take one) And we were successful winners 8-7 on pens.
The Year 9 Boys team again made the final of the District cup final looking to retain their title. Unfortunately, this year, despite the boys best efforts Richard Hale won the game and became the new district champions. A great achievement for this team to make the final 2 years in a row. Hopefully they will be able to repeat this again next year.
Both Year 7 & 8 teams also made semi finals, however the Year 8’s were beaten by a strong Chauncy team and the Year 7’s lost a close battle against Richard Hale.
The Senior boys Football team has had a very good year. Making 2 semi finals in the District and County cup. Unfortunately, in the county cup we were beaten by a very strong Sir John Lawes team who will most certainly be favorites to win the competition. In the District cup the team were unlucky to lose on penalties but should have won the game in normal time. We will rebuild the team next year with a number of the boys leaving us to move onto university, jobs or apprenticeships. We wish them all the best of luck in their future careers
On Wednesday 16th March the Girls had their last Football fixture of the year, The District Cup Final. The girls faced a tough side in Chauncy, who had also won their group stages to make the final. With a few girls out with illness the girls had to step up and play an unfamiliar line up and formation. Despite this, one minute into the game the girls scored their goal after a fantastic through ball. Confidence was high and within 10 minutes the girls were then 2-0 up. Chauncy had some great chances through on goal and managed to slip one past our keeper making it 2-1 at half term. Going into the second half the girls were keen to put away some more goals after hitting the crossbar twice in the first half. Goal! A fantastic follow up from Annabel secured a 3-1 lead. Chauncy came back feistier and had a few great chances but nothing our defence and goalkeeper couldn’t handle. The girls battled hard right til the end and won 5-1, with Annabel scoring a Hatrick in the second half. A thoroughly deserved win for the girls who had narrowly missed out on the county cup final earlier in the season! The PE department are very proud of the girls and their achievements this season, we look forward to next season as U13s!
On Friday 22nd March, Year 7-11 students competed in the annual District Swimming Gala Championships which was held at John Warner Pool. We have a very talented group of swimmers and also some tough competition from Presdales, Leventhorpe and John Warner. We came 1st place in 13 out of 21 races. Many swimmers were also competing against swimmers a year older due to the age groups being mixed. Both boys teams won their relays and the girls teams both came 2nd. Particular praise needs to be given to Lilia T (year 8) who swam up an age group against swimmers who were in year 9 and 10 and still won her individual breaststroke race and Harry B who had some strong competition but still kindly offered to swim 2 legs of the relay due to an injury and helped the team win both their relays! Winners of the races are listed below. Also a big well done to Harry, Frez, Willow, Ollie and Emily P who all came 2nd in their races.
I was very proud watching you all and thank you for your commitment to attend and compete on a Friday evening! Well done to all swimmers!
In addition to this, after the gala, Zara R went on to another gala to represent East Herts District at the County Gala and she got a bronze medal in the 50m Butterfly! 3rd fastest in the county! Amazing Achievement.
Harry B also attended the county gala and got a personal best time!
1st place medal winners:
Y10 Netball Final
The girls traveled to Herts and Essex School for the final of the county plate competition. It was an amazing achievement to reach the final and the team didn’t disappoint with the performance they put in. After taking an early lead Herts and Essex proved to be too strong and despite fighting until the final whistle Simon Balle finished as runners up.
Y8 Netball District Tournament
On Tuesday 19th March the year 8’s competed in a district tournament entering both an A and B team squad. The A team played some difficult matches but progressed well throughout the event working better together as a team as the matches went on. The team showed excellent resilience, especially those playing out of position. Overall the A team came 4th in the district, playing a round robin competition.
The B team played excellent in the group stages only losing one match which qualified them for the semi final. The team showed great movement and speed, winning the Semi-final. They played Chauncy in the final which was a really well contested game. The team showed excellent patience and fearlessness in defense meaning they won the final by one goal. Therefore the B team are district champions in the B team competition!
