Newsletter – November 2024
The end of the school term on the 20th December isn’t too far away now. And with it, the weather has turned a bit colder. Luckily no significant snow this far south yet, but if conditions do make it dangerous and we have to partially or fully shut the school, you will receive an SMS message backed up by an email and a message on the school website and social media. Closing the school would be a last resort but we have to have sufficient staff numbers to safely supervise children and many of our staff travel from some distance, so this may be a factor rather than conditions on Brampton Road itself.
I’d like to wish year 11 and 13 students good luck with their mock exams over the coming weeks. I know there have been some anxieties, but the idea of a dress rehearsal is to make the ‘real thing’ in the summer less intimidating and to learn how to improve pre-exam preparation and technique. Students have been receiving support on how to revise during pastoral time, with teacher led after school support sessions. Our NHS Mental Health support professional Jo Chapman, will be working with students both one to one and in groups to help keep their motivation high and unhealthy stress under control.
I’d like to draw your attention to our Apprenticeship evening on 3rd December at 6:30pm. This will be suitable for students in years 10-13 who are considering an apprenticeship at either post 16 or post 18. We have a range of employers, FE colleges and former students to present and it will be an informative evening on a rapidly growing sector in education and training.
On a different note, I am asking for your help and support as parents, particularly for those with children in year 9 and upwards. We are seeing a growth in vaping as a problem in school, and it is very difficult for us to police this given that consumption of vapes is before or after school or in toilet cubicles where we clearly can’t have CCTV. This is part of a national issue but I would urge you to have this discussion at home : vapes are for adults to give up smoking, not to give young people a nicotine addiction. Young developing brains may be more sensitive to the effects of nicotine and many of the disposable vapes also contain harmful chemicals. Please speak to your child about this. There is more information from the NHS available here. Our behaviour policy includes a range of sanctions to deter students from bringing prohibited items such as vapes to school, and we ask for your support if we find these and then subsequently issue a sanction to your child (it is illegal to sell or otherwise provide vapes to under 18s.)
Finally, thanks to the PTA and for your support for the amazing fireworks festival at Sandpit Lane that raised a fantastic amount of money to support the school. We have leased an electric minibus that is used for local transport and the BSV consortium runs, and curriculum leaders have been invited to bid to the PTA for grants for equipment or other needs that the school wouldn’t be otherwise able to support.
In bigger developments, we are looking for your support for two exciting developments to the school site that we are working on plans for at the moment. Firstly, the proposed addition of floodlit, covered padel tennis courts by the side of the sports hall. The courts will allow students to learn this exciting sport in both the PE curriculum and extra-curricular clubs as well as providing community access outside of school hours. Secondly, we are exploring different options for the development of a 3G Artificial Grass Pitch at the Sandpit Lane site. You will receive surveys on these two initiatives and we need to be able to demonstrate strong support from parents and the community as part of the planning process, so a high return rate would be appreciated.
Thanks for your continued support for Verulam!
Mr Moane
Headteacher
Curriculum News
Year 10 Christianity Practices
This half term has seen Year 10 GCSE students progress onto the ‘practices’ section of their study of the Christian religion. Part of their learning has encouraged them to question different forms of worship and even to conduct a survey in their classes to see if anyone has ever prayed before, or has given thanks to a ‘higher being’ or something that is not just themself. Some interesting discussion points were raised, particularly to do with religious experiences; a topic we delve deeper into in Year 11 and as part of A Level Religious Studies in our Philosophy module.
Mr Curcic
Professor Carl Bridge visits Year 13 A Level Historians
On Wednesday 13th November, Verulam History Department welcomed Professor Carl Bridge, an esteemed academic at Kings College London, to give a lecture and Q&A about one part of their A Level History course. Professor Carl Bridge delivered an excellent talk about Indian Independence, 1917-47, and focused his discussion on how and why independence came about in 1947. The Year 13 A Level historians asked some pertinent and well-thought through questions and were overall ambassadors for the school.
Mr Pettitt
A Walk Through The Bible
Early November saw us host guest speakers from local Christian charity called STEP who delivered an exciting and insightful workshop about different stories from the Bible. Year 8 had the opportunity to learn and act out specific scenes from the Bible – from the Adam and Eve story, all the way to Daniel in the lions’ den. Our boys were certainly creative in their performances and were able to learn and track how and when these biblical stories took place and how they came to form the cornerstone of Christian belief.
