Mrs A Wallis, Deputy Year Leader: Year 11 and HLTA, writes;
To show support within the community, Stanborough School were invited to join other schools from Welwyn and Hatfield at a Holocaust Memorial event. All the schools that attended performed presentations on Nazi Persecution, the Holocaust and the genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia at an event called ‘Stand Together’.
The students that took part in the event were Sarah Pennell and Joseph Lansiquot, both from 9BM and Jack Hadley from 10H. They were able to explain the effects and events that Anne Frank’s family experienced during the Holocaust. Laura Wells chaired the whole proceedings and introduced all the schools.
The event took place at the Campus West Theatre on Monday 27th January. After the performances all the students and staff were able to go out on to the Campus outdoor arena where there was two minutes silence to show respect for all the atrocities that people have endured over many years. There was then the release of Symbolic Peace Doves, followed by refreshments. The students were able to browse the brilliant art work that the students in Year 9 created to portray the atrocities from the holocaust and the genocides.
The students and staff were very moved by the whole experience and the respect the students showed was outstanding.
“I really enjoyed the experience as I think it is important for us to learn about all these genocides so they don’t happen again. We are the people that can do something about it as it is our future.” Sarah Pennell 9BM
“I really enjoyed the Holocaust Memorial Day because it helped me understand how people suffered during that time.” Joseph Lansiquot 9BM
“It was an honour to be invited to the Holocaust event. I had the pleasure of introducing all the secondary schools who produced wonderful, informative performances and presentations.” Laura Wells 10K
The students were fantastic and were a real credit to the school. It was a very emotional morning, but each and every student showed compassion and understanding. It was a pleasure to experience such an important world event with them. Well done to all those who performed and participated in the morning.
https://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Holocaust-Memorial-2020-1w-header.jpg3981311Clare Pomfreyhttps://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/newlogo.pngClare Pomfrey2020-02-07 10:07:242020-02-07 10:08:16Holocaust Memorial Event 2020
Six Stanborough students from Years 7 to 9 have volunteered to represent the school in our Handside Partnership with Applecroft and Lakeside schools. Our first meeting of the year took place at Lakeside school on Tuesday where students met and talked to students from the other two schools. At the meeting we also planned some activities for the rest of the year including a chance to have a tour of Lakeside and meet some of the other students in March. We also have a technology day planned at Stanborough for March where the students will be making time capsules to help celebrate Welwyn Garden City’s centenary.
‘It was great meeting the children and learning about their likes and dislikes. I would love to see them again!’ Harry Western 9S
‘I found it really exciting to meet students from Lakeside and see what life is like for them at school.’ Emily Bolton 7O
‘It was great working with other children and listening to their opinions.’ Ibrahim Ahmed 8OM
https://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/HSP-Jan2020w.jpg4731001Clare Pomfreyhttps://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/newlogo.pngClare Pomfrey2020-01-31 11:33:112020-01-31 11:33:11Handside Partnership visit to Lakeside
During the course of last week, Year 7 students visited the Spy Missions centre in Milton Keynes, where they were able to work in groups to solve mathematical problems. These problems weaved themselves into a spy mission, which each group had to tackle. This included climbing through ventilation shafts and dodging laser beams between each puzzle room.
Everyone had a great time, here are some quotes from some of the students:
“It made me feel like a proper spy.”
“Spy missions was one of the best trips I’ve been on.”
“I liked all the fun activities.”
“We had to stop a missile from launching into London.”
“I loved the assault course and the slide at the end.”
Miss G. Hawker, Deputy Year Leader: Year 7 writes:
Last week Year 7 went on the PGL trip to Mimosa in the south of France. We left on Monday 13th May with great excitement waving goodbye to the parents and ready for a long coach journey ahead. Having managed to survive the 20 hour coach trip, we arrived at Mimosa in stunning sunshine a little tired from the journey. However, that did not stop us partaking in the week’s activities consisting of archery, rifle shooting, sailing, banana boat riding, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking. As Year 7 got stuck into the water activities the lovely weather continued leading to lots of fun in the sun! On Friday, the weather took a turn and we spent the day in Carcassonne and Bezier where the students were able to buy their gifts and practise their French.
