Spring Term 1 2018

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NEWSLETTER Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome to the end of the first half of Spring term newsletter. As you read through the good news and achievements of our pupils, I am sure you will agree it has been a relatively short but very busy and purposeful half term. There have been several highlights which you will read about on the following pages.

In particular, there is very good news with sports results, as a school and individually.

Celebration of our pupils’ achievement in the classroom, in sports, on visits and in music and drama is a central part of this half termly newsletter and the new weekly information bulletin and assemblies. I continue to be delighted at the number and diversity of pupils being nominated for the student of the week awards and it has been good to see how many attainment and attendance awards have been given out in celebration assemblies.

Exam classes are focusing well on the challenge of GCSEs, Btech and A levels in the summer. After half term Years 11 and 13 have another set of mocks to prepare for these. Over half term, there is an important revision programme organised; details have already gone out to all pupils. Good luck to all sitting these exams and remember how important they are for demonstrating progress towards the final exam.

Thank you for your continued support of your child in getting into school; we have had some poor weather and winter bugs around, but the majority of our pupils have made it into school consistently. Well done again! Thank you to all who have completed the parental survey over the past two weeks I look forward to sharing this information with you after half term.

Next half term, we can look forward to the Year 7 and 8 disco on 2nd March and the instrumental recital on 22nd March.

May I wish you all the best for the half term holiday and I look forward to seeing all pupils back at Barclay at 8.30 on Monday 19th February.

Best wishes

Mark Allchorn

Headteacher

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SCHOOL INFORMATION

KS3 Maths Homework Club Starting next half term, I will be running a KS3 Maths homework club on Tuesdays after school, 3pm – 4pm. It is an opportunity for those students who struggle to get access to a computer at home to complete their Mymaths homework. Also students who struggle with the homework are able to come along and get help from myself and

possibly a couple of Year 10 Maths leaders.

Mr Sole

Intervention Sessions

Over half term we will be hosting a number of intervention sessions for students. Most sessions are by invitation

only, (students will have received their timetables on Friday 2nd February) and we would highly encourage students

to attend as many sessions as possible. Students are requested to bring in a packed lunch and to sign in at reception.

We will be providing light refreshments for them. All sessions will run from 9-12pm or 12:30-3pm. Students are

required to wear uniform.

Year 9 Access Arrangements in the forthcoming GCSE series All Year 9 students will be involved in a year group assessment on Wednesday 7th March 2018. This assessment will help to identify those students who might qualify for Access Arrangements in the forthcoming GCSE series. Access Arrangements are changes that can be made to public examinations to make the content more accessible to students who have specific learning difficulties. Please note that permission for Access Arrangements is determined by the awarding body and not the school. Some students will be asked to undertake further testing at a later date and for others the process will be complete after the initial assessment. If your child qualifies for any form of Access Arrangement you will be contacted directly.

Mrs S Chesterton SpLD Specialist Assessor

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School Gateway – Download the APP

We are making improvements in the way we communicate with you. We have been sending

out achievement points to you and would like to share other information with you about your child including;

Attendance

Timetable

Reports

Clubs

Messaging – free of charge to you and the school

Homework

Your information – you will be able to update your details electronically to the school

We have set up a link on our website for the gateway log in and for you to download the app.

We would very much appreciate your feedback!

GOOD NEWS

On Saturday 3rd February Tyler Wannerton (Year 8) competed at the County Cross Country Championships in St. Albans. The conditions on the day were ideal for cross country running yet draining for athletes due to the amount of rain making the surfaces boggy. Tyler is a first year at the junior age group category and therefore competed against a field of mainly year 9 students. Despite this Tyler managed to finish 21st overall from a field of 87 other students.

Well done Tyler and this bodes well for next year’s event.

Year 7 & 8 School Disco

The Year 7 & 8 disco will take place on Friday 2nd March from 4pm-6pm in the school hall. Tickets cost £3 and will

be available from Monday 19th February at lunch and break time in the front lobby.

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EVENTS AND TRIPS

Year 9 STEM Event

On Friday 12th January our Year 9 students enjoyed a

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths)

morning with partners from business and the RAF. The

event helped to support their options process and

opened their minds to all the opportunities available to

them.