Mr Curcic
Trips & Visits
Computer Science – Trip to Bletchley Park
At the end of October, we took our amazing Year 10 and Year 12 Computer Scientists to visit the world-famous Bletchley Park – Home of the codebreakers!
Students had a jam-packed day where they engaged with a taught lesson on cryptography, a guided tour of the facilities, free time to look at the different exhibitions and of course lunch. There was so much to see and do that we are already planning our return visit for next year, although with a different group of students! It was quite something to see what the nation could do when bringing some of the brightest minds together in one place.
Mr Schalker
Townsend Theological Workshop
On 8th November, our Religious Studies (Philosophy and Ethics of Religion) students embarked on a theological workshop at Townsend school. The event was hosted by a group of Oxford theological experts, who were either completing their PhDs in theology or had already completed their course of study within philosophy. The experts gave a short lecture, followed by an extensive Q+A focused on the debate surrounding the existence of God and whether or not ‘God’ could exist simultaneously with evil in the world, to discussions on reality, and whether or not we exist in a simulation or if artificial intelligence could possibly be part of God’s creation. Ultimately, the answers proved that all of these discussions are ultimately only more open to debate. Can we really know the Truth?…
Mr Curcic
Trip to see ‘Nell Gwynn’ by Jessica Swale at the Abbey Theatre
On Wednesday 13th November, the Year 10 and 11 GCSE Drama students went with staff to see the Abbey Theatre production of ‘Nell Gwynn’. Experiencing live theatre productions is an essential part of the GCSE syllabus, as the students have to write a review of a live theatre performance in their exam. As the new Head of Drama, I am also keen to make full use of this amazing local resource. The Abbey Theatre has already been very helpful to us, supplying us with colourful posters and offering us reduced-price tickets.
In the event, we were very impressed with the production. Intelligently cast and directed, the actors were completely believable, and the whole concept of the production revealed a real understanding of the period and the late seventeenth century acting styles. The play itself is witty, pacy and moving. Not only did we have a great evening (with our students behaving exactly as we would have hoped) but the production gave the students lots of material to write about. We will certainly be visiting the Abbey Theatre for future productions!
Mr Moseley
Curriculum Enrichment
Verulam Parliament Week
Y7 and Y8 students gave a good go at being budding politicians for a lesson during UK Parliament week. They were given a lesson on the importance of democratic institutions and the role of MPs in an ever more complicated world. They then spent some time comparing this with our newly elected Student Council and sharing thoughts on the importance of community action and solidarity. Lots of ideas were shared on how to improve things in the school community including more school funding, free school meals and even a tuck shop idea! Students are encouraged to share any issues and ideas with their new Student Council representatives.
Mr Jenkins
Full STEAM Ahead
Our STEAM club has had an exciting year so far. Our first project was to build catapults! We started small using lollypop sticks and rubber bands and before we knew it we created a fully operational medieval trebuchet using wood from Mr Charmokly’s garden!
Whilst our KS4 students were keen to strengthen the trebuchet using metal rather than wood for the frame, our KS3 students began making go-karts. Their brief was to make 4 wheeled go-karts using one motor and battery set. This required planning and careful building. A huge thank you to our technology team for all the soldering support and to our 6th formers for leading the club.
We look forward to testing the go-karts next week!
Mrs Cornmell
CED1
Our first Curriculum Enrichment Day of the academic year took place on Tuesday 12th November. Students spent the day off timetable, taking part in a range of activities on different topics. Year 7 learnt about Digital Citizenship while Year 8 took part in Stem Workshops. Year 9 students spent the day delving into various aspects of the Holocaust ranging from the causes to the roles of different people and to resistance. We finished the day looking at the life of one individual person who lived through the Holocaust. It was a difficult day but one full of understanding by all.
Year 10 took part in a day centred around Healthy Lifestyles. Students worked through a carousel of activities that gave them insight into teamwork, fitness and nutrition to name a few. In preparation for their upcoming mock exams, Year 11 spent the day focused on revision techniques.
Our year 12 students all became the spokespeople for a state at the United Nations. As delegates at the United Nations General Assembly Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, they had to understand what their county’s position was with regards to equality. The second phase was to represent their nation at a United Nations council meeting to give a brief speech on where their country could improve equality, and what their country was unwilling to compromise on. Finally, the nations had to find a resolution they could agree on (or at least tolerate) on steps to improve equality in the world. The teams that got the most out of this were the ones who could put their own opinions aside and think from the perspective of their country.
