Friday 13th November
Co-headteachers’ welcome
As the weather turns colder and the dark mornings and shorter days become part of our daily routine, the long, hot days and drought conditions of the summer already seem like a distant memory. It is remarkable how quickly the seasons change and how easily our memories of recent events begin to fade. However, some things must never be forgotten, and this week provided our school community with an important opportunity to pause, reflect and remember.
On Wednesday, our whole school community came together on the central playground for a moving and poignant Remembrance Day ceremony, honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We remembered not only those who served in the armed forces, but also those who cared for the injured, the families whose lives were forever changed by conflict, and those who continue to be affected by wars across the world today.
The ceremony was made particularly special by thoughtful student readings, beautiful musical performances and the wonderful voices of our amazing choir. It was a truly memorable occasion for our Trust, and we were immensely proud of the dignity, maturity and respect shown by our students as we came together in a shared moment of remembrance and reflection. Occasions such as these remind us of the importance of our school community, our shared values and the responsibility we have to ensure that every young person feels a sense of belonging.
This sense of community and partnership is also reflected in the importance we place on listening to the views of our stakeholders. Their feedback helps us celebrate what we do well, whilst also challenging us to reflect on where we can continue to improve. We are therefore delighted that over 420 parents responded to our recent parent survey. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us shape the future of Simon Balle All-through School.
The results were overwhelmingly positive and reflect the strength of our school community and the partnerships we have built with families. Some particular highlights include:
- 94% of parents agree that their child is happy at school.
- 95% agree that their child feels safe, with 60% strongly agreeing.
- 90% agree that their child receives the support they need.
- 86% agree that the school ensures students are well behaved, with only 11 parents disagreeing.
- 86% believe that decisions made by the school are in the best interests of their child.
- 84% agree that the school communicates well about what they need to know.
- 81% agree that concerns raised are dealt with effectively.
Perhaps most pleasing of all is that 97% of parents would recommend Simon Balle to others. This is a tremendous endorsement of our school, our values and, most importantly, the dedication of our staff and students.
We were also genuinely touched by the many thoughtful and positive comments shared. These are being passed on to colleagues, who are incredibly grateful for the recognition of the work they do each day to support both the academic and personal development of our young people. Three comments particularly capture what we strive to achieve as an all-through school:
“Absolutely brilliant teaching staff – all deserve a huge thank you for how they go above and beyond for our children.”
“The school’s ethos echoes our home’s one. Despite the amount of children in the school each one is an individual that is important and cared for by every teacher and teaching assistants. Thank you”
“It never fails to astound me the number of different and interesting activities my child takes part in. Without doubt he is an engaged and active member of the school community. School provides an environment where he not only thrives in the things he naturally chooses (sport!) but also provides a space where he fully engages more widely (through music, science and more!) I only wish the same opportunities had been available in my school!!”
These comments mean a great deal to us. They reflect our commitment to ensuring that every young person is known, valued, supported and given opportunities to thrive. We are also taking the time to respond personally to every parent who provided their name alongside their comments, whether to acknowledge positive feedback, answer a question or explore an area where we can offer further support.
Whilst there is much to celebrate, we are equally committed to listening carefully to the areas where parents feel we can do even better. Two important priorities emerging from the survey are communication and SEND provision.
- Communication: We recognise that, as a busy all-through school, we share a significant amount of information with families. Our intention is always to keep parents informed, involved and connected to school life. However, we appreciate that the volume of communication can sometimes make it difficult to identify the most important messages. We will continue to review and refine how we communicate, with a focus on clarity, consistency and making key information as accessible as possible. Strong communication underpins the partnership between home and school, and we want to make this as effective as it can be.
- SEND provision: We are pleased with the progress being made through our investment in Provision Map, which is helping us provide greater clarity and transparency around the support in place for students on our SEND register. Detailed and personalised learning plans are an important part of this work, alongside our termly review meetings, annual EHCP reviews and opportunities for additional check-ins. Our SEND and pastoral teams continue to work closely together to ensure that students and families receive joined-up support. We recognise that this remains an ongoing journey and that, whilst many families are positive about the provision their children receive, we must continue to strengthen consistency, communication and confidence in the support we provide.
