We are currently being inspected by Ofsted. Please click the links below to view a letter informing parents and carers of our Ofsted Inspection & the second link is to a survey which we would encourage you to complete before 3pm on Tuesday 28th November.
Letter - https://buff.ly/3ZWokq7
Survey - https://buff.ly/3Gkdcu4
There's still time for your students to register for the Apprenticeship Accelerator! 98% of students who attended last year's event said they would attend in the future:
“The event really helped me get a grasp on what doing an apprenticeship is like.” - Previous attendee
Broadcast live online from 5pm on Thursday 30th November, it's essential viewing for any year 10-13 student who would like to hear from current apprentices and the UK's best apprenticeship employers.
Please see the attached event guide for further details and how to register.
Sign up link: https://apprenticeshipaccelerator.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/?dm_i=7BMZ,4Y9G,1QDMBE,K2G0,1
Blacon high school supports the mental health of young people with the wellbeing hub from teen tips.
Blacon High School have subscribed, for a year in the first instance, to The Wellbeing Hub. We encourage all of our Parents and Carers to sign up for free to this new website and all our students will also have an account, automatically being registered with their school email. The Wellbeing Hub offers you a wealth of information regarding Mental Health and Wellbeing, including;
Introductory video - https://teentips.co.uk/club/
Any requirements to use the further paid services are NOT covered in your Blacon High School subscription.
Please find below links to The Wellbeing Hub across several Social Media platforms so you can follow them and be aware of the weekly new content.
https://twitter.com/WellbeingHubTT
https://www.instagram.com/thewellbeinghubteentips/?hl=en-gb
https://www.facebook.com/TheWellbeingHubTeenTipsLtd
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-wellbeing-hub-teen-tips/
Hi,
Well what a busy few weeks it’s been. It’s hard to find the time to keep up with everything. We are already well into the second half term and, with Christmas looming, we also need to remember that mock exams are also on the horizon.
Apart from that, there is, as always, a lot to share and celebrate so here goes…
Remembrance Assembly
On such an important occasion, Blacon High School joined schools across the nation in paying respect to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight to ensure freedom and democracy for all of us.
We held a very moving assembly with readings and poems delivered by members of the Student Leadership Team and members of the Student Parliament. ‘The Last Post’ was played by a representative of the Cheshire Wind Band before the school observed two minutes silence at 11.00am.
The assembly was live-streamed to all classrooms; a fitting and solemn tribute to all who have served.
Link to Remembrance Assembly: https://youtube.com/live/GaYwHXaBOvw
Lest we forget!
Whole School Celebration Evening – 9th November 2023
This is always one of the loveliest events in the school calendar and this year was no exception.
The Hall was filled to the rafters with parents, carers and family members, who were joined by staff, Governors and, our Guest of Honour for the evening, Sheila Little – the Lord Mayor of Chester.
As always, lots of students across all year groups were rewarded for their efforts during the academic year 2022-23. At Blacon High School, we are acutely aware that success looks very different for some students, so awards also acknowledge effort and contribution in addition to those who achieve the highest grades.
The event culminates with the main awards of the evening, which are presented to Year 11s whose journey with Blacon High School came to a close when they left us after their GCSEs in July.
This year’s winners were:
Outstanding Contribution to School Award – Isobel Giles
Headteacher’s Award – Josh Graham
Blacon Spitrit Award – Lillie Shannon
Governors’ Award – Elsie Byrne
The Lilian Young Award – Summer Quinn
Summer is one of several Blacon High School students who have been successful in securing fully-funded bursary places at some of the country’s top independent schools in recent years. Summer, who is now studying for her A’ levels at Gordonstoun, which is one of the most prestigious schools in the world, sent a video message to share on the evening, thanking the school for the award and relating some of her experience at Gordonstoun so far. Well done Summer.
A huge thanks from us goes to everyone who attended the event and helped to make the evening a real ‘celebration,’ and massive congratulations, of course, goes to all of our prize-winners for the academic year of 2022-23.
