15 December 2023


On this, the last Friday of the Autumn Term, I wanted to say an enormous thank you to you, our parents and students, for the support you have given to all of our team at The John Warner School.


When Chris Price, Adele Wallis and I joined the school on 1 September, we knew we had a significant piece of work to do, a piece of work we couldn’t have completed without the commitment of all members of our community - both in and beyond the school. Further to our Ofsted visit of 5 and 6 December, we know how many of you want the very best for The John Warner School, its children and its community. We will share the Inspectors' findings after the Christmas holiday with you all. 


When our whole school community returns on 5 January, 2024, we will, officially, be members of Danes Educational Trust which will see the next stage of our school's journey, a journey that we intend will see The John Warner School as the school of choice for Hoddesdon. In advance of our return, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our expectations for dress which may be found below: 



For our Year 11 and Year 13 students, I wish to extend particular thanks for the way in which the significant majority conducted themselves during the recent Mock Examination Series. On Monday 18 December, in keeping with the letter you will have received from Adele Wallis, students from both Year Groups will receive their results in the Main Hall during the course of period 5. Prior to receipt of their results they will be invited to 'Hot Chocolate and Doughnuts' in either The Bridge (Year 13) or the Canteen (Year 11) to celebrate their work ethic and commitment to their learning. Colleagues will also be available to support and provide guidance to students who may not have yet achieved the results they were hoping for.


To conclude, this issue, more than any other yet, celebrates the significant achievements of a number of our students across our school community who have shown the skills, tenacity and engagement with the wider world that is so much in keeping with our vision of inclusion in its very best sense. I hope you enjoy reading about their varied successes as much as I enjoy hearing of them. We have some of the kindest, most thoughtful and most engaged students at The John Warner School I have had the privilege to meet in a career spanning over 30 years. 


Wishing you and yours a restful Christmas with, I hope, much joy.

Warmest Regards

Rachel Brindley
Interim Headteacher, The John Warner School

Saracens Development Player Programme

Congratulations to Kai Beazley in Year 9 who has been selected to join the Saracens Developing Player Programme - Rugby.  On Tuesday 19 December 2023 Saracens will be holding a 10 a-side intra-county tournament specifically for the Year 9 players nominated to join the programme, involving players across the three counties, Hertfordshire, Essex and Kent, that make up the Development Groups. This is a great sporting opportunity for all Developing Player Programme players to play in a tournament at a higher level of youth rugby and will serve as an introduction and foundation to playing in a large public venue. Well done, Kai. 

Warner Bros - Wonka Careers Event

Congratulations also go to Sky Warren in Year 13 who, having submitted an application to attend this important Careers Event with Warner Bros Crew HQ partners, was accepted onto the programme and secured a place at this exciting event in London on 5 December. The day was hosted by British radio and television presenter Yinka Bokinni and involved Director/Screen and Story Writer Paul King; Producers, David Heyman & Alexandra Derbyshire, and Costume Designer, Lindy Hemming, all of whom shared an insider view of their department, career, and the wider industry. 



Broxbourne Food Bank

In keeping with our commitment to the well-being of all, students and staff from our school have been collecting for the Broxbourne Food Bank with all donations to be placed in parcels under the beautiful Christmas tree in Main Reception. Any final donations may be made by the end of the morning on Monday 18 December when Ms Tweddell will take all that has been given to Broxbourne. Thank you to all who have given so generously. 

Accelerated Reader

      Congratulations to our first Accelerated Reader Word Millionaire: Hannah Tollervey in Year 8  has read 1,08,108 words since September, an excellent achievement.

      Congratulations also to Macauley Bishop who took third place in the World Go-Karting Championships In Bahrain last weekend, a superb achievement.

Dance Show

‘Get On Your Feet’ was a night to remember. On Tuesday 12 December our dance students really did demonstrate just how talented they are. The performance showcased wonderful community spirit by 80 students performing to a full capacity audience, with pieces from all of the BTEC, GCSE and A level students as well as the Dance Club performers.