Of course, alongside parent voice, student voice is equally important in shaping our school and ensuring that the decisions we make reflect the experiences and needs of our young people. We are currently analysing the findings from our recent student wellbeing surveys, looking carefully at what students are telling us about their experiences, their sense of belonging, their relationships and their wellbeing in school. This feedback is helping us identify both the areas where students feel well supported and those where we can take further action to strengthen their experience.
As part of our commitment to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment, we will also be gathering further student feedback following Anti-Bullying Week. This will provide another valuable opportunity to listen to students’ experiences, understand their perspectives and reflect on how we can continue to strengthen our culture of kindness, respect and positive relationships. Importantly, gathering feedback is only the starting point. We want our young people to know that their voices are heard, their views matter and, wherever possible, they can see the positive changes that result from sharing them.
Ultimately, our ambition is not simply to achieve positive survey results, but to ensure that every child and family experiences the very best of Simon Balle. Listening to parents, students and staff, celebrating our strengths and being open about where we can improve are all essential to achieving this. Thank you for your continued trust, honesty and partnership. Together, we will continue to make Simon Balle a school where every young person feels safe, valued, challenged and inspired to flourish.
Simon Balle in the Big Apple 2026
Aim high! It’s what we encourage all our students to do at Simon Balle, and it’s a philosophy that is reflected in our ambitious enrichment programme within Business and Economics.
New York might not be everyone’s cup of Starbucks Iced Mocha Frappuccino, but it is undoubtedly a city that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. For our Business and Economics students, it offers a truly unique opportunity to explore the history, culture and economic power of one of the world’s most influential cities.
New York has a fascinating financial history, stretching back to the arrival of European settlers in the 17th century. From the founding of the Bank of New York by Alexander Hamilton in 1784 and the opening of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 1914, to the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Great Depression that followed and the devastating attacks of September 11th, the city’s story is deeply intertwined with the development of the global economy. Today, New York remains a leading international financial centre, with an economic output comparable to that of entire national economies. For any aspiring Business or Economics student, a visit is an absolute must!
However, New York is about much more than finance and economics. The city has an equally rich cultural and artistic heritage, including the emergence of hip-hop and graffiti art during the late 1970s and 1980s. Against a backdrop of rising crime, unemployment and urban deprivation, these art forms became powerful outlets for creativity, identity and the frustrations of local communities. Our students had the opportunity to explore this side of New York, gaining a deeper understanding of how economic and social conditions can shape a city’s culture and identity.
The trip was a tremendous success, with an action-packed itinerary that included a Wall Street tour, a visit to the Empire State Building, a Broadway show, a Statue of Liberty cruise, a graffiti tour and workshop, the Museum of Modern Art, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and much more. The students embraced every opportunity, making the most of their time in this extraordinary city.
Throughout the trip, our students were exceptional ambassadors for Simon Balle in the United States. Their enthusiasm, curiosity and conduct were a credit to themselves and a testament to the work we do as a school to develop confident, knowledgeable and well-rounded young people.
Finally, a massive thank you to the team of teachers who accompanied the students to New York. Their dedication, hard work and commitment make enriching experiences like this possible, providing our students with memories, insights and opportunities that will stay with them long after they return home.
New York 2026: an unforgettable experience, a world of learning, and another example of Simon Balle aiming high!
Mr Papandronicou, Head of Business & Economics.
SEND
If you would like to speak to a member of the SEND team, a virtual appointment of up to 15 minutes can be made using the following link: Virtual SEND Team Appointments
Football Tour to Porto, Portugal. October 2026
Jose Mourinho, a former manager of FC Porto, famously said “I am prepared. The more pressure there is, the stronger I am.” Our students definitely fulfilled this quote when travelling to Portugal to get a real taste of professional academy football in October! We took 99 students to visit a world leading football academy over October half term and FC Porto certainly gave us that professional experience! We had 4 intense training sessions over the 4 days delivered by the professional academy coaching team. The 7 squads (made up of year 8 and 9 students) including 5 boys teams and 2 girls teams, had specialised training on skills, fitness and set pieces as well as the goalkeepers experiencing extra sessions from the pro goalkeeping coaching staff. The students were given a Porto football training kit to wear during training sessions and experienced life in a football academy in every way – even down to the hydration and endless fruit available in the changing room after training!
