This academic year so far we have raised over £800 for different charities by holding a bake sale for the Red Cross and a mufti day for Children in Need! Well done everyone, this is a fantastic effort.
Thank you to Mr Simpson for playing Christmas songs for the staff and pupils to enjoy at breaktime today! It certainly brought a smile to many faces and we really had fun singing along!
Alumni Talk
GCHQ Christmas Code Breaking Challenge
SOCIOLOGY YEAR 13 TRIP
Friday 29th November.
Our school trip to the Crime and Deviance Conference in London was an unforgettable experience that brought our sociology lessons to life. We met at the train station at 9:00 a.m., all excited for the day ahead. The ride to London was full of chatter as excitement filled the train.
Upon arrival, we made our way to the conference venue, a buzzing hall filled with students and professionals from across the country. The day began with a captivating session led by Dr Lindsey Harris, who introduced us to the key concepts of crime and deviance. She opened with an engaging explanation of what deviant behaviour is and how societal norms shape our feelings of crime. Dr. Harris then moved on to discuss domestic abuse, providing an eye-opening overview of its various forms, from physical violence to emotional manipulation. She shared statistics that caught us by surprise. The interactive quizzes she provided added an element of fun and competition, as we worked in teams to answer questions about myths and realities surrounding domestic abuse.
Next, Dr Antony Ellis gave a gripping talk about his research on male violence, focusing on the phenomenon of "hard lads" in urban communities. He said that young men strived to assert dominance in environments where toughness equates to survival. He then went on to explain how socio-economic factors and cultural expectations contribute to these behaviours. His talk not only deepened our understanding of male violence but also challenged us to think critically about masculinity and its links to crime.
One of the most memorable moments of the day came when we heard from the Mafia Princess, a woman who shared her incredible journey from privilege to prison. She spoke candidly about how she grew up in a family connected to organised crime and how her loyalty to that lifestyle eventually landed her behind bars. Her descriptions of life in prison were raw and unfiltered—she described the isolation, the fear, and the unspoken rules that govern interactions among inmates. She even told us that she was in prison at the same time as Myra Hinsley, the women who was jailed for killing 5 innocent children. What stood out most was her transformation; she shared how her
time in jail forced her to confront her choices and inspired her to rebuild her life. Her honesty was both humbling and inspiring, and she left us all reflecting on the power of resilience.
After a morning of enthusiastic discussions, we were given an hour for lunch and the freedom to explore a bit of London. This was a highlight for many of us, as it gave us a chance to unwind and enjoy a meal with friends. Some of us found cozy cafes, while others opted for quick bites from street vendors. The energy of the city added to the excitement of the day
We returned to the conference for the final session, where we were captivated by Justin Rollins, a former graffiti gang member who shared his extraordinary story of redemption. Justin described how he became involved in graffiti as a teenager, drawn to the adrenaline rush and the sense of belonging it provided. He spoke how he had a terrible upbringing where he was neglected. He did not glamorise his experiences but instead offered an unflinching look at the risks and consequences of his actions, from dangerous encounters with rival groups to brushes with the law. What made his talk so powerful was his reflection on how he eventually turned his life around, finding a new sense of purpose in helping others avoid similar paths. His story was very inspiring to many of us.
The conference concluded at 4:00 p.m., leaving us with a wealth of knowledge and a deeper understanding of crime and deviance. The day was both educational and thought-provoking, and as we headed back to the train station, we could not stop discussing what we had learned. It was a trip that will stay with us for a long time, not just for the topics covered but for the inspiring stories of resilience and change we heard throughout the day.
Diary Dates
- End of Term- Friday 20 December *Please note, we will finish at 12.00 on this date*
- INSET Day (School closed to all pupils)- Monday 6 January
- School Starts again- Tuesday 7 January
- Year 11 Media studies Seminar- Wednesday 15 January
- Debate Club Fixture- Wednesday 15 January
- Year 7 Consultation Evening- Thursday 16 January
The National Careers Service
The National Careers Service provides high quality, free and impartial careers advice, information and guidance.
The service is available to anyone aged 13+ no matter what stage of the career journey you’re at.
You can find out:
- what a job involves and if it's right for you
- about careers that might be right for you by taking one of our assessments
- search for online and classroom courses near you, to help you get a job or develop your skills.
On Thursday the Year 11 Geography rivers fieldwork trip took place, with the Year 11 students visiting the Fieldwork Studies Council in Epping Forest in Essex. The trip was a success and was very enjoyable but interesting for the students and helped prepare them for their upcoming geography GCSE. Mr Hartley, Ms Bryant and Ms Devaney accompanied the students there.
The trip had been originally scheduled for two weeks before, and as it was mid-December we were the only school group on site. The day was warm for December but very grey and overcast, but the actual forest and Loughton Brook (the river) were beautiful to see. The forest had more of a mysterious air this year, as it was so much quieter compared to the two previous years we have visited Epping Forest, with some students claiming before and during the trip that Epping Forest is haunted. We found no evidence for the forest being haunted whilst there, and believe this is untrue. We did however see some incredible old deciduous trees, mushrooms and other wildlife as well as undertaking our fieldwork.
In geography we are an inquisitive bunch and the aim of the trip was to answer our fieldwork enquiry question, “How do the characteristics of Loughton Brook change as you go downstream?” We have been learning in lesson that generally rivers become wider, deeper, and faster as you go downstream (towards the ocean) and that rocks are smaller and smoother, and we guessed this is what we would find. To test this hypothesis out, we visited three locations along Loughton Brook, taking depth, width and velocity measurements as well as drawing field sketches of the three locations we visited. This involved putting on wellies and actually wading into the river, which fortunately was very shallow in most places. As we visited upstream, downstream and in the middle, we all had to hike over four kilometers, crossing a road, the river a couple of times and of course including going up and down a massive hill! We did all this as well as some interesting classroom sessions and visiting the source of the river, so as you can imagine, at the end of the day we were very tired and kindly were quiet on the way home so those of us who wanted to rest could do so on the coach back. It was wonderful to board the bus back to Baylis with a sense of resilient satisfaction that we had achieved what we wanted from the day. Although we had some anomalies at the middle location, generally our measurements proved that the river did become deeper, wider and faster as we went downstream. We had an enjoyable time and a few good laughs, now we are all hoping that all the knowledge we gained will come in useful when all the Year 11s take their Paper 3 exams in June!