Last Thursday, it was great to see so many Christmas Jumpers around the school site. Staff and students donned their festive knitwear with pride in aid of Save the Children and, as a school, we raised a brilliant £1203. The fundraising will go towards helping to create lasting change for children in the UK and around the world. Thank you very much to all those who wore their jumpers and accessories, and to everyone who made a donation to Save the Children.
Last Wednesday students from across the school came together to perform for the whole school Dance show. The evening consisted of a range of dance works, mostly choreographed, costumed and rehearsed by the students themselves.
The highlight of the evening was the boys’ dance group who performed their ManMade Dance piece created through a series of workshops run by Zoielogic Dance Company. The audience were also treated to works by Year 7 Dance Club, Year 9 Dance students, Junior Dance Company, Year 12 and 13 BTEC Dance students and Year 11 GCSE Choreography.
The evening ended with the school Dance company performing their newest work, ‘Unknown’. It was a wonderful evening celebrating dance in the school, and the audience response was fantastic. Well done to everyone involved.
Thank you to all those in the St Bart’s community who joined us yesterday for our annual Christmas Carol Concert. As is tradition, the event was held in the beautiful setting of the historic St Nicolas Church. The Festival of Lessons and Carols service was first held on Christmas Eve in 1918, planned by the then Dean of King’s College, Cambridge, and it is still a blue print for many Anglican Christmas services all around the world. St Bart’s have annually hosted our own Lessons and Carols service for many years at St Nicolas Church, and it was wonderful to be back, marking the end of another Autumn Term with this wonderful musical celebration in such a beautiful setting.
Opening with Once in Royal David’s City, the service follows a programme of readings and joyful and uplifting performances by the talented School Orchestra, Senior Band and School Choir, as well as smaller ensembles. In particular we wish to thank our Year 13 student conductors, Tom Giles, Charlotte Robertson and Isaac Giaever-Enger, who lead the School Orchestra for the congregational carols, as well as Cole Bowers (Year 13), who led our Percussion Ensemble in ‘Carol of the Bells’, and Lawrence Mullally (Year 13), who led our Brass Ensemble in ‘Joy to the Word’ and ‘Deck the Halls’. Special mention should also go to our student readers Caleb Higgs (Year 7), Oliver Manton (Year 10), Favour Oke (Year 11) and Eve MacLeod (Sixth Form).
Thank you to all those who donated to the retiring collection which raised £314.08 for Naomi House and St Nicolas Church. Finally, thank you to our excellent Music Department for all their hard work, to our student musicians, to Mr Robbins, Mr Bastable, Mrs Hale, Charlie Warner (Governor) and to everyone who supported and attended the evening.
We were delighted to welcome the children’s author, Ali Sparkes, to school on 28 November. Having published over 40 books for children, Ali shared her writing journey with us, including her early childhood writing which received rave reviews… but only from her friends! Ali talked to Year 9 about her latest novel, ‘100 Summers’, and gave students the challenge of figuring out a few ciphers. We were shown the obvious downsides of a code where 1=a, for example, and the advantages when you use a book as the decoding key – say, for example, one of Ali’s (as long as your friend/handler/boss has the same edition).
In the afternoon, Ali led a small workshop, giving students the opportunity to write their own title, blurb and first page and then vote on which one was the most compelling.
“I was grateful to attend the workshop in the afternoon. We voted on which front cover, blurb and short extract we liked most out of four of her books and then we paired and made our own title, blurb and short extract. It highlighted how important the front cover, blurb and short story are in influencing someone to want to read a book. I bought her book ‘100 Summers’ as the front cover looked very dramatic and mysterious and the blurb was very enticing! I can’t wait to read it!”
Holly Fry (9P1)
Students are really fortunate to have opportunities like this, and we are grateful to Ali for coming to visit.
Curiouser and Curiouser…
Our School Production 2024, Alice in Wonderland, was performed to packed audiences on Monday and Tuesday evening. Students from all years took part, with weekly rehearsals running from this September. Alongside those acting, our students also took on the challenges of costumes, staging, set, sound and lighting. This year the staging meant that the audience were in the midst of Wonderland, with the actors performing in and around the hall, as well as on the stage. There was even an opportunity for audience participation, with the front row having the chance to vote if it should be ‘off with her head’! The production called for some clever casting, direction and set design, with an on-screen giant Alice, a three-student caterpillar, the disappearing Cheshire Cat and some inflatable flamingos!
Mrs Howe, Head of Drama, said: “The School Production is a celebration of drama at St Bart’s and we had great fun with this year’s chosen script. It was a brilliant ensemble which enabled more of our students to take on speaking roles and shine on stage. It was particularly pleasing that so many of our Year 7s chose to get involved, as casting took place during only their second week at St Bart’s! The challenge this year was to realise Lewis Carroll’s weird and wacky world of characters using the resources available, and to do so, we had to draw on the ideas and talents of our actors – whether it was our Mad Hatter, Sleepy Dormouse or tyrannical Queen of Hearts! Also, of huge importance were the skills of the students managing the technical gallery, and the energy and organisation of our stage hands.”