There was some strong opposition within the fixtures; some of our squads played against the actual academy sides! We had a range of results with our mixed age group teams winning their games and the girls putting in an extra resilient performance against a very strong academy girls FC Porto team. All squads were led by a dedicated member of Simon Balle staff and had an FC Porto coach on the sideline to assist too.
As well as lots of playing experience, the squads got to visit the FC Porto museum in which we viewed the heaviest trophy in the world (Arsenal fans will have to look this one up!)! We enjoyed a guided Stadium Tour, and watched a live Europa Conference League match at the Braga Stadium – Braga Vs Gent. The Braga stadium is very unique, built in a quarry so surrounded by large hills at either end of the stadium- an amazing experience had by all! Students played some recreational football on the hotel grounds with a backdrop of the sea whilst others had some free time exploring the local town of Porto and the beach. Lots of fun team building opportunities!
To finish off the tour, we experienced a 3 course lunch in an FC Porto VIP box overlooking the pitch after which the coaching staff delivered a closing ceremony, awarding students for their dedication to training and efforts throughout the tour.
This was an experience of a lifetime and many memories were made. I witnessed new friendships being made as well as outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship being shown throughout the tour. Praise must be given to our students for their politeness and manners to the coaches and staff after each training session and for respecting the rules at all times. It was a pleasure to take such a great cohort of students.
The trip couldn’t have happened without our dedicated staff who each took a squad and showed such amazing enthusiasm. Thank you for giving up part of your half term. Thank you to Mr East, Mr Leonard, Mr Rouse, Mr Pooley, Mr Prendergast, Mr Dear, Miss Newman, Miss Quinton and Miss Milson.
Mrs Castle
Attendance
A huge well done to the whole school community – we currently rank inside the top 10% nationally for school attendance. Our rate of 96.12% is very positive and the school aim is for this target to rise above 97%. We want to thank parents and carers for all that you do to support our students to attend as much as possible.
Library News
Speakers’ Corner
Well done and thank you to Alex, Mr Poley, Lilia, Alice, Alexa, Kieran, Alex, and Jacob for their Speakers’ Corner presentations this term. We have had a variety of topics, including cheese rolling, The Royal Navy and the Sea Cadet Core, Türkiye, Italy and Romania, Ancient Greece, and the origins of humans and prehistory.
We look forward to more Speakers’ Corner presentations in the lead up to Christmas!
Get Rewarded for Reading leader board update
All secondary school students from year 7 to year 13 can take part in Get Rewarded for Reading. For each book you read, complete the book review and you will receive a house point.
Year 13 Politics trip to the Supreme Court and Parliament
Our Year 13 Politics students recently headed to London to experience the UK’s political and legal systems in action. The day began at the Supreme Court, with a talk on the role of the judiciary before stepping into the public gallery to observe a live court case. The afternoon took students to the Palace of Westminster for a guided tour of Parliament and an interactive educational workshop. We also had the opportunity for a Q+A session with Josh Dean, our local MP, giving students the chance to ask their questions about politics and life in Westminster.
Featured image
The image used for today’s newsletter was taken by Roshelle from Rabbits class. It was taken near Hertford Lock and entered into the recent photography competition organised by the Art department. We thought it was perfect to use as the banner image for the newsletter this week.
We are always looking out for seasonal images to use for the newsletter. If you would like to see your photo here, please email it ayresd@simonballe.herts.sch.uk along with a short description of where it was taken or what it shows and your name/form, making sure it follows these guidelines:
- seasonal content
- landscape (not portrait) so that it works across the top of the page
- no recognisable faces
- jpeg or png format
Christmas Dinner
You’ll be getting information soon about how to sign up for Christmas dinner. Prices this year are £5.50 – secondary, and £5.25 – primary. It will be added to the ‘School Shop’ on the Portal soon.
House Competitions:
All-Through Christmas Card Competition
We are excited to launch our annual All-Through House Christmas Card Competition!
