newSBytes 30th September 2015

THIS ISSUE:

Dear Families

30th September 2015

OPEN MORNING “The sun shone and the band played” - perhaps that will be the lasting impression of what was another highly successful Open Morning on Saturday September 26th 2015. The music and the singing couldn’t help but put a spring in everyone’s step and a smile on their face.

The school looked amazing as staff and students worked together to showcase their learning and demonstrate what happens everyday here.

So a big thank you to all students (and of course their parents) for coming in. We know from our visitors that the students are great ambassadors for the school and quite simply sell it. The head boy Patrick Tarry and head girl Alex Delameilleure spoke passionately about their experiences and were praised for being ‘inspirational’ by some of our guests.

If you would like to get a flavour of the speeches please look at the website and also see the departmental showcase section.

Our sixth form Open Evening will be on Thursday 19th November 2015 We are holding Open Mornings and an Open Evening for parents looking at ‘Reception’ places on Tuesday 17th November at 10am, Friday 4th December at 10am and Wednesday 9th December at 6.30pm.

SAFEGUARDING We at Simon Balle continue to keep ourselves up to date in terms of ‘Safeguarding’ along with ensuring that we continually talk to students about keeping themselves safe. Therefore in the past few months we have renewed our ‘safer recruitment’ training and have bought into an online assessment training package for e-safety, child protection and attended ‘WRAP’ training, which, sponsored by the Home Office, looks at protection against terrorism.

All new staff receive induction on safeguarding. Governors, later this half term will be given a ‘refresher’ course on child protection.

Alison Saunders

             

Open Morning Safeguarding Phasels Wood Larch Centre Non Uniform Day High Expectations World Food Week Library IPAD Newsletter Smartcards PSA Music PE news Parentpay

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: Term Dates: Autumn Term : 1st Sep to 18th Dec Half term : 26th-30th Oct Occasional Days : 26th and 27th Nov October Friday 23rd October—Non Uniform day

Y7 Residential Trip to Phasels Wood On Monday 14th September, one half of the Y7s travelled to Hemel to spend two and a half days camping at Phasels Wood. Students, who had only been at the school for 8 days, were put into tents and activity groups to complete a number of activities that tested their character and resilience. On Wednesday 16th September, the remaining half of the year group battled wind and torrential rain and thoroughly enjoyed their experience despite the muddy conditions. Students were given the opportunity to make new friends, build confidence and learn to support others in their quest to overcome any fears. I would like to congratulate all Y7students on how they have worked together and integrated well into the Simon Balle community. I personally would like to thank all members of staff who attended the trip.

James Walton and Emma Quinn in 7L have written the following report.

Recently we have been on a trip to Phasels Wood. We completed lots of activities and overcame lots of fears. We went in two groups, Ashbourne, Beane and Lea went first and then New, Rib and Mimram came next.

As we got there, we took our bags to our tents and went into the woods. We got into groups and were given lots of items to find in an area. After, we collected sticks and and leaves to build a shelter for insects.

Some of the activities we did were: potholing, crate stacking, climbing, abseiling, archery, tobogganing, team building, bushcraft and camp fire. All of the activities were really fun we enjoyed having a laugh with the teachers I think that most people enjoyed the three days we went despite the fact that it was cold and wet and muddy.

LARCH CENTRE NEWS We are one month in after opening the first classes of reception children (squirrels and hedgehogs) to Simon Balle... and what a successful month it has been. The children have had a teddy bears picnic, made lots of new friends, settled well to new routines, tried lots of new foods at lunch, had music lessons with Miss Todd and have visited the school library every week to take out a book to share at home. The hardworking and dedicated team have ensured that the transition for the children was seamless and because of this they have all happy and have made progress. They have started to read and write and the learning environment is continually developing to suit their individual needs.

With a topic of 'All about me' the children are learning about themselves and their feelings. We have looked at each child as an individual, our families and next week focusing on where we live. The children will be using 2d shapes to create their homes and 3d shapes to build models of their houses.

