Year 10 Graphics Visit Marwell Zoo

On Thursday 5 June, Year 10 GCSE Graphic Design students visited Marwell Zoo to take photos for their latest design project.

Despite the rainy weather, there were lots of animals to see. Students got some great images of the giraffes, penguins and monkeys. A highlight of the day for many was the snow leopard, who was having a lovely rest in the rain, which allowed students to get some great reference shots to use as part of their coursework project.

Izzy Rumens (10E3) said, “The giraffes were my favourite, we had such a clear view. It was great to see and photograph the zoo signage. I think they’ll be good inspiration for our project.”

The Year 10 students behaved fantastically and their enthusiasm was evident throughout the day. Well done everyone!

Year 11 Sports Leaders Celebrate their Success

Congratulations to the Year 11 Sports Leaders who have completed their 2-year course and received their badges and certification.

Throughout their 2-year course they have learnt how to become a good leader and the skills required, how to plan and evaluate practical sessions, how to adapt practical sessions to be inclusive, how to organise a sports event and the importance of safeguarding, many of which are valuable life skills.

As well as mastering the theoretical content, the leaders have spent considerable time at both St Nicholas and John Rankin Schools, delivering inspiring sessions on a Friday afternoon and volunteering on numerous occasions to support the running of Primary Schools Festivals, School Games events and a variety of House sports in school.

Throughout the course, the leaders are continually assessed as they work towards their final award.

Congratulations to you all! You have been an extremely strong cohort of leaders, demonstrating excellent leadership skills and qualities. Your willingness to give up your own time to volunteer at festivals and a variety of events has been admirable,

A big thank you to you all, and congratulations!

Platinum Award

C Barlow, E B Hargreaves, E Cameron, A F Wilson, A Goodwin, A Hewetson, E Parker, A Percy, C Portsmouth, I Clare, D Pummell, M Russell, J Scarr, A Smart, B Thomasson, F Thomson, L Wakefield, M Wallis and P Williams.

Gold Award

S Anbumurasoli, L Clark, D Satcher, J Bell, L Turk

Year 11 Pizza Party

Before they left a group of Year 11 students attended their Pizza Party and were supplied with an inordinate amount of pizza and juice. Their invitations were based on their contributions to Maths and English revision workshops and they thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of their labour!

Core Skills Support Cancer Research

Well done to our Year 10 Core Skills students Hala, Adham, Lucas, Esmee and Ciara who, with Mrs Van Dyk’s guidance, organised and ran a very successful charity event for Cancer Research at the end of last term, raising £49.70 from delicious bakes and Ciara’s beautiful handmade jewellery.

Ciara said, “my great-nan had cancer, so it felt good to help others having similar experiences.” Esmee added, “we also learnt new skills organising all the elements of the sale.”

Congratulations to them all.

Duke of Edinburgh Awards 2025

Congratulations to 42 Bronze, 7 Silver and 3 Gold Duke of Edinburgh award winners. Students have been busy participating in a variety of activities including volunteering in their local community, gaining new skills in a variety of fields from languages to science, and participating in sporting activities. The DofE participants also completed a self-sufficient expedition, which involved them carrying all their food, tents, stoves and personal equipment for the two or three-day expedition and navigating themselves to check points and their campsite. They should all be very proud of their accomplishments.

If a student was not in school on the DofE presentation day, they can now collect their Bronze or Silver certificate and badge from Reception.  The Gold DofE students have the honour of collecting their certificate and badge at a presentation in Buckingham Palace.

Congratulations to all the students who have completed their awards…

BronzeSilverGold
Toby AdamsFreddie FullerThomas PrimroseMawgan BirdAlice Wilson
Soorya AnbumurasoliWilliam HeywoodFfion PritchardBeatrix BusbyLucy Wilson
Zoe BevanGeorgia HillyerAnnabelle ProwseHolly ConwayMadelyn Macgregor
Christopher BroadfootLizzy Huggett-MurrayShawn RamosMeenakshi Ganugapati
Thomas BreslinJohan JayakumarBen RansomJoshua Hyde
Alexandra CattanachHarshit Kumar RainaNikolina RaticEleanor Peake
Lucy ClinchCiara LangrellHarvey RobinsonSwathi Sivabalan
Heyden CohenZara LeadbetterAvaneesh Karthik Sasikumar
Phoebe ConwayHarry LethabyDexter Sewell
Joshua DavisIsaac MabbattMiraya Srivastava
Florence DentIsabel MantonRanvir Tomar
William EvansMia Martin-FlavenAlexandra Tucker
Jamie FryJames PennockDaniel Woodridge
Irina-Maria PopLucas Wrzesinski

If you are in Year 9 and would like to participate in your Bronze DofE Award, it is not too late. The DofE Bronze enrolment process is still open for another two weeks.  To enrol please complete this Google form and make the payment on ParentPay.

