Sixth Lent 2023 Newsletter

Headteacher’s Lent Reflection

It has been a wonderfully busy term for students in the Sixth Form. I felt a great sense of pride in the students during our end-of-term assembly in which we celebrated the students’ participation and achievement in a huge number of extra-curricular and super-curricular activities. The amount of student involvement in academic competitions, sporting events, musical concerts, Duke of Edinburgh, CCF, debating, volunteering, leadership initiatives, mentoring and much more has been super to observe. We had 30 students leading different parts of the assembly and sharing their reflections on the term.

A real highlight for me was in the personal development lecture series when three pupils each delivered a talk about challenges that they have faced and overcome in life. We all felt grateful that they were willing to share their stories with us and that they helped us to understand different perspectives from our own. The rounds of applause that they received at the end of the talks spoke volumes for the students’ appreciation and respect for their peers.

I am struck by the students’ level of ambition, their desire to give back to their community and to act as role models to the younger pupils in the Girls,

Boys and Prep Schools. Leadership schemes like the Allies and Advocates, the Wellbeing Ambassadors, the Cultural Diversity Champions and the Learning Leaders are having a positive impact on the wider school community whilst also enabling the Sixth Formers to develop their character strengths and develop their leadership skills.

We were delighted to have a record-breaking number of applications for the leadership positions in Year 13 next year, particularly as the selection process has become increasingly thorough as we seek to mirror application systems for professional roles and to make the process as meaningful as possible for the students. As our minds turn to appointing the next cohort of student leaders, I’d like to pay tribute to the students in Year 13 who have done such a good job. They organised an outstanding Academic Gala Evening and have set up a weekly student-led debating club called the Berkhamsted Union which has been hugely popular. It’s great to see that some Year 12 students are already taking over the reins on some of these initiatives.

Of course, we are approaching the examination season for Sixth Formers and we have provided advice on effective studying. We have shared research on the most effective study habits with the students whilst also stressing the need for students to look after themselves and to maintain a healthy balance as they prepare for their examinations. If parents are interested in further reading in this area, you can rewatch the webinar on revision here. I can also recommend the book ‘Make it Stick’ by Brown, Roediger and McDaniel. Finally, the Counselling team have provided a pack of wellbeing advice to students who are preparing for exams.

Please note that Year 12 students will be on study leave during these examinations (17 – 28 April) which means that they will not have any lessons and will not be required to be in school unless they have an examination (school resumes on the morning of Friday 28 April, except for Photography students.) Please find the Year12 Exam timetable here and the instructions to candidates here.

Year 13 students will be on study leave from 16:20 on Thursday 11 May – if they have an examination before this date, they may opt to take the previous day as study leave as well. Please find the Year13 Exam timetable here and the instructions to candidates here. Please remember that the exam boards now set aside contingency dates in case a national event makes running an examination on any day impossible. The dates are the afternoons of 08 and 15 June and the day of 28 June – it is wise to make sure that students can be available at these times.

I wish the students well with balancing time for rest, relaxation, and socialising with the need to prepare well for examinations and hope that you, as parents or guardians, will also be able to enjoy something of a break over the coming weeks.

With best wishes,

Martin Walker Headteacher

Aim high

Exceptional Performance 1st VII crowned National Champions

Congratulations to our Berkhamsted 1st VII Netball team, who were crowned National Schools Finals Champions 2023 on Saturday 11 March 2023.

They secured their title after a gruelling day of tournament play, against the best teams in the country. In their pool, they played against eight other schools, winning seven out of eight matches and beat Hartpury College, in a very close-run final, winning 11-10.

This is a phenomenal achievement for an incredible group of players. The girls endured two qualifying rounds to gain a place at the National Finals, following the first round where they were undefeated against 10 other teams, became County Champions and then went onto compete in the Regional Finals representing Hertfordshire, in January.

The 1st VII topped off their season with victory over The Blue Coat School in the Sistersnsport final, making them double national champions - an incredible achievement.

