WINTER THEN BILLERICAYewsle SCHOOLtter 2015 Dear Parents/Carers opportunity to prepare for these examinations A Message from during the holiday period. Although this is part of As we approach the end of my first term at The the operational aspect of any school, I would like Mr. Mohammed Billericay school, I would like to convey my thanks to convey my thanks to all members of the school to all for making me feel welcome, especially to community especially the staff who have worked those members of the community who have taken extremely hard to ensure that the education of the time to volunteer positive comments in the students remains the top priority at The recognition of all the good work that is carried out Billericay School. here on a day by day basis. The school opens for the Spring term on Monday It has been a very busy and eventful term at The 4 January 2016 with a prompt start. As is always Billericay School. You will see from the newsletter the case, students acquire clothing items over that the school engages in a wide range of Christmas and are eager to wear them. This activities beyond the timetabled curriculum along often causes unnecessary issues so please can with supporting the many youngsters who excel in I ask that you check your child's uniform as they their sport or other interests outside of school. We leave for school to ensure they are not wearing have also raised hundreds of pounds for various fashion accessories which may have been charities. This is a credit to the community as a acquired during the holiday period. whole, as without its support we could not contribute towards these worthy causes. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Some students have been doing their high control peaceful New Year. assessments and preparing for pre public examinations which will take place in the New Ahson Mohammed Year. I hope they make the most of the BAD WEATHER School Parent Portal Registration PROCEDURE and Account We are approaching that time of year when bad Activation weather could cause disruption to the school so please make sure both you and your As you may be aware, the school has child/children have a recently moved its parent portal provider plan in place service from the SIMS Learning Gateway to should it be the Oakford parent portal. Many parents necessary to have now completed the parent portal close the school at registration process, the link for which can be short notice. found on the school website. We have now started the verification/activation process In the event of a which will allow parents to view student details, The school policy does not currently include any sudden school including Academic monitoring reports. It is our text or email message. closure, students need to know exactly what to intention that, from September 2016, we will be do and where to go. If the school is unable to sending monitoring reports electronically. If you Should you have any queries please email open for any reason, or in the event of a [email protected] requirement to dismiss students early, have not already registered please do so as soon information will be broadcast on our school as possible. website: www.billericay.essex.sch.uk. In the 0 event of bad weather, information will also be We would also like to point out that at the current passed to Heart Essex FM (96.3 or 102.6 FM) time, the school policy for sending out general0 who will be running their snowline. notifications is through the 'InTouch' system and, where deemed to be necessary, absence The school switchboard is likely to be busy in the event of a sudden closure, so it is vital for you to notifications are communicated by telephone. 6 have arrangements in place. www.billericay.essex.sch.uk E-mail: [email protected] School Road, Billericay,l Essex, CM12 9LH c Tel: 01277 655191 Fax: 01277 314414 American Chernobyl Children's Lifeline Exchange - Host Families Needed for Local Charity Sixth formers at the Billericay School each year local host families are so supportive that if there - Visit to Fishers, Indiana entertain children from Chernobyl for a day's are any logistical problems someone can usually activities. The charity is now looking for help with help out. A thrilling week was experienced in America by hosting the children during their stay in the UK in If anyone would like to find out more about everyone who travelled to Billericay's twin city, 2016. becoming a host family you can contact me (Sian Fishers, Indiana, in October. Having already For the last two years my family has hosted two Lang - mum to Daniel Lang in year 7) on 07792 hosted counterparts from Fishers in July, Elliott children from the Chernobyl region for four 300193 or the charity's hosting co-ordinator Jones and Louise Tribe in Year 11, accompanied weeks over the summer, as part of