MP Sam Dixon visits Blacon High School – 3rd November 2023
Sam Dixon MBE is a Labour MP who serves as Member of Parliament for the City of Chester. Before she was an MP, between 2015 and 2019, Sam Dixon was the leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council.
During her visit, Sam met with Harvey Hunt and Annie-Mae Barlow, members of the Student Leadership Team, staff and governors. She was also introduced to staff from our twinned school, the Vasil Levsky High School in Karlovo, Bulgaria, who were here on the English leg of the ever popular student exchange programme that we run from Blacon High School each year.
After a tour of the school, Sam chatted too Hayden and Billy, two members of our Student Parliament from Year 9, who shared what life at Blacon High School is really like, along with their aspirations for the future.
On her tour of the school, Sam visited many classrooms across a range of subject areas and was very impressed with the level of learning she witnessed and the calm atmosphere.
I’m certain that Sam Dixon will be an advocate for our school. We look forward to developing an ongoing relationship with her, and welcoming her back into school in the coming months and years.
Maths Information Evening
Head of Maths, Mr Slade, along with the whole Maths team, was delighted with attendance at the Maths Information Evening for Year 11 at the end of October, which was a huge success. There was a great turn out from parents, carers and students. Members of the Maths team delivered a workshop for parents and carers, and offered strategies to support their children to revise effectively at home. Those who joined us on the evening were also able to purchase revision materials.
I’m sure that the early start with revision will support some excellent outcomes in the GCSEs.
Mr Slade forgot to take any photos of the event so offered one of himself instead; I’ll leave it to you to judge J
Army Engagement Team Visit
Here are some images from the day the Army Engagement Team visited our CCF (Combined Cadet Force) at Blacon High School earlier in the term. They brought a range of their equipment on to the school site for cadets to get their hands on. They also gave a talk about the pros and cons of opting for a career in the military.
Well done and congratulations to all those who take part in our fantastic CCF; being a cadet offers amazing opportunities throughout the year.
If anyone is interested in joining the Combined Cadet Force at Blacon High School, please contact Mr Jones via the school admin’ office.
And finally…
This is, as always, only a small snapshot of the huge list of events, trips and reasons for celebration that we enjoy as part of the Blacon High School community.
This week saw the return leg of the student exchange programme when our friends and colleagues from the Vasil Levsky High School in Karlovo joined us for a fun-packed, six-day itinerary. Also, we hosted a Swedish drama group who worked closely with students in their Drama lessons. I will share details and photos of both in our next blog.
Take care and have a restful weekend.
We come together on this day, 11th November, each year, to remember all those who served their country in wars both past and present.
We remember all those who gave their lives in World Wars I and II, those who made the ultimate sacrifice to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today. We remember those who have served in more recent conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those in the currents conflict in Ukraine and Gaza, along with all those who have been affected by war.
We take time today out of our busy lives to mark this day, when at 11.00am on the 11th November, 1918, 105 years ago, the guns fell silent on the Western Front after four years of continuous warfare. We called the First World War, the Great War, the war to end all wars. Unfortunately, history tells us that the lessons of the First World War have not been learned.
Today, we remember all those who continue to give their lives in the fight for freedom and democracy, and we will do the same each year, joining millions of people around the world, to remember.
Link to Remembrance Assembly: https://youtube.com/live/GaYwHXaBOvw
We have been informed that Arriva have suspended all bus services due to the weather.
The bus to Saughall – 15A will now only go as far as Mayfield Road.
Please can we ask parents and carers to make other arrangements to get children home safely.
We have sent a message to students telling them to go to the hall if they are affected by this and are unsure of how to get home. Please contact the school reception if you have any queries. Reception will remain open later tonight until 4pm.
Dear All,
Welcome to a, somewhat delayed, blog; where on earth does the time go? There are so many fantastic things to celebrate so I will do my best to give you a flavour of some of the amazing activities and event that have been a feature of the first half term.
Welcome
Of course, we are delighted to have welcomed approximately 150 new Year 7s into school in September and are pleased to see, on a daily basis, just how well they are settling in and embracing the transition into secondary school.