Thank you for all of your kind donations to date, from books to toys, puzzles and games. They are greatly appreciated. We are always looking for consumable resources to keep the children creative. Items such as bottle tops, buttons, bits of fabric, string, wool, small boxes, kitchen roll tubes, paper samples and odds and ends that may be 'junk' to you, but treasure to the children.

Non uniform day Friday 23rd October 2015 Motor Neurone Disease Association (MDA) Our Y10 students voted to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MDA) this year. Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord.

This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. Although there is currently no cure for MND, sysptoms can be managed to help achieve the best possible quality of life.

The association aims to improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers. They fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments, and brings them closer to a cure for MND. The money raised helps MND to raise awareness so the needs of people with MND and everyone who cares for them are recognised and addressed by wider society.

We would encourage students to bring a minimum of £1.00 to support this very worthy charity. Students should dress sensibly and not wear anything which may be deemed inappropriate (please note that girls must not wear shorts). Those who come to school dressed inappropriately may be sent home to change.

Mike Moss, Deputy Head

High Expectations and High Aspirations Hopefully you will have heard by now of our drive this term and indeed for the rest of this academic year on “High Expectations, High Aspirations”. Whilst we have always insisted upon this we must ensure consistency across all departments and with all staff as well as the students themselves, along with you their parents reinforcing and encouraging this.

This obviously has a very large scope; from uniform, to attendance, from participation in clubs to high academic standards. We need our students to want to give their very best in every aspect of their learning. We have from the start of the term concentrated upon presentation of work, including taking pride in exercise books. For this reason, we have asked all students either to buy a book cover or cover their books with a suitable material. This will avoid graffiti or simply “dog-eared” corners.

A big thank you to all families who have bought the plastic covers. If anyone now needs further covers please go to the office and buy them at 25p each. We are sure that this will really help students.

WORLD FOOD WEEK—Monday 12th October to Friday 16th October Our students will be travelling around the globe as part of World Food week stopping off in America, Italy, China, India and Mexico. Meal of the day is £2.30 which includes a main course and dessert. Do come along and sample some dishes from around the world right here at Simon Balle!

LIBRARY AND ENGLISH DEPARTMENT NEWS Welcome to the Hedgehogs and Squirrels Our two primary classes are getting used to visiting the Library every Friday to loan out books from our Primary zone. Non-fiction books as well as picture books are popular with students and they look forward to coming over to the big school each week. Last Friday they heard the story ‘Guess How Much I Love You’ and Little Nut Brown Hare actually visited the Library too!

This week Mrs Syme (Librarian) has visited the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education in London for advice and recommended reading lists for the Hedgehogs and Squirrels. The Library Team is looking forward to supporting the students in their love of reading.

Our Lower School Book club Welcomes You Mrs Mayo (English Teacher) is running the popular Book Club again for Years 7-9. If you are interested in taking part please come to the Library on Mondays from 1.30pm. Initially students will be reading and reviewing this year’s Bookbuzz books and newly published Red house titles. Shadowing the Carnegie Medal and book related trips and activities will follow later!

Many thanks Grateful thanks to all those parents, students and members of staff who have donated novels, non-fiction titles and magazines/journals recently. This really helps us to have a well stocked and attractive Library for our students and staff to use. Any donations can be left at Reception during school hours.

Ready.Steady, Book! A Festival for Readers and Writers We have just published our brochure (attached) for this upcoming annual Festival and encourage you to have a read about our visiting authors, poet and playwright. All parents and students are especially welcome to the Larch Centre at 15.45 on Monday 16th November to hear Kate Miller from Hertford Writers’ Circle who will be leading a creative writing session. The exact programme for the week will be released soon.