Year 9 Holocaust Workshop at Elstree &

Borehamwood On Monday 29th January, we went to a

synagogue, a Jewish place of worship, to

remember the Holocaust and the loss of

life. We learnt about the 6 million Jewish who were

viciously murdered by Hitler and the Nazis. It was a very

humbling and privileged experience as we got to meet

a survivor of the Holocaust, Janine Webber and ask

questions. It was very important for us to understand

the magnitude of the events that occurred before our

time, in order for us to

understand the atrocities of

racism and prejudice. Overall,

it was very enjoyable and

interesting, and has inspired

many of us.

Year 9 Student’s reflection of workshop

Stephen McPartland Visit

On Friday 26th

January we welcomed Stephen McPartland MP to our

school. It was a brief but full visit where he met some

of our students and had a tour of our school in action.

Rewards Trips

As a reward and well-earned break from the hard work

our Year 10 and 11 students have been doing, we are

planning a rewards afternoon trip on Friday 9th

February. They will be heading to Hollywood Bowl in

the leisure park.

Peter Pan – It’s a wrap!

The whole cast of the Barclay production of Peter Pan

attended the wrap party in January to celebrate

another successful show. The cast sat and watched a

recording of the production and enjoyed it very much

indeed. The party started with the dance off where

Max (a.k.a Peter Pan) and Finn (a.k.a. Michael) stole

the dance floor busting some shapes… so much talent!

Finally the wrap party calmed down when the pizza

arrived and a beautiful cake made by Poppy (a.k.a

Tinkerbell) was enjoyed by all.

Overall, it was a fabulous

experience bringing students

from different years together -

well done for all your commitment and hard work.

I wonder what Barclay School’s next big show will be?

Any ideas then let me know…

Mrs Norman

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Year 11 Inter Department Quiz On the 16th January, we hosted the first ever North Herts Teaching Alliance Geography Quiz. The evening was a huge success and we had over 85 students take part on the evening. The eventual winners were the Kinight Templar School from Baldock who beat Hitchin Girls school by 1 point. Barclay students were very welcoming to all students and did themselves proud.

A Level Fieldtrip

From the 11th - 14th January, Geography students had a long residential stay at Juniper Hall FSC in Surrey. During the 4 days we completed an Urban Fieldwork in Leatherhead along with a Coastal Fieldwork at Seeford. This was important as our Year 13 students Amber Rosen and Mitch Hull were completing the final write up of their A Level coursework.

Our Year 12 students learned new techniques which they can now apply to their coursework early next year.

We also managed fit in an early morning hike at 7am in the Surrey countryside. A great time was had by all.

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LIBRARY NEWS

We have a selection of new books in the library that have been carefully chosen by BookTrust.

Each pack is designed to broaden students reading opportunities and encourage them to try different genres and

authors.

There are two categories; Reluctant Readers and Future Classics both ideal for Key Stage 3 students.

Parents/carers please encourage your child to explore these books when next in the library. Reading is such an important part of our everyday lives, we read for all sorts of reasons and in all sorts of moods: books give pleasure, solace, information and power!“ The Literacy Trust.

Reluctant Readers:

The BookTrust has chosen some great books, including illustrated fiction and accessible novels to engage readers

and unlock the wonder of books.

Ring of Roses by Mary Hooper Set in 1665, Abby works as a nursemaid in a grand house in London. However the year 1665 sees

the outbreak of the Great Plague and panic rises as it begins to spread. Can Abby, her best friend

Hannah and baby Grace survive? For fans of historic fiction this book is gripping and haunting. At

the Sign of the Sugared Plum and Petals in the Ashes are also set during this same period and

follows the lives of the girls.

Liam by Benjamin Zephaniah Although Liam loves his adopted mum, he decides he wants to track down his real parents.

Liam’s search takes him to Dublin, Kenya and finally home again, where he discovers a

secret that has been kept hidden for sixteen years.

Thicker Than Water by Anne Cassidy George and Lennie are best friends who, despite trying to move on, can never

escape the violence that seems to follow them. A modern-day remix of John

Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men this powerful and hard-hitting story is

about friendship and loyalty.

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Future Classics:

The BookTrust has selected five of the best new books, which all offer great scope for discussion and activities.

Danger Really is Everywhere by David O’Doherty and illustrated by Chris Judge After an accident in his danger-mobile involving a dinner lady, “Doctor” Noel Zone returns to school

and discovers that danger really is everywhere. As the world’s number one self-appointed

Dangerologist, he sets out to solve the crime of missing bikes and shares tips for avoiding danger.

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon Born in an Australian detention centre, Subhi is a Rohingya refugee who uses stories to lesson his suffering.