Huge credit goes to this talented generation, coached and supported by ambitious and dedicated staff, Mrs Wates, Mr Burgess, Mrs Holt and Mrs Costin.

Their hard work has paid off and this title is so well deserved! This team of remarkable people have built their legacy and left their mark on Berkhamsted Netball forever.

Squad: Ali M (co-capt), Gabi P (co-capt), Molly L, Ellie M, Issy C, Darcie E, Scarlett R, Jemma T, Ella N, Abi H, Claudia M and Attie B.

Be Adventurous

Outstanding Challenge National Youth Orchestra

For some, the Christmas holidays were a restful, calming period. For two Berkhamsted pupils, however, they were anything but. Maddie (Year 11) and Freddie (Year 13) were both part of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO), who embarked on a tour of Great Britain, playing concerts in four cities in some major musical venues, including the Barbican in London. The London performance received a five-star review in The Daily Telegraph.

Maddie (who won Berkhamsted’s Young Musician of the Year competition in November) was straight into her GCSE mocks after the Christmas holiday, but we caught up with Freddie to hear all about the experience.

Freddie, who has played the cello since the age of five, is now into his second year in the orchestra. “I remember the first time I got into the orchestra and having such a great time meeting new people and playing great repertoire, so I would recommend it massively to anyone who wanted to get involved.”

On the tour, Freddie, along with Maddie and the rest of the NYO performed in “four locations: London,

Nottingham, Warwick, and Liverpool. Each one of these was as thrilling as the next, but with each different performance came a new colour in the music. This might not have been there in other concerts, and that stands out to me as something that makes playing with the NYO so special. Obviously, there were some nerves for each performance – what if I start to play in a rest, or accidentally pluck a string? – but these are what makes playing in any orchestral environment so exciting. The audiences were also a key part in creating a great concert and at each venue we were warmly received with lots of applause and standing ovations.”

Getting into the NYO is an achievement in itself. As Freddie explains: “NYO advertises that anyone of Grade 6 standard upwards can audition for a place in the orchestra. A relatively good ability to sight read helps too. You get your parts a month or two before the course, and when you’re in the orchestra it becomes a lot easier playing with everyone else.”

Congratulations again to both Freddie and Maddie on an amazing achievement.

Serve Others

Supporting Each Other Raising Cultural Awareness

This year has seen a number Sixth Form students running sessions for Year 8 pupils at the Boys and Girls Schools, which aimed to raise cultural awareness about what life is like as a British Muslim. The sessions saw each tutor group visited by two Sixth Form pupils, who gave presentations and then ran question and answer sessions on different areas of life as a British Muslim, such as the celebration of religious festivals, particularly Ramadan. The sessions were a great opportunity for Year 8 pupils to ask questions and to learn more.

The sessions were an excellent, pupil-driven initiative which helped to celebrate inclusivity and diversity within our school community.

Subject Focus: Maths

This term saw 45 Year 12 students, accompanied by their teachers, visit the Royal Institution in London to attend Maths Fest 2023. This annual event sees a packed programme of events presented by top mathematicians and aims to broaden the horizons of A Level Mathematics students, encouraging and inspiring them to take Maths in directions they had perhaps not yet considered. Organised by stand-up mathematician Matt Parker and maths author Rob Eastaway, Berkhamsted have been attending the event for a number of years and it is a highlight of the Berkhamsted Maths calendar, always promising an engaging and interesting variety of speakers. This year was no exception.

Highlights this year included two talks on environmental issues, looking at how maths can be applied to solve real world problems such as plastic pollution in the oceans and the melting of glacial ice, as well as a talk on the way mathematics is used in the news, and how there is the potential for numbers to be manipulated to suit particular agendas. Other talks focused on exam skills and advice, meaning that the Berkhamsted pupils who attended not only came away with an enthusiasm for the real-world applications and potential for maths but also some useful tips and tricks they can use in lessons and exams.

The trip was a real showcase for the wide and varied applications of Maths, and an inspiring experience for Year 12 to take into their A Level studies and beyond.

