Author Archives: C Lawton

The week started with Year 5 students from Green Hammerton Church of England Primary School visiting BHS for a Language Day. If they find themselves in a French café over the Summer holidays, they’ll know exactly what to say! In the afternoon they worked with the English team to use film as a tool for creative writing. Thanks to visiting students and staff.

Year 12 (now 13), on the hottest week of the year, have had their exam week. The importance of their ALevels was highlighted to them on their trip to Leeds Beckett University UCAS exhibition where they got a real understanding of how to apply for a University place and what they’ll need to stand out in a crowd.

Meanwhile Lizzy, Head Girl (2018-9) finally threw herself (in tandem!) from a plane, skydiving to raise money for Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK. She did, as I advised, keep her eyes open in order to identify numerous geographical features as she fell, raising over £3000. Well done Lizzy. A great achievement. She’ll be celebrating her time at BHS with other students and staff at the Year 13 Leavers’ Dinner at The Crown in Boroughbridge on Friday evening. Happy times!

Assemblies this week have focused on standards and how to behave to be kind to each other. I shared a random act of kindness I saw at King’s Cross station last weekend when a teenager bent down to tie the laces of an elderly gentlemen. We discussed actions that students could take to be kind which included helping their younger siblings with homework, saying hello to their bus driver and letting someone go in front of them in the lunch queue. Have you noticed any random acts of kindness taking place?

Next week, we’re looking forward to welcoming Year 6 students who will be joining us in September. Following our meeting with parents on Monday, students will then come into school from Wednesday to Friday to get to know their form tutors, teachers and classes.

It’s been an excellent week for BHS scientists. Year 9 Scientists had an exciting day when they presented at the Lab Coats and Blazers Conference at the STEM Centre in York. They were joined by students from primary and secondary schools from across the county. Mr Inglis and Mrs Robertshaw commented on how confident the students had been when they’d presented. At the Awards Ceremony in the evening, at York University, Ewan in Year 11 was awarded the Ogden Trust Year 10 Physicist of the Year Award and Alex in Year 13 awarded the Year 12 Physicist of the Year Award. Well done indeed!

Meanwhile, two teams of Year 8 students went off to compete at the National Finals of the Rocket Car Challenge at RAF Wittering along with 50 other schools. They were treated to a display from the Red Arrows and a spitfire flypast. Dr Lefley reports that the competition was fierce and BHS students were similarly so with both teams securing a place as second runners up, being only 1mph below the 2nd place.

Finally, many of you will know Robin Hornby who has been our Senior Site Supervisor for 32 years. Maybe, if you were a BHS student yourself, you’ll remember him from your  schooldays! He’s retiring today and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for all he has done to support the students and staff of the Boroughbridge High School community over the last 32 years. We wish him well for the future.

Enjoy the weekend sunshine!

So it’s been Happy New Year at BHS this week. A new timetable, new teachers, new classrooms, new seating plans and, for some, new subjects but as I’ll be reminding students in assemblies next week, the same high standards! Mr Kennedy has taken the opportunity in assemblies this week to share with students that to be successful they need to have a growth mindset. If you’re not sure what he means, look at the following statements.

1. We are born with predetermined intelligence. Agree or disagree?
2. If you’re not good at something, you’ll never be good at it. Agree or disagree?

If you’ve agreed with both statements, you’ve got a fixed mindset. If you’ve disagreed, you’ve got a growth mindset. Students with a growth mindset are more likely to be successful.

Year 7, now Year 8, began their year in Art creating outsized chocolate bars from papier- mâché. Much skill was involved and Miss Rodgers is currently trying to work out where to install the artwork on completion.

On Thursday, twenty eight students from Roecliffe Church of England Primary School arrived at BHS for their Science Day entitled ‘Microbiology – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. Along with Mr Inglis, Miss Rayner and Mrs Hutchinson, they explored the wildlife area and carried out some pond sampling and leaf rubbing. Then, after experiencing presentations from current BHS STEM ambassadors, they carried out a mini research project which they can continue back in their own school. The day ended with students meeting Ember the snake! So a good time was had by all. This is the first in a series of events in our Primary School programme to enable younger students to experience learning at BHS.

Non-uniform day today is being held by the Student Council who will then ask students to vote on how this money can be best spent in order to benefit students and our school community.

Today also marked the final exam of the Summer 2018 exam session. Students in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 have been exemplary in their approach to their exams. Thanks also go to Mrs Johnstone, our Exams Officer, for whom no student’s concern is too big or too small.

Following the return of the Bewerley Park party on Friday, on Monday the following e-mail popped into my Inbox. It was sent by the Headteacher of one of the primary schools who was at the centre at the same time as Team BHS. I thought I should share it as, parents and carers of the students who were on the trip, this belongs to you too.

Dear Miss Stephenson

I have just returned from Bewerley Park following our year 6 residential and would like you to pass on my compliments to your year 9 group and staff who were at the centre when we were there. The students were an absolute credit to you and the quality of the supervision by the staff and the positive relationships within the group were commented upon by all of my staff.

Please pass on my best wishes to all involved.

Have a good weekend and, if it’s your thing, enjoy the football!