We are already looking forward to CED2 on 5th March 2025.
Mr Toley
Senior Maths Kangaroo Challenge 2024
On Wednesday 20th of November three of our year 13 students sat the second round of the Senior UKMT – the Kangaroo Challenge. After qualifying with outstanding results in the Senior Challenge back in early October Alfie Fowler, Angelo Hansen and Alexander Simpson had one more hour to complete as many of the 20 questions as they could. No calculators, no specialised equipment, only pencils and paper and their fantastic minds.
The Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo Challenge was named after a major contributor to UKMT and representative of the Association of Kangourou sans Frountières – a collaborative association who aim to promote mathematics among young people around the world. The name Kangaroo acknowledges the contribution made by Australia to establishing large-scale mathematics competitions.
We excitedly await the results for our boys and look forward to all the UKMT Challenges ahead of us in 2025!
Mx Moreland
Sports Round-Up
November have been exceptionally busy for the department, showcasing outstanding performances both individually and as a team. Thank you to all the staff members, pupils and parents that have enabled this to be a very successful month.
Mr Errington
| Sport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Badminton | |||
| Opponent | Result | Type | Report |
| Badminton vs Various | Third | Tournament | The boys came second in their groups but didn't make it through to the final |
| Cross Country | |||
| Opponent | Result | Type | Report |
| Senior Boys National XC Cup Regional Final | 5th | National Cup - Round 2 | |
| Football | |||
| Opponent | Result | Type | Report |
| Boys-U15A vs The Marlborough Science Academy | Won : 4 - 2 | County Cup Rd 2 | |
| Goals: | |||
| Johnson(2), Reed(2) | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Johnson | |||
| Boys-U13B vs Beaumont School | Won : 4-3 (AET) | National Cup - Round 2 | |
| Goals: | |||
| Stimpson, Harrington, Sinclair(2) | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Harrington | |||
| 1st XI vs Tring School | Lost | ||
| Boys-U13A vs Robert Bloomfield Academy | Won : 4 - 0 | National Cup - Round 3 | Goals: |
| Mason, James, Sam and Leon. | |||
| MVP: | |||
| Leon. | |||
| Boys-U12A vs Chauncy School | Won : 4 - 1 | County Cup Rd 2 | |
| Goals: | |||
| Kosh, Brierley(2), Joseph | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Kosh | |||
| Boys-U16A vs Dame Alice Owens School | Won : 6 - 1 | County Cup Rd 2 | WON 3-2 Vs St Clement Danes |
| Boys-U14A vs St Michaels CofE Primary School, St Albans | Won : 5 - 2 | County Cup Rd 2 | Goals: |
| McAllister(3), Bytyci(2) | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Roache | |||
| Boys-U12A vs Sir John Lawes School | Won : 5 - 0 | National Cup - Round 2 | |
| Goals: | |||
| Stewart, Kosh(2), Brierley, Joseph | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Stewart | |||
| Boys-U12B vs Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School | Won : 5 - 0 | National Cup - Round 2 | |
| Goals: | |||
| Staples(4), Coffey | |||
| MVP(s) | |||
| Lane | |||
| Boys-U16A vs St Clement Danes School | Won : 3 - 2 | ESFA Rd 3 | |
| Boys-U12B vs Richard Hale School | Lost 4-3 | County Cup Rd 2 | |
| Rugby Union | |||
| Opponent | Result | Type | Report |
| Boys-U13A vs Rugby LEAGUE tournament: | Won | Tournament | Qualified for the regional tournament by winning 3 games and drawing 1. |
| 1st XV vs Beaumont School | Won 14-5 | Friendly | |
| Boys-U15A vs Sandringham School | Won : 34 - 20 | ||
| Boys-U14A vs Sandringham School | Won : 30 - 20 | Tournament | |
| WON the Herts Rugby League Tournament. | |||
| Boys-U13A vs Sandringham School | Lost : 3 - 13 | Friendly | |
| Boys-U12A vs Sandringham School | Lost : 2 - 9 | ||
| Boys-U14A vs Rugby League Tournament | Won | ||
| Boys-U15A vs Champion Schools Rugby League Herts Tournament | Lost : - | National Cup - Round 1 | |
| Boys-U13A vs Regional Rugby League Festival | Drew 2 Lost 2 | Regional Cup | The boys lost their first two games but dug in and got two draws against high level opposition afterwards. The boys displayed a great attitude. |
Rewards and Awards
Reading Challenges Update
This month the library held a ‘Read Your Way Through War’ challenge to commemorate for Remembrance Day. Well done to those of you who took part and received some poppy stationary!
