PROSPECTUS

2014/2015

“Creating tomorrow’s citizens today”

Headteacher: Alison Saunders B.A. (Hons)

Mangrove Road, Hertford, SG13 8AJTelephone: 01992 410400 Fax:01992 410401

Website: www.simonballe.herts.sch.ukEmail: admin@simonballe.herts.sch.uk

In order to achieve the highest possible grades our students are set challengingacademic and personal targets and given the inspiration to succeed. Academic resultsare incredibly important indeed they form part of the passport for future success. Ourstudents benefit from a traditional curriculum coupled with numerous enrichmentopportunities. Hard work, mutual respect and honesty underpin our vision and ourstudents learn to embrace the objectives displayed above. We are known as a forwardlooking and innovative school while still striving for traditional excellence.

Relationships at Simon Balle are outstanding, newcomers feel welcomed and deep,lasting friendships are developed within our nurturing community. Guiding andsupporting both students and parents are key aspects of our work.

Our values and sense of moral purpose drive all we do. We are a responsible andresponsive school. We hope that you will become part of our distinctive community.

Alison Saunders

Headteacher

“We thought you might like to know howmuch our children are enjoying their lifeat Simon Balle and how good we, as afamily, thought the transition processfrom primary to senior school was”.Y7 Parent

What makes Simon Balle such a special place tolearn?

Our school is driven by values and principles; it is about each and everystudent. They are valued for who they are and what they bring. It is ourjob whilst they are at Simon Balle to ensure that they grow intoresponsible young men and women, who have the skills, aptitudes andknowledge to be able to flourish in our ever changing world. We talkabout the “Simon Balle Student”; someone who has had a fantasticeducational experience and who has achieved the highest possibleexamination grades. Our students will, because of the opportunities onoffer coupled with our expectations, be highly motivated, resourcefuland resilient, respectful and responsible in their actions.

At Simon Balle, our students meet daily with others (staff and students)who are passionate about their learning and this rubs off. Simon Ballestudents leave us as confident young people; however they do not onlyunderstand themselves. Because of the ethos at the heart of ourcommunity, they understand others and accept them for who they are.

Our school is a special place for it is a fusion of academic excellence,a focus upon individual development and yet forward looking andinnovative.

Our students “love” their school and yet quite rightly, they are excited toachieve further. Whilst they do not want to leave good friends, staff whohave helped them or a place they have loved, they are eager to moveon. Our job is to ensure that they have achieved their potential in our“all round” school. This is what sets us apart and makes us special.

There is a distinct ethos that is rooted in a strong belief in personalvalues and social justice for both its students and staff.

What facilities and resources can the school offer?

“The school provides so much for our students and youcontinue to demonstrate why Simon Balle was the perfectchoice of school for our son”. Y9 Parent

Our students, staff andparents recognise thesuperb range of facilities atSimon Balle. The school isset in beautiful park andwoodland which is used formany sporting activities,including the school funrun. In addition to ourgymnasium, we have ahighly specialised fitnesssuite, drama studio and anindoor swimming pool. TheAstroturf is regularly used by students both within lessons and in their enrichment.

Our library was awarded ‘runner-up’ status in a national library design competition as itcombines the traditional collection of books with hi tech digital tools which ‘connect’ to theworld’s knowledge. The space and lighting have been designed to reflect students’ learningneeds and to create an area in which to think, research and share experiences.

The food technology room is the envy of many schools and our students and parents lovemaking and creating dishes in this twenty first century designed specialist area. It is light andairy, equipped with modern resources including professional equipment.

All subjects are taught in specialist classrooms. Our Science labs provide a stimulatingenvironment in which to learn. Our Music Centre has the best resources of any schoolnationally with many individual rehearsal spaces, practice rooms and a recording studio.Digital and musical resources abound!

We have a number of dedicated ICT suites; however you will find digital resources in everyclassroom, office and teaching area, as well as Wi-Fi covering the whole site.

Staff create a stimulating physical environment which is key to effective learning. We placegreat importance upon our displays which challenge students as well as recording the life ofthe school.

Major refurbishments have taken place this year which have seen the transformation of ourthree-storey block, improvements to both our swimming pool and hall. New ceilings, roofs andlights have been installed in large areas throughout the school.

It is important that we maintain and improve our learning environment as it has a direct impacton our student learning. It is also important that we all work in a safe and stimulatingenvironment.

