“Every Student Thriving” 

YEAR 7 ART PIECE

Headteacher's Welcome

Wow, what a summer term… we have been on a positivity rollercoaster! Focus week was a major success with students being given some great character building opportunities, this was rapidly followed by our year 7 and year 12 induction days, then the fabulous Sports festival organised with military precision by the brilliant PE department, a drama showcase evening, finalists in the county cricket tournament, our 12 hour frisbee marathon  all topped off with our awards evening with our summer concert still to come! I note that the new Department Of Education slogan is ‘The department of opportunity’, that certainly chimes with John Colet as one of our key drivers is to give our students as many enriching opportunities as we can beyond the formal curriculum. The last few weeks have been a testament to that notion. 


This is the last newsletter of this year and I would like to thank everyone for welcoming me so much to the school - at times I have certainly been a ‘stranger in a strange land’ and like all newbies it is the patience, understanding,  kindness and support of others that helps one to find one's feet - and I have had plenty of this from staff, students and parent/carers.


I wish you all a restful yet productive summer break during which I hope memories are made, opportunities taken, and  character continues to be forged!


Take Care - Ian Brierly

CHANGES ...

September will bring some key changes to how we operate. Some of these are about tightening up the ship and building much clearer routines into our school day.  Amongst them will be:






Unfortunately I have had to permanently remove a student member of the John Colet community this term. This is never an easy decision but it should be made clear that students who persistently cross the line, despite support and reasonable opportunities to improve, and who persistently impact on the learning and safety of others cannot be allowed to remain in what is a kind and supportive community.

Mobile Phone Policy - 'no see, no hear'

At John Colet we have a 'no see, no hear' policy for mobile phones while students are on school site.  In a community of over 1000 people it would be disruptive to learning for phones to be used by students. Insisting that a parent or carer collects the phone acts as a deterrent to phones being used. 

During school hours, should you need to contact your child please telephone the School Office and we will get a message to them.  Alternatively if a student needs to contact their parent/carer they should go to the Student Support office or School Office where they can request to ring home.

Unfortunately, at times parents try to contact students directly which causes their phone to go off during lessons - this results in the student having their phone confiscated as per our school policy and it will be a parent/carer that will have to pick the mobile phone up from the School Office.   If you are unable to collect the phone please arrange for a family member, or responsible adult to collect it on your behalf.  Students will not be able to pick up their phone themselves under any circumstance.  A number of students have raised the issue of having to use their phone to pay for transport home. If this is the case the student needs to come and speak to the School Office. We will arrange for a loan which will need to be reimbursed the next day.  

School Attendance

We would like to start by congratulating the 35 students who have maintained 100% attendance for the full school year. We know this is not possible for all students, however are delighted to see that some students have managed to attend every day. We know that good attendance leads to higher school engagement, supports the development of deeper friendships, allows a higher exposure to enrichment and extra curricular activities and ultimately allows students to achieve their very best. Those students achieving full or high attendance should be very proud of their commitment and resilience.

We are also pleased to share that our Year 7 students have achieved 95.7% attendance as a whole year group. This is a really excellent start to their John Colet careers and we hope to see this continue in to Year 8.

Unfortunately, we have seen high levels of sickness absence for some students, and we have seen a huge increase in term time holidays taken by families. Whilst we appreciate the increased cost of taking breaks during the school holidays, it is incredibly disruptive to both students and teachers. We see an increase in general absence for students who have taken term time holiday, and their learning and behaviour is often impacted. We ask for parents/carers support in re-iterating the importance of attending school, and ask that you do not undermine this by taking your child on holiday during term time. Please also remind grandparents and other family members that your child is not available for holidays when they should be in school. From August, we will no longer be able to authorise term time holiday, and will continue to refer to the county attendance team for a fixed penalty notice as appropriate. The penalty will increase to £80 per parent, per child, with further penalties including court hearings for those families who persistently take term time leave.

We also remind parents/carers that students should only be absent on days when they are too ill to attend school. For mild illnesses such as a cold, headache and sore throat, students do not need to stay at home and can attend school as usual.  We also do not expect students to miss school to go shopping, stay at home because you are expecting a delivery or someone to read the meter, to celebrate a birthday or other special occasion, or to look after their siblings. These are actual explanations we have been given for absence in the last few weeks and they are not good reasons for keeping a child at home. We also ask that any absence relating to an essential medical appointment is kept to a minimum, and remind you that students, and their siblings, should not be absent all day for a routine appointment during the day. Proof of appointments should be sent to us at attendance@johncolet.co.uk.