Developing remarkable people

Pupils Meet HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

On Thursday 9th March, pupils from Berkhamsted Girls, Boys and Sixth were fortunate enough to meet with His Royal Highness Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, at Ashridge House. Berkhamsted pupils were kindly invited to join local dignitaries, pupils from Little Gaddesden Primary School and Ashridge Staff to celebrate the planting of a memorial tree by the Duke of Edinburgh to commemorate His Late Royal Highness Prince Philip. As part of this visit, twentyseven pupils who are all involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Award (D of E) at various stages spoke with the Duke to talk about their experiences of it.

Berkhamsted School has a long-running association with the Award, it having run at the Girls School since 1957 and the Boys School since 1958. The meeting with the Duke, who is one of the Trustees of the Award, proved an excellent opportunity to celebrate this. In addition, it allowed pupils to reflect on their involvement with the Award so far, and discuss this with the Duke. With groups from the Bronze, Silver and Gold stages of the Award all attending, it was a highly memorable and meaningful afternoon. Many thanks to the team at Ashridge House for providing Berkhamsted students with the opportunity to be involved in such a memorable afternoon.

Principal’s Message

It is an oft-repeated idea that the hardest part of a long-distance race is the middle period. The early energy and adrenaline rush of the race’s start has worn off, the extra motivation that comes from having the finishing line in sight is yet to be realised. Determination and persistence – not always the mostcelebrated of qualities but invaluable nonetheless –are needed to continue.

The Lent term is the tricky middle period of the race, and the determination and persistence needed to navigate it have been on evident display from Berkhamsted pupils this term. Whether it is in the fundraising efforts of the Burpeethon at the Girls School, the Nationals triumph of our 1st VII Netball team, or the excellent performance of Year 9 girls and boys in Bright. Young. Things., pupils have continued to apply tremendous energy and effort to all that they do. Of course, these pages cannot provide an exhaustive list of all that has taken place this term, but I hope they offer an insight into Berkhamsted life and all that pupils have achieved.

Now spring and the Easter holidays beckon before the sprint finish of the Trinity term. Plenty more determination and persistence will be needed between now and the summer, especially for those of our school community who have public exams. I hope however, that in between the revision, time can be found to rest, and moments of calm enjoyed before the resumption of school life next month.

I look forward to seeing what next term holds but before that, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all in the Berkhamsted community a happy and restful Easter period.

Richard Backhouse Principal

Berkhamsted Society

On the 19th January, the Berkhamsted Society had the pleasure of welcoming Reverend Richard Coles to Centenary Theatre for what was a truly memorable evening. Richard spoke to a capacity community audience about his journey so far, and what a rich tapestry of a journey that has been. Through recollections of his pathway through the world of 80s music to his life as a Reverend, Richard captured us all with his warmth, humility and humour. He will always be welcome in Berkhamsted.

For most, Spring officially started on Monday March 20th this year. However, for those who attended our Spring Wreath Making event on March 14th, the brightly coloured, personally designed door wreaths were proof enough that Spring had come early! Laura and Sally were tremendous as they guided guests through the process of wiring moss, creating the base and adding the finishing touches using a mixture of fresh flowers and foliage. Refreshed with a lovely Chartwells charcuterie, those who attended said farewell to the winter months. A Christmas wreath making workshop will be next on the cards.

In the New Year, we shared our first Annual Sustainability Report Annual Sustainability Report not only for the benefit of the school community but also the local town and wider communities. We hope that the steps we are taking will make a difference and will, perhaps, encourage others in the local and wider communities to start their own paths to a more sustainable future.

Our work in this area continues and we have recently engaged with the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust with specific focus on Biodiversity Enhancement, providing a significant area for student engagement and exploration. More news on this will follow in due course.

We continue to work closely with local business groups, including the Berkhamsted and District Chamber of Commerce, and local charities. The Berkhamsted Society plays an important role in the Town’s events, now looking forward to helping in the May Coronation celebrations, and also in the strategic thinking of the Town.

To book: tickets.berkhamsted.com and to join the Society mailing list please complete the form here