We are exceptionally proud of Year 10 student, Harriette, who has recently been elected to one of 4 Youth Essex Assembly member seats. This is an amazing achievement and we know that Harriette will do a phenomenal job on behalf of the young people of Brentwood. Harriette feels passionate about young people having a political influence and a voice in the matters that directly affect their lives.

Previously, Harriette has been instrumental in running a Youth Awareness Campaign around the dangers of spiking. In a recent evaluation, it was clear that further education was needed to prevent the spiking of drinks in social areas. Tangible outcomes were the distribution of sealed lids for dinks and a programme of education to raise awareness. In addition to her role here, Harriette is also an active member of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Student Committee. We have a leader in the making here! Well done Harriette!

All candidates have now been through the rigorous interview process and are now busy preparing their videos to be shared with the wider school after half term. They will also now begin canvassing for support and those all important votes. Grace said, "I feel that this part of the process is really engaging, I am looking forward to speaking to the younger students". We congratulate all of them for making it this far and wish them luck with their campaign. Good luck to all our candidates!

This week, Year 7 students were inquisitive, resourceful and creative as they undertook a range of challenges to earn CREST Discovery Awards. CREST is a nationally recognised scheme that encourages young people to think like scientists and engineers and develop communication, problem solving and teamwork skills in small groups. Students searched for extreme survivors with a microscope moss safari, protected their airways from particulates, built telescopes and modelled the impact of a meteorite landing on Earth!

During the Year 11 assembly this week, we were extremely proud to award our latest Duke of Edinburgh cohort with their Bronze Award certificates and badges. The successful candidates began the scheme when they were still in Year 10, and have demonstrated ambition, resilience and a strong set of principles over the course of the last year. They have developed new skills, taken part in regular physical activities, and volunteered for local organisations and charities.

Mr Rankin, Duke of Edinburgh coordinator for the group, commended them for doing exceptionally well, particularly when faced with some for the worst possible weather conditions during the expedition phase. Our students remained calm and collected throughout, developing lasting friendships that might otherwise never have happened had they not taken part in the DofE programme. The group was further commended for their maturity and innovation with their camping, cooking and cleaning under very trying circumstances, and for persevering and showing tremendous grit and determination. Hiking for six hours in torrential rain before having to pitch tents in a mud-bath is very likely not what our students had in mind when they initially signed up!

Overall, they demonstrated the very best parts of the Anglo family – they were ambitious, resilient and principled - and they did the school, and themselves proud.

As we are about to invite parents to express an interest in peripatetic music lessons for the summer term, we'd like to take the opportunity to inform those of you who already use this service of some changes.

The instrument lessons are provided by teachers employed by Essex Music Hub and as such, payment will now be made directly to the Music Hub via a platform called Speed Admin. Details of how to access this platform will be sent separately. There may be a slight reduction in termly costs as a result of using this system.

The school value these opportunities for students but also need to be mindful of cost efficiencies. The amount of time our office staff are spending administering this system is significant, at the school's expense, and we are having to look at ways to reduce this even further. One of the key issues is dealing with individual requests for preferred lesson times for over 100 students accessing this service. In order to make this service viable, going forward, we will not be able to accommodate individual requests. Student will be allocated a weekly lesson and this will be communicated with parents at the start of the block. We will, however, be mindful not to allocate an instrument lesson to coincide with when a student has double PE, due to the logistics of getting changed for this lesson.

Administration staff can no longer send reminders or collect students who do not turn up for their music lessons. It is the student's responsibility to remember the lesson time and turn up appropriately. The only exception to this will be for students on our SEND register, for whom reasonable adjustments must be made. Please can we ask that you ensure that your child knows when their lesson is and encourage them to commit this time to memory for the duration of the term.

We are thrilled that so many of our students take advantage of the opportunity to have instrumental lessons via the Music Hub. Please be advised that funding is available for your child if you are in receipt of Free School Meals to cover the cost of these lessons and instrument hire.

The ‘Love Your Library’ Valentine display was created by members of Study Club and includes the books that students love. Alternatively, a ‘Never Been Kissed’ display - highlighting the books that have never been borrowed (usually due to living on the bottom shelf) has been popular and new titles discovered.

Library Lessons so far this term has included ‘How to be an Online Search Ninja’, demonstrating the skills and search techniques to find the information you need online, including how not to use the first website you find, the problems of using AI as shortcut to homework and a discussion on fake news. Year 7 are also creating their own short comic strip as part of National Storytelling Week.

We are incredibly lucky to have a budget for new books and lots of great titles have been bought to satisfy the readers in Year 7 to those in Sixth Form.

Read-A-Thon

The Library is celebrating World Book Day by dedicating its space to reading only. The PCs will be turned off for the day and the Library will be a haven to those who just fancy a quiet read. This will include Study Club before school, break and lunchtime. So make sure you do not have any urgent homework or printing to do as it will be a lovely day just to enjoy books. There will be a book tasting table available for those who don’t know what to choose!

(Please note that the Year 11 will still have access to the PCs in their lunch hour due to their GCSEs, however the Library will be silent that day and they will be asked to leave or use our GCSE Revision books if noisy.)

Anglo Staff Childhood Picks

Staff were asked what their favourite childhood book was for a World Book Day Display, come into the Library and see what your teachers loved reading as children.

More photos from the Lower Sixth Geography visit to Slapton. As you can see the gonks chosen to go on this visit had a lovely time and really embraced the sea breeze!

