Dear Baylis Court School Community,
It has been a fantastic start to the new academic year, and I would like to thank all parents and carers for the continued support you offer to both your daughters and the wider school community.
Last week, we were delighted to welcome Year 6 pupils and their families to our Open Evening. It was a pleasure to see enthusiastic future students exploring our school. A special thank you goes to the many pupils across different year groups who represented our school with such pride — whether as subject ambassadors, tour guides, or through delivering presentations. Your confidence, commitment, and professionalism truly showcased the best of our school.
For any parents and carers of Year 6 pupils who were unable to attend the evening, or who would like to see the school in action, Open Mornings will continue to run throughout October on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9am. Please see the school website for details of how to book onto an Open Morning.
This week, our assemblies have focused on our school’s community values, particularly the importance of supporting one another. We’ve been reminding pupils that if they have concerns—whether about schoolwork, friendships, or even something as simple as a lost item—they are not alone, and help is always available. The start of the year can often be a challenging time for pupils as they settle back into school routines. If you feel your child is struggling in any way with the transition, please do not hesitate to contact their Form Tutor or Head of Learning. Working together allows us to support your child more effectively.
I am also pleased to report that attendance across the school has been very strong, and students are meeting our high expectations around behaviour and uniform. Thank you once again to parents and carers for ensuring your daughters are arriving ready to learn and free from barriers to success.
In lessons, pupils have been working hard and engaging positively with their studies. Year 13 students have now completed their first assessments of the year, and they will soon receive feedback and analysis to help them reflect and plan ahead. This is a pivotal year for our Year 11 and Year 13 students, and we are incredibly proud of the focus, maturity, and determination they are demonstrating so early in the term.
As always, thank you for your continued partnership.
Mrs MacInnes
Principal
Mrs Rana’s kindness watch
This week Mrs Rana has spotted many acts of kindness taking place.
Year 13 have shown tremendous kindness to the new Year 12 especially the external students, by helping them navigate this new chapter.
Pupils from across the school have been helping our new Year 7 in navigating the corridors and helping them get to the right classrooms, sharing a smile in the corridor as well as letting teachers know if they think someone might be in need of support.
Keep it up everyone, your effort is very much appreciated by everyone here, staff and pupils alike.
We are pleased to invite you to our Sixth Form Open Evening, which will be held on Wednesday 8 October, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. While students are welcome to attend independently, we strongly encourage parents and carers to join as well, as their involvement is essential to making informed decisions.
During the evening, you will have the opportunity to speak with Heads of Department about the subjects we offer at A Level, hear directly from current Sixth Form students about their experiences at Baylis Court, and attend a short talk outlining what our Sixth Form provides. These talks, led by me, will take place at 4:40 p.m. and 5:40 p.m.
We hope this will be a wonderful opportunity for you to explore what our school offers beyond Year 11, and we look forward to welcoming you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Mr. R. Brown
Head of Sixth Form
rbr@bayliscourt.slough.sch.uk
It has been a lively start in Music this term! Year 7 and Year 8 students have begun their journey on the violin as their core instrument, while Year 9 are delving into music history and exploring a wide range of genres through listening. This is helping them discover how music has developed across time and cultures, while broadening their appreciation of different styles.
We are also proud to share that Baylis has been awarded the Music Mark Recognition for Improvement and Dedication by Slough Music Service , which is a fantastic acknowledgment of the progress the department has made since April this year!
Alongside lessons, a new range of lunchtime clubs is launching this month. Jam Session is open to Year 12 and 13 musicians and singers with prior experience, while younger students can join Singing Club (Years 7–9) or Strings Club. These are just the first of many musical opportunities to come this year, and we are excited to see students across the school making music together.
Diary Dates
- Open evening for Baylis Sixth Form- Wednesday 8 October
- Year 11 Mocks begin- Monday 13 October
- End of Term- Thursday 23 October
- 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)
Dear All,
Our last call for book club lovers!