a recuperative Gaynor Manthorpe on 07967 055038. by Miss Frappell and three representatives from holiday organised by the Chernobyl Children's Mayflower School, were reunited with their Lifeline. exchange partners. They spent the week living The charity is now looking for more host families the life of an American teenager. who would be able to offer a home to either two girls or two boys, aged 10 - 12, for four weeks from Sunday 12 June to Sunday 10 July 2016. This is such a rewarding experience, knowing you are making a huge difference to the lives of these children who are still living with the adverse health and economic legacy of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 30 years ago. The children are taken out every day during the week on various outings; you would need to look after them evenings and weekends. You will need a spare room, and preferably to be within easy reach of Stas and Katya having a treat after a busy the Methodist Church on Western Road, where day out last summer. By the end of the the children need to be dropped at 9 every day four weeks we had all learned the Russian and picked up at 4:30. However, all the other word "morozhenoe" (ice cream) Highlights of the trip included touring and CHRISTMAS Kath and Mags Parsons, two of our staff at observing the lessons in Fishers and Hamilton The Billericay School, successfully Southeastern (HSE) High Schools, as well as CRAFT FAYRE organised a Christmas Craft Fair in support supporting the HSE 'Royals' at the weekly Friday of Cancer Research UK on Saturday 28 night football game and pep rally. Other November and raised a total of £804.05. incredible memories involved attending HSE's homecoming dance and spending time with the American exchange partners shopping in their malls, staying at their houses and, of course, eating the American delicacies! Our thanks go out to the Billericay Twinning Association and Fishers Sister Cities Association for their organisation and support of the annual exchange. We'd also particularly like to thank the host families who were fantastic in demonstrating The World Challenge students also raised American hospitality. The trip has forged lifelong money towards their trip to Mongolia by friendships and created unforgettable memories. providing bacon butties and hot sausage rolls to all. Royal Marines Visit and circuit training, no one had pulled out! 'It was really hard work but a great experience. It was tougher than an average work out, but it was really fun and I think we should have such sessions more often'. Amber Corrigan, year 13 The Royal Marines visited our school in early Year 12 and Year 13 students in November, taking students through a variety of the 6th form opted for a tasks designed to challenge. Year 10 boys took gruelling hour of fitness part in a leadership task on the field, with Mr activities, with the Marines Macbeth praising Alex Carpenter, Toby Reeves praising their commitment and and Alfie Baker in particular for their excellent resilience, pleased that despite achievement. the non stop press ups, sit ups District Cross Country FENCING NEWS CONGRATULATIONS Once again big congratulations to our linguistically able students as they achieved District Cross Country took place on Wednesday Sebastian Pallier (Year 11) headed off to Cape brilliant results in the following languages last 18 November at the Sporting Village, Basildon. Town, South Africa at the end of July with the U20 academic year: England Squad for the Junior Commonwealth It was a close competition with only 9 points Games. He came 6th in the individual & played a Niloy Roy Italian A* separating 2nd and 4th place. We came 4th key role in winning team gold against the hosts Ella Raphael Hebrew A* overall. South Africa in the team final. September found Nikola Koza Polish B Seb at the Sainsbury's School Games Wiktoria Janiak Polish C There were excellent individual performances representing both England & The Billericay Abigail Gouldstone Spanish A from: School. He finished just outside the medals in the Trina Roy English (EAL) B Year 7: Lewis Volckman (3rd), Kai Redgrave individual but again won Gold in the team event. Julia Buccini Portuguese B (7th), Tom Johnson (10th), Sophie Kelly (14th) In October, Seb competed as the UK hosted a Ajab Durrani Dutch A2 B Year 8 & 9: Oliver Lawrence (14th), Freya Fuller Cadet European & World Cup Circuit Ping Wu Chinese A2 A (4th), Mia Riches (14th) Competition. After the poule rounds, Seb then These students have all spent a lot of their lunch Year 10 & 11: Ben Palmer (7th), Ryan O'Connell fenced six rounds of Direct Elimination beating and break times practising past exam papers (10th), Paige Lowrie (8th), Rebecca Lewis (13th) two other GB fencers, an American, a Latvian, a Frenchman and finally a Czech to reach the final.