Eight CCF RAF Cadets recently attended a flight experience day at RAF Benson. Competition for flying slots is extremely tough with 1,745 cadets bidding for just 320 slots this term, so we were very fortunate to be allocated some slots.
After arrival and passing through RAF security, the cadets were shown a safety video and were taken through the emergency evacuation procedures, including how to wear and deploy a parachute in the very unlikely event of needing to abandon their aircraft. A few of them were feeling a bit anxious at this point!
The pilots introduced themselves and the cadets were kitted out in flight suits, gloves, helmets and some rather funky airman sunglasses and then awaited their turn to be taken up into the air in a Grob G115E trainer aircraft.
All the cadets had the opportunity to take the controls during their 20-minute flight whilst the ones awaiting their turn could follow their comrade’s progress on FlightRadar. Most asked their pilots to perform some aerobatics, including barrel rolls and loop the loops. The sick bags weren’t needed too often, thankfully!!
The cadets all returned safely to earth with huge grins on their faces in what could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to fly a light aircraft.
William (11P3) said, “Thank you for the amazing RAF trip on Friday. I really enjoyed it, it was a really great experience. “
We have put in a bid for more slots for next term, so fingers crossed we can take some more cadets flying very soon!!
On Wednesday 16 October, the PE Department took 29 Year 12 A Level PE and BTEC Sport students to Bath University. The students got to see a top sporting university and experience a lecture on nutrition delivered by a Sport and Exercise scientist, a strength and conditioning session, a lab session where two lucky students in each group got to do the VO2 max test and the Wingate test. This was followed by lunch and a tour of the university. A huge well done to Charlie and Jacob who did the dreaded VO2 max test and absolutely smashed it with scores of 54 and 66 respectively. To put that into context, elite athletes such as long-distance runners score between 65-80 and professional footballers are around 57. Jez and Adam did brilliantly doing the Wingate test too. The trip was a great experience for all students and we look forward to going again next year!
https://www.stbarts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_9775-Copy-e1730977736959.jpg576523Lucy Rumenshttps://www.stbarts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/blogo-1.pngLucy Rumens2024-11-07 11:10:592024-11-07 11:11:10BTEC Sport Bath University Trip
On Wednesday 23 October, Year 10 Textiles students spent the day visiting the Oceanarium and the coastline of Bournemouth. Students observed and took photographs of marine animals and plants to use as inspiration for pattern, colour, shape and texture within their GCSE coursework. Here is what students had to say about the trip:
“My favourite part of the trip was seeing the turtle and the pufferfish. This will inspire my project, as I will use different textures and colours seen at the aquarium to imitate the patterns of the sea life”
Phoebe (10D2)
“This is my favourite picture that I took from the textiles aquarium trip because I like the pattern on the fish. It’s clear and not too busy. I also like how you can tell what the textures would feel like on the fins, and this can be inspiration for shape and structure later on in the project. Finally, I like how the background is slightly blurred because it brings focus onto the fish”
Amelie (10D1)
“My favourite part of the trip was definitely walking on the beach and observing all of the beautiful different types of shells”
Year 9 students have recently returned from visiting the World War One Battlefields. Across three days, nearly 200 students benefited from the knowledge and experience of the tour guides to help them understand the events of 1914-1918. This trip has become something of a staple; this year’s students were able to link back to what they learnt in History last year and make connections to their study of World War One poetry in year 9 English lessons.
Over the three days, students visited the three crucial cemeteries – the largest British Military Cemetery in the world – Tyne Cot, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, and the German Cemetery – Langemark. Students also spent the afternoon of the first day in Ypres, saw recreations of the trenches, along with other exhibits, in the Passchendaele Museum, visited Lochnagar Crater, the site of the 1914 Christmas Truce, and Newfoundland Memorial Park. Students appreciated the importance of the trip, especially the added significance of paying our respects to some of the young men killed in the war who were St Bart’s students – George Ashwin Curnock is commemorated on the Menin Gate; Bertram Saxelbye Evers is named on the Thiepval Memorial; Robert Athur Patterson is buried at Point-du-Jour Military Cemetery; and Percy Harold Quarterman is buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Ypres. Their citations can be found here, along with that of Alexander Herbert Davies, who is buried in Newtown Road Cemetery.
In addition to the visits outlined above, individual coaches took in some additional locations so students could visit family members who lost their lives in that war.