For National Novel Writing Month Verulam’s challenge was to write your own novel or graphic novel in November. Well done to Thomas B who wrote his own brilliant novel and to Charlie S, Harry J and Eshan M for writing your own graphic novels, some excellent stories.
The library also permanently implemented a ‘Read You Way Through Books Based On Video Games’ challenge, which is already very popular. Well done to those of you who have completed it already.
Get ready for the Christmas Reading Challenge in December for more rewards and prizes!
Miss Pettitt
Sixth Form
The ‘AIM’ Project – Accelerated Independence Matters
The ‘AIM’ Project – Accelerated Independence Matters is a new initiative that has been launched this year as part of the Sixth Form enrichment program with our new Year 12 cohort.
The objectives of The AIM project are to;
- Enable all sixth form students to understand and enact good independent study skills and habits.
- Focus on the theme of metacognition so students can identify, form and action a suitable knowledge and understanding of their own thinking and thought processes in relation to independent study skills and habits.
- Close the gap between student’s perceptions of the necessary independent study skills and habits required to succeed at A Level (and equivalents) and the reality of the hard work and dedication that it actually takes to be successful.
- Add value to the experience of all sixth form students and make a positive contribution to both the culture and performance of the sixth form.
The AIM project is a 12 hour program of study which is delivered across a 6 week cycle. Students are taught within their form group, with each form and student being able to participate in the program at some point during their Year 12 experience. Stephen Base who is Head of Sixth Form and has been delivering The AIM project gives the following analysis of the program; “The AIM study skills sessions for Year 12 students are designed to equip them with effective strategies for academic success, particularly as they prepare for final exams. These sessions typically cover topics such as time management, goal setting, note-taking techniques, revision strategies, and managing stress. Students learn how to prioritise tasks, organise study schedules, improve concentration, and develop critical thinking skills. These sessions also emphasise the importance of active learning, such as summarising, questioning, and self-testing, to enhance retention and understanding of key concepts“.
We hope that all students will have a positive experience which will add value to their Sixth Form experience when they take part in The AIM project and we welcome feedback from the experience from both students and parents and carers in order to help us evaluate the program and improve it in future.
Let’s empower students to ‘AIM’ to succeed!
Mr Engel
Events & Celebrations
PTA Fireworks Festival – Thank you!
A huge thank you to the PTA for all their hard work organising the fantastic FIREWORKS FESTIVAL on Friday 25th October! The event was a great success, raising much needed funds for the PTA and was enjoyed by many members of our local community. If you were unable to attend the event, you can still enjoy the magic of the evening by watching the video here. Thank you to James Brierley for capturing the event and sharing the footage with us for all to enjoy.
The feedback has been incredibly positive so a special thank you must go to Chair of the PTA, Jane Gomez for her vision and for pulling together an incredible support team who organised and ran the event. The PTA is always in need of more volunteers to get involved with events and fundraising so please do get in touch with Jane and the PTA team if you would like to help out.
Remembrance Day
The whole school gathered at 11am on 11th November to remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life during conflict and peacetime. Following speech a from Mr Moane, Year 13 Head Boy, Robert gave a reading. The students represented the school with dignity during the two minutes silence.
Bebras Challenge 2024
All KS3 students and KS4 & 5 Computer Scientists took part in the annual Bebras Challenge this half term. This is a logical thinking challenge perfect for those who like solving problems. This is a timed competition where students are set questions from three different difficulty categories, with the harder two penalising students for any wrong answers. Due to the popularity of the contest this year, the official results are not out yet, so we don’t know students ranking. However, the unofficial results are out and for the moment here are the top performing students at Verulam:
Year 7 – Justin C and Howard C
Year 8 – Oscar A
Year 9 – Ernest J and Evan L
Year 10 – Francis H
Year 11 – Max D-N
Year 12 – Robbie B
Year 13 – Alex S
I will update you on where these students placed in the country in the next newsletter. The top performing students get invited to participate in the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC).
