We face a unique challenge with engaging parents in the life of the school community...you are all so far away! This has been exacerbated by the post Covid virtual worlds when even parents’ evenings are virtual and so we rarely see you face to face in school. However, our brilliant AESA buck this trend and have been working tirelessly throughout this period to continue to deliver quiz nights, mothers’/fathers’ day stalls, events and administrating fund-raising activity to ensure that our school has the additional funding to ensure the continuation of an enriched, unique education.

The AESA team are coming to the end of an era this term and many committee members have children who are now leaving school and progressing to Higher Education. We are hugely grateful to Jenny, Nikki, Jag, Jen and Cate who have led this team for many years. We need to recruit new Committee Members and willing volunteers to continue their great work and enhance the fund-raising potential of our parent body.

Never has the funding situation been more critical; further cuts in our education provision has seen a shortfall of £700,000 between income and outgoings and we have to constantly bridge the divide with creative, enterprising activity which make money to continue the work of our school. Despite cuts, we would like to expand the visits programme, provide bespoke coaching and kits for our sports teams, invest in Ipads for all children, create STEAM and Sustainability projects and many more exciting projects which extend beyond the curriculum.

Please can you help? Are you parents who have previous experience of running primary PTAs with great success? Are you inexperienced fund raisers but willing to learn new skills and offer enthusiasm, time and energy? We need treasurers, secretaries, administrators, organisers, events managers, marketing and advertising, PR and liaison and people who can give a little bit of time to sell tea and cake (and samosas.... Thank you Jag!) There really is a role for everybody!

If you have leadership skills or a willing pair of hands, please step up and help your school deliver on the amazing experiences we would like to implement for the benefit your children. If you can spare a little time, please come to the launch meeting at AES main hall on Monday 16th September at 5.30pm for a cup of tea, slice of cake and some idea sharing about where the next 5 years of parent power may take us. Will you come? RSVP to book your seat and chocolate brownie!

See you there,

Mrs Gee, Headteacher and Mrs Chatha, Chair, AESA

Please complete this form so that you can register your interest in joining the AESA, whether you can or can't attend the above event.

They searched high and low, to and fro,

To find those cheeky Gonks, you know.

Some got wet and some got lost,

But fun was had, despite the cost!

Anglo students were challenged to find 50 Gonks hiding in our school. They spent numerous breaktimes checking every nook and cranny of our site including trees and windows! Our blue and yellow friends were not easy to find but well done to everyone who took part and joined in the fun!

Congratulations to Sixth Form students Daniel and Daniel for managing to find all 50!

The winning Form from each Year group will receive a Form Gonk as a special mascot. Many thanks to Mrs Moorcock, our Staff Cover Administrator, who spent many hours making these special little Anglo gonks as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Our Year 11 students celebrated a significant milestone with an unforgettable prom night. The event, held at Boreham House, was a perfect blend of elegance, joy, and nostalgia, marking the end of an important chapter in their school lives.

Both students and staff truly embraced the occasion, arriving in a dazzling array of formal attire, from sharp suits to stunning gowns. It was clear that everyone had put a lot of effort into looking their best for this special night. One student made a grand entrance by arriving in a tractor!

Mr Lewis, Year Leader for Year 11 said: "What an incredible evening! The students looked fantastic, and the venue was nothing short of amazing. It was a night to remember!"

We are confident that the memories made during this prom will stay with them forever and we wish them the best of luck with their results on 22nd August.

Our students enjoyed their fantastic Big Lunch to mark our school's 50th anniversary! Despite the rain, the event was a huge success. Everyone had a wonderful time, with the highlight being the arrival of the ice cream van!

You may be aware that the Department for Education has asked schools to develop, implement and maintain a policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones in school. This is because the use of mobile phones in schools often leads to distraction and disruption and can exacerbate misbehaviour and bullying. Without access to their mobile phones and the unfiltered internet access provided, students can focus on the present, the people around them and their education. Without the disruption mobile phones cause, school staff can spend more time teaching and supporting students.