Students are very fortunate to have opportunities like this; to connect what they learn about in school to the real places those events took place. The comments they have made reflect this…
“I enjoyed looking at all the cemeteries, especially the German one with the huge grave holding over 24,000 soldiers. I really enjoyed the Passchendaele museum and being able to walk through trenches and look around the Somme. I learnt that the symbol of Ypres is a cat, because they used to throw cats off the tower of the cloth hall to reduce the population. “
Matilda Healy (9D2)
“On the battlefield trip to France and Belgium I most enjoyed the museum that was interactive and had accurate trenches and bunkers. I also learnt about how shells and bombs that didn’t actually go off were disposed of and much about World War One. Initially, I also learnt about the Christmas truce, when British and German soldiers met at Christmas and exchanged gifts.”
Elodie Wright (9D3)
“I really, really enjoyed the wise words of the tour guide who was very intelligent and helpful with all the questions and queries. “
Freddie Thorne (9C1)
“I most enjoyed visiting all the small cemeteries. It gave an interesting view into just how many lost their lives in the Great War. My favourite memorial was the Canadian memorial on the Somme. It was granted in perpetuity to Canada, which means we also technically visited an exclave (area of land owned by another country inside another country) of Canada. The central piece in the memorial was beautifully decorated, and you could see all the trenches on the battlefield. There were still barbed wire posts and metal trench supports all over the area. It was harrowing to learn about how, when they excavated an area in an archaeological dig, no Newfoundland soldiers managed to get past a tree, when the Germans were several hundred meters away, being mown down by machine gun fire. The massive mine crater we visited was almost a quarter of a mile across! When we visited the museum, I really liked walking through the trench recreations, and was amazed by the sheer range of artillery shells used (almost two walls were stacked with shells).”
Dylan Griffiths (9C2)
“I really enjoyed this trip and thought that it was a good experience. My favourite part of the trip was the museum as we were able to walk in actual trenches and could view how soldiers would have lived between 1914 and 1918.”
Saanvi Nirania (9C1)
“I most enjoyed learning about the trenches and what life was like in WW1. My favourite part of the trip was the Paschendale museum.”
Thank you so much to all those who sent/brought in donations as part of our annual Harvest Appeal 2024. The appeal was in support of two fantastic local charities, Loose Ends and Fair Close Centre, and the students from the House that collected the most donations were promised a Non-school Uniform Day. All the Houses collected a really generous selection of canned food, biscuits, chocolate, teabags, jam and cereals, but there could only be one winner and this year it is Evers. Well done Evers and we are pleased to say that your Non-school Uniform Day will be on Friday 8 November – more reminders to follow!
On Wednesday 16 October, Co-Head of Sixth Form, Mr James Wilder, and St Bart’s School Officers, Eve, Will and Milo accompanied by Year 8 students, Joseph, Mille and Jude, visited both charities to deliver the boxes of food and learn more about the important work they do. So much had been collected that it was necessary to make two trips in the van! The students had a wonderful time making deliveries, meeting the volunteers at both charities and chatting to those local residents enjoying the facilities and company at Fair Close Centre.
Millie, Year 8, said: “We learned all about the services the charities provide and helped hand out some of the food. It was really nice to meet everyone at the Fair Close Centre. I was asked lots of questions about what it was like to study at St Bart’s and what I wanted to do with my studies. Some of those I spoke to had also been to St Bart’s and so it was fun to compare school experiences – I think a lot has changed!”
Our English Language A Level trip headed to the prestigious British Library in London with a group of 30 students, some already studying the subject in Year 12 and 13, others being given a preview of it in Year 11. Although the drive was long, it was worth it for the interesting lesson in the rich variety of dialects, local terminology and accents across the UK. We discovered, in particular, than Newbury is a traditional crossroads for different ways of pronouncing the “bath vowel”, though there evidently weren’t many old farmers in our party. After the library, the excursion continued to the former house and now museum of Dr Samuel Johnson, 18th century England’s “most distinguished man of letter”, for a special guided tour about his legacy in the study and standardisation of language through his famous dictionary. The museum was full of surprises, not least the vision of Mr Horn in the trappings of Georgian maid. He thought it suited him very well. Each to their own!
As part of the cultural enrichment programme, our students studying Chinese had the chance to visit the Kung Fu Oriental Buffet in Newbury to enjoy a meal together. Everyone had a great time. Some of the Year 7 students from Hong Kong, were kind enough to demonstrate to us how to hold chopsticks correctly.
Alice Rumens (8E1) said, “I really enjoyed the trip to Kung Fu. My favourite foods were the sushi and lychees, which hadn’t tried before. We played games and quizzes and I like learning about the different Chinese cities. Thanks to Mrs Wood for organising this for us.”