Man Booker Prize 2015 Shortlist Announced We have received an attractive pack of bookmarks with a booklet about the history of this prize; the titles will be in the Library shortly. For more details please go to http://the manbookerprize.com/man-booker-prize-2015

READY, STEADY, BOOK! A Festival for Readers and Writers 16th to 20th November 2015 A warm welcome to Piers Torday who opens our fifth Festival. Piers is author of the award winning and best selling Last Wild trilogy, about three children trying to save the last animals left alive in the world. He will be talking to Year 7 students on Monday about why the state of the planet inspired him to become a writer. The Dark Wild won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2014. www.pierstorday.co.uk Calling all Year 7-13 students—don’t miss Speaker’s Corner on 2nd October for the launch of the Writing Challenge. Prizes and a special Awards Evening with the mayor of Hertford at the Leaf Café for the winning writers

Kate Miller is a writer, editor and creative writing teacher, and is Secretary of Hertford Writers’ Circle. She runs creative writing classes for children at the Leaf Café and courses on playwriting for adults and young people. Her plays produced locally include: First Light, a contemporary Passion Play performed at St Andrew’s Church, Easter 2015 and Seeing It Through, a play about life on the home front in Hertford and Ware during the First World War. Kate will be speaking to students from all years, staff and parents in the Larch Centre on Monday @15.45

Lydia Syson is a critically acclaimed YA writer who has converted many readers to historical fiction since the publication of her debut novel, A World Between Us. Set during the Spanish Civil War, this was followed by That Burning Summer, which takes place during the Battle of Britain, and then Liberty's Fire, a dramatic account of France's last 19th-century revolution. Lydia really does bring history to life, exploring overlooked areas of the past with passion and insight. Year 9 and 10 students will hear Lydia on Tuesday. You can follow Lydia @LydiaSyson.

Clare Pollard’s first collection of poetry was written whilst she was still at school. She has since published four further collections, including Look, Clare! Look! which was a set text on the A-level syllabus, and her new translation of Ovid’s Heroines which is currently touring as a one-woman show. She blogs about life as a poet at www.clarepollard.com Clare will be giving poetry readings to Year 11 students on Thursday.

Christian Darkin, alumnus of Simon Balle is a writer and animator working in South East London. He has written nine books ranging from a picture book introducing very young children to the concept of evolution right up to novels for young adults and factual books. He has also written for radio, newspapers, magazines, TV and the theatre. As an animator, he has created special effects for movies, worked on video games and produced graphics for an entire series on CBeebies. Our Book Club will all be reading his first novel, The Skull. He is speaking to Year 8 students on Friday and will be having lunch with our Journalism Society. (He used to compile the School Magazine!) www.christiandarkin.wordpress.com

Melanie Taylor, our Guest Writer is currently writing a novel for Young Adults.

Melanie’s plays have been staged in Cambridge, and shortlisted in competitions.

Her writing has been published in journals, and her short story Sinker was a prize winner at the Ilkley Literature Festival in 2013. She is a qualified teacher and has a PhD in English Literature.

All authors will be signing their books at the end of each session. Books can be purchased on the day from the Leaf Café ‘pop- up’ bookshop.

Throughout the week we welcome Travelling Books who will be displaying and selling a wide range of current titles to all our students (our Library benefits through commission).

Simon Balle School gratefully acknowledges support from the Leaf Café and Oxfam Bookshop, Hertford.

Thanks also to the Student Librarians and Staff at SBAS who have helped in the organisation of Ready, Steady, Book!

Please join in the conversation #SBSReady and follow us on Twitter: @Simon_Balle @SBS_Library www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk

I PAD NEWSLETTER The One device per student scheme for years 7-11 is now in full swing and all students are benefitting from having their own iPads for use within lessons. We have however seen a dramatic increase in the number of damaged iPads, in particular broken screens. Although we understand that accidents do happen this is occurring too often for some students, with some devices returned a second time for repair. The insurance company are very quick to question and even decline devices which are requiring multiple repairs in a short space of time.

As a result of this we are informing parents and students of the following, effective of 1st October:



Each time an iPad is broken parents will be informed of this and students will be required to fill out a form.

Parents will be required to sign this form also before the device can be called over to the insurance company.



