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.

 

The Power of Performance

In recent days, our Year 9s have been lucky to be audience to two excellent and powerful pieces of educational theatre.

On Friday 7 February, Year 9 watched ‘Risking It All’, a 50-minute interactive theatre production by 2engage, which addresses child sexual exploitation (CSE) and county lines. Using theatre as a tool to discuss these issues and based on the lived experiences of teenagers, ‘Risking It All’ portrays the grooming process using victims’ personal accounts. The performance highlights how risky behaviour among adolescents can lead to vulnerability and dangerous situations, and helps young people spot the signs of exploitation.

Students were asked after seeing a performance to feedback their thoughts, and what they felt stood out for them most in the performance. Some of the things they highlighted include “How quickly you can get into debt”, “I didn’t realise how quickly situations can escalate especially grooming”, “That it’s a true story!” and “What stood out to me is these things can happen”. Students also commented on “The acting was very good and portrayed the story really well”, “The acting was enjoyable and immersive” and “I think that signs of grooming are now clear”.

 

The cohort were then visited by Voices of the Holocaust, a critically acclaimed theatre company dedicated to preserving the memories and stories of Holocaust survivors. Their play ‘Kindness: A legacy of the Holocaust’ is largely a verbatim play based on the testimony of Hungarian survivor, Susan Pollack OBE, aged only 13 when she was sent to the notorious Auschwitz-Birkenau in the summer of 1944. “Kindness” has been described as “beautiful and empowering” and “compelling and emotive”. You can read a further review of the performance at: Drama retells 13-year-old girl’s Auschwitz survival – BBC News

 

“When I was invited to watch the play “Kindness” – a production about our dear member Susan Pollack, I had no idea what to expect. For me, this play was like no other – it told the story of Susan in the most sensitive and thought-provoking way. I lost myself in this production and was fully immersed in her experience. With its fast moving pace and the interchanging roles played by only four actors, there was no time to think and instead we, the audience, were given the opportunity to listen to Susan through this darkest period of her life – her confusion, her despair, her loss, but also her hope. This really is a remarkable piece of theatre that must be rolled out across the nation.” – Sarah-Jane Burstein, Holocaust Survivors’ Centre.

Following the Year 9 performance, Voices’ actors and the play’s director, Cate Hollis, held a workshop with our A Level Drama & Theatre Studies students. After school, a second performance of ‘Kindness: A legacy of the Holocaust’ was held for parents, carers and students from other years.

German Exchange 2025

St Bart’s students from Years 9, 10 and 12 took part in the annual German Exchange to our long-standing partner school, the Otto-Hahn Gymnasium in Monheim, between Monday 27 January and Monday 3 February. The week involved a day in the German school, participating in English lessons each day and starting work on a joint project with their exchange partners. St Bart’s students also went to Aachen, to the old mine at Zeche Zollverein in Essen and on a day trip to Cologne with their German partners. Some highlights of the trip were the visit to the Lindt chocolate factory in Aachen, the opportunity to take part in team-building activities at a centre in Cologne and an exciting project in which students are noticing the differences in sustainable living in both countries. The German exchange partners will be visiting their St Bart’s partners in late June. Students stayed in host families in Monheim am Rhein and some of their comments about their totally immersive and linguistic experience are here below:

 

“We visited the school in Monheim and got to learn what German school life is like. We experienced a lot of German culture. The families we stayed with were very welcoming and helpful.”

Luc Weaver (9P1), Barnaby Nolan (9E2) and Eddie Appleton (10C2)

 

“The German exchange was the experience of a lifetime.”

Francesca Aromando (9E1) and Dunia Lourenco Ribeiro (9P3)

 

 

“It was a great experience, as we gained confidence by meeting new people and immersed ourselves in a new culture. We would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go next year.”

Rosalie Bartonwood (9D2), Izzy Hill (9P1), Floss Bloxsom (9C1), and AnnaPiner (9C1)

 

 

 

“Our favourite parts were FOOD and activities with our partners.”

Thea McClellan (9D2), Lucy Oliver (9D1), Isabelle Dow (10C2) and Isabella Mercer (10C2)

 

 

“We had a great experience and can’t wait for our partners to come here!”