Having taken part in some of the water sport activities over the week, it was amazing to see how well students worked with each other when put into teams but also seeing them make a range of new friends through the activities as well as during the evening entertainment of the nightly disco.
Overall everyone had a fantastic week; a few of us overcame a few fears and the students made many new friends as well as lots of great memories.
“I really enjoyed the trip and it was worth the long journey! My favourite activity was the banana boat. I really liked getting to know our PGL group leader and instructors.” Destene Downswell 7A
“I thought that all the activities were fun and exciting. If you were scared of doing something all the PGL staff and the teachers supported and encouraged you to do it. There was a variety of food, some healthy and some not so much.” Will Flynn 7OS
“The PGL trip was so amazing as we learnt so many new things on the sea and on land. We had so much fun from the sea all the way to Carcassonne. We also had plenty of food and had lots of opportunities to buy souvenirs and snacks which was fun.” Lily-May Watkins 7A
“The Stanborough School PGL trip was great because we got to do a range of activities from air rifles to sailing. Both the PGL staff and the Stanborough staff were very supportive in all the activities. My favourite was raft building as we were taught how to tie barrels together and tie ropes to logs. We then paddled the raft around a lake. For one day in the week we went to Carcassonne where we had lots of fun around the walled town.” Sam Barratt 7B
“The France trip was exhausting! The coach journey was extremely long but the trip itself made up for it. We mainly went into the sea for most of the activities, which was very cold, but we got used to it eventually. We even went to where Shrek 2 was filmed. The food was very nice and nobody had complaints about it. On the last day we tried snails.” Ryan Hale 7OS
“I think the trip was great fun and I really enjoyed it. The banana boat and when we went to the shopping centre were my favourite because the banana boat went so fast and in the centre we were allowed to go around with our friends in our own time. Even when we were on the coach, which was a very long journey, in both directions, the teachers managed to entertain us with movies. I was very happy with the outcome and look forward to going on another trip in the future.” Sophia Curry 7H
Y10 Bronze Award Walking Group – Training/Practice Expedition – 11th and 12th May.
Our Y10 Bronze Award participants took part in a two day training programme run by Wilderness Expertise, our Approved Activity Provider, to give them the necessary skills to cope with the expedition section, such as camp craft, navigation, and first aid. This is the first year group who are taking part in our new programme where the Training and Practice Expedition has been replaced by a training weekend.
Charlotte Preston 10K and Dominique Clarke-Payton 10O wrote:
On the 11th and 12th of May, we went to school at 8.45am and started our training for our DofE expedition in July. On the first day, we learnt all the necessary skills we will need, such as First Aid skills, campcraft, navigation and map reading. We learnt to use a compass, read coordinates on a map and we started mapping our route for the Qualifying Expedition. We also looked at what kit we would need and the importance of it. After lunch, we went outside to put up tents, which was tough but fun; the instructors and teachers were really helpful. Then it was time for dinner and we prepared food on trangias. On the second day we used our map reading skills during a 4 ½ hour walk. During that time, we also practised emergency scenarios. We came back to school at 14.30 and were dismissed at 15.00. We then went home feeling excited and ready for the real expedition in July. Thank you to Mrs Elliott, Miss Bowen and Miss Bradbury for giving up their weekend.
Student comments:
‘I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, I feel prepared for the real expedition after doing an 11km practice walk with an instructor on the second training day. The walk was very rewarding, despite the tiredness afterwards.’ Teya Kindred 10O
‘I really enjoyed the DofE training because it taught me skills to carry out the assessment to the best of my ability.’ Jensen Read 10S
‘I really enjoyed the DofE training as it has enabled me to go for camping in the future with the skills I learnt, for example putting up a tent correctly and using a Trangia to cook’. Josh (Year10)
Bonjour! On 15th March, Stanborough students from Year 8 set out on a trip to Paris.