The school would like to thank Miss Brenton for her absolute commitment to dance in its very best sense at The John Warner School. Equally, Miss Brenton would like to express her thanks to Elstree Screen Arts (ESA) for supporting the event. The creative team from ESA brought sound and beautiful lighting design that enabled the show to come to life and also included filmmakers: further information on how to purchase the full show will be available in the New Year. 

Emily Fairfax was also back supporting dance for another year, so please keep your eyes peeled for her wonderful photographs on the dance Instagram page soon: jws_dance

Donations from the show will go towards a dance trip opportunity for the students, with £173.63 raised on the night. Thank you to all who contributed.

Miss Brenton and the school are beyond proud of the students as they danced beautifully and it was a great privilege to see how all their hard work and determination come together on the night.

Christmas Carols

On Wednesday of this week we welcomed students and their families to 'Carols Around the Tree'. A small ensemble of musicians, led by Alice Stolton and Mary Peat in Year 10, accompanied the choir who sang a selection of Christmas carols and songs. The Friends of John Warner kindly provided refreshments and there was a raffle to win some amazing Christmas goodies! Many thanks to Jill in the Library for hosting us due to the inclement weather and to the musicians who took part. Choir: Chisomaga Biaduo, Erika Clark, Francesca Fischer, Poppy Gerrard, Bersabeh Woldemariam. Orchestra: Natalia Goroszkiewicz, Jessica Walker, Alice Stolton and Mary Peat. 

Christmas Lunch

Wednesday 13 December saw our whole-school Christmas Lunch take place in both the Canteen and the Main Hall of the school, the latter decorated to look unexpectedly and remarkably like Hogwarts! Senior Leaders supported the wonderful Canteen Staff (who had dressed for the occasion!) in serving food and drinks to the students who consistently declared that the lunch was 'really lovely'.

Thank you to Becky and her team who work tirelessly throughout the year and certainly have pulled out all the stops this Christmas, including the accompanying musical ones heard over the last week.

Cranbourne Christmas Bake Off

We were delighted to welcome the pupils of The Cranbourne Primary School to our school on 4 and 5 December. 46 eager pupils came all ready to make their very special Christmas cakes, and their joy is communicated beautifully in the pictures above. Particular thanks go to our Year 10 and Year 12 Food Science students who were on hand to help and guide them throughout.


The last of the Christmas Club twilights also took place this week and the students finessed their wonderful Christmas boxes, which included Chrismas cakes; shortbread; tempered chocolate and other lovely goodies. Photos of these may be seen below. 

Inter-House Year 9 Great British Christmas
Bake-Off Competition

Bakers you have 20 minutes left! 


There are no words that can express what a great morning was had by our Year 9 students as they participated in their Inter-House Great British Christmas Bake Off.  Each team had to produce 12 cupcakes and their theme this year was, quite simply, ‘Christmas’. Within the mix were some truly great creations, displaying our students' artistic side, most notably fondant sculptures on a vanilla sponge.   

 

While the students were absolutely prepared to do battle against each other, they also all showed one of the most important values - that of ‘respect’ - and they produced cupcakes that only can be described as truly scrumptious!  

  

As such, there is only one thing left to say: what an amazing morning! Each student did both themselves and their house proud.

  

A few quotes from the morning’s event: 


'It’s the only Inter-House competition that I’ve entered and it was, therefore, the best. I wish there could be more like this,'  Angelica. 

'I didn’t sign up at first but I’m so glad I did because it was the best experience. it was fun working as a team with my partner,'  Bella. 

'This competition was Christmas magic! I thoroughly enjoyed it.'.  


Well done to all! 

Headteacher Commendations

Nominated by Mrs Wootton, Anthony Page and Charlie Adkins have received a Headteacher’s Commendation for sustained and thoughtful kindness.

Kindertransport and the Holocaust

December 2023 is the 85th anniversary of the start of the Kindertransport, and, as such, our students have been working with a bank of extensive resources during form time to better understand the Holocaust and the way in which children under 17 were brought to the UK on the Kindertransport, a programme which began in December 1938 and brought mostly Jewish children from Germany, Austria and later Czechoslovakia to the UK until the outbreak of World War 2 in September 1939

 

The work our students have completed this month anticipates Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January 2024 that marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

 

With many thanks to Ms Halley for providing a lead in the consideration and delivery of materials that develop and support our students' understanding of what it means to be human.