As we move in to the new academic year, we ask for your support in ensuring your child attends school as often as possible. Should you have any queries or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help.

We hope you have an enjoyable summer break and look forward to seeing everyone in September!

With kind regards

Di Bull and Natalie Preece, the Attendance Team

Vehicles on school grounds

Remember that vehicles should not be driven onto campus unless you are authorised to do so by the school office.  Please park and walk.  Unauthorised drivers are increasing the risk of accident by significantly adding to the volume of traffic.

 If authorised to do so, parents should drop-off directly in front of reception.  Please do not use the parking bays for drop-off.  The car-park directly in front of school is for staff vehicles only.

Please also be reminded that vehicle engines should be switched off when dropping off, or waiting for  students to come out of school.   Idling  causes air pollution which is harmful to the school community.  

12 Hour Ultimate Frisbee Marathon

After some students got a taste for Ultimate Frisbee at the Sports Festival in the penultimate week of school, other students were taking their love of the sport to the extreme by participating in a 12 hour Ultimate Frisbee Marathon that Friday!


Students arrived bright and early at 5 in the morning but were all in good spirits as they got warmed up and looked forward to the day ahead. After a customary ‘before’ photo, a frisbee was whizzed up in the air at exactly 05:30 for a ‘jump off’ and the 12 hours had begun!

Before

Everyone started with great enthusiasm, sprinting at top speeds and eagerly scoring for their team, making sure to eat plenty of snacks in between matches to keep them going. Part way through the day, when bodies were beginning to flag, a speaker was brought out to play music and morale soon rallied once more! For the last half an hour everyone played at once with multiple frisbees flying until they finally hit 17:30 and could relax.


Why are so many students so happy to put themselves through this?  As well as being a tradition at the school for 16 years, the event is a fundraiser to raise money for the charity WECare Worldwide - a small, Sri Lanka based charity that provides veterinary treatment for street dogs and relies entirely on donations such as ours to remain operational. The students were able to raise a whopping £1,100 for the charity - well done!

After

Careers update

This half term has been very busy for Careers with 240 year 10 and 12 students on work experience.  Our students spent a week working with a wide variety of employers in many locations.  We have been really pleased to receive very positive feedback about our students and many students enjoyed their placements, some being offered part time jobs and apprenticeship opportunities once they have left us. 

Mrs Sinacore and Mr Colbeck took a small group of students to the Confident Futures Skills show which was held at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium.  The students and Mr Colbeck got to try driving a virtual digger. 

Our year 12 students enjoyed a taster day at The University of Hertfordshire, where they attended lectures and found out more about student life. 

Some of our year 10 students visited Bucks College Group to find out more about an exciting new course being launched in 2025 around sustainability and to hear more about careers in construction from Flannery Plant Hire. 

Mrs Sinacore has begun planning for next year with some activities and guest speakers already arranged.  If you would like to come and speak to our students or know someone who would please email tsinacore@johncolet.co.uk.  We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who has completed an apprenticeship or can talk about roles in construction, law, plumbing and heating, marketing and finance.  We will be holding our annual careers fair on Wednesday 12th February 10 am-2.30pm and still have a few exhibitor spaces available. If you know an organisation or company that would be interested in attending please contact Mrs Sinacore on the email address above. 

School Garden

Students have been making great progress with our school garden despite the wet weather and increased number of slugs and snails.  The students have been working with volunteers from the Grow Together Charity to improve their gardening skills.  We have been growing a range of vegetables in our new beds and developing a pollinator patch with flowers grown from seeds and cuttings. 

The students recently enjoyed a trip to RHS Wisley to seek inspiration and attend a workshop about how to improve our gardening space for biodiversity and better looking surroundings. 

We have recently received a new greenhouse for our school however it needs to be assembled.  Our site team is extremely busy in the summer holidays with several classroom moves which obviously take priority. If anyone is able to volunteer to help assemble our greenhouse please let our office know.  The greenhouse is a new 6x4 from the Greenhouse People and we have instructions. 