Players of the tournament were Erin H, Chloe P and Bella L.
Year 7 had their District Netball Tournament on Monday 25th March. After it being rescheduled once due to rain, the girls were excited and ready to compete! Both teams had some strong competition throughout their tournament.
After an initial defeat in our first game against Leventhorpe we pulled together and made some positional changes which enabled us to come back and we beat Broxbourne. We narrowly lost our last game by just 2 goals against Presdales. All girls played really well and showed great resilience, teamwork and effort. Well done.
Player of the Tournament for the A-Team: Lola W and Hope A
The B team also had a great district tournament and in their round robin had some tough games but also won some games too. They put 100% into every game and Charlotte B (a sixth former who kindly offered to manage and umpire for the team) reported how much effort the girls put into the games and how well they played.
Players of the Tournament: Jessica and Emily
Y9 Emerging Schools Netball
On Wednesday 13th March, the year 9 girls netball team entered the emerging schools’ netball tournament at Wodson park. There were 8 teams in the round robin competition. The girls had a good start, winning their first game convincingly. Out of the remaining 6 games, we won 4 and lost 2 (gaining a single point for getting over half the opposing teams’ score). The girls secured 3rd place overall.
Last week, a group of Year 7 students attended the ‘This Girl Can’ festival at Wodson Park Sports Centre, accompanied by their Year 9 mentors.
The day consisted of three sessions focused on developing confidence, teamwork, and trying new activities. The girls learned how to play two new emerging sports, pickleball and spikeball.
The students were also fortunate enough to meet Paralympic Athlete Kylie Grimes, a triple Paralympian of the London, Rio and Tokyo games. Kylie became the first woman to ever win a Paralympic Gold medal in Wheelchair Rugby when GB beat USA 54-49 in the final at Tokyo 2020.
World Champion Inline Skater and ten time British Champion, Jenna Downing, where students heard how she overcame the challenges she faced in her sport growing up.
‘This Girl Can’ is a great cause, funded by the National Lottery, and believing there is no “right” way to get active. The girls’ attitude throughout the day was fantastic and they came away feeling excited to start a club of their own back at Simon Balle, to encourage other girls to engage in fitness and sport.
In March we changed to 7’s rugby and for Year 7’s it was 10-a-side. Our U16 and U12 teams both competed at the prestigious Herts U16 7’s tournament and U12 10’s tournament this month.
The Year 7 Boys had a fantastic start to the tournament beating Longdean school, unfortunately we then faced our toughest opponents of the year- Berkhamsted, and Watford Boy’s in back to back games. We finished the morning in 4th place in our group which was an excellent result for the team.
The U16 boys got off to a great start against JFK scoring winning by 4 tries. The boys then had close contests against Queen Elizabeth Boys and St Clement Danes, just losing out by one try. A special mention to Charlie O for his fantastic leadership of the team as well as Simon Balle player of the tournament Stanley M.
It’s been an excellent term of basketball for the Year 7 boys squad. It has been really encouraging to see a committed group of players training after school weekly and making such good progress. The development each boy has made both individually but also as part of the team has been very pleasing to see. The team are unbeaten this season and with one game to go are currently top of the district league. Notable victories have been against Richard Hale and a very strong Broxbourne side who really tested us in the final few minutes of the game but we showed great composure to win by 8 points. The boys have learned so much from each game and a comprehensive 56-26 victory last week against Chauncy showed just how far this group of players have come in such short time
The Year 8 Boys team put in a spirited performance away against Chauncy this week in their final game of the season. Well done to all of the players who have played this year.
The Year 10 Boys have had a good month playing against Goffs and Chauncy. The boys were coming off the back of a good win against Richard Hale, when they faced Goffs at the start of the month, just losing out 25-18, however we had 2-3 debutants which was a fantastic experience for the boys to represent the school. This week the boys played Chauncy, whom they have had many close contests and this time was no different. After a strong start from Simon Balle who were 26-14 ahead, Chanucy managed to come back to within 3 points, however through the strong tactical leadership of Lucas N, the boys won out in the end by 55-51 in an excellent game.