This was a brilliant and energetic showcase to see out 2024.
Congratulations to all involved and especially to our two Alices, Ada Swift Marshall and Jessie Murphy.
Our thanks to the wonderful Drama Department who directed and produced – Mrs Howe, Mrs Parkington and Mr Glancy, with Mr Weller in the tech gallery. Our thanks also to staff in the Expressive Arts Faculty for musical support, set, costumes and the programme. We’d also like to thank Maria Robertson (Didcot Girls’ School) and Mrs Williams (St Joseph’s College, Reading) for their help with costumes and props.
The Year 11 Interview Day offered students the chance to experience a ‘real-life’ interview with a representative from the world of work and to work on their employability skills and interview technique. Prior to the day, Year 11s used their PDP sessions to examine the skills required for work, research career choices and to produce CVs and letters of application. On the day itself, each student benefited from an individual mock interview and feedback on their performance from our interviewers.
The event is supported by the Education Business Partnership, and this year the organisations interviewing the students included AWE, Barclays, BWB Technologies, Gardner Leader, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Horsey Lightly, Infineum, Network Rail, Priors Court Foundation, Royal Air Force, TEK Systems, Tutoring Company, University of Winchester and Vodafone. It was fantastic that the volunteers also included former St Bart’s students, Hozan Edwards (B2B Technologies), Ellie Evans (AWE), Sabrina Luck (Vodafone), as well as Lois Ryan and Beth Parker (both from Gardner Leader) – now passing on advice to the next generation of St Bart’s students!
The feedback from students was fantastic. Here are just some of the comments:
“It has given me a greater understanding of what is expected at an interview, what to prepare and what to say.”
The following day the school hall was buzzing with Year 7, 8 and 9 students exploring the many job roles represented at the annual Careers Fair. Amongst others, these included armed forces, air traffic controller, architect, audiologist, broadcaster, buyer, cyber security advisor, customer service manager, designer, doctor, electrician, estate agent, journalist, lawyer, marketer, musician, occupational therapist, paramedic, plumber, policy maker, radiographer, solicitor, stud manager and youth worker.
Students chatted to volunteers about their day to day responsibilities and tasks and then completed a specially designed booklet to record their conversations. Following the discussions, students then spent time in tutor sessions reviewing all they had learned and their experiences.
“It was really interesting to speak to the Architect. I really enjoy design and he gave me lots of advice about what to study and spoke about how he gained qualifications and got started with his own studio.” Holly and Florence (9E2)
“We enjoyed speaking to Joe from the Armed Forces. He explained how his work involved lots of travel, sport and adventure activities like canoeing – it sounded great.” Adam (8C1) and Charlie (8E1)
“I chatted to the lady from Careers in the Arts and learnt all about their workshops. I’m an Expressive Arts Rep and so I feel really passionate about getting involved with these subjects.” Martha (8E3)
The Careers Fair is a key event in our wider Careers Education Programme and a fantastic opportunity for students to ask employers in person any questions they may have, such as why they chose their career?, what it is like to do their job?, what is their favourite part of their role?, and how did you get into your job? St Bart’s is so grateful to all our visitors for giving their time so generously and for their wonderful encouragement of our students. It was great to have such a range of jobs represented and also that, as with the Interview Day, so many former students were involved in supporting the Careers Fair. Our alumni included Alex Blake (sales consultant), Jeanette Cheeseman (planner) Tom Cole (cyber security advisor), Jonah Hood (apprentice), Melanie Mildenhall (customer service manager), Aidan O’Neill (paramedic), Archie Perks (lawyer) and Joe Seward (doctor).
Our Careers Programme is all about ensuring that students are informed and inspired about a wide range of opportunities, that they have meaningful encounters with employers and that they are prepared for future pathways – whether this is further education, an apprenticeship or employment. If you are reading this article and thinking that you might be interested in supporting these events in the coming years, please do email our Careers Lead, Mrs Seward, who will add you to next year’s contact list (dseward@stbarts.co.uk).
As the sun shone on a beautiful Monday morning, St Bartholomew’s School gathered in the hub in our Act of Remembrance of former students who gave their lives in the World Wars and of all those soldiers and civilians killed or affected by war and conflict across the world.
Headteacher, Dr Fitter, spoke to the assembled students about how “It is easy and perhaps convenient to allow these terrible numbers to wash over us, but remember that each single life lost was someone’s child, parent, loved one and the cost of human suffering and bereavement is incalculable”.
Following Dr Fitter’s speech, our Head Students read the traditional Roll of Honour – the names of those 101 St Bart’s students who perished in war. A bugle call by Lawrence Mullaly (Year 13 student) was heard, and then the whole school reflected during the two-minute silence.
School Officers (Emily Cox and Charlie Adams representing Curnock, Sophie Livingstone and Clementine Barry representing Davis, Tess Marston and Beth Sparks representing Evers, Lucy Bosley and Vaibavi Lakshmi Narayanan representing Patterson) laid wreaths in the Memorial Garden where the flag was flying at half-mast. They were joined by Contingent Commander Edwards and members of the Combined Cadet Force, symbols of those young people who found themselves wearing uniform – Colour Sergeant Daniel Cornall, recently awarded Master Cadet at Frimley Park, and Sergeant Will Bloxom, most senior Cadet leading the Army NCOs (non-commissioned officers).