Sports Festival

The annual Sports Festival took place on Wednesday 10th July and what a day it was! The students participated with great enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Despite the intervals of rain every participant played to the best of their ability and enjoyed every second. We would like to give a special thank you to all the sports leaders and staff members who helped the event run smoothly. We look forward to running the event next year and having John Colet School come together as one community!' 

Spelling Bee


Monday 12th July 12 Year 7 students took part in the Spelling Bee competition, organised by the Modern Foreign Language department.


The representatives were chosen from each form group after several class trials.


The contestants were as follows:


7A

Isla Mcinnes

Sam Moore


7C

Adam Bella

Kai Pichler


 7G

Meredith Knight

Ellie Gordon


7J

Bella Makin  

Mylo Round


7T

Finn Adler-MacGregor 

Jasmine Richardson


7Z

Ella Atkinson

Elise Temple 


Students were very impressive with their translation and spelling skills and after a very tight challenge the results were as follows:


3rd- Ella Atkinson

2nd- Elise Temple

1st-  Finn Adler-MacGregor


All contestants were given sweets as a prize for taking part with the top three getting Amazon vouchers too.

A huge congratulations to all the contestants and a big thank you to the very supportive audience!


Message regarding parking at Wendover Memorial Hall car park

Good morning,

 We are writing to request your assistance in supporting the John Colet students and families to understand that the Memorial Hall car park is not suitable as a drop off or pick up zone or a pathway.  There is clear signage indicating that it is a private car park. However, it would seem that, if they are not actually parking, people think it’s ok to swing in to drop off/pick up.

The Pre-school uses the car park between 7.30am until 3.30pm with children being picked up and dropped off in between those times. We have had several incidents involving near misses and regular abuse when people are asked not to use the private car park.

The Memorial Hall Car Park is not a drop off or pick up zone or a safe pathway to the school campus.

This also applies to the Wendover Doctors surgery car park. 

Leavers

On Monday 8th July, we said goodbye to our Year 11s in style. They attended school first thing for a celebration assembly, where their teachers wished them a fond farewell with plenty of well-wishes, advice, memories and doughnuts. They had time to socialise and sign each others shirts, before going off to get themselves ready for prom.  

Year 11 Prom

In the evening, the students arrived with huge pomp and ceremony at Missenden Abbey, dressed to the nines. The students had a great time, as did the staff, and it was the perfect send off after their five years with us. Furthermore - the Abbey commented that John Colet were the most well-behaved prom that they have ever had - so a huge well done and thank you to the students! 


Best wishes to all of our Year 11s. Best of luck for the future, and we will see you on results day!


Rewards and Consequences



Year 7 

Year 7 has earned an impressive total of over 44,000 recognition points this year, a testament to their hard work and dedication.  All tutor groups have consistently ranked in the top 10 for recognition points within the school, a remarkable achievement that deserves special mention.

Notably, 7T received the least number of consequence points, showcasing their exemplary behaviour and commitment to maintaining a positive school environment.

Additionally, our year group has maintained excellent attendance throughout the year. We should all strive to carry this positive habit into Year 8.

As we prepare our students to be the leaders of tomorrow, let's continue to encourage them to strive for excellence in all their endeavours.


Year 8 


8T remain in the lead for Year 8 with 8J chasing them down.

All of the tutors groups have worked hard to increase their R points this year and there has been a significant increase over the year.  Hopefully next year the students will continue to work on this.

8J remains the tutor group with the least number of C points with only 820.

Congratulations to Alice Cockroft who has remained at the top of the R points as we end the year.  This has been a closely run race with Lily Blake, Jessica Gomez - Gomez and Molly Farr.  Well done on your achievements.

What a fantastic and busy year it has been. I look forward to seeing the achievements all these students make when going into Year 9 especially with the start of their GCSEs.


Year 9


Overall year 9 have earned in excess of 33,500 R points this year. 9G has pipped 9C to the post for the accolade of most R points achieved this year - well done! The top R point earners were Alfred Pollington-Byrne, Tara McEvoy, Shaan Pancha and Rosie Palmer. Congratulations for all your hard work and studious attitude this academic year, what a fantastic way to start the GCSE course. 