If anyone from any year group is interested in joining a book club (the more the merrier!) please express your interest by coming to the library and leaving your name, year and email address. We will get back to you with more details once we have finalised numbers.
Also, this year for book club we’re trying something different – YOU vote for the book YOU want! For the first book club we already have a list of choices for you to choose from:
- Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
- Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
- Stone Cold by Robert Swindells
- The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine
- Flour Babies by Anne Fine
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Peterson
Careers in the Curriculum: Science in the Real World
When you sit in a science classroom, it can sometimes feel like you’re just learning facts, equations, or practical steps. But science is much more than that—it’s a gateway to a huge range of careers that shape our everyday lives.
Why Science Careers Matter
Science drives medicine, technology, engineering, and the environment. From developing vaccines to designing new materials, from tackling climate change to exploring space, science careers are at the heart of solving the world’s biggest challenges.
Skills That Employers Value
Science helps you develop transferable skills that employers everywhere want:
- Problem-solving – designing experiments and finding solutions.
- Critical thinking – analysing data and questioning evidence.
- Teamwork and communication – working effectively with others.
- Resilience – learning through trial and error.
Examples of Science Careers
- Medicine & Healthcare: doctors, nurses, pharmacists.
- Engineering & Technology: civil engineers, robotics designers.
- Environment & Sustainability: ecologists, renewable energy specialists.
- Forensics & Law: applying chemistry and biology to solve crimes.
- Research & Innovation: genetics, materials, space science.
Linking to Your Lessons
At school, science is taught not just to pass exams but to prepare you for life. Physics lessons connect to Wi-Fi and medical imaging, chemistry links to drug development and engineering, and biology to healthcare and sport.
Looking Ahead
If you are interested in a career in science then you should think about what qualifications you will need to get there. Most science careers require a university degree which in turn will likely require you to have A-levels in relevant subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths.
Most A-level science and maths courses will usually have GCSE grade requirement of at least a 6 and sometimes a 7 in the relevant science or maths subject.
So next time you’re in the lab, remember: science in school isn’t just about experiments. It’s about preparing you for exciting, world-changing careers.
Young Writers National Poetry Competition
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
-Eleanor Roosevelt
What do you dream about? What do you aspire to be?
Now is your chance to express your life goals and in return potentially win a prize thanks to Young Writers!
To provide some context, Young Writers organise and promote national writing, helping to turn one’s imagination and creativity into beautiful writing. They support teachers up and down the country by organising meaningful writing competitions, themes, outstanding resources and awarding brilliant prizes. Their aim is to inspire the imaginations of young pupils.
Right now, they are currently running a national poetry competition for 11–18-year-olds until Friday 24th October, with prizes to be won!
- 1st place: £250 and a trophy
- 2nd place: Apple AirPods and a trophy
- 3rd place: £50 cinema gift card (3 x third place prizes to be won)
How to enter:
Email your entries to competitions@youngwriters.co.uk by Friday 24th October 2025. Please ensure your names and age are on your work, and that you include your name, school name and school address in your email.
Please come to the library if you have any further questions or need any help entering. Happy writing 😊
Chatbots and Children
The Children’s society have released a blog taking a closer look at both the benefits and the dangers of chatbots for children, and what parents should keep in mind.
You can access the Blog here Chatbots and Children | The Children's Society
Elevate is an award-winning organisation that has been working with Baylis Court School to help your children become more effective learners. Your child’s ability to self-motivate, manage their time and prepare effectively will be a crucial factor to guarantee their success over this academic year.
Join us for our exclusive webinar series where we will show you – as parents – how to best support your child through school.
School Nurse Health Service
Slough Child and Family Wellbeing provides your School Nursing Service which aims to promote a healthy lifestyle for school aged children between the ages of 4-19 following the Healthy Child Programme.
Every secondary school has a named school nurse who is qualified to provide age-appropriate advice, support or signposting on a range of health issues that may affect your child.
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