Mathematics Enrichment

On 14 December our Year 12 and 13 mathematics students attended an Enrichment Day at Cambridge Mathematical Centre. The day provided them with an opportunity to experience higher order problem solving and to understand the reparation for university entrance examinations.

Thank you to Ms Ramanah-Smith for organising this event and for accompanying our students on the day.

The John Warner School Alumni - Part 3

Ailsa Anderson (was McIntyre)

'Ailsa Anderson Makes Royal Baby History' 

A member of The John Warner School Alumni, Ailsa Anderson was Queen Elizabeth's press secretary. 


Normally, behind the scenes and away from the cameras, in 2013, Ailsa Anderson crunched across the dusty pink gravel in front of Buckingham Palace in her three-inch heels to post the message that all the world wanted to read, and was thrust firmly into the royal baby limelight. 


'It was thrilling. it’s an amazing experience to be part of history and a rare honour.', Anderson told PEOPLE. 


Anderson was Queen Elizabeth’s press secretary, tasked with making the final journey with the anxiously awaited birth notice of Prince George and fixing it on the easel for Her Majesty’s subjects (and the rest of the world) to see. Anderson was one of three key women around the Queen. Along with assistant private secretary Samantha Cohen and dressmaker Angela Kelly, she was part of the monarch’s team advising her every day. 


Anderson joined the palace, as an assistant press secretary, in 2001 coming from a public relations post in the UK government where she worked in the Cabinet Office, aiding Margaret Beckett, a senior member of the then-Labour administration, and was made press secretary to the Queen when Cohen was promoted in 2007. 

When she got her first post in the press office at Buckingham Palace, Anderson said it was a
'dream job come true'.

The John Warner School Half-Termly
Sports Round Up

The second Autumn half term has been a busy one for the PE faculty with a total of 37 sports fixtures over 7 weeks! Notable highlights include the following:

Results from the first District Swimming Gala of the year

The first district swimming gala of the year was held on the last day of the Autumn half term. There were some great performances from the John Warner swimmers with first places going to:

M. Ward: Inter girls 50m Freestyle

A. Whiteman: Inter boys 50m Freestyle, 50m Breast stroke & 50m Backstroke

E. Roberts: Junior boys 50m freestyle, 50m breast stroke & 50m Butterfly

O. Farnes: Inter girls 50m Back stroke

Results from the Year 7 and Year 8 mixed hockey festival

Our mixed Year 7 and 8 hockey team headed to Simon Balle in October for a triangular fixture against Simon Balle School & Presdales School. The boys displayed some excellent skills, competing against students older than themselves. They came away with two draws on the evening having played really well. With more fixtures in the diary, training will continue on a Tuesday after school and all are welcome to come along.

Parent / Carer Thank yous

Dear Mrs Brindley

I just wanted to say thank you to you and each and every person that runs the huge machine that is The John Warner School for everything that they do. This first term has been tough but feels like an entirely different school. So many positive improvements that had an immediate impact. 

As a family we wholeheartedly appreciate how hard a job it is to teach, nurture and inspire young people. 

I  truly hope the Ofsted inspectors saw how much work has gone into the transformation of the school in a short few months.

Our experience of the SENCO team has been outstanding. 


Nothing is ever too much; they are incredibly supportive, proactive and accessible. We appreciate every single person who has supported … thus far to settle and thrive. 


The English department, equally outstanding, has inspired my children to love to read again, to think creatively and discuss things so eloquently ! But most importantly, it always feels as though they care and are invested in my children’s progress. 

The Science and Engineering departments have enthused my boys to talk about black holes, chemistry and robotics during dinner!! I may not have a lot to add to those conversations but I do love to listen to them. 

Mr Stepton has made … realise he can do the tricker maths problems and gave him his confidence back. 

Mrs Petrou, Mr Higham, Mrs Halley, Miss Adams, Mrs Maughan, and Miss Curaba are exceptional teachers who are a credit to the school. 

Keep doing what you’re all doing. We know it’s hard but it’s sooo worth it! 

Kind regards