One night , at the detention centre fence, Subhi meets a girl named Jimmie and they strike up an unlikely

friendship that changes their lives forever. But can Subhi survive the brutal reality of life inside the detention

centre?

Booked by Kwame Alexander Twelve year old Nick Hall has a passion for soccer, but Nick’s dad thinks he should spend more time

reading. When Nick’s parents separate his world starts to fall apart. Bullied at school, only his

blossoming friendship with April, the girl of his dreams, and advice from hip-hop-producer-turned-

school librarian The Mac, offer Nick a ray of hope.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Jon Klassen Peter is inseparable from his pet, Pax, an orphaned fox cub. When Peter’s father enlists in

the army, he forces his son to return Pax to the wild. As the war draws near, they must

learn to adapt to survive as both embark on perilous journeys to find each other again.

Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Buttworth Tash and her best friend Sam live in Tibet. After a man in Tash’s village sets himself on fire in protest

of the Chinese occupation of Tibet, soldiers raid their village and arrest Tash’s parents. Setting out

to seek help from the Dalai lama in India, Tash and Sam undertake a dangerous journey across the

Himalayas.

Stargazing for Beginners by Jenny McLachlan Meg dreams of becoming an astronaut. She’s entering a competition to go to NASA, but everyday

descends into chaos when her mum flies off to Myanmar, leaving Meg to look after her baby sister.

It’s tricky, but some surprising new friendships help her manage the messiness of life on earth and

succeed in her goals.

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MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Instrumental Lessons

Did you know that learning an instrument can support your child's academic learning across the whole school?

As well as developing musically, students who learn an instrument learn lots of transferable skills which can support

them across the school such as confidence, self-motivation and independence. Some students find that having learnt

an instrument at Barclay School, it has supported their UCAS university and college applications when looking for post

16 courses. Hertfordshire Music Service offers funding to support parents receiving some government benefits or

free school meals for their child. For full details of the financial support scheme: speak to your School or Hertfordshire

Music Service Music Centre, or go to www.hertsmusicservice.org.uk/remission/. If you are eligible for help with music

lessons, you will need to pay £20 per term to your school or music centre in order to receive this additional financial

support. Please note this fee is not refundable.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Music Department if you would like more information. If you would like support completing the online forms, please contact us to make an appointment.

Music Extra-Curricular Clubs

We have a new music extra-curricular timetable, please see below. Please encourage your son/daughter to come

along and give some of our activities a go. They are free!

Lunch After School

Monday Keyboard Club - Miss Read PA7

Tuesday

Ensemble

Miss Dearn - PA7

Band rehearsal

Mr Fairey in PR4

(invite only see Miss Dearn)

Barclay Voices

Miss Dearn - PA7 3-3:45pm

For all students in KS3, 4 and 5

No audition needed

Wednesday Vocal Group – PA2

(Audition only see Miss Dearn)

Thursday

Ukulele group

PA7 for all KS3, 4 and 5 students

6th Form lead

Musical Theatre Club – Miss

Dearn – PA2

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Band rehearsal Mr Fairey in PR4 (invite only see Miss Dearn)

Exam Achievements Congratulations to the following students: Alice Hannaford – Grade 3 Trumpet with Merit; Tom Radford – Grade 3 Trumpet with Merit

Forthcoming Events

Thursday 22nd March Spring Instrumental Recital 7pm in PA7

Tuesday 24th April Barclay Rocks Concert 7pm

Wednesday 11th July MADD Concert 7pm in the Hall

Termination of Instrumental Lessons Hertfordshire Music Service guidelines state:

Lessons can only commence at the beginning of term or after a half term.

To cancel lessons half a term’s written notice to the Finance Department is required.

You are still liable for payment for this notice period, even if lessons are not attended.

Notice of Cancellation received by: Last lesson will occur the week of:

Friday 20th October 2017 Monday 11th December 2017

Friday 15th December 2017 Monday 5th February 2018

Friday 9th February 2018 Monday 26th March 2018

Thursday 29th March 2018 Monday 21st May 2018

Friday 25th May 2018 Monday 16th July 2018

Friday 20th July 2018 Monday 22nd October 2018

Instrumental Lesson Information When a teacher is available at the scheduled lesson but the student is unable to attend, the lesson is forfeited and no refund can be given. When the teacher is absent every effort will be made to make up the lesson, but if this cannot be done a credit will be issued which will then be calculated at the end of the academic year. It is the student’s responsibility to give the Music Department one week’s notice to change a scheduled lesson for reasons such as trips, appointments, controlled assessments etc.