Mr Schalker
Year 12 Parent Teacher Consultation Evening – A Resounding Success!
This academic year, we returned to face-to-face Parent Teacher Consultation meetings, offering increased staff availability from 3:45 pm to 7:15 pm to accommodate more parents. We were thrilled to welcome Year 12 parents for our first PTC of the year, with record attendance and outstanding engagement. The evening was filled with productive discussions, creating a vibrant atmosphere across the school.
Thank you to all who attended! Please see the upcoming PTC dates below, we look forward to welcoming you again at Verulam School.
Year 13 – Wednesday 15th January 2025
Year 11 – Thursday 23rd January 2025
Year 9 – Tuesday 11th February 2025
Year 8 – Tuesday 25th March 2025
Year 10 – Wednesday 7th May 2025
Year 7 – Thursday 26th June 2025
Please look out for specific communication on each event closer to the time.
Mr Zaman
Save the date – Sixth Form Open Evening 2025
Our Sixth Form Open Evening will be taking place on Thursday 9th January for students wishing to apply for a place starting in September 2025. The evening will begin at 6pm with a presentation in the main school hall, followed by a carousel of subject sessions and the opportunity to look around our Sixth Form study centre. There is no need to sign up if you would like to attend. Please arrive via the Brampton Road entrance noting that unfortunately we’re unable to offer parking on site.
Mr Base
PTA Update
What a great start to the school year?!
We started with the Year 7 welcome lunch, a bar at the Open Evening, second hand uniform sales and of course we have our Verulam Lottery but the most exciting news was our first ever Fireworks Festival !!!!
It was a huge success and we want to say a massive Thank You to everyone who came and to all our amazing volunteers! We raised nearly £8,500 which is way above target so THANK YOU!!!!
This goes a long way to helping us fund the new electric minibus! We’re also supporting every single teacher with items they need for their departments – this will be announced at the start of next term.
** How Can You Help?**
Please do this one thing…. Sign up to Easyfundraising!
Every time you buy online, retailers donate money to our school. It doesn’t cost you anything and with Christmas shopping in full swing, it could mean hundreds of pounds for us.
It’s so simple:
- Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk
- Sign Up and select Verulam School
- Activate the extension so it prompts you to get the donation
We get £800 a year from this but it could be so much more……..
Thank you so much!
Your PTA
Verulam Cricket Club
To all Verulam School parents, staff and friends – New players needed!
- Friendly social cricket. For occasional, rusty and/or regular adult cricketers – and (if we’re short) their children! Not for complete beginners, sorry, but the emphasis is on “social”.
- Midweek summer evenings, May to July. 20/20 social format.
- We play at club and park venues in and around St Albans.
- You’ll need whites, but no need to buy equipment as we have a full kit bag.
- No minimum commitment, you could play all/most of the 10-12 fixtures, or just 1 or 2.
- A match fee covers costs, including a hot snack.
- Nets practice sessions in the spring.
- Interested? Please contact Matt Melling to join us or with any query: mattmelling@ntlworld.com 07785-374826
Train to Teach
Come and train to teach at Verulam School – applications are now open!
We are proud to be a placement school for Initial Teacher Training at Alban TSH who offer flexible, highly-personalised, school-based routes into teacher training. This includes: tuition fee paying, salaried positions, assessment only and Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship for a wide range of secondary courses as well as primary (5-11 and 3-7). There is also the opportunity to gain PGCE status in addition to QTS. Alban TSH is an experienced provider of teacher training and has established partnerships with many outstanding schools in the region. Get in touch with our team teaching@albantsh.co.uk to find out more.
Coming Up
Wednesday 27th November – Friday 6th December
Year 13 Mock Exams
Friday 29th November
Occasional Day – School closed to staff and students
Monday 2nd – Friday 13th December
Year 11 Mock Exams
Tuesday 3rd December
Apprenticeship Evening
Tuesday 10th December
Year 12 Celebration Assembly
Thursday 12th December
Christmas Jumper Day
Year 10 Tate Modern Art Trip
Monday 16th December
Year 8 Immunisations
Tuesday 17th December
Year 14 Reunion and Celebration
Friday 20th December
Last Day of Term – School closes at 12.20pm
Monday 6th January
First Day back – all staff and students return
