Year 8 RE trip to the Jewish Museum

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Year 8s took part in a workshop on Kosher and Shabbat in the Jewish Museum

On 14/11/22, Year 8 students went to the Jewish Museum in Camden to dive deeper into Judaism through two workshops. In the Kosher workshop, the students went into depth on the different mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah which link to why Jews keep kosher. They explored how Jews, depending on their denomination, might not keep kosher. During the Shabbat workshop, they learn the significance of the symbolism through the tradition as well as the importance of family and community. The students (and teachers) enjoyed eating the challah! They ended with a fantastic Q&A session where the museum allowed the students to explore their curiosity. This was an enriching experience for all the students and was a perfect opportunity to finish the Judaism topic.

A Level Sociology & Karl Marx

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A Level Sociology students take a trip to central London to learn about Karl Marx’s life and influences

I just travelled to London with my two sociology classes, Miss Ferguson and Miss Maisey. We started off at Oxford Street where we met the tour guide who would tell us about Karl Marx’s life and his journey to Sociology. The tour was really engaging and fascinating because the guide was so knowledgeable and passionate about sociology. Then, before we learned more about Karl Marx’s residence, we travelled to Leicester Square and Chinatown to see a number of restaurants where he apparently discussed his ideologies with other philosophers. My favourite part was the last flat Karl lived in, which was marked by a plaque on the wall, and where he lived from 1851 to 1856. Our visit ended at the British Museum, where our guide pointed out numerous philosophical features that related to our sociological topics in class. We gained knowledge about Marx’s interests and residence in the streets of London that many people probably do not know! It widened my knowledge further for my classes and essays but also for next time when I walk around London, I’ll be able to remember facts from the guide’s extensive interests.

Lola P

Young Carers’ Cinema Trip

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Young Carers went to see Rotten Romans at the Odeon Hatfield

Last Wednesday, 30 of our Young Carers went to the cinema to watch ‘The Rotten Romans’ by the Horrible Histories people. It was quite nice to have a relaxing time and to learn a bit about what really happened when the Romans were in Britain! Snacks were enjoyed by all and it was fun to have an afternoon out together.

Bianka McC (9PA)

Young MFL Leaders Programme – First Placement Success

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Year 10 MFL Leaders visit local primary school to offer French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese activity workshops to KS2 pupils

 

Young Leader initiatives have made a great impact on the teaching of young people over the last 20 years across many curriculum areas, using a sports team model. The BHGS Foreign Language Leader Programme hopes to engage a whole new group of young leaders through MFL.

On Tuesday 15 November, sixty-six of our Year 10 MFL Leaders in six teams visited Oak View School, Hatfield Community Free School and St Philip Howard Schools, giving French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese activity workshops to KS2 pupils. The Young Leaders planned, delivered and evaluated their learning activities for the Key Stage 2 pupils, with an eye to developing and demonstrating leadership skills through foreign language related tasks.

A follow-up visit will take place in the year including a Language Discovery Day for the Key Stage 2 pupils hosted by our school in June next year, in which the Year 10 pupils will play a leading role delivering a wide range of foreign languages and cultural experiences. There will be certificates and awards for Team Leadership and Initiative, which will be presented in July 2023.

Our students were, as ever, enthusiastic and brilliantly delivered their lessons to the younger pupils – they were also able to find out what life is like on the ‘other side’ of the whiteboard! They now look forward to their second placements in the Spring Term.

A big thank you to all involved, here at Bishop’s and at the Primary School to make this annual programme possible.

Out in the Workplace

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Work Experience Programme Launch

On Friday, Year 13s gave our Year 12 cohort the benefit of their workplace experience by helping to launch the BHGS Work Experience and Enrichment programme.

At Bishop’s, we run two comprehensive programmes of work experience in Years 10 and 12. Year 10 is designed to introduce pupils to a workplace and the second programme builds on this initial experience and any part time work thereafter and focuses more on what Year 12 want to do as a career. Both programmes run at the end of the school year.

Our Year 13s came along to the launch to give their top tips on how to find work placements, why they chose them, what skills they got out of them, and whether it has helped them to decide on a future career. Example work placements were across the board: from law firms, to court attendance, from finance to marketing and schools to the NHS and STEM employers through to construction companies. Top tips ranged from getting in early, using your network and using the skills learnt and workplace experience gained on their CV and on the all important UCAS application form!

Even if a student felt they did not enjoy a placement, this was a valuable experience in what not to do. As one student put it: “It’s saved me five years” of doing the wrong course. All Year 12s are tasked with finding a placement by the deadline of 20th February 2023.