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Spring Term 1 2018

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PE DEPARTMENT

Extra-Curricular Update

We have added some new sports to our list of extra-curricular activities so please do encourage your child to attend

and experience a variety of sports at Barclay. Please see the timetable below:

Day Club

Monday Football Year 7 & 8

Volleyball (all years)

Tuesday Basketball (all years)

Table Tennis (all years)

Wednesday Rugby (Year 7)

Football (Year 9 & 10)

Netball (all years)

Cricket (all years) (only on week 1)

Thursday Dodgeball (all years)

Friday GCSE/BTEC/V-Cert Revision class

Sports Leadership Event at Stevenage Leisure Centre

On Wednesday 31st January and Thursday 1st February a selection of Barclay pupils attended a primary school mini

Olympics as sports leaders. Barclay pupils represented the school very well with Stevenage Sporting Futures already

asking us to help again in the future. Well done to all involved, please see list of attendees below:

Year 9 Year 8 Year 7

Josie Bygrave Courtney Montague Charlie Mills

Reece Sullivan Olivia McMahon Julie Dymoke

William Bryson Lewie Harding

Archie Burgess Scott Yates

Milly McBreen Dally Gogognon

Olivia O’Sullivan Naomi Williams

Harvey Holliday Frankie Blackham

Bola Akilo Max Upchurch

Ellie Cochlan Erin Thorman

Fay Feagan

Satveer Pawar

Harley Harris

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Year 7 & 8 Football Team

The girls’ year 7 & 8 football team have been fantastic so far – they are unbeaten! We have some amazing footballers

in these two year groups. Scores so far:

Drew 0 – 0 with Nobel

Beat Priory A team 4 – 0

Beat JHN 2 – 0

The squad:

Year 7 Year 8

Charlie Mills

Julie Dymoke

Kelsey Cooper

Sophie Castle

Lily Davison

Gaby Austin

Caitlin O’Sullivan

Naomi Williams

Frankie Blackham

Courtney Montague

Olivia McMahon

Mia Holtom

Katie Nash

There are more fixtures coming up against Priory B team, Marriotts, Barnwell and Thomas Alleynes. There are also

tournaments coming up shortly.

Netball

Unfortunately, our fixtures recently haven been cancelled either due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

After half term years 7 and 10 have some fixtures to catch up on and years 7, 9 and 10 also have their tournaments to

look forward to.

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Careers for Students at Barclay

Careers education and guidance is an important part of The Barclay School’s provision for our young people. With the

right support and advice, it helps them to make decisions at key points in their academic life and supports their

successful transition from school to further education or work. Connexions come into school weekly to provide advice

and guidance primarily to years 11, but also to other pupils where there is a need. At Barclay we regularly have visiting

speakers and a varied programme of careers related activities. One of our recent events was our successful interview

day which was held for year 11 and year 13 just before Christmas. We are currently arranging a Careers fair at Barclay

on 25th April for Years 9 upwards and there will be a range of employers and training providers to speak to them about

a variety of different careers options. More information to follow.

Careers Fairs

All students in years 11/12/13 need to be considering their post 16 & post 18 choices and I would recommend the following careers fairs in March:

The UK University and Apprenticeship Search Fair is on Friday 2nd March at The Emirates Stadium, Arsenal.

This event is especially relevant to Year 12s, but is also great for those who are still undecided on their

options in Year 13s and to help inspire Year 11s. This event is for students who are considering their post 18

options and it has four large exhibition halls surrounding the pitch. The fair features a huge number of

universities, institutions and apprenticeship providers. There will also be seminars where topics covered

include UCAS personal statements, student finance and Higher & Degree Apprenticeships.

To register for this event visit http://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/fair-london

To see the brochure: http://www.ukuniversitysearch.com/img/fair/London%20Spring%202018.pdf

The National Apprenticeship Show is in the Arena Milton Keynes and has over 100 employers and is for those wanting to know more about apprenticeships and what they can offer post 16 and post 18. This is a lively, interactive and informative event. For more information, go to: http://www.nationalapprenticeshipshow.org/midlands/

You can book by going to: http://www.nationalapprenticeshipshow.org/midlands/general-booking-form/

Taster Courses

Students in year 12 are encouraged to start thinking about their options post 18. If they are considering applying

to University, it would be a good idea to start to attend open days. A full listing of university open days can be

found on www.opendays.com. Universities also offer useful taster days where pupils attend lectures and seminars

to get an idea of what studying at university is like. You can search for these at:

https://www.ucas.com/events/exploring-university/learn-about-uni-taster-course

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Open Days

The following open days at local colleges will be useful for those considering their options post school. Details for booking a visit

will be found on individual college websites.