The Year 11 Boys faced Chauncy school in a very close battle, finishing 24-26. All in the team put in their all, closing down Chauncy within the last quarter scoring 12 of our points. It has been excellent to see the boys attending training session and enjoying playing basketball throughout their time at Simon Balle.
Our third inter house competition of the year took place this week with all students from years 7 to 11 participating in their form groups. Boys played hockey and girls played football with some excellent, competitive matches being showcased across the week. Results are below:
Year 8 Boys: | Year 8 Girls: |
Winners – New | Winners – Lea |
2nd – Beane | 2nd – Ashbourne |
3rd – Lea | 3rd – Beane |
4th – Rib | 4th – Mimram |
5th – Ashbourne | 5th – Rib |
6th – Mimram | 6th – New |
Year 9 Boys: | Year 9 Girls: |
Winners – Rib | Winners – Lea |
2nd – Mimram | 2nd – New |
3rd – Beane | 3rd – Rib |
4th – Ashbourne | 4th – Beane |
5th – Lea | 5th – Ashbourne |
6th – New | 6th – Mimram |
Year 10 Boys: | Year 10 Girls: |
Winners – New | Winners – Lea |
2nd – Ashbourne | 2nd – Mimram |
3rd – Lea | 3rd – Ashbourne |
4th – Beane | 4th – Beane |
5th – Mimram | 5th – New |
6th – Rib | 6th – Rib |
The second half of the year 7 competition has been postponed until after Easter due to the weather.
Peter Palmer – Orienteering
Last September, I got invited to a national orienteering event by my orienteering club, South East Orienteering Association. The event is called Peter Palmer and is made unique by the fact that the race starts at 5am in the morning. Funnily enough, I had the first leg, which was around 6 km on a direct route, and I had to wear a head torch for most of my leg due to the lack of visibility.
The race was held at Stowe House which offered very special terrain and features. Despite its potential though, there were some issues with some of the symbols and notation used on the maps which only added to the difficulty of navigating in the dark.
The event is comprised of two relays that happen simultaneously and each race is made up of a team of around 6 from each region. In the end, we managed to achieve outstanding times and win the race my team was competing in. (by Bors F in Year 10)
A great effort by Bors and his team. We are very fortunate to have such talented orienteers at Simon Balle and we wish them the best of luck for the rest of the season.
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!
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.
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:
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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’.
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.
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!
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.
A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.
Wishing everyone in our community a happy Easter
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)
On Friday 22nd March, the following 8 students are representing the school in the National Reading Champions Quiz. Well done team!
Well done to everyone who has been caught reading in the library so far!
The end of term results will be announced during the last week of term and the awards will be presented in the celebration assemblies.
Well done to Thomas and Kieran for their informative and engaging Speakers’ Corner talks this half term. Kieran spoke about the 777 and its production and Thomas spoke about his trip to Malaysia. 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.
Well done to Ethan, Ziva, Amber and Ryan for playing the piano and to Noah for playing the guitar in the library this half term for Music Monday. If you would like to play the piano or guitar in the library next term for Music Monday, please speak to Mr Lovell, Mrs N Iles or Miss R Iles.
World Book Day (Thursday 7th March) was celebrated throughout the week.
*The Larch Book Swap on Friday 8th March was full of excitement as students in all year groups had the opportunity to choose a book to take home to read. Thank you to everyone who donated books.
*In the secondary library on Thursday 7th March we had a book themed Bingo. Well done to the winner, Maxwell!
*Throughout the week students across all year groups attempted the Guess Who quiz which was quite a challenge! Members of staff had submitted their favourite children’s book along with a childhood photo of theirs and students had to guess which member of staff went with each book and photo! Thank you to all the members of staff who sent in their childhood photographs.