The Department for Education guidance offers schools some flexibility in how they approach this, but it is clear from all options that we need to establish and environment where mobile phones are never used, seen or heard whilst at school.

We believe we have developed an approach which is conducive to our school context. We will, however, keep this under review and may move to a more stringent policy if our rules are not followed by students or not supported by parents.

From September, our school rules will be very clear and very simple: mobile phones, and any other smart technology with the same functionality, must not be used, seen or heard whilst at school. This rule applies in totality to all students in Years 7 to 11. It applies to everywhere in the school, including toilets. We will confiscate any mobile phones which are used, seen or heard and these will be kept in our school safe until they are collected by a parent. We will not return confiscated mobile phones to students. Any refusal to hand in confiscated mobile phones will be viewed as defiance and sanctioned accordingly and will result in the student having to hand in their phone every day on arrival to school.

We recognise that our students travel long distances and that you will wish to safeguard them during this time. For this reason, we ask that parents fully support this policy, impress upon their children the importance of following our rules and that you have contingency plans in place should your child not adhere to these rules.

We ask that parents support us in asking our students to manage their self-discipline by not messaging or calling your child during the school day. If there is an emergency, you can contact the school office and we can arrange for you to speak with your child.

Our mobile phone-free space will be clearly marked around the school perimeter and highly visible to all students and there will be no negotiation beyond this point. If a student needs to use their phone, they will need to seek an adult’s permission in advance from that point on.

At both the start and the end of the day, students will not be allowed to use their phones as soon as they are in the mobile phone-free zone. This includes the space under the canopy, on the playground or in Study Club as all of these spaces are within the mobile phone-free zone. If a student needs to check their phone in Study Club to see when their parent is collecting them, they can ask permission from the Study Club Manager. A school computer can be used for all other tasks.

We will start to talk to students about this in the last week of term so that they are all prepared for the changes to our policy.

We will also remind you regularly of what our expectations and rules are so that there is no opportunity for confusion or ambiguity.

For clarity, these rules also apply to Sixth Form students. They will be allowed to use their mobile phones in designated Sixth Form spaces only but the same sanctions apply if phones are used, seen or heard in the main school.

Our behaviour policy, including mobile phone sanctions, will be updated to reflect these changes from September 2024 and will be published on our website for your reference.

Thank you for all the positive supportive comments that we have received in view of this new procedure. Some parents have raised concerns so please see below a list of FAQs to help answer these:

FAQs:

A student has their travel app, ticket or payment method on their phone which enables them to travel home.

Please talk to your child about the potential difficulties they will face if they breach our policy, resulting in confiscation of their mobile phone. Please ensure that you provide your child with an alternative means of ensuring they can travel home safely in the case that their phone is confiscated.

A student’s phone is confiscated and held overnight, or even longer, the phone is not insured whilst in school possession.

Phones that are confiscated will be clearly marked with the student's name and then stored in the safe for safekeeping. We are not liable for any loss or damage to items that have been confiscated.

Some parents live too far away to come and physically collect the mobile phone from the school personally.

Please talk to your child about the potential difficulties they will face if they breach our policy, resulting in confiscation of their mobile phone. You have made a parental choice for your child to attend a school other than your local school.

Access to homework, emails , timetables, Showbie etc is on their phone and this will cause issues.

Anything that a student needs to refer to for homework is easily accessible via a school computer. We have Study Club availability before school, during the school day and after school.

Will mobile phones be allowed in the classroom as a teaching tool?

Our policy is that mobile phones are not seen, heard or used during the school day.

Travelling home without a phone, is this a safeguarding risk?

Please talk to your child about the potential difficulties they will face if they breach our policy, resulting in confiscation of their mobile phone. We will have a contingency plan in place to support communication with parents during travel if this is absolutely required. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and discussed with the parent directly. The mobile phone will not be returned to the student if it has been confiscated.