What subjects will my child be taught and whatare the different teaching styles?

“We just wanted to congratulate you all on afantastic Ofsted report. All the positivecomments just reflect what we already knowabout Simon Balle”. Yr8/Yr11 Parent

Whilst our curriculum is traditional and academic, lessons are deliveredin creative and innovative ways, making full use of our excellentfacilities and resources. We teach 5 one hour lessons a day; teachersuse a range of teaching and learning styles. In addition, all studentsspend 25 minutes each day working together to develop life skills.Expectations are high to ensure that every student reaches their fullpotential. In Year 7 most lessons are taught in form groups andstudents learn French or Spanish.

There is excellent teaching within the visual and performing arts. Bothour Art, Music and Drama departments have incredible reputations forthe outstanding quality of their work. They frequently attract studentsfrom other schools to join them in the Sixth Form. The specialistfacilities and equipment are remarkable – a music centre, darkroom,drama studio and ceramics area.

Sport is equally strong. The list of our achievements is truly impressiveand last year we outperformed many local schools as our athletes,sportsmen and women excelled in all sporting areas. All students have2 hours of PE each week and countless other sporting opportunities inwhich to take part.

Whilst we rightly concentrate on preparing students for exams, wemust ensure that they can work independently. We want our studentsto be inquisitive and curious, eager to carry out their own research andto solve problems. In Year 9 students work upon an independent study,whilst many of our sixth formers submit research for the prestigious‘Extended Project Qualification’.

What support is there for those students whoare either gifted or have additional learningneeds?

We have many students who are gifted in various areas of thecurriculum. A large range of clubs and activities are aimed at thesestudents as well as challenging work set by class teachers. Inaddition we do organise ‘gifted’ workshops in a range of subjects andactivities. These have included experiences for artists, musicians andscientists as well as in sports and humanities areas. Careers adviceis equally targeted to meet each student’s needs.

We want every student to achieve their absolute personal best andwe set ‘stretch’ targets for all students in every Key Stage. Students’progress is continuously monitored and tracked. Intervention isdirected when necessary and motivation is high.

Our monitoring and evaluation shows thatstudents with additional educational needs(AEN) make good progress. Ourexpectations for them are high. They arewell supported by both staff and peers. Ourholistic approach alongside a commitmentto a ‘personalised curriculum’ and closecommunication with parents enables themto achieve their very best. Teachers plan todifferentiate; students may be offered apersonalised and appropriate curriculumand are supported by learning mentors, theInclusion Department and pastoral staff.

All our students achieve very highly, theyenjoy being at our school and want to stayhere as long as possible.

How will my child use IT to improvetheir learning?The creative use of ICT and digital technologies is a core

part of how we all work at Simon Balle School. Collaborative workand dialogue about learning are encouraged in lessons and outsideof the classroom. All staff and students make extensive use of our‘smart cloud’ site that gives access to email, calendars and otherapps. The use of cloud based digital technologies means that allstudents can access systems anytime, anywhere.

While we are ahead of the game in many respects, a recent visit froman educational consultant put us in the top 10% of schools withregard to our vision for digital technologies. We recognise that this isa rapidly changing area and is constantly developing.

Whether it is the use of mobile devices or tablets, collaborative workusing cloud based applications or engaging with parents via the web,we will seek to exploit all the benefits of digital technologies.

“We justwanted to

thank you forall the supportand excellentteaching you

have given ourson…you haveinspired him”.

Y13 Parent

What different clubs, visits and activities does the schooloffer?

There are a vast number of exciting opportunities on offer for every child to take upand if someone wants to introduce another we try to accommodate this wheneverwe can.

Trips and visits are used to enhance thecurriculum. A selection of trips take place eachyear including a music tour, a sports tour,adventure trips, such as water sports inFrance and skiing in the Alps, visits to artgalleries, museums and theatres. There arealso field trips at home and abroad. Eachweek students can attend sports clubs,debating groups, art and science clubs,drama and dance as well as a large number ofmusical instrument and voice activities. Newfriends are made, skills developed andeveryone enjoys the fun to be had.

“May we say a hugethank you for the

fantastic experiencesand opportunities ourdaughter has had atSimon Balle School”.

Yr13 Parent

Top left: English trip to Haworth

Top right: Jacob’s ladder inOsmington Bay

Right: Musical Theatre club

How do you manage the transition process?