Childcare Apprenticeship Hertford
Unifrog – Virtual Work Experience Week
In case you missed it, Unifrog are excited to be hosting our very first Virtual Work Experience Week on 1–5 July! For students who missed out on in-person placements, or those who wish to build their employability skills, this opportunity is a great way to connect with some top employers:
Each day will be a combination of live webinars and time for students to complete a real workplace task through our Courses tool. To participate, students will need individual computer access to work through their task. They can watch the live webinars individually or in a group setting.
Registration will open soon.
Speakers for Schools – Free Virtual Online Work Experience
https://www.canva.com/design/DAFgWrcGXkU/DtycRdW77kMpQi8TB9Qjrg/view
Speakers for Schools – For the love of animals!
Across three days, Flamingo Land, Edinburgh Zoo, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and a final organisation, still to be announced, will take you on a unique virtual journey.
Students will hear from industry experts about their roles and the range of job opportunities working with animals, have a virtual tour of their sites, including getting up close with a polar bear and a giraffe as well as learning about behaviour studies and how zoos prepare for new species.
Application deadline: 19/04/2024
Dates: 29/04/2024 – 01/05/2024
Students aged 14-19 can apply directly through our experience portal – view the full advert here.
Speakers for Schools – Pick of the Week:
Siemens Energy- Green Skills & Sustainability – Be a part of changing the world’s energy systems
Students will hear from professionals at different stages of their careers, who will share their experience working with circular energy, recycling, carbon footprint, and carbon emissions and their career journey to date. There will also be a CV masterclass, advice on work and home life balance and a session covering the importance of communication.
Application deadline: 16/05/2024
Dates: 13/06/2024 – 14/06/2024
Students aged 14-19 can apply directly through our experience portal – view the full advert here.
To see more fully-funded employer encounter opportunities, please click here: https://www.speakersforschools.org/work-experience-opportunities/
Featured Inspiration Broadcast:
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT WITH MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL/CADBURY
Join us on Tuesday 16th April from 10-10:45am to hear from Senior Food Scientist Martyn and his colleague Sophie as they help us unpack what working in the food industry can look like plus the variety of soft and hard skills you’ll need.
Register a group or cohort of students here!
To see more upcoming virtual broadcasts, please click here: https://www.speakersforschools.org/upcoming-broadcasts/
CallTime Careers Masterclass with Film & TV Director Stephen Woolfenden
CallTime and Stephen discuss how he moved into Directing from a career as an Assistant Director. Followed by a Q&A with the online audience.
Click here for more information
Yr 12 Biology/ Biochemistry Opportunity
Fully funded summer school opportunity for your Year 12 (or equivalent) students.
Imperial Life Sciences Scholars is for students interested in studying Biology or Biochemistry (not Medicine or Biomedical Science) at university. It will take place online from 29th July to 2nd August. Further eligibility criteria can be found on the application form linked here.
This summer school focuses on academic enrichment and university preparedness, and supports the supra-curricular engagement that highly selective universities such as Imperial College London look for in student applications. Please see the flyer attached for more information.
It is our aim to support students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in higher education to take part in a summer school. As such, we’d particularly keen to receive applications from students from these backgrounds.
To apply, students should complete the application form as soon as possible and before the final deadline at 12pm on Thursday 2nd May.
I would be very grateful if you could share this opportunity with students who you believe would benefit from it, or with another member of staff who may be best placed to do so. If you would like us to keep in touch with you about the summer school, then please fill out this short Microsoft Form to register your interest.
Careers as a Pilot Webinar (21st March)
Very excited to share that we have been able to schedule a HOP Webinar to explore the career of an Airline Pilot. We will be joined by Quamar Quazi – a First Officer with British Airways next Thursday (21st March) who will share his experiences in engineering, the RAF Cadet Forces and now as a commercial pilot.