Creative writing specialist and parent, Mandy Garner, visited students in the Lower Sixth A-level Language and Literature course to teach them about different non-fiction writing styles. Students looked at Dracula and used different types of styles such as diary entries, newspapers and journal writing to create different stories and perspectives about the events in the novel. Students also looked at how language and style work to enhance a story and make it more interesting.

Year 10 students were visited by two professional actors from StageEd who led a workshop to support our students with their study of "An Inspector Calls". The actors primarily used hot seating to engage the students and allow them to explore in great deal the characters perceptions, emotions and thoughts around their involvement in the death of fictional character, Eva Smith. Year 10 lined up some very impressive questions for the actors and we witnessed some excellent engagement across all 90 students. Mr Rankin said "I heard lots of positive praise for the workshop by students, who expressed their appreciation for being involved. They felt it was a lovely way to break away from the written text and witness the characters brought to life on stage!".

Year 10 Drama Club enjoyed a successful visit to Ingatestone and Fryerning Church Of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, where they were welcomed by Year 5 students and their teachers. Anglo students performed a play they created themselves based on Ayckbourne's popular script 'Ernie's Incredible Illucinations.' This was received very well by the youngsters who enjoyed the variety of techniques and imaginative ideas on display.

Mrs Bardo followed the performance with a Drama workshop, in which all the students participated, allowing Year 10 students to inspire and support the younger actors. We were all very impressed by the creative and collaborative skills on show. Ingatestone have some budding stars in the making!

Thank you to all who made this special event possible, but especially to the primary school, who made us all feel so welcome. We look forward to more outreach work with local schools in the coming months.

Your child is invited to participate in our annual charity International themed non-uniform day to be held on FRIDAY 7th March 2025. All the monies collected will support Action Against Hunger, which is our chosen international charity that was voted for by our students this academic year. This event is being run by our Sixth Form Charities and International CAS teams, and therefore we ask for a contribution of £1 which can be paid before or on the day, through ParentPay.

The theme means that we would like your child to come to school either in a national dress outfit of their choice, or wear certain colours to represent a flag of a country.

We remind you that our school is a place of work for people of a wide range of ages. Sensitivity needs to be shown in everyone’s choice of clothing. Nothing should be worn that can give a reasonable person any cause for embarrassment or offence, therefore we ask that your child to ensure their choice of clothing and footwear is appropriate for school for example no ripped jeans, cropped tops or high heeled shoes are allowed. If you child has PE that day, please ensure they bring their normal kit.

Now available from AESA for £18 each! These are £25 online and £35 at the door if bought direct from Adventure Island. Contact Kate on 07833 248014 for tickets and to arrange collection from Ingatestone or the school.

Friday 28th February 2025: 7.00pm - 10.00pm

This event is for adults and children who are 16 years and above and will take place at Anglo European School in the main hall. You can bring your own drinks and snacks, if you wish, and bring some change for the Raffle and games.

Your ticket can include a freshly prepared Indian Buffet provided by SATT Caterers (£18 with food or £12 without). Book your place below and please share the QR code with your friends.

Anglo's Year 7 boys drew 2-2 in a Mid-Essex league match. One goal was an excellent finish by Shawn and the other goal was a screamer from distance by Evan. Mattia, Lewis and Evan were outstanding throughout. Well done boys!

The Year 7A and 8A netball teams played their 3rd game of the year tonight. Year 8 won 15-8 and Year 7 lost, despite putting up a good fight. The player's player for both games were Isla (Yr8) and Hattie (Yr7) and Miss Whitlock's player's were Luna (Yr 7) and Isla (Yr 8). Well done both teams!

19th January to 15th March: Year 10 long term exchange students visit Frankfurt

10th to 28th February: Year 9 Course Counselling

Wednesday 26th February: Year 9 Brilliant Club Graduation @University of Cambridge

Thursday 27th February: Year 10 Parents' Evening (virtual)

Friday 28th February: AESA Quiz Evening

2nd March to 22nd March: Year 10 Long Term Exchange to Biarritz

3rd March: L6 Model UN Felsted

3rd - 7th March: Charities Week

4th March: Virtual Parental Meetings for L6 China, Years 8/9 Cadiz, Year 9 Girona

4th March: Sixth Form History Essay Competition

7th March: International Day

4th March to 26th March: Year 10 Long Term Exchange to Cadiz

Key Dates for each Year Group can be found https://www.aesessex.co.uk/home/parents/key-dates-and-term-dates/ and here for Sixth Form https://www.aesessex.co.uk/sixth-form/student-and-parents-information/key-dates-and-term-dates/

Monday 24th February: Year 8 Basketball @Shenfield

Wednesday 26th February: Year 8 Netball @Shenfield / Year 9 Boys Football @GBHS

Thursday 27th February: Year 8 Girls Football @CCHS/ Year 10 Netball @CCHS/Year 9 Girls Football @Sandon

Monday 3rd March: Year 7A Netball @Brentwood School/ Year 9 Boys Football @AES/ Year 9 Rugby @Hallmead

Tuesday 4th March: Year 7B Netball @AES

Wednesday 5th March: Year 11 Netball @AES / Year 9 Girls Football @AES

Please note fixtures are organised by all schools so can be subject to change and last minute cancellations - the PE staff will keep those involved in fixtures up to date with information.

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

Visits - visits@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