The form group with the least amount of C points is 9C. What a brilliant way to end the year with the second most R points and least amount of C points! I 


Year 10 


10JA remain in the lead for Year 10 with 10G creeping up quickly with only a 50 point difference! 

All of the form groups have worked hard to increase their R points this year and I am incredibly proud of the work they have been putting in. 

10A remains the form group with the least C points with only 626 - this is an incredible achievement and is less than half the amount of the form with the most C points. Well done, 10A!

Yet another message of congratulations to Andreas who has remained top R point scorer throughout Year 10 - an incredible way to end the year. 

What a fantastic and busy year it has been. I look forward to seeing the achievements all these students make when going into Year 11


Awards Evening 10th July 2024


Well done to all the students who received their rewards on the Evening.  

Sports Leaders

This Summer Term has consisted of many Sports Leaders events and Cricket! The PE Department is proud to say that the extra curricular engagement has been fantastic. Well done to all students who have continuously shown up for a variety of clubs and thank you to the fantastic Sports Leaders for maintaining leadership and professionalism in each and every event. 

We would also like to congratulate the Year 9/10 Cricket team for getting into the County Cup Final!! 

Netball team

What a brilliant season for the John Colet Netball teams. After months of hard work and training each group represented the school with great dedication, motivation and resilience. 


Well done to the Year 7 girls who took on the Premier League, finishing 4th place. John Colet is proud of this achievement as it was the girls first competition as secondary competitors. We understand it takes a lot of courage and confidence for each student but the Year 7 team breezed through the Netball season. We look forward to seeing the team develop their skills in Year 8!


For the Year 8,9 and 10s they achieved gold all round. John Colet is extremely proud of each team's success in the Championship league. Every student developed mentally and physically throughout the season and as a result were 1st place winners. We also look forward to coaching every team next season and enhancing their ability even more.

Tooled Up

If you haven’t signed up to ‘tooled up’ yet I urge you to. We subscribe to a library of resources for parents designed to boost children’s resilience, self-esteem and mental health to help them thrive throughout their educational journey and beyond.

 

If you already have an account, simply log in here using your email address and password. If you forget your details, use the reset password function to reset your account.

 

If you ever need assistance, contact the Tooled Up team, who will be happy to help: support@tooledupeducation.com. 

 

Once you are logged in, click on the Resources button in the top left corner to discover the vast library of evidence-based support at your fingertips

The Science Chick Project 2024: A Journey from Egg to Chick

The Science Chick Project 2024 kicked off with much anticipation and excitement among the students. On Monday, June 10th, ten eggs arrived, setting the stage for a week filled with wonder and learning. The students eagerly gathered around, making predictions on which egg would hatch first. This hands-on project not only promised the joy of seeing new life emerge but also offered a rich educational experience.

By Tuesday night, the magic started as the first cracks appeared on the eggs. The Youtube live video allowed the school community to watch in awe as the first chicks began to break free from their shells. By Wednesday, all ten eggs had successfully hatched, giving us ten adorable chicks, comprising three males and seven females. On Thursday morning, the classroom buzzed with excitement and the thrill of new life.

While the chicks were gaining strength, the students embarked on an important research task. They delved into the lives of battery hens and free-range hens, learning about the stark differences in their living conditions, health, and productivity. This research not only provided valuable insights into animal welfare but also sparked thoughtful discussions among the students.

Simultaneously, the students designed detailed monitoring sheets, a critical tool for tracking the growth and development of their chicks. These sheets would help them document changes in mass, wing size, and leg length over time.

By Friday, the chicks were strong enough for the students to start their monitoring activities. Working in small groups, the students were assigned specific chicks to care for and observe. The first task was perhaps the most fun: naming their chicks. Names like Daisy, Donald, Freckles, and Pandora quickly became part of the classroom vocabulary.

Over the next week, the students meticulously monitored the chicks' growth. They noted the increase in mass, the growth of wings, their favourite food and the elongation of legs. It was fascinating to see how quickly the chicks developed and how much they enjoyed eating!

The Science Chick Project 2024 was more than just an educational endeavor; it was a heartwarming experience that brought students and staff closer to nature and each other. Through the process of caring for the chicks, students learned about responsibility, empathy, and the importance of detailed observation. The project also provided a practical context for scientific concepts and fostered a deeper understanding of animal welfare issues.