Registration is now open (and further details attached – via HOP. https://www.hopinto.co.uk/virtual-employer-encounters/virtual-employer-encounters/
GENERATION THREE RIVERS: SUSTAINABILITY CAREER FAIR
oin us at Three Rivers’ first ever sustainability focused careers fair! This exciting free event is aimed at residents interested in sustainability, engineering, construction, low-carbon technology and environmental conservation.
Meet with over 20 exhibitors spanning a diverse range of sectors, and learn about the employment and training opportunities available right here on your doorstep.
Take the first step towards a fulfilling new career, fit for a greener future.
This event is led by Three Rivers District Council in partnership with Hertfordshire Careers Hub and HOP, part of Hertfordshire LEP.
https://www.hopinto.co.uk/generation-careers-fair-hub/generation-three-rivers-sustainability-career-fair/
Year 13 – Black Bullion National Scholarship Week
National Scholarships Week is back, and in 2024, the week will be dedicated to transforming the perception of scholarships in the UK. Our goal is for scholarships to be viewed as something to strive for. It is time to move away from the UK’s stigma that scholarships are ‘hand-outs’ rather than prestigious opportunities that have been earned.
Click here for more information
Bridge to a Career in Construction
Bridge to a Career in Construction is a unique, pre-apprenticeship programme run by The Talent Foundry in partnership with Mace Group – a global expert in shaping the built economy.
Click here for more information
Medicine virtual work experience
This course provides a ‘virtual’ work experience for those looking to apply to medical school. You will be introduced to the NHS before exploring the roles and skill sets of six different medical specialists. Along the way, you will also consider some of the challenges and wider issues doctors face.
Click here for more information
Careers in Sustainable Construction
Next Thursday’s (14th March) HOP Webinar will focus on Careers in Sustainable Construction and the huge array of roles and future opportunities required in Hertfordshire within a Construction setting to help achieve ambitious Net-Zero targets. Modern methods of construction require young people and those already in the work place to understand how environmental sustainability effects the way that properties are constructed and maintained. This webinar could appeal to any young people that:
Click here for more information
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:
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.
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.
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/
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:
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
This February we held our first ‘Apprenticeship Information Evening’ for students and parents/ carers in years 11-13. The information covered topics such as:
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
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.
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!
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!
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.
A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.
Reminders:
Wishing everyone in our community a positive and fulfilling fortnight ahead.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Rachel Kirk and Mr Michael Moss (Co-headteachers)
Staff INSET 28/02/24
Teacher INSET (In-Service Education and Training) days play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of education by providing us with dedicated time and resources for professional development. These days allow teachers to stay abreast of the latest educational trends, methodologies, and technologies, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of young people. INSET days offer a valuable opportunity for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill-building among staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within our all-through school. Our current INSET day sparked healthy discussion regarding Assessment and Curriculum content as we continued our focus towards our school improvement priorities.
Here is how some staff have reflected on the day:
“During Monday’s INSET training, the staff concentrated on the significance of assessment and feedback. Throughout these sessions, we were presented with diverse examples showcasing how some of our colleagues implement assessment methods and provide feedback, which proved to be incredibly inspiring. Additionally, we had the chance to collaborate within our subject departments, allowing for meaningful discussions with fellow colleagues from both primary and secondary levels about our respective subjects”.
“Staff Inset days are integral to our continued professional development as teachers. Monday 26th February was an excellent opportunity for staff to share their expertise and knowledge across departments with the focus around feedback and assessment. It gave me lots of new strategies for assessment that I am looking forward to applying in my own lessons”
“INSETs provide great opportunity for professional growth; well-considered speakers (both internal and external) allow recent research and best practised to be shared. We are lucky at Simon Balle to be able to draw on the experience of teachers in our community with current and previous involvement in consultancy work and teacher training. Networking with colleagues from different phases and departments is hugely beneficial in developing our spiral curriculum and cross curricular links”.