Simon Balle has an exceptional transition programme. Building upon the already close links wehave with local primary schools through various networks (sports, language leaders, librarians andteacher groups) we visit each Year 6 student in their home school. Students visit the school in Julyfor “mystery day” where they familiarise themselves with the school layout, make friends, meet staffand bond.

We organise many activities that help both you to understand our school and us to get to know you.This includes a range of workshops such as maths, geography, cookery, music and drama.

Once your child is here, there are in the first few weeks induction workshops where you can learnabout how the school works.

How will you care for my child and make sure they are happy at school?

Simon Balle is a happy, vibrant school. Children tell us that they feel very safe here. They enjoycoming to school; attendance is exceptionally high. Our pastoral support, care and guidance areoutstanding. Heads of Year work closely with all students and their parents; they know studentneeds and track their academic progress. Our staff “go the extra mile”, they care deeply and buildstrong relationships. The role of the Form Tutor is equally important as they usually stay with theform (Year 7 to Year 11) and watch each individual student mature and make academic progress.Additional support may be received through our mentoring system; mentors help students tomanage any issues and keep on track.

Well-being is a key aspect of our work. Senior staff are visible each day and ensure that all studentsfeel safe and are happy. It is indeed a special place where everyone is valued.

“The school providesso much for our

students and youcontinue to

demonstrate whySimon Balle was the

perfect choice ofschool for our son”.

Yr 7 Parent

“I have felt thetransition has gone

smoother than I everimagined and I feelcompletely informed

about all that isgoing on”.Yr 7 Parent

“We are awe struckat the level of detailand effort you’ve allput into making thechildren and their

families feelwelcome at Simon

Balle”.Yr 7 Parent

What links does the school have with the wider communityand local business?

As an outward facing school we understand the importance of partnerships with localschools, businesses and community partners. We have very strong links with localprimary schools and our transition programme has received national acclaim. Ourstudents work as sports leaders, language ambassadors and musicians in manyHertford primary schools. Our teachers visit and lead assemblies and classes and wehave been awarded the status of ‘Consultant School’ by the Specialist Schools andAcademies Trust. We also received awarded the International Schools Award in 2011.Year 5 students frequently spend a day each year experiencing what it is like to be in asecondary school. Our annual Summer School has received high praise from parents,students and the local authority.

We link with a number of international schools including a very strong link with KimbiliJunior Secondary school in South Africa, who we support in terms of developingteaching and learning and mutual understanding. We also have close links with theUniversity of Hertfordshire. Each year we welcome American students as part of ahome-stay weekend.

Our music department is frequently asked by ‘Musical Futures’ (a national initiativefinanced by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation) to participate in their programme and ourstudents greatly benefit from this work. We have a strong Governing Body and a veryactive PSA, which all parents automatically join. Our links with Herford Museum areexcellent and our students love being involved in ‘Take over the Museum’ day.

“Supporting each other at every opportunity shows the greatcommunity spirit which the school fosters so well”. Ofsted

Below: Music Tour 2014. Opposite Dance Club and Science Club 2014

How will the school support my child to reachtheir potential?

We believe that everyone can achieve and that intelligence is not“fixed”! We teach our students to be resilient, not to give up whenthings are hard or they go wrong. We set every child challengingbut realistic targets and together we work with them and supportthem in their learning. We are passionate about what we do, ourenthusiasm “rubs off” onto students and therefore most of themwant to achieve their very best.

What standards of behaviour do you expect from yourstudents?

We expect the highest standards of behaviour from all of our students,wherever they are. We set clear boundaries and students are expected to takeresponsibility for their own actions. The caring safe environment at SimonBalle is founded upon our ethos that everyone has a right to be safe, the rightto learn and the right to be treated with respect. This belief is fundamental andshared by students and staff alike. We do not tolerate any behaviour whichundermines this; we have a clear set of sanctions and strategies, but moreimportantly we expect to see changes in behaviour. Parents are fully involvedat all stages and we expect them to support us and help with us in our work.

How will you let me know how well my child is doing?

One of our key aims is to monitor the progress of every student and to checkthat they are achieving at or above their expected level. We make good use ofour data to ensure that we a good picture of their strengths and weaknesses. If we believe a child isunder-achieving we employ a number of strategies to help them, involving parents as well assupporting students.

We frequently communicate with parents via information evenings, individual interviews, parentevenings and reports. In addition students meet with both subject and form tutors when their academicprogress is discussed. Each student receives an annual report which comments upon both academicand personal development. We welcome parents to contact us at any time.