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YEAR 7 NEWS

The Year 7s continue to work really well in their lessons. As a year group, as of Friday 2nd February, they had received a total of 30224 achievement points which is excellent.

The top 11 achievement points as of 2nd February were:

Francesca Beretta 7DEH 741

Grace Bryson 7FRA 549

Charlie Mills 7DEH 525

Siobhan Byrne 7DEH 517

Samuel Eghan 7DEH 494

Daniel Wright 7MOR 464

Sophie Castle 7MOR 460

Niggy Jacob 7FRA 459

Ronan Sealy 7MOR 450

Lucy Mitchell 7BRU 445

Inderjeet Pawar 7MOR 445

Form Group Weekly Competition

Each week, I look at each for groups attendance, lates and achievement points. As of 2nd February, the winning forms were:

Attendance: Brunel (97.13%)

Achievement points: Moore (8942)

Least number of lates: Franklin

Student of the Week

Each week, a Student of the Week is chosen. Those students who have been awarded this have received a certificate from Mr Allchorn so please ask to see this if your son or daughter has received this award.

Since Christmas, the following students have received this award:

Millie Cochlan, Harry Curtis, Lucy Mitchell and Joe Cochlan

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YEAR 8 NEWS

The Year 8s continue to work really well in their lessons. As a year group, as of Friday 2nd February, they had received a total of 39346 achievement points which is amazing!! By far the highest in the school!

The top 10 achievement points as of 2nd February were:

Oliwier Burian 8FRA1 799

James Bell 8DEH1 694

Janae Kuffour 8FRA1 673

Bushra Hussain 8BRU1 615

Sammy Hawkins 8DEH1 593

Usman Khan 8FRA1 566

Fin Richards 8MOR1 559

Satveer Pawar 8FRA1 558

Anasooya Sathyan 8FRA2 528

Qaussain Haidar 8BRU1 493

Form Group Weekly Competition

Each week, I look at each for groups attendance, lates and achievement points. As of 2nd February, the winning forms were:

Attendance: MOR1 (95.25%)

Achievement points: MOR1 (8201)

Least number of lates: FRA2

Student of the Week

Each week, a Student of the Week is chosen. Those students who have been awarded this have received a certificate from Mr Allchorn so please ask to see this if your son or daughter has received this award.

Since Christmas, the following students have received this award:

Eleanor Beaven, Scarlett Hylton, Katie Bowen and Rory Young

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YEAR 9 NEWS

Another half term has passed and for Year 9 it has certainly been a busy one; The first Monday back saw 50 of our students attend

the University of Hertfordshire which linked into the Year 9 Options process. It was aimed at inspiring our students and providing

them an early insight into the options available to them after their studies at school and the crazy idea that they can all attend

university if they desire. Imagine that, our little world changers being able to access over 50,000 degree courses across the

country; scary but incredibly exciting! I am in discussion with the University about running another trip to those who were unable

to access the first trip.

Shortly after this the entire year group took part in the Barclay School’s STEM Event (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths);

we invited 6 local employers and professionals in to run a variety of workshops and lectures about the world of STEM and the

possible job opportunities that exist on their door step.

MBDA joined us to run a workshop around design and manufacturing followed by a paper plane exercise. FUJITSU popped in to

provide students with information about careers and technology at Fujitsu and then a team building activity to show the

importance of working as a team. The Royal Air Force flew in and provided students with career and apprenticeship information

followed by a hands on activity that encourages teamwork and lateral thinking in a fun environment. OPUS ENGINEERING supplied

students with an all morning workshop that showed students how engineers collaborate to design, test, and improve on their

ideas, as well as examine hidden assumptions that can derail the creative process and final product. Adrian Carrington gave a talk

on What is an Engineer, careers and skills in all types of engineering and why Maths is important. Lastly we were supported by

Youth Connexions Hertfordshire who provided students with a whole world approach to STEM and how students use STEM every

day without realising it.

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Year 9 Options

Over half term students will have to make that difficult decision of deciding what they wish to study over the 2 years of GCSEs, I

cannot stress the importance of allowing your child to make the decision that they want to make. It is so hard as parents or carers

to want to make the right decision for them, but this is something that they must make as they need to buy into their future. Of

course we as a school will support them and parents and carers about their options over the next term or so and if a conversation

needs to happen about their decisions we as a school and you as parents can meet to discuss their choices.