Already, we can see how established friendship groups continue to develop and grow alongside new relationships, as students find themselves moving around the school and mixing with a significantly larger groups of their peers.
The Year 7 Progress Leader, Mrs Richards, said: I am delighted to be the Progress Leader for Year 7 and I am so happy to be one of an extended team of pastoral staff who will help to guide these young people through their journey at Blacon High School. They are already illustrating the values that we promote here as we aim to prepare every student for success.
In addition to our new students, I’m sure you would all like to extend a typical, ‘Blacon High School’ welcome to those who have joined our dedicated team of staff, all of whom are working hard to develop the positive relationships in and around school that contribute so much to student success.
Student Leadership Team
Welcome to our Student Leadership Team for 2023/24.
Firstly, thank you to all of you for applying to join the Student Leadership Team and for being willing to be ambassadors for the school and a voice for the student community.
Our Head Students Charlie and Honey, Deputy Head Students Harvey and Annie Mae, along with the rest of the fantastic team of Year 11 students, have already contributed to several key initiatives and will continue to represent the school at various events during the year, as well as continue to be the most fantastic role-models for students lower down the school.
Their next job is to oversee the elections for the Student Parliament, which is filled with representatives from Years 7 to 10. I hope that I will be able to share names of our Student Parliament Representatives next week.
Open Evening
On September 13th, we were delighted to welcome so many prospective new students who are hoping to join our school community in September 2024.
We really appreciate the ongoing commitment of our staff, along with the huge number of students who give their time freely, so that we can offer you a real flavour of what your children can expect when they become a student here. As you will know, Blacon High School has been over-subscribed for the last five years so it is important that you make a conscious choice in order to secure a place for your child next year.
Thank you also to all prospective parents and carers who attended the Open Evening and for the overwhelmingly positive feedback you left us. We promote open dialogue between the school and parents, we value your contributions, and we always respond to feedback.
All the students who took part in the Open Evening were acknowledged by the headteacher, and were invited to a small ‘thank you’ event as a token of our appreciation (pictured above).
British Council International School Award
Did you know that we have students representing over twenty global cultures in our school community? This is fantastic and something we celebrate. And, as a result of our consistent focus on exploring and expanding our international portfolio, I am very pleased to share that Blacon High School was awarded the British Council International Award – intermediate Level; this is an amazing achievement.
During 2022-23, the school had an enormous range of activities that focused our students on celebrating the richness and vibrancy of every culture. For example, our languages team hosted theatre groups who shared drama performances that were delivered entirely in French and Spanish, the two languages that we teach here.
The long-standing relationship with our twinned school in Bulgaria continues to grow. In June, a group of Year 10s were able to take part in a student exchange programme with our friends in Karlovo, Bulgaria. This is the fourth time that we have been able to offer this opportunity. The students who took part have come back with the most amazing memories and they developed friendships that will last lifetime. We are very much looking forward to the English leg of the exchange, which is happening at the beginning of November.
Meanwhile, the PE Department took a groups of our young sports people to the International Youth Games in Sens, France. Blacon High School has represented the UK at this event on a number of occasions and, this year, were overall winners. What a fantastic experience for all of those who were involved and, a massive ‘well done’ on your amazing achievement.
Our third trip was to Barcelona, Spain. This visit offered students a superb to practice and develop their language skills, and also immerse themselves in Spanish culture.
In addition to this, during the year Blacon High School hosted three groups of students from Italy and Spain. Each of these groups of international guests stayed with us for approximately three weeks and every individual was supported by one of our student ‘buddies’. This was a valuable opportunity for our students to develop new relationships, gain confidence and learn about another culture.
Whilst we are obviously delighted to be awarded with the British Council International Award - Intermediate Level, this year, we are hoping to achieve ‘Accreditation Level’, which illustrates that we have established a programme of activities around international education and embedded learning across the school. Watch this space!!!
European Day of Languages 2023
European Day of Languages 2023 was on 26th September and, to celebrate, there were a range of activities in school. However, I think the most popular was the food that Kelly and the catering team prepared for lunch.