Lower Sixth student, Truth has received a letter of commendation for her entry in the Gresham College essay writing competition. She addressed the question, "How can the law aid in creating a more equal, diverse, and inclusive society?" Truth said "I argued that the law is a powerful tool for protecting civil liberties within society. To illustrate this, I referenced the tragic case of Awaab Ishak, who died from exposure to mould in his home and how that highlights that institutions and people in positions of authority cannot always be trusted to champion equality. Thus, legislation is the primary tool for initiating and triggering social change."

Truth is hoping to study History and Politics at Edinburgh University and is contemplating a career as a barrister.

Students from 7S recently embarked on a creative adventure that brought language learning to life – quite literally! Students were tasked with creating puppet shows utilising all the French vocabulary and grammar they have learned throughout the year.

On Wednesday, the Summer IB Showcase took place. Many hardworking students from across Key Stage 3 and Sixth Form presented displays on various fascinating topics - from cyphers and codebreakers to Spanish bullfighting and the Body Shop’s decline. Many more focussed on specific modules in different subjects like arts or languages, as well as special projects and events undertaken this year like the Brilliant Club and the IET Faraday Competition.

Every exhibitor poured in lots of effort to create an eye-catching presentation and help curious others learn more - spending time before the day and during P1 and P2 to organise the best show possible (plus definitely throughout the day in the heat and crowds!). Not only were we able to educate others but we also learnt more ourselves - walking around and appreciating the work of others.

Personally, it was especially intriguing to learn more about IB in general and what the Theory of Knowledge speaks about. The subject, specific to the IB programme, is an opportunity for students to explore the nature of knowledge and ‘how we know what we claim to know’. These philosophical questions made students think about 3 physical objects that aid their search to an answer to puzzling questions like ‘Is bias inevitable in the production of knowledge?’, ‘What is the relationship between knowledge and culture?’ or ‘Who owns knowledge?’. Besides that, there were many EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) studies from A-level students that were equally engaging.

Overall, it was a great day for everyone to expand their knowledge and (for the exhibitors) a test of key skills like organisation and communication. Some students found it a bit ‘scary’ and daunting at first but found it quite ‘fun’ and amusing in the end. I found the whole experience informational but also enjoyable, explaining my project to friends and having many laughs.

On Friday 12th July, a group of Year 10 students participated in the Jack Petchey Speak Out workshop. The workshop focused on boosting confidence when speaking in front of people and developed their skills of communication. The sessions were led by professional trainers from Jack Petchey, Sophia and Mark, who were equipped with the knowledge of how to enhance these skills in young people.

Year 8 student, Michael started his acting journey in 2016 with a group called Dreams, based in Hutton. Unfortunately, this group disbanded due to Covid so in 2019 he joined the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts, Brentwood which he attends every Saturday from 14.30 -17.30.

PQA have been rehearsing a musical called "Across the Line" since last year and recently performed this at the prestigious His Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket.

Michael is keen to continue his acting career with PQA, we look forward to seeing where his acting will take him next. Michael said "He was nervous before the show started but felt proud once the show was finished".

We have been asked by Greater Anglia to share this video so that you can watch this with your child over the summer to ensure that they are fully informed of all the dangers that can be present around trains and railway lines. https://learnliveuk.com/greateranglia-rail-safe-friendly-secondary/

Over 21 million students, parents and teachers from across the UK have already watched these videos which has led to a significant decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries in their area through watching the rail safety videos.

‘The tragic death of Harrison in 2017, when he was in Year 7 at Guilsborough Academy, brought home to our community the importance of teaching our children about safety on the railways. Schools play a vital role in keeping our children safe.’ - Simon Frazer, Principal at Guilsborough Academy.

Congratulations to our Year 10 cohort who, this year, signed up for the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award and experienced possibly the worst British weather of the year during their expedition! Many of these students demonstrated incredible resilience and courage to complete their work across the three different pillars, and around half of them have completed their Bronze award already!