Katy Wake (10C2), Zoe Chapman (10C2), Matilda Kingdon (10E3) and Nyah Henri (10E3)

 

“The Exchange shows you the cultural life of the person instead of just sightseeing.”

Sam Dickens (12D2), Zak Begg (12P1) and Tom Primrose (10D2)

 

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!

The Ultimate Challenge For Kenya School Link!

Get ready, St Bart’s! Our Kenya School Link Club is launching an exciting new fundraising challenge, and we need your support!

Students and staff will be attempting to run, walk, or travel the distance from St Bart’s to our partner school, Ulafu School in Kenya. That’s an incredible 6,500 miles, and while we won’t be physically making the journey, every step, lap, or mile we complete will bring us closer to our goal.

The challenge aims to raise funds to support Ulafu School with essential resources, helping to improve the education and opportunities available to students there. Whether you’re running laps around the school field, walking your dog, or cycling at home, every contribution counts!

We encourage everyone to get involved by seeking sponsorship from friends and family to help us make a real difference. Together, we can go the distance and show our commitment to global community spirit!

How to Get Involved:

  • Sign up with the Kenya School Link Club. (Mondays at 12.40pm for Years 8, 10, 12 & 13 in D116 and Tuesdays at 12.10pm for Years 7, 9 and 11 in W210)
  • Track your miles through our special event app or paper log sheets.
  • Seek sponsorships and donations to help support our cause.
  • Join us in special running and walking events throughout the term!

Let’s come together as a school and achieve something amazing! Every mile matters, and every step counts.

For more details, visit the Kenya School Link Club notice board (behind Patterson stairs) or speak to Miss Broome. Let’s make a difference—one step at a time!

Destinations Fair for Our Year 11

Last week, a group of our Year 11 students were given the opportunity to explore a destinations fair held in the Robinson Rooms. This was an opportunity for students to find out about alternative post-16 options to Sixth Form, to chat to a selection of local providers about the courses they have on offer and to receive advice on making choices and next steps. Our thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time to support this event, including Activate Learning (with information about Reading College, Bracknell and Wokingham College), Basingstoke College of Technology, Sparsholt College, University Centre Newbury and West Berkshire Training Consortium.

We are following the success of last week with two more upcoming careers events for our Year 12 students.

Online Careers Fair

On Tuesday 25 February we will be holding an online Careers Fair during which students will be able to choose from a selection of online webinars and join to learn more about a career that interests them. We would love to hear from professionals who would be interested to support this.

Are you available on Tuesday 25 February between 12.10-13.00pm?

Would you be comfortable delivering a 30 minute presentation to our students on how you got into your career, the work you do on a daily basis and how you followed this career path?

Do you work in one of the following sectors?

  • Business related fields such as marketing and HR
  • Education
  • Law
  • Emergency services
  • Crime and probation
  • Sport related professions

If you would like to learn more about supporting this event, please email Co-Head of Sixth Form, Mr Owen –  mowen@stbarts.co.uk

Post-18 Destinations Fair

On Wednesday 19 March we will hold our inaugural Post-18 Destinations Fair, which will be attended by local employers, colleges and universities, enabling students to explore different post A Level opportunities in our area. Our thanks to Activate Learning (Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham College), AWE, Gardner Leader, Kerridge Commercial Systems, Oxford Brookes University, Portsmouth University, Royal Holloway University, University Centre Newbury, University of Reading and University of Winchester who have all committed to supporting this event. If you work for an organisation which offers post-18 opportunities and might like to join us, or know of an organisation you wish us to approach, please do get in touch with dseward@stbarts.co.uk

To learn more about the Careers Programme at St Bart’s, visit our Careers pages on our website.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Monday 27 January

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Auschwitz has become a global symbol of terror, genocide and the Shoah (known commonly as the Holocaust). Initially, Auschwitz was set up as a concentration camp for many people who were persecuted by the Nazis and their collaborators. In 1942, it also became the site of extermination, where over 1 million Jewish adults and children were murdered. In addition to Auschwitz, many other camps were set up across Europe to eradicate European Jewry.