If you are in Year 10 and would like to complete the Silver DofE award, please pay the new enrolment fee on ParentPay and Silver will automatically be added to your DofE Account. If you are in Year 11 and above and would like to take the ultimate challenge of Gold, please email Mrs Lay on llay@stbarts.co.uk

Spanish Immersion Trip

SPANISH IMMERSION TRIP

Shortly before half term, 45 of our Year 10, 11 and 12 students travelled to Jaén, Andalusia to improve their Spanish and to learn more about the culture through a variety of activities. They were all introduced to a Spanish pen pal before the trip and met them whilst in Spain, spending time at the Spanish high school. They also enjoyed trips out, tasting the local cuisine and fun evening activities. Here’s what Ellen Napier (10E3) said about the trip…

 “I was lucky enough to be one of the students who went on the Spanish Immersion Trip and we began day 1 by meeting our pen pals in the Spanish school, which we were super excited for! All the Spanish students were lovely, and we got on so well together.

Later in the day, we did a scavenger hunt in the centre of Jaén with them and finished off the day with a tapas dinner. On day 2, we went olive oil tasting in the morning, which was very interesting, and we learnt that Jaén was nicknamed “the green sea” because of the vast amount of olivos (olive trees)! At lunch, a Masterchef competition was held for the students, where we bought ingredients (speaking in Spanish the whole time!) from the market.

We then visited a castle and had a lovely countryside walk back down the hill. We finished that day with paella, and we went bowling with our pen pals, which was super fun. We later discovered there was a giant bouncy castle in the back of the place and we all went on it at once, including the teachers!

On day 3 we visited Granada where we saw the Alhambra Citadel, Palacio de Carlos V and Carmen de los Mártires. Everywhere was extremely beautiful and so quiet! That afternoon, we went to La Alcaicería (a Moorish Market) and had a farewell party in the evening with our pen pals, which was super fun. Everyone got quite emotional afterwards and it was so hard to say goodbye!

On the final day, we travelled to Seville and had a guided tour of the centre, as well as visiting the stunning “Plaza de España”.  The penultimate activity we did was souvenir shopping and then we watched an authentic flamenco show in the evening, which was so awesome, as you never get anything like that in the UK! I give the trip a solid 10/10, it was an amazing experience I will never forget.” 

National Apprenticeship Week

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, a week-long celebration that shines a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy – helping individuals develop rewarding careers, and employers to develop a workforce with future-ready skills.

At St Bart’s we believe that it is important for students to be aware of a range of opportunities available to them when they finish education. This starts in Year 7 when students can talk to apprenticeship providers at our KS3 Careers Fair. Whilst in Year 8 and 9, alongside the Careers Fair, students benefit from a summer term assembly from Further Education providers (such as Basingstoke College of Technology and Sparsholt College), who share information about the apprenticeship routes linked to their courses. In Year 11, alongside our career assemblies, we organise our Post-16 Destinations Fair, which we recently reported on in BartholoNews, and offer one-to-one careers appointments, where further information about apprenticeships can be provided.

Meanwhile, in Sixth Form we have our Apprenticeship Application Group which meets regularly to explore the types of apprenticeships available, to understand what employers are looking for from candidates and to support students with developing the skills required to make a successful application. As part of the programme, students also take part in an apprenticeship support masterclass in partnership with Vodafone held at the Vodafone Headquarters Conference Pavilion.

We are seeing the real impact of these experiences. In recent years, we have had a number of students successfully securing offers on apprenticeships with companies including Airbus, AWE, KPMG, Newbury Building Society and Vodafone. Currently in Year 13, and about to embark on a Level 7 degree apprenticeship program in September, Seb Chapman is one such student. We asked Seb for his thoughts and tips on applying for apprenticeships:

“I started my degree apprenticeship journey at the beginning of Year 13 and have been fortunate enough to receive two offers from the Big 4 accounting firms, Deloitte and KPMG. In Year 12 I was lucky enough to attend the Vodafone apprenticeship workshop which was incredibly valuable in enabling me to develop some key skills that are needed throughout the application process. The application process itself is probably the hardest part of it all! In the initial application to the program it’s important to understand why specifically you want to work for that company. My top tip for the application is to research the company’s values and what they offer and try to use that to convey your interest in the initial application, to try and stand out from the crowd.  

After this stage, I went through multiple rounds of online interview tasks and mathematical and verbal reasoning tests. Whilst this may be tricky for the first few times, practice does make perfect. The final stage of my application was the in-person interview and assessment centre, which I believed to be the most enjoyable element of the application process as I got to meet current employees within the business and gain an idea of the company that I would be working for. Overall, I would say to any students looking to follow in my footsteps in applying to degree apprenticeships, to complete lots of research into the company, qualification and role, as well as being yourself and answering questions honestly.

