Dear Parents and Carers,
As we reach the end of our first half-term of the academic year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and to reflect on what has been a positive and purposeful start to the year.
It has been a pleasure to see our school values of kindness, inquisitiveness, and resilience demonstrated so strongly by pupils across all year groups. These values remain at the heart of all we do, and they have been especially evident in the way our pupils have engaged with learning, supported one another, and adapted to the expectations of the new school year.
I am proud to congratulate our Year 11 pupils who have approached their GCSE mock examinations with admirable maturity and focus these last two weeks. Their resilience in tackling these important assessments is commendable. Year 11 pupils will receive their mock results in school on Monday 17 November. Following this, we look forward to welcoming Year 11 parents and carers to Consultation Evening on Thursday 20 November to share strategies to support our young people in the approach to their final examinations later this academic year.
After the half-term break, Year 9 pupils will begin their in-class assessments. Their exam week will run from Tuesday 4 - Monday 10 November, and we know they will rise to this challenge with the same inquisitive spirit they have shown so far this year.
In amongst the business, trips and visits to support learning are still taking place. Year 12 students recently took part in an enriching visit to Royal Holloway, University of London, to support their Extended Project Qualification research. Thank you to Miss Ryan-Mcgrath for organising such a valuable experience that encouraged both independent thinking and academic curiosity.
You will recall that we have ben trialling the closure of the Pippins Road gate as an entrance and exit to school. This was in a bid to enhance the safety of pupils. We have been evaluating the impact of this decision through the trial. We have carefully considered the impact of this change and consulted with pupils to gather their feedback. I am pleased to share that 60% of pupils who previously used the back gate as a means of entering or leaving school reported feeling safer now that we are only using the front entrances. The closure has also allowed us to enhance staff presence in this area, further supporting the safety and wellbeing of all students. In light of these positive outcomes, the Pippins Road gate will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
As we are the end of the first term of school, all parents and carers will receive a letter containing a detailed breakdown of their child's attendance to date, this week. Please read this carefully and discuss it with your child as needed. Strong attendance is closely linked to academic success, particularly at GCSE. Pupils who attend school regularly each year make significantly more progress than those with frequent absences. Thank you for working with us to support excellent attendance.
Earlier this week, we were delighted to wish a very Happy Diwali to all in our community who were celebrating. As Bonfire Night approaches, we hope all families enjoy the festivities safely—please take care around fireworks.
A few important reminders:
- Thursday 23 October: School closes for half-term
- Friday 24 October and Monday 3 November are INSET days (school closed to pupils)
- Tuesday 4 November: School reopens
I wish all of our families a restful, safe, and enjoyable half-term break. Thank you once again for your continued support, and we look forward to welcoming pupils back to school on Tuesday 4 November.
Warm regards,
Mrs MacInnes
Principal
on Thursday afternoon, Staff and Year 11 Pupils gathered to celebrate Diwali . A huge thank you to Ms Zahid who hosted the event, and pupils who played music, brought snacks, enjoyed henna hand painting, nail art and rangoli making. It was a great event and we all had lots of fun.
Mrs Rana’s kindness watch
Mrs Rana would like to say thank you to to following people this week:
- Marwa in year 9, for helping Year 7 pupils by giving them tips on how to make new friends.
- All Year 11 pupils, who have been showing each other kindness during their mock exams, sharing smiles, kindness and above all motivating each other to keep going!
Diary Dates
- INSET day- Friday 24 October
- INSET Day- Monday 3 November
- Term Starts- Tuesday 4 November
- Year 9 Exams Begin- Tuesday 4 November
- Year 8 Exams Begin- Monday 17 November
- Year 11 Geography Fieldwork (Epping Forest)- Thursday 20 November
- Year 11 Consultation Evening- Thursday 20 November
- Flu Immunisation Session- Tuesday 2 December
- Year 10 Exams Begin- Monday 8 December
- Year 7 Consultation Evening- Thursday 11 December
- Year 11 Art Exam- Tuesday 16 December
- End of Term- Friday 19 December (early finish TBC)
Uniform Reminders
Now that we are heading into cooler weather, please be aware that the Baylis Blue Jumper is a compulsory uniform item from Terms 2-5 (November- May)
- White revere collar blouse
- Black tailored trousers or skirt, no leggings or flared trousers
- low heeled black shoes
- black or white plain socks or black/ natural coloured tights. Black socks should only be worn over black tights.
Reading Buddies
We are extremely proud to introduce our biggest ever cohort of Sixth Form Reading Buddies. These students have all volunteered their own time to support pupils in younger years with their reading. Hibba, who is leading the team, told us:
I would sincerely like to thank Ms Rees for this opportunity and enabling me to be able to help give back to fellow students. The team and I are extremely excited to hopefully be able to create new friendships and be able to help others.
Halloween murder mystery in the library a success
Gasps were made and melodramatic hand gestures were formed during our Murder Mystery breaktime events this week as students across year 7 to 11 tried to identify who killed the Librarian.
Whilst pupils had a great time (and some even winning mystery book prizes) none of this would have been possible without the incredible work of our school’s Library Monitors:
- Annabelle C
- Blessing K
- Maryam N
- Sehr P
- Ummul F
- Umme R
A special mention must be made for Zainab A who came up with the initial script that we worked from. She put in so much work into the whole idea. Her commitment to making this happen was incredible (we’ve already had students enquire about the same activity next year!)
Wednesday 15th October 2025
All of Year 12 went out on a trip to Royal Holloway University of London for an EPQ research day, they were taught research skills and given the chance to read and save articles using the library search engine. This was a great afternoon out for them and a fantastic chance to build their research skills and show inquisitiveness.
Thanks to the students who took part in the UKMT Maths Challenge
The Team Maths Challenge gives students the opportunity to tackle a variety of engaging mathematical activities while developing teamwork and communication
Well done to the students who participated and good luck for the next round!
Congratulations to:
- Mahak C Silver Certificate
- Annie K Bronze Certificate
Safety and Well-being
At Baylis Court School, the safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities. Following Mrs MacInnes’ recent communication, we have taken steps to address concerns regarding the Pippins Road gate and continue to collaborate with local authorities to ensure a secure environment for all.
Alongside this we have reviewed our guidance for students attending clubs/Enrichment after school. If a club needs to be cancelled at short notice, students have been told they must go to the library and register there and wait to be picked up at the agreed time, or earlier, if parents/carers are able. Students should not wait in Reception or outside the school gates.
To further enhance our safety measures, we kindly request your participation in a brief questionnaire. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us assess and improve both in school and the surrounding area safety.
Please complete the questionnaire by 30th October. The survey is accessible online
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in fostering a safe learning environment.
Warm regards,
Mrs Stone
Assistant Principal
Credits:
Created with images by Kwangmoozaa - "White paper texture close up background" • Prostock-studio - "Unrecognizable Black Schoolgirl Showing Heart Shape Gesture On Yellow Background" • Microgen - "Forensic Expert Collecting Evidence from The Crime Scene"