“Our son hasalways been

giventremendoussupport. Hehas always

beenencouraged

and inspired”.Yr 11 Parent

What does Simon Balle offer for the future?

Simon Balle School is known as having ambition - a strong desire and determination toachieve the very best success for all of its students.

The most recent CBI report states the views and needs of the business world. They wantevery student to master a range of core and enabling subjects, but of equal importance is thedevelopment of character. Business wants young people who have the right values,behaviours and attributes, for it is this “character” which determines personal success andindeed lasts a life time. Determination, optimism and emotional literacy are key; indeed thesevalues, habits and attitudes are the very same which we at Simon Balle, daily promote.

We call this a holistic approach to education, recognised by Ofsted

“All round high quality education” coupled with our outstandingly positive ethos”.

It is however best summed up in a statement which forms part of the 2020 Education Strategyof the World Bank:

“Education enhances people’s ability to make informed decisions, be better parents, sustain alivelihood, adopt new technologies, cope with shocks and be effective stewards of naturalenvironment”.

This is our vision and purpose. What more can anyone ask for - the spirit of Simon Balle.

Our school’s mission is to develop young people intoindependent, well informed responsible citizens.

STUDENT ADMISSIONS

Our places increased to 165 for our 2013 admissions. All admissions are made viaHertfordshire County Council, using the agreed admission criteria. These are available fromwww.hertsdirect.org/admissions and the school website.

2012 2013 2014

Number of places available 160 165 165

Total number of applications 758 880 898

Total number of places offered 160 165 168

TOURS OF THE SCHOOL

We welcome parents and students to visit us and join in one of our student guided tours. ForYear 7 entry (September 2015) we are offering tours every morning at 9.00am from Tuesday30th September - Friday 10th October. Please telephone the school office on 01992 410400to make an appointment for one of these tours and come along to see the school in action.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCE

WE TAKE ATTENDENCE AT SCHOOL VERY SERIOUSLY. Missing school (even when thereare justifiable reasons) usually results in lower achievement. We want all of our students to tryand achieve 100% attendance. This has led to a real improvement and, we believe,contributed to our improved academic results. We continue to be one of the top schools in thecountry for attendance and we continually strive to improve our absence rates.

YEAR 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

Attendance 96.06% 96.0% 96.6%

Authorised Absence 3.9% 3.8% 3.4%

Unauthorised Absence 0.3% 0.2% 0.3%

UNIFORM

A high standard of personal appearance is expected. Students must wear correct uniformincluding travelling to and from school. Our students are Simon Balle Ambassadors at all timesand we expect parents to support us in ensuring neat and tidy uniform is worn. Full details canbe found at:www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk/parents/uniform

WEBSITE

Please make sure you visit our website regularly. It contains a wealth of information about theschool and is a real window on life and learning at Simon Balle, capturing what we do and whyit is such a unique place. We have a well-established Twitter feed and Facebook officialprofiles that can be found on the homepage of our website:www.simonballe.herts.sch.uk.

TERM DATES ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-2016

Autumn Term 2015Tuesday 1st September to Friday 18th DecemberHalf term: Monday 26th October to Friday 30th OctoberChristmas break: Monday 21st December to Friday 1st January

Spring Term 2016Monday 4th January to Friday 1st AprilHalf term: Monday 15th February to Friday 19th FebruaryEaster weekend: Friday 25th March (Good Friday) to Monday 28th March (Easter Monday)Easter break: Monday 4th April to Friday 15th April

Summer Term 2016Monday 18th April to Friday 22nd JulyHalf term: Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June(Bank holiday: Monday 2nd May)

5 INSET days and 1 occasional day to be confirmed.

SUMMER 2014 ACADEMIC RESULTS

A2 LevelIn September 2013 Osted judged our Sixth Form to be ‘Outstanding’. This was based onachievement being outstanding across the entire range of subjects studied by our students,and indeed comparing very favourably with the best in the County. They are a result of anappropriate curriculum, excellent teaching and learning, high quality resources and personalguidance for each and every student, combined with lots of hard work. This year our studentsonce again exceeded their targets and have been able to pursue their ambitious goals.

“Lessons are characterised by a positive working atmosphere and numerousopportunities for thoughtful debate and high-quality discussion” – OFSTED

In summer 2014, despite a national trend of declining top marks, students at Simon Balleachieved more of the higher grades than the national average. Many therefore have gone onto the very best universities frequently to study highly academic subjects.