Can I please remind you that options are not based on a first come first served basis, but it is vital that we receive the options form

on Monday 19th February 2018 so that we can begin building the GCSE structure in order to secure students their choices.

Event Date

GCSE Options Forms Deadline Monday 19th February 2018

Options forms will be brought home by students on Friday 9th February 2018.

Attendance

I would like to emphasise just how important attendance and punctuality are for making sure pupils achieve their potential. One day off here and another there really does have a detrimental effect on the progress of our students; below shows the current attendance percentage of the year group, as well as the correlation between days off and the amount of lessons missed. Please do not allow your child to miss any further time off unless for exceptional circumstances. If you have any concerns regarding your son or daughter’s attendance, please contact their form tutor who will be happy to discuss your concerns.

Form time

When we return after half term Year 9 will be looking at the current culture within the year group; we have seen a rise in unkind comments between students but this is mainly due to students not thinking about what they are saying. Students will be thinking about how to be more respectful and kind within our community and how to create a community that lives without harm.

Achievement Once again students are working hard within lessons and are being recognised for it; students are pushing their own abilities in an

attempt to better themselves. This half term we end on a respectable 5500 Achievement Points; however, I know that the year

group can do much better. The school table for this half term looks like this;

Year 7 8378

Year 8 10980

Year 9 5500

Year 10 6419

Year 11 4354

Autumn Half Term End of Autumn Term

Spring Half Term

9BRU1 94.5% 96.2% 96.7%

9BRU2 94.7% 95.2% 93.7%

9DEH1 94.4% 94.8% 95.8%

9FRA1 91.2% 92.0% 93.6%

9MOR2 93.5% 94.8% 92.0%

Year 9 93.7% 94.6% 94.4%

Percentage Days in School

Days Missed Lessons Missed

100% 190 0 0

97% 185 5 25

95% 180 10 50

90% 171 19 95

85% 161 29 145

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The top 10 achievement points for this half term go to:

Good Luck Year 9 with selecting your options and I will see you after half term!

Behave!

Mr J Foley, Head of Year 9

Achievement 1st January – 2nd February

Top 10 Achievers

Name Form Achievement Points

Stephen Mitchell FRA1 133

Katie Ayres FRA1 120

Charli Misell FRA1 109

Chloe Trotman DEH1 109

Alicia Woods DEH1 94

Charlotte Hathaway MOR2 90

Max Homfray-Cooper BRU1 82

John-Paul Gibson MOR2 81

Ellie Crawshaw DEH1 80

Reece Sullivan DEH1 79

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KS4 NEWS

I would like to share with you some of the ‘student of the week’ nominations to show how caring, dedicated and hardworking

our students are:

Year 10

Toby Deane – ‘Nominated by Mr Grizzell for his huge effort in the District Cross Country and for completing his Grade 1 drumming exam’ Robbie Marven – ‘Nominated by Miss Sherwin for his great participation and thoughtful questioning during Maths lessons.

Alex Prosser – ‘Nominated by Mr Millership for a big improvement in ATL in English lessons - well done Alex’

Ryan Hesketh – ‘Nominated by Mr Millership for continuing to excel and work harder each lesson.’

James Hawketts – ‘Nominated by Mr Corrigan for achieving 100% in his GCSE end of unit test.’

Josh Liddar – ‘Nominated by Ms Morgan for excellent progress in English.’

Morium Begum – ‘Nominated by Mrs Eckersall for working hard and producing fabulous work.’

Year 11 Sophie Proger – ‘Nominated by Ms O’Sullivan for having an outstanding attitude to learning, homework and revision’

Rhiann Varney – ‘Nominated by Mrs Eckersall for the hard work and effort that has gone into her coursework.’

Amy Villamor – ‘Nominated by Ms Sherwin for her desire to progress in Maths and setting such a positive example to others in

the form’

Zhihan Yi – ‘Nominated by Ms Broderick and Mrs Baker for scoring a Grade 9 in both her Physics and Chemistry tests - well done!’

Moyo Sodipe – ‘Nominated by Ms O’Sullivan for having an outstanding attitude to learning, homework and revision’

Demi Driscoll – ‘Nominated by Mr Millership for a huge improvement in her attitude to learning in English.’

Aiden Hutt – ‘Nominated by Ms Morgan for his excellent work ethic and positive approach to his studies.’