Besides extreme cases we wouldn’t expect more than 1 repair in an 18 month period.



Students who repeatedly break their devices may be asked to either fund the repair themselves (if the insurance company refuse to repair) or the iPad will remain in school at the end of each day and not be taken home



Students will be asked to consider the bags they use for carrying their iPads around and are reminded that it the device is being stored in their bag regularly that a sturdy rucksack is recommended.



All students are encouraged to store their devices in their lockers during break and lunch periods



We would also like to encourage regular checks of devices at home to ensure both the condition and use of the iPad is meeting both home and school expectations.

Our students are in a very unique position where by the school provides these devices and we want to ensure they can be used effectively within lessons without long periods of inactivity due to damage and the need to repair.

We would be happy to answer any questions regarding this—please email networkstaff@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

SMARTCARDS Daily spend limit on a card is £6.00 and we will not let anyone go over this amount.

To top up a card the minimum amount is £5.00 To replace a lost or broken card is £3.50 Please use your card as the canteen cannot accept cash for purchases.

PSA—Dates for your Diary Simon Balle PSA AGM—Tuesday 13th October 2015 from 7pm in the school library.

PSA Quiz Night—Saturday 14th November 7pm start. Ticket will be available via the PSA website closer to the event.

MUSIC NEWS In music lessons we are now fully using Google Classroom on iPads and computers. We are overcoming permission issues and now expect students to keep apps fully updated, to ensure that they work properly. KS3 and 4 students are also regularly using the Audioboom app, and posting the links to their work in Google classroom. All submitted work and homework can be tracked through this and so we have a very clear expectation that it will be used in lessons. There is no excuse for not having your iPad in lessons!

Evidence of work in music usually takes the form of recordings – recordings of compositions in progress and recordings of music learnt to perform. Year 9 are currently working on a performance of ‘Ready or Not’. They are learning their individual part. Year 8 are working on a rhythm composition and Year 7 will now be setting up their iPads in music. Again, help at home might be needed with this.

Please see below for the music calendar of events and dates – it is really important that they are in the diaries!

AUTUMN TERM Sunday 1st November Big Band to Ronnie Scott’s th Thursday 12 November Piano and Keyboard recital – Years 10 - 13 Friday 27th November Big Band at Christmas Lights in Hertford Tuesday 1st December Autumn Concert Broxbourne Civic Hall - 7pm This involves Senior Guitars, Concert and Junior Wind Bands, Choirs, Big Band, Musical Theatre, Orchestra, Strings, Saxidentals Friday 11th December Trinity standard exams th Saturday 12 December Take Note concert St Andrew’s Tuesday 15th December Carol Service All Saints’ 7pm (Public service) Wednesday 16th December Carol Service All Saints’ 11am (Students’ service) The Carol Services involve the choirs, Concert Band, Orchestra Saxidentals SPRING TERM Friday 22nd January Tuesday 9th February Thursday 11th February Monday 15th FebruaryFriday 19th February

Trinity Rock & Pop exams Associated Board exams Strings Recital – School Hall - 7pm HALF TERM

Friday 26th February Big Band Evening - REVISED DATE! Thursday 17th March Strings and Singing Concert School Hall This involves all choirs, Orchestra, Strings Thursday 31st March

Trinity standard exams

SUMMER TERM Saturday 23rd April Wind and Brass Concert School Hall - 7pm This involves both Wind Bands, Brass, Saxidentals Monday 30th May Friday 3rd June HALF TERM th Thursday 16 June Piano and Keyboard recital – Years 7 - 9 Saturday 2nd July Summer Concert at SBS, afternoon All ensembles involved Friday 15th July Trinity standard exams

PE NEWS Senior Success At District Hockey Simon Balle senior girls’ hockey team were victorious this week in their district 7-aside tournament for the second year running!

Strong competition from both Presdales and John Warner did not phase them. All girls played with fantastic determination and heart. Special mention to captain Sophie Rawlinson and Maddy Twyning for their skills and effort on pitch.

