Well done to the library monitors for engaging in the poetry writing activity.
The names of the contributors are Hafsa Ali, Amina Amar Narmah , Nimo Qasim Abdi and Lana Umar Mala
We celebrated The Arts yesterday with our annual Dynamic performance starring Baylis students, and what a show! We were treated to singing, dancing and acting and it was clear how much hard work had gone into the whole show (there were suggestions that it was the best one ever!) If you came to watch, thank you, and we are certain you had a great time. A huge thank you to all of the staff who supported with directing, choreographing, backstage support, ticket sales, room set up, technical support and supporting students.
Hungry for more Baylis performances? Look out for information on our summer showcase, Ignite.
One of Unifrog’s partners, Pricewaterhouse Coppers (PwC) held an Insight Experience day in their Reading office. They invited year 12 students who were on track for AAB and have an interest in finance careers. The event took place on Thursday 16th January between 10am - 3pm.
The event involved presentations and experiences from staff and apprentices, with the aim of raising awareness of careers in finance and accounting. PwC hosted a panel with their current apprentices to inspire and inform students about their best next steps, delivering a Dragon's Den style challenge which will prepare students for any application process as well as providing career tips and an office tour. There were former Baylis students there too which inspired our current students. Their target audience were female students with the moto ‘Females into Finance’. PwC are committed to increasing social mobility and female representation within the financial sector.
The students made their own way to the event and had a really insightful experience and would recommend it to others. Places were limited so only 5 of our students got selected to attend however Unifrog have mentioned they will be holding more events and will allow students who were on the waiting list to attend future events. The year 12 students who attended were Sharafat, Sara Annie, Uswa and Ameera.
The Year 11 Sport Study students have demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership in preparing for their practical assessments. A key component of their preparation involved coaching the Year 9 students in a variety of sports, including netball, football, 100m sprint, javelin, and long jump. Their commitment to both their own development and to helping others has truly been outstanding.
Mrs Nelson and the PE department
As you near the completion of your school education journey, a world of possibilities await. Whether you’re considering further studies, entering the workforce, pursuing vocational training, or exploring other opportunities, this pivotal moment marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life.
The choices you make now will shape your future trajectory, and while it may seem daunting, it’s also an exciting time filled with endless opportunities for growth, learning, and self-discovery.
On this page, we aim to provide you with valuable insights and resources to help navigate the myriad pathways available to you after completing your school education, empowering you to make informed decisions and embark on a fulfilling journey towards your aspirations and goals.
Celebration Assemblies
Celebrations assemblies continued this term with Year 8 having their turn, and what a lovely lot of shout outs there were for Ms Kelly to share with her year group!
Pupils were recognised for achievements such as outstanding commitment, positive attitude, improved ATL, excellent leadership, and consistent effort.
We also welcomed the new year 8 Student Leadership Team members and celebrated perfect and excellent attendance.
Debate Fixture
“On Wednesday 15th the Baylis Court Debate Team attended our first debate fixture with another school, Westgate School in Slough. This was quite exciting for our team as we have been practicing our debate skills and wanted to see how students in other schools would handle a debate.
Our debate topic was ‘Should sports be mandatory in schools and colleges?’ The Baylis team was arguing sport should be optional and Westgate argued it should be mandatory.
Our team debated that sport is only one of many types of extra-curricular activities that can provide the same benefits, for example, art club or drama could provide the same outlet for certain students. We also put a lot of emphasis on how sports can be competitive and sometimes the competitive nature can go to far, with negative effects, even on mental health.
However, Westgate argued that actually sport should overall be a benefit to mental health, as shown by studies. They also argued that sport doesn’t have to be repetitive or boring, with the same activities, but with the right amount of funding it can create a great balance of different types of sports that engage students.
There had to be a winner, and overall the Westgate team did have a solid win over Baylis. However, we realised they had a large advantage as their team had prepared scripts of opening statements, whereas we had prepared and read up on the topics but not scripted our opening statements. Therefore our team members made them up on the spot! However we came up with excellent points and rationale during the debate and in particular Haddy Bojang’s rebuttal was particularly powerful.
Both our team and Westgate’s team really enjoyed the debate and we agreed we would organise a further debate fixture in future, so watch this space! The debate team are now looking forward to a debate competition in February where again they will be debating against several other schools.”
Our Peer mentors took part in training sessions over the last few weeks with Slough Mental help Support Team. The sessions were really engaging and pupils learned valuable skills and information about being a peer mentors and important things about confidentiality and communication.
Our Peer mentors will be beginning their sessions next week and will also be running a well being lunchtime club.
They are all really excited about supporting their peers!