Christmas is a time for giving, kindness and spreading joy. This year, we are inviting all students to design a Christmas card that will be donated to our local care home, helping to bring a little festive happiness to residents in our community.
Students can get creative and use any materials they wish, including coloured pencils, felt tips, watercolours or paint. Please remember to leave the inside of the card blank!
How to enter:
- Hand your finished card in at the collection box at Student Reception in the secondary or the front office in the Larch.
- Deadline: 7th December.
Every entry will earn a house point, so get creative, get involved and help your house climb the leaderboard!
Developing Effective Learners – Dr Martijn van der Spoel
We were delighted to welcome Dr Martijn van der Spoel, educational psychologist, cognitive scientist and founder of Glia Learning, into school today to deliver two successful workshops for all of our Year 10 and Year 11 students.
Dr van der Spoel specialises in the psychology of learning, motivation and effective revision. His work focuses on helping young people understand how their brains learn and retain information, equipping them with practical strategies to become more effective and independent learners.
The workshops explored the importance of metacognition – thinking about how we learn – encouraging students to reflect on their own learning habits, understand which revision techniques work best and take greater responsibility for their academic progress.
Students were introduced to practical approaches to revision and were encouraged to consider how they can apply these strategies to their own GCSE preparation.
It was a hugely valuable experience for both year groups, providing them with useful tools, fresh perspectives and the confidence to approach their revision more strategically.
We would like to thank Dr van der Spoel for delivering two engaging and successful sessions and for sharing his expertise with our students.
A message from Accent Catering regarding the new School Food Standards 2027
108 – SECONDARY SCHOOL FOOD STANDARDS UPDATE
Parent Staff Association
Simon Balle Parent Staff Association
Joules Outlet Sale – TODAY – Friday 20th November
Join us today for some Christmas shopping when the Joules Outlet Team return with their pop up shop.
Save up to 70% off high street prices on a selection of items including menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, household and pet items.
This is a ticketed event, head over to the PSA website to purchase yours. Tickets start from as little as £6 for general entry at 6.30pm and all proceeds from the ticket sales will go to Simon Balle PSA.
Tickets available on our website. Please share with friends and family, we need to sell 150 tickets in order for this event to be successful.
We are also looking for volunteers for this event. Free entry and early access to all of our helpers! Volunteer here.
Festive Light Show tickets
This year, we will not be hosting a Frost Fair. Instead, we have an exciting new event – a Winter Market and Festive Light Show! Visit our outdoor market where external stallholders will be offering a selection of makes and gifts, head to our 6th Form Business Enterprise students to see what they are offering, enjoy a mulled wine from our pod and hot food from our external street food carts, Our Festive Light Show will feature a laser display choreographed to festive music and if ticket sales go well, we can then include low noise pyrotechnics.
Adults – £9, Children (primary aged) – £4 and Students (secondary and 6th Form) – £5.
Festive Light Show tickets available via our website:
Winter Raffle
Soon, tickets for the Winter Raffle will be making their way home. Larch will receive theirs via book bags and secondary will collect from assemblies.
There are some great prizes including Jeroboam of Champagne, £100 gift Vouchers of choice, £75 Stevensons Voucher, £50 Dinnio Voucher, Family ticket to Happys Circus (9th May).
To pay and to see full prize list, visit our website. Prize list is being updated as prizes come in.
Happys Circus – 9th May
Happys Circus will return with a brand new show in May. Save the date and watch out for our limited early bird tickets!
Dates for your diary
A full calendar of events can be viewed on the school website.
- Mon 16th Nov: Y7 assessment week starts
- Tues 17th Nov: Y11 sixth form experience day
- Fri 20th Nov: Y10 ELSA careers day
- Mon 23rd Nov: Y11 textiles and 3D design mocks
- Mon 23rd Nov: Larch assessment week starts
- Tues 24th Nov: Y9 student consultation evening
- Fri 27th Nov: Occasional day
- Mon 30th Nov: Occasional day
- Tues 1st Dec: Y11 mock exams start
- Wed 2nd Dec: Y12 Geography trip departs
- Saturday 5th Dec: PSA Festive light show
- Thursday 10th Dec: Christmas Jumper day
