In this last issue of 2023/24, we say goodbye to Mrs Eastman after 45 years of service to St Bart’s. Plus we wrap up a great year of student achievements, in this week’s BartholoNews.
St Bart’s staff, students, governors, parents, and alumni proudly participated in this year’s Newbury Pride parade, showcasing the school’s commitment to inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community.
The march started on Bartholomew Street and concluded in Victoria Park. At the park, Lee Dillon, a former St Bart’s student and current Newbury MP, expressed his enthusiastic support for the school’s involvement in the parade.
This year marks the third annual Newbury Pride and is a significant milestone for St Bart’s, as it is the first time the school has taken part. The school’s participation underscores its dedication to fostering an environment where diversity and acceptance are celebrated.
As the rest of the country took to the polls, St Bart’s had its very own Mock Election, allowing students to have their say.
All of the parties that were running in Newbury were represented in our election (apart from the Freedom Alliance Party) with one candidate and someone to endorse them. The candidates were as follows: Ethan for the Conservatives, Arthur for the Greens, Amos for Labour, Harry for the Liberal Democrats, Freddie for Reform and Elis for UKIP.
All the candidates took part in the hustings, answering some tough questions from the crowd, such as questions about the economy, immigration and the environment. Following this they all gave a speech in each year group’s assembly where they all performed confidently and passionately (a few candidates in particular!). A sense of what the party stood for and how they would lead was effectively communicated, and it was really exciting for us to be able to experience this, as it will be another few years before some of us will be able to vote.
Finally, the day arrived. On 3 July, St Bart’s took to the polls! The polling station was set up in Patterson break out space and was as close as we could get (apart from needing voter ID) to the real thing. Casting my vote felt really important and I’m so grateful we got this opportunity. A massive thanks to Mrs Lane for organising this!
The results came in on Friday 5 July…
It was really interesting where our student body placed their votes and how this compared to the rest of the UK. Hopefully this will become a St Bart’s tradition every time we have a general election. Turnout is so low among 18-24 year olds, and so I think it’s really important to show politics as relevant as early as we can. Hopefully the Mock Election will show people the numerous benefits of participating in politics.
Jemima Kerr (12P1)
St Bart’s goes to the polls! And our artists exhibit their work in this week’s BartholoNews.
Bart’s 4 Bees took a small group out on our first trip to a working apiary last week. Once we were all dressed up in our safety suits, we were shown around by our beekeeping mentor, Stephen. Some of the students were a little apprehensive about being around the open hives but were so fascinated by these charismatic insects getting on with their work that the nerves soon disappeared. All the students were brave enough to hold a frame of bees and get up close to see all the nectar and pollen they had collected along with the brood cells full of developing baby bees! We even spotted the queen (marked with a blue dot) surrounded by her attendant bees.
It was a great experience and certainly captured the interest of the students – the number of ‘wows’ that were heard as the frames full of bees came out of the hive was brilliant. The students were impeccably behaved and a credit to us, but my favourite bit of the trip was listening to them congratulating themselves and each other on their bravery – what a fabulous demonstration of our BARTS values! Bart’s 4 Bees club meets every week after school on a Thursday and is open to all years – come along!
We have lots of trips news from RAL Harwell, Bart’s 4 Bees to the Biology Field Trip. Plus information school uniform summer discounts in this week’s BartholoNews.
On Wednesday 26 June, we took 22 Computer Science and Physics students to Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, to take part in their open week. RAL welcomed 2400 students over the course of two days, opening up their facilities for the students to take part in workshops, talks, and tours.
We arrived at 10:45 and went straight into a talk on the Boulby Underground Mine and their search for dark matter. The live feed with a member of the lab team was incredibly interesting as they discussed the various experiments undertaken at the mine, including the Rosalind Franklin Rover, Nuclear Security in conjunction with the AWE, and the use of muons as an early tsunami warning indicator.
After lunch, we were given a tour of the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, where we saw their high-energy particle accelerators and discussed different projects they had undertaken, including the scanning of the hominin skull ‘Little Foot’ – the most complete Australopithecine fossil ever recovered. Verity said “I particularly enjoyed the tour of the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, and learning about the ways in which the site operates and the many complex and important uses of the equipment, that are helping advance our knowledge of the world around us every day.” Upon exiting ISIS, the students had the opportunity to manipulate a large mechanical robotic arm to pick up a rubber duck!
Next up was our computing and electronics workshop. The students were set a challenge to repair the Ada Lovelace, an imaginary spaceship that had damaged critical hardware and software systems following a solar flare. The students had to design and implement hardware and software solution using Arduino microcontrollers and TinkerCAD.
Our final stop was the Wonder Marquee, where the students got hands-on experience with various STEM technologies, including a PlaySeat, VR headsets, and a Hot Wheels accelerator. The students were incredibly positive about the experience, with the overwhelming majority rating the tour of the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source as their favourite part of the trip. Vipul said “The Harwell trip enabled us as students to explore the different aspects of applied Physics and Computer Science in solving real world problems and using resources effectively. I particularly enjoyed the ISIS Muon and Neutron Source tour which was intriguing. It added to the current understanding of the contemporary applications of Neutrons and helped to further developed a deeper understanding of Muon sources.”
It was a very enjoyable and insightful trip, bringing the wonder of STEM subjects and careers to life.
Political hustings come to St Bart’s and we wave goodbye to Year 13 at their prom in this week’s BartholoNews.
Ten talented students from St Bart’s recently had the opportunity of a lifetime, performing at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) awards ceremony!
As part of Newbury YoungStars, a local non-profit youth theatre group, students were invited to showcase their skills on a national stage after winning the prestigious district and regional awards in 2023. “It was amazing to perform at the NODA awards ceremony. And we won the District award again for Singin’ in the rain!” shared Matilda (11C1)
“Being recognised by NODA is amazing, and we all felt really proud to represent Newbury YoungStars,” said Ella (11E1). Newbury YoungStars is a non-profit organisation that provides a platform for young people to explore their passion for theatre. The group is known for its high-quality productions and commitment to fostering confidence and teamwork in its members.
“We are incredibly proud of all our students who participated in the NODA awards,” said Bex Bright, Chair of Newbury YoungStars. “Their dedication and talent truly shone through on stage, and winning the 2024 District Award is continued recognition of what we have achieved as a group.”
With the 30th anniversary on the horizon, Newbury YoungStars is already buzzing with excitement for our next production, Sister Act, to be performed at the Arlington Arts Centre on March 28th and 29th, 2025. “I am really looking forward to working on Sister Act ready for next year!” said Amelie. (10P3) Find out more on YoungStars on Facebook 0r Instagram or contact: newbury-youngstars@outlook.com.
We are delighted to announce that Gauravi Deegwal (9C1) is the winner of the BartholoNews Banner Competition. The judges really loved her whimsical design, using our school tie! It will feature on BartholoNews for the whole academic year, starting in September! Gauravi also wins a £30 Amazon Voucher.
Congratulations also go to our three runners up,
Alice Rumens (7E1)
Roba Shadoufa (8E2)
and Lola Thorne (12D1)