The menu for the day included:
Germany – Bradwurst sausage with sauerkraut in a sourdough roll
Italy – Italian meatballs in tomato sauce with shavings of mozzarella and focaccia bread
A vegetarian option was offered as a substitute for both of the above.
Both dishes were received with ‘gusto’ by our students and we are looking at possible menus to offer at international themed days each half term.
In addition, we also offered a variety of our ever-popular pasta dishes that we serve out of the Pod on a daily basis.
‘Aye Aye Captain!’
Miss Beyer enjoyed a splashing (sorry I couldn’t resist that), a smashing time on the canal with a group of lucky Year 7 and 8 students. She said: ‘What a brilliant morning on a canal longboat! These lovely students from Year 7 and 8 were great company and an absolute pleasure to take on a trip.
And finally…
As we move through an exciting, eventful and ever-busy half term, we celebrate every success, great or small as we fully understand that ‘success’ looks different for everyone; we believe that ‘everyone’ can achieve.
We wish you a restful weekend and look forward to welcoming you into school for a range of events in the coming weeks
This week, students have been reminded about the support available both in school and online, to help with mental health. The assembly includes links to key sources of support for students and encourages them to get talking as part of World Mental Health Day 2023.
This World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2023, ITV’s Britain Get Talking and YoungMinds’ #HelloYellow are collaborating to help children across the country open up. Together with teachers and a clinical psychologist, we’ve created a piece of homework like no other. A conversation starter for children to take home, designed to help them talk about the hardest subjects on their minds with their parents or trusted adults. Because sharing worries can help ease stress and reduce anxiety.
European Day of Languages, 26th September 2023
Dear Parent/Carer, Tomorrow, Tuesday 26th September is the annual European Day of Languages, and we are looking forward to celebrating this in school!
There will be fun languages activities for all students to engage with during tutor time and we will be serving some tasty European dishes in the canteen, with a variety of lively multi-cultural music playing at lunchtime!
Staff who speak other languages, or who have lived abroad, will be sharing their talents and experiences with our students on this day. If your child is lucky enough to have another language under their belt, please do encourage them to show it off in school too!
This is a really great cultural opportunity for our students and your support is very much appreciated. If you are interested in getting involved further at home and would like some ideas or resources, the website linked below is a great source of fun material! Alternatively, please don't hesitate to contact school to speak with a member of the MFL Department.
https://edl.ecml.at/
Merci, graçias, dziekuje, grazie, danke!
Mrs G Hassall
Head of MFL Department
Dear parents and carers,
Further to my communication on social media today, I would like to update you on the situation. This morning, we alerted the Police to an email making threats to the school and some other schools within the local authority. Cheshire Police have said that they believe this to be malicious and are currently investigating.
As a result of this, we followed our critical incident procedures, implementing additional measures as a precaution to ensure all students and staff remain safe in school. As you know, the site is secured each day as a matter of course. Our local Police officers attended the school and also provided a presence at the end of the day to reassure everyone within the community.
Cheshire Police have issued a statement as follows:
At around 10.05am on Tuesday 12 September, police were made aware of an email which had been sent to a number of schools in Chester and Ellesmere Port which made threats to pupils and staff.
An investigation has been launched and officers have been attending schools to provide reassurance.
Detective Chief Inspector Justin Hancock said: “We would like to reassure parents that this is believed to be malicious and we are doing everything we can to locate the person responsible for these emails."
I would like to reassure parents that school will remain open as usual. We take safeguarding seriously as a school and have appropriate procedures in place to ensure the safety of students and staff on site.
We ask that you contact the main reception if you need to come in to the building during the day, as the front entrance and gate will remain closed for the rest of the week, as a precautionary measure.
We will speak to students in the morning to reassure them and will continue to provide any further updates as we receive them.
Regards,
Rachel Hudson
Headteacher
Some parents may be aware of other schools in the area being in lockdown following a communication which is now being dealt with by the Police. I would like to reassure you that Blacon High School is not currently in lockdown, however, we have taken precautions and put in place some additional measures to ensure that all students and staff remain safe in school. I will update you with any further information as it becomes available.