Calling all parents and carers – if you can help with a work placement for Year 12 or Year 10 please get in contact with Head of Careers, Mrs Higgins, and let her know (jhiggins@bishophatfield.herts.sch.uk)

Work Experience runs for Year 10: 10th – 14th July 2023 Work Experience runs for Year 12: 17th – 21st July 2023

Year 7 Scientists Judge New Children’s Science Books

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A team of twelve Year 7 Scientists enjoyed working together to read, discuss and judge 6 short listed children’s science books for the Royal Society.

On Monday 7th November, we spent our science lesson in the library reading, discussing and judging 6 books that have been short listed by the Royal Society as part of their Young People’s book prize (https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/book-prizes/young-peoples-book-prize/) We looked at each book in pairs and then came together as a group to make our final judgements. The books were: Beetles for Breakfast, Women Scientists and their stories, Fourteen wolves, How was that built?, If the world were 100 people and Microbe Wars. We judged each book on the ease or reading, quality of the cover and pages, interest and how inspiring they were. We all agreed that Women Scientists and their stories was the best in all categories. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed reading and discussing each book.

Shakti P

Managing Career Skills – a taste of the real world!

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Year 12 and 13 Mock Assessment Centre Workshop – the opportunity to develop their team and communications skills in a simulated job application environment

Our Sixth Form have all been put through a Mock Assessment Centre on a Friday morning this term – and many were told that in the real world “they’d get the job!! We had great feedback on our Sixth form students from one of our lead local Business partners Computacenter who kindly came in and ran a simulated Mock Assessment Centre for our students across two Friday mornings. The students were all put in mixed groups to encourage a “new” environment and then put through their paces by having to deliver a focused business brief as a team within the tight timescales of 30 minutes. We do business tasks in a number of lessons and careers days – but this was different as Computacenter came in with a team of “assessors” to watch our sixth form teams in action and then critique ideas, pro-activity, communication skills, team work and leadership skills – as they would when they run actual Assessment centres for job roles and apprenticeships. The morning was very practical and skills-led, and got the Sixth Form motoring first thing in the morning as it was just over two hours. The students got an opportunity to hear why assessment centres are run, what skills employers look for and top tips, along with having the “experience” of one! This workshop will be useful for those about to embark on the competitive worlds of Apprenticeships, job searches and University life, and longer term into their career journey.

Thanks to Computacenter for fielding so many assessor volunteers and running our morning… Next is the dreaded interviews!

Creative Upcycling!

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Save the World Creative Upcycling Projects

Save the World Club are keen to ‘recycle, reduce and reuse’ waste to protect our planet. We have had fun over the past few weeks upcycling some old white mugs. Rather than throwing the mugs away, we repainted them with personalised designs using ceramic paint. The mugs have been given a new life and look beautiful.

Another upcycling project has been repurposing beads donated to the Young Enterprise team from 2020. The Save the World Club students created stunning jewellery including bracelets, necklaces and even a pretty ring.

Author visits Bishop’s

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Children & young adult book author Karen McCombie visits Bishop’s and runs a creative writing workshop

Here is what two of our Year 8 pupils thought about it.

Today the author Karen McCombie came to our school. She gave lovely assemblies to most of the year groups. Karen is a great author whose hundredth book will come out in February. She gave us an insight into what it’s really like to be an author and exposed many of the myths, to put it into her own words, about her job. In the afternoon, some of us had a workshop with her on writing suspense. She gave us a couple of steps to help us create suspense but also reminded us that there were other ways to build tension. Karen is an amazing writer and it was really nice to speak to her and get some tips.

Jo Anthony, Year 8

Children & young adult book author Karen McCombie, visited Bishop’s this week and what a great experience! During her visit, we got to ask questions and learn how Karen McCombie became the great author she is today, having written 99 children’s books. It was followed by a workshop in which we learned how to write a short suspenseful story in 4 simple steps. I really enjoyed this because it has helped me learn how to improve the writing my stories. I also bought one of Karen McCombie’s books which she signed and dedicated to me and can’t wait to read it!

Gabriella Kehagias, Year 8

Back to the Theatre

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Year 11 go back to The Cambridge Arts Theatre to see a live performance of An Inspector Calls after a 3 year break

After a nearly three year break due to Covid, we finally took 70 Year 11 pupils back to The Cambridge Arts Theatre to see a performance of ‘An Inspector Calls’. The performance was engaging and the audience responded well to all of the shocks and twists of the plot line. It is so important, when possible, to get our pupils to see a play performed live as it really helps reinforce the plotline and main themes of the play which are then tested in their GCSE exams in summer 2023.