Claire-Louise Meade – ‘Nominated by Mrs Eckersall for her consistent positive attitude to learning and being a pleasure to teach.’

_______________________________________

Year Group News ______________________________________________________

Year 11 The year 11s have been working hard this term to prepare themselves to sit their GCSE exams at the end of the year. There have been many individual

successes and as a year group they have received over 15,000 merits which is excellent! Hopefully the students will find some time to relax over half term as

well as revising for their next set of mock exams. Nearly there year 11!

Year 10

Year 10 have continued to raise their high standards in terms of attitude to learning this half-term and have received over 26,000 merits so far this year! I am confident that this number will continue to rise throughout the second half of the year. Keep up the great work year 10 and enjoy your well-deserved rest!

_________________________________

100% Attendance

_________________________________ Congratulations to all of the students below who have been in everyday and on time since coming back after

the Christmas holidays.

Year 10 Year 11

Matthew Sack Emily Gilbert Angel Benny Samantha Prosser James Bowery Adil Rahman Orla Curran Charlotte Higgins Anita Sajeev Amy Villamor Jamie Dewsall Charlie Cook Oliver Gallagher Sophie Proger Charlotte Gibson Bruges Scrivener Tom Hawkins Rhiann Varney Ryan Hesketh Matthew Williams Carol Kuruvilla Jack McQuiggan Caitlin Hood Riyaadh Miah Lauren Hughes Millie Dean Levi Veitch Joshua Nool Jude Lloyd Alwin Regil Ryan Misell Robert Donald Najeeb Mohiuddin Lucy Castle Paige Pincott Sahil Rahman

Top 10 Achievement

Points Year 11:

Emily Gilbert

Moyo Sodipe

Samantha Prosser

Adil Rahman

Joe Doak

Charlotte Higgins

Mia Beskeen

Amy Villamor

Charlie Cook

Libbi McCarthy

Top 10 Achievement

Points Year 10:

Matthew Sack

James Hawketts

Carol Kuruvilla

Natalia Seville-Niven

Lauren Hughes

Becca Wright

Elyott Haig

Molly McQuiggan

Taheer Abdul

Ainesh Chopde

Spring Term 1 2018

21

SIXTH FORM NEWS

It has been a busy half term in Key Stage 5. Our Year 13 students have come back from their festive break to the results

of their first formal assessment of the year in the form of their mock exams. These have given us a better understanding

of how they are achieving on their courses and to allow their teachers to implement effective strategies of intervention

to help them make improvements before their next round of mock examinations which will run from Monday 19th of

February through to Friday 23rd February. These upcoming mock exams are imperative for us to ascertain the progress

of KS5 students. I am sure that teachers and parents alike will support our students as they move forward towards

their final examinations.

As I am writing this I am also reflecting on the Year 11 interviews that I and some of the members of the Senior Team

are carrying out, where we are discussing with our students their proposed Key Stage 5 programme of study: the

subjects they are wanting to do for next two years post Key Stage 4. It has been a good opportunity for me to introduce

our Year 11 students to the application process for Key Stage 5 here at The Barclay School and to be able to discuss

their future aspirations and how we, as a school, can support and enable to make this a reality. It is not too late to

apply for the Sixth Form here at Barclay school, we have plenty spaces on our courses.

We are also able to offer a Level 2 pathway for some of our Year 11 pupils. This will enable them boost their GCSE

grades, gain further Level 2 qualifications and, hopefully, transition onto Level 3 courses after one year. This means

that we can offer those students who may not get the entry requirements for a Level 3 programme, who would have

had to leave us in the past, the opportunity to stay here at Barclay for up to another 3 years. We will be sending out a

prospectus and application form for this pathway in due course. For more information, please do not hesitate

contacting me.

Over the next term and a half Mrs Ward, our Careers Advisor, and I will start to work with Year 12 on helping them to

decide their future plans post Key Stage 5. We will start the process of UCAS and will advise students on their next

steps. Mrs Ward runs an excellent series of Learning for Life lessons aimed at UCAS preparation; there will also be a

parents’ information evening event on UCAS (we will confirm the date with you soon). Please continue to have

conversations with your son or daughter about what they want to do after Barclay and encourage them to visit

universities, if this is their chosen route, or research apprenticeships.

I look forward to this time of year as there is a real tangible buzz of anticipation and excitement as we get closer to the

exam season. Year 13 students are choosing their futures – apprenticeship offers are coming in, UCAS choices are

being confirmed and GAP years are being planned (my favourite). This affects Year 12 students as they start to form a

vision for what they might do once they have finished their studies with us. The joy of being the Head of Sixth Form is

watching the students become more adult and take their own lives into their hands and shape their futures.