Thankfully, at the end of the project the chicks found a new home on a farm, where they would continue to grow. The Science Chick Project has undoubtedly left a lasting impression, nurturing both scientific curiosity and compassion in young hearts.

Science Teacher

J. Strachan Harvey


Focus Week  

Here are some of the activities.

Monday 24th June - Neasden Temple- Year 7


Here are some of the students' comments about the day.


‘I liked how there were no floor shoes allowed so the floors remained clean and sparkly.  There were also cool paintings and sculptures.’


‘I enjoyed the stars.  It was really chaotic.  It was very pretty and beautiful.’


‘I enjoyed looking at the arti ceremony and going around the place filling in the sheet, it was fun.  I like the trips because it’s entertaining and it gives us a break from school and let us do more activities.’ 


‘I enjoyed the arti because it was very interesting and I had never seen anything like it’


‘At the temple I liked looking around at all the artwork also I enjoyed the ceremony.  The place was very big and I also enjoyed the video about how they made the temple.’


‘I enjoyed the fact finding sheet and the service.  The service you do not normally see.  It was interesting and different from others.  A new skill I have learnt is how to pray in hinduism.  I liked how I learned about religion and what it is like.  The new experience I had was praying.’ 


'I learnt that all of the designs in the oak wood were all hand crafted by people that had volunteered.  I enjoyed exploring the temple and watching the ceremony take place.  I have learnt that you should always sit in silence and respect others in the ceremony when praying.  During the ceremony Hindus pad their hands  

National Space Centre

Willen Lake - Year 8

At the National Space Centre in Leicester students had the opportunity to explore the interactive galleries and Planetarium.  

Willen lake offered activities to Year 8 students the chance to have adventurous, fun and challenging activities. 

Quotes from students:

The things I liked were the archery and having a shower. The showers were warm but a bit short! It was a good trip.   Jess


The activities I liked the most were the nature walk because it was intriguing and a nice walk and the archery because it was fun.  Lucy


I took part in all the activities and my favourites were the games, axe throwing and the wild water swimming. I enjoyed those because I learnt skills.  Alfie-Jack


I had a good time and lots of fun. The evening games were good and really fun to play. Making fires and cooking burgers was fun.  Thomas


On this trip I really enjoyed the archery and swimming. I learnt how to survive in the wild.    Daniel

Bushcraft

On Monday July 24th 96 Year 7  students made their way to the Bushcraft adventure in Penshurst Place, Kent.

What an adventure it was - with some not thinking it would be quite as in the wilderness as it was!

On arrival the students were welcomed with a safety brief from the rangers and were shown to their tents for the week.

Then it was lunch where the work began with each student having to wash their plates and cutlery.  Activities started that afternoon and during the week the students participated in a wide range of activities. These included:


Students took part in games in the evening and then settled to a Bushcraft night time routine led by the rangers.

The food was cooked either in the camp or in the kitchen by the cooks. Students had a variety of meals which they (mostly) loved!

Some students took part in wilderness swimming and did well to have a dip in what seemed to be a freezing cold lake! This was followed by a nice warm shower (limited to 3 minutes).

The toilets were 'interesting' but the students took all the wilderness on board and hardly complained!

Some of the teachers were a bit freaked by the mice and bugs in the tents but all survived!

In all a thoroughly good time was had by all but everyone was glad to get home for a nice hot shower, proper toilet and clean clothes!

Day 2

Day 3 and 4

Whipsnade

Wednesday 26th June - Whipsnade - Year 7


‘I really enjoyed today because I loved getting to see all the animals.  I find them very pretty and interesting.  There were lots of baby’s to see.  We saw baby elephants, giraffes, rhinos,  meerkats and also many other animals.  If you had any questions about any  of the animals then there was always someone to ask.  One of the best activities for me today was the farm since you could pet some of the animals there.  There were so many photo opportunities everywhere you look.  This was great as I love photography.  It was great exercise as well.  It was also a great opportunity to make new friends and hang out with my friends too.’


‘I liked the animals and that whilst walking around we were able to play games.’ 


