AES Newsletter News from the Anglo European School for pupils, their families, staff, Governors and friends of the school

Issue 42 Anglo European School, Willow Green, , , CM4 0DJ Telephone: 01277 354018 Fax: 01277 355623 April 2019 Website: www.aesessex.co.uk Email: [email protected] International Day reaffirm our place in Europe. Geography teachers The term “Anglo European School” is a misnomer. tell students that we are a country in Europe, Everything about this school is global in terms of Citizenship teachers teach us that we have a our community, our ethos and our outlook. 49% of responsibility to our neighbours. Whether we leave our students speak English as an additional or remain, these things will not change. language; 76 languages are spoken in the homes of Understandably, we are a Remain school. In 2016 our families, 38 ethnic groups are represented in the we voted 70% in favour of remaining. But we are Anglo family as well as 19 faiths and 83 a school which tries to encourage our young people nationalities. International Day, March 2019

It was in the late 1990s when we redefined to be politically engaged. We respect and indeed ourselves. It became contrary to emerging celebrate difference. Our non-uniform day adopted equalities legislation to admit Europeans over those an international theme and we deliberately chose to from the other 170 or so other countries that make hold it on 29th March, the original date for our up our increasingly small world. The world is now departure from the EU. It was a symbolic moment very much our oyster. It is our classroom, our life- to celebrate our place in the world, the contribution giving ecosystem and our home. It informs and we make to making it a better place, to recognise enriches our lives on a daily basis and it provides a our “common humanity” and to help heal some of potential venue for our future work and play. the wounds that have opened up in our society in recent months. In the 90s we chose not to change our name. “Anglo European” gave us our reputation and has Whatever happens with the EU, our purpose as a given us our history and a unique selling point. It school takes on added meaning and purpose. The was too important to us to change. Yet, at this key phrase in our mission statement is to develop moment, at the beginning of the 21st Century, it is a young people who understand that other people, time when it is right to state that our name is also with their differences, can also be right and that is part of our future. Whether or not we remain as a perhaps the best advice we can give our political member of the European Union, it is a time to leaders at this point in our history. David Barrs and Jody Gee

AES Newsletter Issue 42 2 Anglo in the Community Healthy Schools Award Mrs Miller (Business Manager) and Mrs Wootton We were pleased to announce the expansion of our (Assistant Headteacher) attended the Healthy “Community Lecture” programme, which began in Schools Awards July 2018 with Leslie Kleinman sharing his Ceremony 2019 at testimony of his time in Auschwitz. The second Chelmsford City such event was the showing of the colourised film, Racecourse to accept the “They Shall Not Grow Old” last term in conjunction award for Healthy with the 100th anniversary of the end of World War Schools status 2019-2020 1. We then welcomed Baroness Ruth Henig who on behalf of Anglo spoke about peace-making at the end of the Great European School. War.

Miss Dawton, Head of Humanities said “It was Where are they now? inspiring to see such a large Michael Farley (1978-1984) runs his own business, (nearly 100 strong) and diverse Good King Hal, and works as a Henry VIII look-a- audience; a mix of students from like and historical interpreter. He regularly works at Year 9 upwards, staff and Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, Cardiff Castle and can members of the local community also be seen regularly at the Mary Rose Exhibition in who all came together to hear Portsmouth. He has made two very successful short Ruth. The lecture focused on the comedy films and has recently written and is now challenge of reconciling national directing his first comedy feature film entitled interests with the ambitions and “Alpha Male”. need for international co- Ruth Henig operation in 1918/19 as well as the evolution of the new international scene into the 1920s. The Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations have always been important topics in our GCSE history course, the audience listened intently while Ruth challenged perceptions of the economic Michael Smith (1976-1982) remembers being a impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany.” member of a small student team that hand-built the

school’s first electronic synthesiser keyboard for The audience were also able to view one of the the Music Department. He now works as a original copies of the Treaty of Versailles which is Director for Telerate Systems. owned by the school. The Treaty has been rebound [email protected] by Mr Barrs’ father. Emma Benson (2003-2010) graduated from We were also fortunate enough Cardiff University with a BAHons in Economics to have Manisha Patel, a senior and German and MSc Economics Politics and analyst at the Bank of , Public Policy and is now currently working as a talk to the school community Director for Meeting Place Communications. about “Cryptocurrency: the [email protected] future of currency?” and Liam Liam Halligan Timothy Robinson (2001-2006) studied the IB Halligan, a British economist, and now resides in America working as a public journalist and broadcaster visited Finance Advisor. His clients include the the school to speak about “The Governments of Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Future of the Global Economy”. Leone, Papua New Guinea and others.

If you would like to be notified of our upcoming Emma Lile (1990-1993) also studied the IB and community lectures or, indeed, would be willing to currently works as a District Crown Prosecutor for speak at one of our lectures please contact us the Crown Prosecution Service. She is in charge of through [email protected]. all cases appearing before the Magistrates Court in Staffordshire.