Simon Balle also put out a second team of Y11s that came joint 3rd with John Warner.

County U16 Netball Well done to the U16 girls who represented Simon Balle at the recent County Netball, the girls recorded a 12-2 win over Chauncy and lost close matches against Goff’s and Chancellors to finish 3rd overall in their group.

Sports Presentation Evening Sports Presentation Evening was held on Thursday 10th September in the school hall. The turn out from parents and students was fantastic and a great evening was enjoyed by all. The evening began with a review of the sports tour and introduction. Each sport was then reviewed along with the presentation of awards. The latter part of the evening fini9shed with the overall awards presented by the Head Teacher, Mrs Saunders. Congratulations to all students who were in attendance and to those who were successful in winning awards. We now look forward to another successful year of sport at SBAS.

SBAS Football season off and running The football season has started well with 9 fixtures already being played and many students being selected to represent District and County Teams.

On Saturday 12th boys teams from Year 8-10 competed against JFK school and won 2 games and drew 1.

The 1st XI welcomed the SBS football Academy from Hemel Hempstead on Wednesday and were narrowly defeated 2-0, with some of our players playing for their team.

Saturday 19th saw us put out 5 teams against Goff’s, with over 75 students representing the school, including 3 Y11 GCSE students, Lucy Sende, Dan Heald and Alex Washbourne refereeing the home games. 1 win 1 draw and 2 defeats.

We also have a record number of students being picked for representative football. Congratulations to the following students: Lea Valley District teams - Albert Nwahba, Jack Smith, Owen Hedge, Aiden Reid, Luke McCurry, Daniel Tarry, Sam Belshaw, Aaron Phipps.

Hertfordshire County team - Mitchell Gould, Aaron Phipps (2nd trials), Danielle Hills (2nd trials) The National and County Cup fixtures now get under way, with the Saturday morning fixtures for Football returning again after Christmas.

Rugby fixtures will now be on Saturday mornings.

Danielle Hills and Mitchell Gould Were selected for the Hertfordshire County Team

SIMON BALLE SCHOOL CUP FOOTBALL FIXTURES 2015/16 National Cup – Fixtures can be found on www.esfa.co.uk Boys Y7 x The Falcons School for Boys (A) Mon 21st Sept Y8 v The Elm Green School (H) TBA Y9 x Brentwood School (H) TBA Y10 x Cardinal Newman (A) Friday 2nd October 1st XI v Ashlyns (A) Weds 23rd Sept

SIMON BALLE SCHOOL SATURDAY FOOTBALL FIXTURES 2015/16 All KO’s are 9.30am unless otherwise stated OPPOSITION

DATE

U12

U13

U14

U15

JFK

Sat 12th Sept

Home

Home

Away

GOFFS

Sat 19th Sept

Open Morning Away

Home

Away

Home

BROXBOURNE

Sat 16th Jan

Home

Away

Away

Home

JOHN WARNER

Sat 23rd Jan

Home

Away

Away

Home

RICHARD HALE

Sat 30th Jan

Away

Home

Away

Home

SANDRINGHAM

Sat 27th Feb

TBC

TBC

TBC

TBC

TURNFORD

Sat 5th March

TBC

TBC

TBC

TBC

ROUNDWOOD

Sat 12th March Sat 19th March

Away

Home

Away

Home

TBC

TBC

TBC

TBC

ST IGNATIOUS

ParentPay When you log in to www.parentpay.com, there will be payment items listed as “due for payment”, if you think that you may have already paid for these please check your transaction history or contact the Finance Office for further assistance.

If you have not yet activated your account or require a login, please email finance@simonballe.herts.sch.uk or phone 01992 410400 and ask for the Finance Office.

Parental Consent forms for Trips We are changing the way we collect parental consent for all day trips. If you are paying for the trip using www.parentpay.com then you will give your permission online and will not be required to send in a paper reply slip. If you are paying by cash or cheque you will need to return the paper reply slip.

Residential trips will still require a signed paper parental consent form.