Article by a Year 7 student 

Programming project

RAF STEM Day

Towpath walk

Colet Challenge - Year 8


Growth and Resilience 


Taskmaster

Taskmaster, based on the Channel 4 comedy programme of the same name, had students competing in small teams to complete bizarre and silly challenges, such as taking an extraordinary photo of an ordinary thing, or choreographing the coolest handshake.  These were given points by the members of staff, and the winners in each classroom went on to compete in further silly challenges in front of the whole year group.  The students showed their creativity and out-of-the-box thinking in coming up with some absolutely brilliant responses to each of the tasks. 

Article by Mrs HillWalker


Monday 24th June - Taskmaster - Year 9


It was great fun.  My favourite part was when we had to make an ordinary object extraordinary.  We made a super-pen! I overall liked working as a team and it was an amazing experience.

Article by Clara


Activities included -

Draw 50 dots

Connect those dots

Stand up at 100 seconds

Create a hand shake - team 

Take an extra ordinary photo of an ordinary thing

Disguise someone in a photo 

Take a close up photo including two colours

In my opinion these were fun because it was hard for them to guess it. 

Make an album cover - I like this one too, it was fun to edit the photos.

Write as many random words and see if it fits the taskmaster’s theme

The day included many other activities -

Article by Leah 



Thursday 27th June - Taskmaster - Year 9


During the taskmaster challenges I really enjoyed exiting the classroom and doing activities all around the school.  I liked this as we travelled round the school with friends trying to solve the issues we were presented with.  The tasks were fun. 

Article by Bobby



We participated in multiple different activities.  My personal favourite being the disguise task, where we had to disguise ourselves. I learned more about teamwork and I feel that I have gained in person.

Article by Enish


The activities I enjoyed the most over this week have been Taskmaster and the Space Museum.  I enjoyed Taskmaster because I enjoy competing in challenges and working as a team.  I enjoyed the Space Museum as I was able to spend time with my friends and learn about space.

Article by Florence

Tuesday 25th June - Taskmaster - Year 8


Comments made by the students of their experience during Taskmaster.


One student wrote - ‘I really enjoyed the phot challenge and the unusual item challenges.  I think the line and dot challenge were fine but not as fun.  Overall a really good experience’ 


I liked that we did stuff we do not normally do and it was fun, as well as we could be creative and work in teams.  I have learnt to be confident in things I would not normally do.  Also I have learnt to suggest different ideas and communicate more. 

Article by Maria and Libby


Tuesday 25th June - Go Ape - Year 9


The day was fun climbing the ropes, even though it was scary everybody had my back which gave me the confidence I needed.  I have learnt how crucial it is to take part in a team.  I overcome the fear of heights which is what I needed.

Article by Lucas

PGL

Year 8 have arrived safely at PGL. We've found our rooms in the mansion. Everyone has been given their activity groups and we've had a campfire in the woods surrounded by giant butterflies. 


Year 8s have had their first full day at PGL filled with high ropes, fencing, problem solving, trapeze and zip lines. We're looking forward to tomorrow, particularly the kayaking. 

Wednesday saw year 8s trying out kayaking and abseiling at PGL. Plus each group got to try the activities that the others did earlier in the week. 

In our last full day in PGL, year 8s have shot each other in laser tag, swung on the giant swing, jumped for the trapeze and shot each other again with a bow and arrow in archery tag. We'll be finishing off our trip learning survival skills and climbing. 

Year 8’s final morning at PGL with students doing woodland survival training and climbing 

Culinera

Culinera would like to hear from parents and students about the catering service.   Please complete the below links, thank you.

Student: form 


Smoky sausage skewers with tomato rice

Mango and passionfruit lassi

Current Job Vacancies - with flexible working patterns

Do you know of any one who would like to join the John Colet School.  We have vacancies for a Learning Support Assistant, Librarian and Media & Marketing Assistant.

Full Job Descriptions are available on the John Colet School website.  These can be found under 'About'  tab on the 'Vacancies' section of the website.


Free School Meals

If your circumstances have changed recently and you think you are eligible for free school meals please get in touch via pupilpremium@johncolet.co.uk and we can complete a simple check for you.

Lost Property

We have numerous items of lost property including coats, shoes, trainers, water bottles and food tech containers/equipment. If you are missing any items, please ask your child to visit Student Welfare Officer's office.  All unclaimed items will be donated to charity at the end of term.

Please can I ask that your child's name is put on everything.  Thank you.

This is a quick and easy way to help with fundraising for
John Colet School.