At the start of the month, Y10-13 Social Science students had the opportunity to visit Shepton Mallet Prison. This was a great introduction to new subjects for many of them and included an educational workshop and a guided tour of the decommissioned prison. Aimee tells us more…
“Our school trip to Shepton Mallet Prison was a perfect blend of education and eerie excitement. As soon as we stepped inside, the imposing walls and dimly lit corridors set the tone for a day. The tour guides were fantastic, sharing captivating stories that brought the prison’s 400-year-old past to life. From tales of notorious criminals to the prison’s role in World War II, every corner of the prison seemed to hold a secret.
One of the highlights for the students was seeing the old cells. The sheer size of them, cold and bare, gave us all a real sense of how tough life must have been for prisoners. The execution room and the graffiti left by inmates made it even more impactful—there was an air of both fear and mystery that got everyone talking.
Overall, the trip to Shepton Mallet was a brilliant way to bring the history of crime to life outside the classroom. It offered a blend of fascinating facts, gripping stories, and a bit of an eerie thrill that left everyone buzzing with excitement on the ride home. Definitely a trip to remember!”
On Friday 27 September, we took ten Year 8 girls to Bletchley Park to take part in the “I Belong in Computing: Empowering Girls” event. This event was hosted by the NCCE’s St Clement Danes Computing Hub, which serves schools across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and West Berkshire. Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the World War Two Codebreakers, is a fascinating place to visit, offering immersive films and interactive displays.
Upon arrival, we were taken to the Auditorium for inspirational talks from Mandy Quinton (Computing Hub Lead – St Clement Danes School) and Su Adams (Ucantoo). Su spoke about her journey to owning a tech company, while Mandy shared how her daughter pursued a career in programming. Reflecting on the talks, Asmi (8P2) remarked, “I was shocked to discover that only 20% of girls do GCSE Computing. However, I hope these numbers change in the future.”
Following the talks, we enjoyed a guided tour. Debra, our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and brought the history of Bletchley Park to life. Approximately 75% of the workforce at Bletchley was female, and it was particularly fascinating to learn that female messenger riders were allowed to carry firearms on their motorbikes—unheard of in those days! We also learned about the Polish contribution to codebreaking. In 1939, Polish mathematicians handed over their work on decoding the Enigma code to British and French authorities, having broken the code as early as 1932. This contribution was crucial, despite the Germans frequently updating their Enigma machines.
After a quick lunch, the girls took part in some self-exploration. They visited the Mansion, where the first Codebreakers worked before the workforce expanded into newly built huts and blocks. They explored Commander Denniston’s Office and the Library, followed by a visit to Hut 8, where the team breaking German Naval Enigma messages operated. One of the highlights of Hut 8 was Alan Turing’s office, which has been recreated to look as it did during World War Two.
Next, we headed to Block E for a workshop on “Past, Present, and Future Encryption.” Block E was once Bletchley Park’s World War Two communications centre, handling messages, encryption, and material distribution across the organisation. The workshop explored the principles behind modern-day encryption, and the girls tried a simulation of the Vigenère cipher before learning about symmetrical encryption.
We returned to the Auditorium for a final talk aimed at inspiring the girls to consider taking GCSE Computing. Alesha (8C3) commented, “I really enjoyed the trip because I loved the inspirational talk. It was amazing to think about how many things we can do today, and that we were standing in the place where they broke the German codes, which helped win the war. I also loved exploring because there was so much to see, like the dining room, the rooms where they coded, the lake, the mansion, and so much more.”
The trip offered a unique blend of history and technology, leaving the girls inspired. Tanishka (8D1) summed it up perfectly: “The trip was an amazing experience. I learned so much about the Codebreakers in WW2, and it was very interactive. Everyone was so friendly, and the activities were really fun. I’d love to go again and would definitely recommend it.”
If you were at Newbury County Show this weekend, you may have seen our art exhibition in the Education tent. Primary and secondary schools from all over the area had set up a display and the theme this year was ‘Environmental Art’.
We selected work that met the brief from 14 of our Fine Art, Textiles, Photography and Graphics students. Contributors were Alice, Danielle, Maddy, Gregor, Olivia, Eleanor, Lewis, Sarah and Sophie from our Sixth Form, Emma, Eleanor, Macey and Martha from GCSE and Penelope from Year 8.
https://www.stbarts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Newbury-Show.jpg4721024stbartsschhttps://www.stbarts.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/blogo-1.pngstbartssch2024-10-01 09:26:592025-01-07 13:07:32Barts At County Show
Eight CCF RAF Cadets recently attended a flight experience day at RAF Benson. Competition for flying slots is extremely tough with 1,745 cadets bidding for just 320 slots this term, so we were very fortunate to be allocated some slots.