On the first day we had an early start at 8:00am and had a lovely French breakfast with croissants and pain au chocolat. We set out to our first activity of the day, a visit to the Musée du Louvre where we saw the Mona Lisa and other famous artworks like the statue Venus de Milo, and the painting The Lacemaker. We then went to the Eiffel Tower! We learnt that the sun can cause the tower to grow about 15 centimetres. We also learnt that there are 1665 steps in the Eiffel tower which most of us climbed and went all the way to the top of the tower! It was a great view and an amazing picture spot, but it was very high up. After going to the tower we got on a boat trip down the River Seine. Whilst on the boat we saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, Notre Dame and other highlights of the city. It was great fun as the weather was brilliant and we got some amazing pictures.
On the second day we set out to go to Brie-Comte-Robert Town Trail and Market. When we got there we went on a trail around the town and then went round the market, it sold lots of souvenirs and fresh food, which tasted so good. After the market we headed off to the Stade de France where we saw the pitch – it was massive! We also got to go inside the police department and saw the cells, fortunately no-one got trapped in one! We also went inside the president’s lodge and found out that a wall of mirrors in the lodge is actually a massive TV! We also went into the changing rooms and saw some famous football shirts in there like Pogba’s and Mbappé’s. After the stadium we went to Sacré-Cœur and went inside and wondered at the beautifully sculpted dome and pretty paintings of the church. After leaving Sacré-Cœur we went to a little market and small streets of shops. The romantic part of Paris, there were street artists, creperies and small souvenir shops. It was so pretty and picture perfect.
18th March, the third day, was DISNEYLAND! A whole day of fun, full of Disney magic: it was brilliant. In the morning we went in the Disney park and the afternoon the Walt studios. There were loads of rides, the best ones were Space Mountain, a crazy rollercoaster, The Hollywood Tower of Terror, a drop down 13 floors, The Rock n’ Roller Coaster, a fast, thrilling rollercoaster and the RC racer, a ‘U’ shaped ride. It was an amazing day.
“I thought it was a great learning experience and a good opportunity to practise my French. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Paris, I had lots of fun.” Amelie Warner 8BM
“Once in a lifetime opportunity and an amazing experience.” Catherine Cranham 😯
“I liked Disneyland the best because of the laughter and screaming on the rides.” Jessica Richardson 😯
The trip was a wonderful experience and thanks to all the teachers who came with us on this great trip!
https://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Y8-Paris-2019-34.jpg1024768Clare Pomfreyhttps://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/newlogo.pngClare Pomfrey2019-03-29 12:09:262019-03-29 12:16:42Le Voyage a Paris: Another successful trip to France
On Tuesday the 26th February, Year 8 students took a creative careers trip to Leavesden studios to visit The Making of Harry Potter. The students were also able to attend a private workshop looking at the endless possibilities within the creative industry and in particular, the character behind the costume! The workshop was geared to help students realise all of the different jobs within the film industry, as well as your graphic designers, costume designers and art directors, students were also told of the vacancies for scaffolders, plasterers, painters and electricians. From the costume design perspective, students were taught about the intense planning behind each character’s costume to tell a story about who they are; some costumes shown were valued at around £30,000. Students were then given the opportunity to design their own fictitious character using official Harry Potter fabric swatches! We then had a chance to complete the Harry Potter Tour with a new perspective and exclusive insight in to the making of the film. It was a fantastic day out exploring creative career paths in the film making industry.
“The experience was fun and a magical journey! I was surprised at how small models were in real life compared to the size and scale they appear in the movie. It was interesting to see how many different career paths make up just one movie!” Tom Paris 8S
“I really enjoyed the trip and it made me think more about my future and the career paths that are available!” Alice Hawkins 8K
London welcomed the Year 12 Government and Politics class on Friday 18th January 2019. After the eventful House of Commons votes earlier that week, everyone felt excited to get a tour of the battleground of British politics; the Houses of Parliament. The train and tube trip were navigated well, and everyone made it to Westminster tube station in time for some lunch. After a quick sandwich, the class made it through security and we met our tour guide. We first went to the central lobby, where Members of Parliament are often smothered by the press, fortunately there were no cameras there for us that day. We then were taken up to the viewing galleries of the House of Lords where unelected professionals make recommendations on policy making. A debate was taking place which was especially impressive as we were able to see the chamber in action, live! Then we were taken to the committee rooms where experts are chosen to scrutinise the government and to help with the making of any legislation. Then, we were led to the ‘other place’: The House of Commons. This was particularly exciting due to the two very important votes just days before however there were no debates taking place while we were there which meant that we were able to actually go into the chamber itself. It seemed strangely small although still very regal, filled with its green benches and gold ornaments. We even got to stand at the dispatch box, where Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn exchange arguments over issues such as Brexit.