AES Newsletter Issue 42 3 Student News The Lower Sixth CAS Amnesty group held Students from Anglo, Brentwood County High “Shackling Day” to raise awareness of wrongful School; and Brentwood imprisonment, prisoners of conscience and School showed off their debating skills in a mock people who have had their rights taken away. Parliamentary debate hosted by Brentwood and They dressed up as prisoners and made paper Ongar MP, Alex Burghart, at Brentwood County chain shackles to join themselves together. Every High School. The students were kept in order by person held a placard with the name of a prisoner the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, of conscience, along with some information Dame Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest. about that person. They attracted a lot of attention from the other students whilst sharing Mrs Gee, Headteacher, Mrs Earley, International the stories of their “prisoner of conscience” Co-ordinator and two Upper Sixth students, Keir allowing students to be aware of their plight and May and Ruby Daniels, presented to the All-Party how some Parliamentary group concerning the development of people, no Modern Languages and the decline of the matter where international school exchanges programme. Baroness they are Coussins, Co-Chair of the APPG invited Anglo living, are European to present to wrongfully parliament about imprisoned. our extensive programme of exchanges, homestays and visits in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Anglo European School Association Switzerland, China, Russia Thank you to the wonderful parents, guardians, and the newest exchange staff and children who have supported the AESA programme in Japan. Mrs with all the events and activities over the past Gee said “Our two term. They have raised another £2,580 which will students spoke confidently be used to help pay for much needed books and and with conviction equipment for the school. concerning the impact of If you would like to become involved next term, the visits programmes on their confidence, resilience please email [email protected] and ability to take on challenges beyond their comfort zone and what they had learnt about themselves, their own culture and that of others as a Charities result.” The Charity Committee have been working hard to raise money for Marie Curie by selling their Megane Sykes met with Mrs Gee to discuss her daffodils and other merchandise to tie in with amazing commitment to a local care home over the Eisteddfod. last two years. Megane volunteers at the Millard Care Home in Braintree. She spends time with elderly Charities Week has been extremely successful people in the home and is especially empathetic which has seen the first International Day for the towards those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. whole school (non-uniform day); Giving Nation Megane’s work has gained attention recently as she organised by Year 8 students as part of their was awarded Braintree’s Volunteering Award and Citizenship curriculum; football and netball Braintree Council made a short documentary of her tournaments, running races and gaming work to encourage more young people to do the tournaments organised by the CAS Charity same. Committee.

Megane is a credit to The money raised will be split across the school her school and its charities; Doctors Without Borders, Great values and ethos; she is Ormond Street Hospital and Kidsinspire. This principled, caring and term we have made our annual donation to the very impressive in her Aloysian Boys Home in India and also supported determination to help refugees, ToiletTwinning and has also launched those in need of a little an appeal for shoes to support our partner company and kindness. community in Lesotho.

AES Newsletter Issue 42 4 Visitors to the School We recently hosted an INSET day to up-skill Lord Lexden visited primary and secondary teachers in Dance. Several the Anglo European Brentwood Primary schools took part in an all-day School as part of the workshop organised by the Royal Opera House. Peers in Schools Programme. He During the day teachers were given the opportunity spoke to the Lower to explore and develop their dance skills with the and Upper Sixth A- aim of helping teachers deliver the ‘Create and Level Politics classes Dance’ course to their students. This ten-week about the role and programme has been created to give Key Stage 1, workings of the 2 and 3 pupils an introduction to creative dance and House of Lords. Students then had an opportunity Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The aim of the to ask questions. They challenged Lord Lexden on programme is to create a short dance, inspired by a a variety of issues from the role of the Bishops in theme from Alice and linking to curriculum topics the Lords to the effectiveness of the committee or school projects. We will now be supporting the stages in the passage of legislation. It was good to participating primary schools with their Arts hear his first hand experiences. provisions throughout the summer term. The Create and Dance project will culminate in a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, hosted at the Anglo on Thursday 20th June for The Great Get Together.

In September 2008, we became one of two sites to host the Jiangsu centre for Chinese Studies in conjunction with Confucious Classrooms for Essex. Staff Update Essex Local Authority has a long standing We say farewell to the following teaching staff: Mr partnership of over twenty years with the Chinese Bellinvia (Teacher of Biology) and Mr Evans Province, Jiangsu. The centre’s aim is to facilitate (Teacher of Geography); we also say farewell to the teaching of Mandarin both within school and the following professional support staff: Mrs business communities. As part of our longstanding Evanson, SEN Assistant. relationship with the Jiangsu Centre we agreed to We welcome: Mr Barden (Teacher of Music); and host delegates of Chinese teachers so that they also welcome back Mr Ashworth (Teacher of could compare our national curriculum with theirs. Science) and Mrs Frampton (Subject Leader: They were extremely grateful for our hospitality Geography). Congratulations to Mrs Ibbotson on and fed back that the information they had gathered the birth of her baby boy, Ellis. Also, would be extremely useful when producing their congratulations to Miss Baker on recently report on “Curriculum and Teaching Reform”. becoming married. Her name will change to Mrs Charters. We also wish Mrs King well, who has We also begun her maternity leave. supported ASPnet and We would like to take this UNESCO by opportunity to wish all our hosting a delegation of school community a very teachers and Happy Easter educators from Russia. This gave our Russian students an excellent chance to practice their Russian! Please see aesessex.co.uk and check out our Facebook and Twitter page for up-to-date news