Mr Rankin, DofE Co-ordinator said "It has been a tremendous privilege to have worked with our 49 students this year and see them grow together as individuals, and I applaud their efforts in making the DofE Bronze award a great success again this year."

If you are a Year 9 student and would like to know more about this incredible award to decide if you would like to participate next year see https://www.dofe.org/do/why/

Anglo's Year 7 cricket team scored 78 runs with 3 overs to spare in their latest match. Alex top scored with the bat after playing some outstanding shots. George was Anglo's top bowler taking 2 wickets and conceding only 5 runs from his 2 overs. Well done to all involved!

Anglo's Year 9 cricket team played in their second consecutive B league final but, unfortunately, were unable to hang on to their trophy, which they won last year. They were defeated by an excellent opposition but Aarav still managed to make 21 in an outstanding innings. Ben bowled exceptionally as he managed to take a wicket and slow the opposition's run rate.

This team are an exceptional group of respectful and polite students who are a pleasure to take for fixtures. Well done to all!

Talk2Nish has trained Anglo students to be mental health peer mentors so they can help their fellow students to feel heard. Their aim is to educate the whole school about mental health as well as to help individuals who are struggling and may feel anxious about speaking to authority figures. They are doing a sponsored walk from London to Brighton, if you would like to donate to the fundraising campaign click here or going to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/talk2nishwalk.

For more information about this event and the charity see https://www.talk2nish.com/post/sponsored-walk-from-london-to-brighton-our-first-fundraising-event.

Allergens: Dairy

Breast is one of the healthier and leaner parts of a chicken. They are low in fat, calories and a good source of protein to maintain muscle mass. This recipe is an easy and tasty marinade for summer BBQs. You can oven the chicken skewers at 180 degrees for 10-15 mins turning once. Kashmiri red chilli powder can be used as a natural food colour. (It is extremely mild, with a slight smoky taste.) A tip when using red chilli powder – the lighter the colour of red, the more heat it has. The darker chilli powders are usually milder. You can substitute the red chilli powder for paprika for a more smokier flavour. If you are unable to find this powder in your local supermarket, it is widely available online.

Happy Cooking and have a wonderful Summer break.

Mrs Prema-Gadhia

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts (650g) diced into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 3 tbsps natural yogurt
• 1.5 tsp garam masala
• 1.5 tsp cumin powder
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• ¼ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 minced green chilli (deseeded if you prefer)
• 3-4 cloves garlic – finely grated
• Handful freshly chopped coriander
• Lemon juice to drizzle over the chicken

Method:

1. Add all of spices, most of the chopped coriander and oil above with the yogurt to make a paste.
2. Pour over the chicken, give it a good mix to ensure all the chicken is coated with the paste and marinate overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours. When you are ready to cook, thread the chicken onto the skewers before BBQing.
3. When serving, drizzle over some fresh lemon juice and the remainder of the chopped coriander.

From the last edition of our Anglo International Cuisine Mrs Higgins created this beautiful cheesecake. If you have tried any of the recipes featured in our Bulletin please do share your experiences and photos with us. If you have any other recipes that you would like to feature in this section please do forward these to me also.

FIRST DAYS BACK IN SEPTEMBER:

Wednesday 4th September - Year 7 and Lower Sixth students only

Thursday 5th September - All year groups

Term Dates 2023-2025 - https://www.aesessex.co.uk/assets/Documents/Attachments/Term-dates-2023-2025-including-first-day-of-term-dates-Sep24.pdf

Term Dates 2024-2026 - https://www.aesessex.co.uk/assets/Documents/Attachments/Term-dates-2024-2026-1.pdf

Finance - finance@aesessex.co.uk

Admissions - admissions@aesessex.co.uk

Attendance - use Edulink

Email: enquiries@aesessex.co.uk
Website: aesessex.co.uk
Location: Anglo European School, CM4 0DJ, Willow Green, Ingatestone, UK
Phone: 01277 354018