After the tour, we met in the education centre for a workshop about select committees and we debated whether or not they were an effective method for scrutinising government policy. It started with a quiz and then we were told to research to prepare for the debate. We then met with Baroness Barker, who sits in the House Lords and is a former committee member; she was able to explain to us about what her job entails, how to address her (m’lady and then ma’am) and what she thinks, as a liberal democrat, about her role as an unelected representative.
Overall, the trip was very informative and enjoyable as we got to see the inner workings of how our country is run.
https://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Parliament-Visit-2019.jpg244303Clare Pomfreyhttps://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/newlogo.pngClare Pomfrey2019-02-04 09:32:452019-02-04 09:32:45Politics Students Visit Parliament
On Tuesday 20th November, Year 12 biologists visited the Wellcome Genome Institute in Hinxton.
At the campus they visited the Sanger Institute one of the foremost centres of genomics research and innovation in the world, carrying out leading-edge scientific research that uses genome sequences to understand the biology of humans and pathogens (organisms that cause diseases, such as bacteria and viruses).
They also spoke to researchers based at European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute which provides data services and training that help scientists realise the potential of ‘big data’ in the biological sciences, paving the way for discoveries that benefit humankind.
Our students got to hear from researchers and scientists that currently work at the institute and are at the forefront of cutting edge research including work on malaria and cancer. They had the opportunity to hear from scientists which are part of the ‘Human Cell Atlas’ project and the ‘Earth Bio-genome project’ which is a global effort to sequence the genetic code, or genomes, of all 1.5 million known animal, plant, protozoan and fungal species on Earth.
The Year 12 students worked in groups to analyse DNA and proteins related to skin cancer and MRSA. The visit finished with a tour of the sequencing and data centre.
‘The buildings and architecture was very impressive and it was all really energy efficient.’ Lucy Thompson
‘It was amazing to see Chromosome 22 in book form.’ Allyna Farrell
‘The technology was incredible. The internet speed – you can now sequence a human genome in less than one hour, compared to 20 years ago when it took 13 years to sequence one human genome.’ Muskaan Ahmed
‘The fact they have only just found a brand new type of cell called Ionocytes in lung tissue that they think may be the cause of cystic fibrosis, is mind-blowing.’ Pia Joyce
‘It was great to be able to identify a mutation occurring in the DNA of a patient in the workshop run by the Institute.’ Harry Cross
Mrs E Ahmad, Student Career and Enterprise Leader, writes:
Year 12 and 13 students visited Skills London 2019 which provided them with the opportunity to discover careers through interactive, inspirational activities and demonstrations, and helped them visually bridge the gap between what they enjoy doing and what they could potentially do as a career.
The visit was jam-packed and full of interactive, fun, inspiring and informative activities, features and hands-on demonstrations. Students were encouraged to try as many as possible and talk to the different organisations to find out more about what the future has to offer them.
Over 200 organisations were in attendance and all were eager to help students plan their future career path including employers, colleges, universities and training providers.
“Best experience, I am extremely satisfied with my visit.” Callie Burton 12B
“It was very interesting and was a great way to learn about some unique careers options. It also allowed us to gain more insight into university courses and Uni life.” Louise Avery 13B and Pia Joyce 12K
“We learnt about some new opportunities and we got a better understanding of businesses that exist and have improved our business awareness. We were all really interested.” Millie Jackson 12K and Martha Budge 12O
“There were lots of apprenticeship opportunities with helpful staff on hand to give advice. It was a really interesting and relevant day.” Arkadiusz Ochnio 12S
https://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Skills-Fair-2018-1aw.jpg599683Clare Pomfreyhttps://stanborough.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/newlogo.pngClare Pomfrey2018-11-29 11:44:192018-11-29 11:45:55The UK’s Biggest Jobs and Careers Event