I can’t wait to start my Level 7-degree apprenticeship program in September and would encourage anyone who is thinking of applying to apprenticeships to make use of all the resources that Mr Wilder and other staff have managed to put in place; they provide a really good insight into the application process as well as qualities and characteristics that companies are looking for.” Seb Chapman (Year 13)

The events we will be running for students to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week include:

  • An apprenticeship quiz. The link to the quiz will be in the student briefing. There will be a prize!
  • A display of apprenticeship information posters and apprenticeship resources in the school library for students to explore.
  • An apprenticeship information drop-in on Thursday from 12.10 to 1.10pm in the library. This event is open to any year group. There will be a representative from PathwayCTM careers support service, who specialise in helping students into apprenticeships, available to talk to students.
  • PathwayCTM will also deliver an information session on apprenticeships and application tips to our Year 12 as part of their enrichment programme on Thursday.
  • “Did you know?” facts about apprenticeships across all our social media platforms this week:

 

Encourage your student(s) to get involved by completing the quiz and exploring apprenticeships in the library this week. You can learn more about apprenticeships here and here.

 

Completing Sixth Form Interviews

Portal now reopens for late applications.

The St Bart’s Sixth Form team and our senior staff have been really enjoying chatting to Year 11 students as part of the Sixth Form interview process, which has been taking place over the last couple of weeks. The team are also hugely looking forward to welcoming so many external applicants this afternoon, and in the coming days, and learning more about their hopes and ambitions for Sixth Form. We are proud of the fact that around a third of our incoming Year 12s are from other schools, which coupled with those students progressing from our own Year 11, creates a really exciting opportunity for students to make new friends and learn from a greater range of past experiences and ideas. Well done to all those students who have successfully completed their interview.

If you know of a student, or you are a student, who is still considering their choice of Sixth Form and has not yet made an application to St Bart’s then there is still time!

St Bart’s Sixth Form Application Portal is now open for our second round of late applications. If students are uncertain, we would really advise making an application and spending some time with us at our Taster Days in June. More information on these to follow. We are confident that our outstanding teaching and learning, alongside excellent pastoral and careers programmes and a focus on each individual’s personal journey, makes us hard to beat as a destination!

Those interested in learning more, or asking questions, can also join our Co-Heads of Sixth From for an online Q&A session on Wednesday 12 February between 5.30pm-6.30pm. Just click here.

 

An Inspector Calls

Y11 went to the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton this week to watch the astounding ‘An Inspector Calls’ to support their GCSE revision. A great time was had by all, and the pyrotechnics were a must-see. The actors put on a great production which really brought the story to life with their dramatization of J.B Priestley’s morality play. I definitely recommend going to see it; one hour and 45 minutes you will not waste!

CCF Army Autumn Term

As with both the RAF and RN sections, the Army cadets have had plenty to do. September saw the Year 10s embarking on the new CCF Army cadet syllabus which is now closely aligned with that of the ACF where cadets can achieve Basic/1*/2*/3*/4* qualifications. An early Field Day in October enabled cadets to cover some early basics including cooking in the field and elements of fieldcraft such as camouflage and concealment, while school-based activities have already covered aspects of military knowledge, first aid and the air rifle.

Year 11 cadets have continued to push on with elements that will enable them to complete either the Basic or Advanced Proficiency certificate. Field Day in October saw the Year 11 Army section participating with enthusiasm, and 39 cadets staying on for the Night Exercise through Friday evening into Saturday morning, when they undertook ambush drills and section attacks with many blank rounds fired. This enabled many to complete the fieldcraft syllabus. The Year 11 cadets participated in a range of problem solving and leadership activities led by the Army Engagement Team during one of their Friday afternoon timetabled sessions (see photo!). They have now begun the series of round-robin activities involving air rifle shooting, archery, a local mapex (A navigation exercise around Newbury/Speen Moor area) and first aid on a Friday afternoon.

We continue to be supported by a very good group of senior cadets in Years 12 and 13 who take the lead instructing in many activities. As always, the Year 12 cadets have completed the course on cadet instructional techniques.

CCF CVQ

In September 2023, the CCF re-introduced a BTEC course for those in Year 12, Personal Development and Leadership. Take-up was 16 cadets across all three sections with only one dropping out early on. Almost all have completed successfully already. This year’s take-up was smaller, but those involved are being given the excellent assistance by the visiting tutor on her four 2-hour visits.

CCF into 2025

The CCF already has plenty on the calendar for the coming year. Field Days are in the planning stage for both March and June, while the Easter Adventurous Training week will include climbing, watersports and mountain biking as well as a 2 day expedition. With both 35 and 45 mile teams participating in Ten Tors this year, those involved will be busy with Sunday walks through the Spring Term, followed by the final team selection weekend and then the Ten Tors event early in the Summer Term. Additionally, the Army section has been allocated 35 spaces on the Cadet Training Team run Summer Camp at Okehampton in July. As always, a wide range of opportunities to engage with as a part of the CCF, and plenty more to come!

St Bartholomew’s School, Andover Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 6JP

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