“Students make excellent progress on a range of courses and are well prepared fortheir futures. Many go on to study at top universities including Oxford and Cambridge”– OFSTED

Our vision of the Simon Balle student as a well-rounded individual who is able to reach his orher potential and take an active role in our global society can only be met if we ensure thatour students are highly successful as they end their school education after 7 years with us.This year our students have left to go on with their studies as highly articulate, passionateyoung men and women, who speak fondly of their school.

For the third year running our students achieved a 100% pass rate. Our average point scoreper entry of over 225 puts us as the highest achievers locally and amongst the highest scoresnationally. 58% of all entries were passes at A* - B with a remarkable 35% of all passes at A*- A. The passes at A* were gained across 14 different subjects showing the depth ofachievement within the sixth form.

GCSEThe provision of a broad, balanced, traditional curriculum ensured that our GCSE students achievedsuccess across all subjects. Once again we compared favourably with similar schools with many studentsachieving the highest grades. Boys and girls do equally well; most students study 11 subjects within theEBAC framework. Our options are wide and most students are able to pursue their own interests. With70% of students achieving 5 A* - C (including English and Maths) they, along with 30 students from otherschools, are in an excellent position to enjoy our highly successful sixth form.

We attained almost 70% at 5+ A* - C including English and Maths comparing favourably to the nationalaverage.1 in 5 of our students gained 8 or more A* - A grades with about 1 in 8 gaining 10 or more at A*-A.60 % of grades were attained at A*-B which is the threshold for a student taking their studies further to Alevel. Almost 1/3 of all passes were at A*-A.As at A level, A* grades were achieved in all subjects studied

Please refer to our website which not only reports our examination results but also refers you to nationalcomparisons.

Y13 DESTINATIONS

This year around 100 students were successful in their university applications with the majority gettingtheir first choice offer. Students leaving Simon Balle Sixth form go on to an impressive range of universityand specialist institutions. Nearly half joined the Russell Group and 1994 Group universities to studytraditional academic subjects at the country’s top research institutions. Others prefer to apply for morespecialist courses, often at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.

We are very proud of the guidance and support we offer our students in their search for the right careeroptions - the list below indicates just some of the courses and destinations of our students from 2013 and2014.

• University of Cambridge - Natural Sciences, Mathematics

• University of Oxford – French and Linguistics, Engineering

• Guildhall School of Music and Drama – Music

Science, Engineering and Maths:• Biochemistry (Bristol, Exeter)• Biology / Zoology / Microbiology (Imperial

College, Leeds, UEA)• Biomedical Science / Immunology & Virology

(Bristol, Reading)• Chemistry (Nottingham, Birmingham)• Mathematics (Bristol)• Electronic Engineering (Portsmouth)• Chemical Engineering (Manchester)• Geology (Leeds, USW)• Architecture (Portsmouth)Business, Economics & Computing• Business Administration (Bath, Birmingham,

Leeds, Nottingham)• Economics (Exeter, Nottingham, Southampton,)

UEA, Queen Mary University, London)• Building Surveying (Nottingham)• Games Development (Bournemouth, Hull)• Information Technology (Herts)• Fashion Marketing (Falmouth)

• Medicine - University of Sheffield, University of Birmingham, Imperial College

• Veterinary Medicine - Nottingham• Aerospace Engineering - Bath

• Design for Industry (Northampton)Arts, Humanities, Languages & Music• English Literature (Goldsmiths University of

London, Newcastle)• Philosophy / Politics (Durham, York, Sheffield,

Essex, Leeds)• History (Birmingham, Kent, Swansea, York)• Geography (Bristol, Hull, Newcastle, Sheffield)• Social Sciences• Criminology (Durham, Surrey)• Psychology (Leeds, Nottingham, Surrey)• Languages (Southampton)• Music (Goldsmiths University)• French and Hispanic Studies (Liverpool)• German and Linguistics (Leeds)Law, Journalism & Education:• Law (Kings College, Kent, City, York, Reading)• Primary teaching (Hertfordshire, University of

Wales)• Broadcast / Music Journalism (Nottingham,

Solent)

Students have also gone onto courses including: Fine Arts, Photography, Midwifery, Nursing, EquineStudies, Sports & Exercise, Film Production, Web development, Property Management and HotelManagement.