Mr Robbins, Deputy Headteacher, concluded the service with a poem called ‘May 1915’ by Charlotte Mew (1869-1928).
Let us remember Spring will come again
To the scorched, blackened woods, where the wounded trees
Wait, with their old wise patience for the heavenly rain,
Sure of the sky: sure of the sea to send its healing breeze,
Sure of the sun. And even as to these
Surely the Spring, when God shall please,
Will come again like a divine surprise
To those who sit to-day with their great Dead, hands in their hands,
Eyes in their eyes
At one with Love, at one with Grief: blind to the scattered things
And changing skies.
Last month, Year 9 students and staff travelled to Northern France and Belgium to visit the Menin Gate in Ypres, where George Ashwin Curnock is commemorated. The group also visited the grave of Robert Arthur Patterson near Athies and attended Thiepval Memorial, where Bertram Saxelbye Evers’ name is engraved, alongside the memorial plaque that reads: ‘This plaque commemorates those soldiers who attended St Bartholomew’s School, Newbury. They are named individually in pride of place at our school. They gave their lives in the First World War and their sacrifice will be remembered by us all.’
This year, moved by her experiences on the Battlefields Trip, Davis House Manager, Ms Moore decided to organise a similar commemoration to Alexander Herbert Davis. Ms Moore was joined by Dr Fitter, the rest of the Davis House Team, cadets Will Bloxsom, Milla Brereton and Daniel Cornall, and Davis students, Sophie Livingstone, Matilda Roots (13D2) and Blake Thomson (Year 9) at Newtown Road Cemetery to lay a wreath on the grave of Alexander Herbert Davis, which is situated just 400m from the school.
Blake, who recently attended the Year 9 trip and bringing to mind many of the traditions our school still observe today, said: “Alexander Herbert Davis attended St. Bart’s in 1898. He was a keen sports man and a particularly excellent footballer. He was frequently in the Fives inter-house and school championship.”
The school intends that this wreath laying will become part of our annual traditions to mark Armistice Day.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to former ONA President (2001), Allan Mercado, who laid the St Bart’s wreath at the annual Remembrance Ceremony held outside Newbury Town Hall on Sunday 10 November.
At the end of last half term, the school rang once again with sounds of House Music. This evening is a fantastic showcase of the musical talents of the students at St Bart’s. Undoubtedly, the most impressive aspect of this long-standing occasion is the fact that the entire programme is devised, choreographed and conducted by our Sixth Form House Music Captains. The evening consists of three highly contested classes: Open Instrumental, Year 8 Composition – ‘Music with a Latin Flavour’, and Open Choral. Each House performs in each class, with a winner for each class and an Overall House Music Champion.The school hall was sold out for the evening and the Houses performed the following pieces for a packed audience:
This year, the extremely difficult job of judging the performances fell to Dr Charlotte Exon, professional music consultant and former Director of Music at Downe House School. Speaking as she announced her decisions, Dr Exon praised the students for the extremely high standard of the performances, saying “any of the Houses could have been the outright winner tonight”. Dr Exon particularly praised the House Captains for the maturity of their leadership and the ambition in their arrangements.
Curnock House Music Captain, Swathi (12C1) said, “A lot of dedication was put into these pieces by the Year 13 students, and we came joint-first place for our band performance, which was amazing!”
The nature of how closely fought the competition was, is reflected in the results, with two of the classes being jointly awarded and all of the Houses receiving an award. The winners were as follows:
Open Instrumental: CURNOCK (James Bond Theme) and EVERS (His Dark Materials and Game of Thrones Themes)
Year 8 Composition: PATTERSON (“Street Samba”)
Open Choral: DAVIS (“Don’t Stop Believing”) and PATTERSON (“I’m Still Standing”)
The overall winner for 2024 was then announced as PATTERSON!!!
Patterson House Music Captain, Charlotte (13P2) said, “House Music is easily an event that has highlighted my experience at St Bart’s since Year 7, so to lead it this year in my final year marked a lovely and successful end to my part in this musical tradition. Seeing the pure excitement and sense of achievement and pride from the students involved after each performance made all of the hard work worth it.Congratulations to PATTERSON and to all the students involved – whether they were House Music Captains, playing instruments, singing or performing vital tech and stage assistance. Our sincere thanks to Dr Exon for so generously giving her time and to our brilliant Music Department for all the organisation and championing this wonderful subject.
Berkshire Youth delivers targeted support to young people in order to develop resilience and self-confidence. Last Thursday, St Bart’s were delighted to ‘Wear Blue for Berkshire Youth’ in order to support the charity’s efforts to fundraise for additional activities and enriching opportunities for young people in our community. Our non-school uniform day raised the fantastic total of £1,839.72. Thank you to all in the St Bart’s students, staff and families who supported this effort, we hope it makes a difference to this amazing organisation. You can read more about Student Wellbeing here.