Our students are continuing to study hard in their subjects before a well-deserved break at half term: well only for

Year 12 as Year 13 need to study hard for their impending summer exams!!

I am very much looking forward to the term ahead and wish all of our students the best of luck in all their endeavours.

Mr Norwood, Director of KS5

Spring Term 1 2018

22

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday 12th – Friday 16th February Spring Half Term

Monday 19th – Monday 26th February Year 11 Mock Exams

Monday 19th – Thursday 22nd February Year 13 Mock Exams

Thursday 1st March Year 11 NCS Parent presentation evening 5-6.30pm Hall

Friday 2nd March Year 7 & 8 Disco 4pm-6pm

Thursday 8th March Year 10 Parent Evening 4-6:30pm

Thursday 15th March Year 7 Maths Challenge @ Thomas Alleyne Academy 4pm-5:30pm

Tuesday 27th March Year 10 DTP/Men ACWY Vaccinations

Thursday 29th March End of Spring Term

Term Dates 2017/18

SPRING TERM 2018

Wednesday 3rd January – Thursday 29th March Half Term: Monday 12th February – Friday 16th February Easter Break: Friday 30th March – Friday 13th April

SUMMER TERM 2018

Monday 16th April – Friday 20th July Inset Day

Half Term: Monday 28th May – Friday 1st June Monday 16th April

May Day Holiday: Monday 7th May Monday 23rd July (School closed) Occasional Days Tuesday 24th - Friday 27th July 2018

AUTUMN TERM 2018

Monday 3rd September – Friday 21st December Inset Day

Half Term: Monday 29th October – Friday 2nd November Monday 3rd September

Christmas Break: Monday 24th December – Friday 4th January

Spring Term 1 2018

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NOTICES

Free School Meals

We would like to remind you that your child may be entitled to Free School Meals if you receive any of the following:

Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and you don't receive more than £16,190

a year) Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) Universal Credit

Free school meals for students that have received a meal in the previous school year are automatically renewed every September by County providing circumstances have not changed. This means that, in most cases, students will continue to receive their free meal and parents need not contact County or reapply.

If you think you might be entitled to Free School Meals, new applications can be made at www.Hertfordshire.gov.uk. However, we can also apply on your behalf. If you would like us to do this for you, please contact us and provide the information below:

The name of the person receiving the benefit, their address, and date of birth, National Insurance number and the type of benefit being received and we will check eligibility. Please also confirm your child's name.

Mrs Allen, SIMS Manager

Spring Term 1 2018

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Spring Term 1 2018

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The Barclay School hires its facilities out to the Community. Here

are some of the after School and weekend activities taking

place:

Stevenage Shotokan Karate Club

If you want to get fit and keep fit, gain confidence, develop respect through discipline and learn a self-defence in a safe and friendly environment – why not come along and join in. Training sessions are held twice a week in the gym at Barclay School: Monday – 6.30pm to 7.00pm Beginners (Juniors & Adults split) / 7.00pm to 8.00pm Juniors (6-16 year olds) / 8.00pm to 9.00pm Adults (16 years & above). Thursday – 6.30pm to 7.00pm Beginners (Juniors & Adults split) / 7.00pm to 8.00pm Juniors (6-16 year olds) / 8.00pm to 9.00pm Adults (16 & above). Kickers Karate – 5.45pm to 6.15pm (4-6 year olds). DOWNLOAD THE FLYER IN THE BEGINNERS SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE AND BRING IT WITH YOU FOR A FREE INTRODUCTORY FIRST LESSON! For further information contact: Chief instructor Tom Peebles (5th Dan) on 07710 944159 Email: enquiries@jkastevenage.org Website: www.jkastevenage.org

A professional theatre school for 4 to 16 year olds. We inspire creativity and build confidence through singing, acting and dancing. Classes run on term time Saturdays at the Barclay School. To book a two week trial you can email Louise on stevenage@stagecoach.co.uk or call on 01462 731388. Website: www.stagecoach.co.uk/stevenage

Stevenage Vineyard – a church in the community. We are a multicultural, multigenerational church meeting at Barclay School every Sunday starting at 10.30 am for Coffee and Doughnuts. All are welcome to join us for contemporary worship and a talk relevant for today. Children’s work is provided.

For further details, please visit our website www.stevenage-vineyard.co.uk