On Holocaust Memorial Day, we remembered the many millions of lives that were lost during the Holocaust, whilst also remembering other victims of the Nazis and their collaborators. These included homosexuals, disabled people, Roma & Sinti, Soviet POW, non-Jewish Poles and political opponents. January 27 also marks remembrance for those who were persecuted during other genocides in the 20th century including Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

As there now exists only a handful of Holocaust survivors in the world, we must ensure that the memory of those who were persecuted lives on. At St Bart’s, we are committed to preserving this memory and have worked alongside UCL’s Holocaust Education Centre to develop our teaching resources. In April 2024, 40 of our current Year 13 students visited Krakow, Poland, to learn more about pre-war Jewish life, the Holocaust and life after the Holocaust. They walked through the old ghetto where Jews were concentrated under Nazi control, heard from a Holocaust survivor and visited Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Over this week and next week, Mr Owen, Miss May and our Beacon Captains, Abigail Marshall (9P3), Daniel Elliott (9P3), Dylan Griffiths (9C2) and Eleri Richlings (9P1) will speak with students during their assemblies on the importance of remembering the Holocaust. We are also excited to welcome ‘Voices’, a Holocaust education charity on 10 February, who will perform their play ‘Kindness: A legacy of the Holocaust’ to our Year 9 cohort. They will also perform a second showing for any of our students, their parents and carers on 10 February at 4.30pm. For further information please visit The Beacon School Programme page on our website or if you have further questions please email mowen@stbarts.co.uk

First Tech Robotics Challenge

Before Christmas group of Year 8, 9, and 12 students attended a robotics scrimmage. This was the first event in the First Tech robotics competition, teaming up with other schools to build, refine, and test their robots. They received an inspirational presentation from the founders of Oxford Dynamics (Robotics company), who shared insights into robotics careers and future technologies. Throughout the day, our students built their robots, collaborated, problem-solved and learned valuable new skills. Most importantly, they had a great time and returned inspired to keep innovating!

CCF Navy Update

This term, our Year 10 and 11 CCF cadets have continued to build their teamworking and leadership skills with a variety of outdoor challenges. These have ranged from decoding secret messages using radios, through to building masts to hoist signal flags. However, the highlight was undoubtably two separate field days to Theale lake. Our Year 11 cadets spent a morning paddleboarding, having to pass a series of challenges, including tuck jumps and headstands on the boards; before enjoying an afternoon of dinghy sailing. Our Year 10 cadets meanwhile had their first field day experience, with a full day of dinghy sailing. They were taught how to rig a boat, before getting out onto the water to practice their gybes and tiller techniques. Fun was had by all.

Newbury Weekly News Over 80s Parcel Fund

On Friday 6 December, St Bart’s Year 7 and Sixth Form students took part in the Newbury Weekly News Over 80s Parcel Fund, supported by Greenham Trust. The initiative, which has run since 1897,  saw schools and community groups come together to hand out nearly 2,000 Christmas goodie bags as a seasonal thank you to local elderly residents.

Our Sixth Formers, Sophie, Joshua, Shivam, Bethany, Edith, Tori, Natalia, Jenna, Grace P, Taya, Ellie, Rory, Amilia, Finley. Lyra, Swarnika, Sophia, Anna. Grace T, Lily, Ella and Katya helped to unpack the parcels from the delivery vans with Mr Wilder and Mrs Taylor. Whilst accompanied by Mr Bandy and Mrs Cox, our Year 7 students, Noah, Katie, Charlie, Tilly, Miles, Winnie, Nevaeh and Shay, helped by our Year 13 House Captains Emily, Sreelakshmi, Charlie and Isaac, headed out to make the first deliveries to the happy recipients’ doors!

Mr Wilder, Co-Head of Sixth Form, said “This is a fantastic initiative and one that the school is very proud to play a part in. We want all students, from Year 7 through to Year 13, to strive to demonstrate our school values, to build communication and leadership skills and to learn that they can make a successful contribution to our society. This a great opportunity for our students to take some time to make a difference, meet other volunteers and to be part of the community coming together and spreading a bit of festive cheer. Congratulations to all involved.”

With huge thanks to Phil Cannings, Newbury Weekly News, for sharing with us his brilliant pictures of the event.

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

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