Letters sent Home
Academic Year 2024 - 2025
Please note that because most letters are now sent by email, the text of the email and the date on which the communication was sent to Parents and Carers is shown below. Letters are listed with the most recent at the head of the list; older letters or those that are no longer relevant may be removed from this page.
Football Elective - on site today and during this term
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of students taking the Football Elective on Friday 4 October 2024
Follow up information - Correction Process
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 4 October 2024
Rescheduled Goegraphy Field Trip
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 10 Students on Friday 4 October 2024
The Sele School's Secure HomeRun Network
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 3 October 2024
Things you can choose to do on the app include:
- Explore journey-sharing opportunities with other families.
- Connect the app to your child's phone to monitor their journeys to and from school.
- Explore travel options available in your area, all in one place.
If you have already joined our HomeRun network, please update your school run journeys in the app by logging in and completing the prompt to check your journey details. If anything has changed, just edit the relevant fields and hit save. This enables [school name] and HomeRun to accurately measure our strides towards achieving a more sustainable school run!
Kind regards,
Careers and Courses Information
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Years 10 to 13 on Wednesday 2 October 2024
Please see the attached information relating to careers and courses, which may be of interest to students
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Year 10 Careers Fair
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 10 Students on Wednesday 2 October 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
I am excited to have been offered the opportunity to take the whole of Year 10 to ‘Generation Hertford’, a careers fair being held at The Beam Theatre, Hertford on Monday 21st October 2024. This will be the latest in the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnerships series of ‘Generation’ events that take the shape of a traditional careers fair, providing students with the opportunity to meet with a wide range of local employers and providers. Students will get the chance to meet a range of industry representatives from across the region who will be able to help our young people develop an understanding of the current labour market.
This event will take place during school hours. We will be able to walk to this event so no transport and associated costs are necessary.
Please complete the form below and return to me to give permission for your child to attend this event or email me to confirm abrady@sele.herts.sch.uk
Regards
Anna Brady; Careers and Futures Lead
Careers and Futures Next Steps
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 11 Students on Wednesday 2 October 2024
Careers and Futures Next Steps information
As a school, we work closely with Hertfordshire's Services for young people (SFYP) organisation. They are contracted to run our statutory 1-2-1 CEIAG (Careers education, information, advice and guidance) that all Year 11 receive. Our personal advisor is Kath Weston.
These appointments take the form of 1 period meeting in the Careers room. They are an opportunity for students to talk through their thoughts and plans for their post 16 education whether that be staying in school, attending another school setting or college or looking for apprenticeships.
Students and parents/ carers will receive an email from myself regarding the date and time of their appointment. Students can request an appointment with me directly if they would like one before their allotted time.
As parents/ carers you are also permitted to attend. If you wish to do so, we will need prior notice. Please email myself abrady@sele.herts.sch.uk (the vast majority of students attend alone).
Please find below the latest list of open events for Schools and Colleges in our area:
The Sele School Thurs 24th Oct. Time tbc
Simon Balle School Wed 2nd October 5.50- 7.30
Richard Hale School Wed 13th November
Presdales School Thurs 14th Nov 6pm-8pm
Oaklands College- WGC campus Sat 9th Nov 10am-3pm
- Oaklands campus 16th Nov 10am-3pm
Hertford Regional College- Broxbourne and Ware campus 21st Nov 5.30pm-8pm
Harlow College Thurs 17th Oct 5pm-8pm
North Herts College 12&13th Nov
Capel Manor College Sat 5th Oct
Stansted Airport Sat 12th Oct 10am-2pm
You can also find useful information form the following websites:
https://www.servicesforyoungpeople.org/ https://amazingapprenticeships.com/ https://www.unifrog.org/ Students have accounts with this application. It has lots of helpful information about further study and careers. This can be accessed from home as well as in school.
If you would like any further information or guidance, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
Mrs Anna Brady
Careers and Futures Lead
Use of AI in Examinations
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Key Stages 4 and 5 on Wednesday 25 September 2024
Dear Parent or Carer
Please see attached information regarding the use of AI in exams. It is important for everyone taking exams and completing coursework to be aware of these rules.
More exams information can be found on the school website Examinations pages. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards
Mrs Beth Savage; Examinations Officer
University of Hertfordshire Saturday Club for young film makers
The following flyer from the University of Hertfordshire was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 8 to 11 on Tuesday 17 September 2024
Year 7 Meet the Tutor
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 7 Students on Wednesday 17 September 2024
Jo Harrington; Pastoral Leader
New correction process
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Tuesday 17 September 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are running a new correction process, which is a centralised system. This is designed to keep you updated on when a student sits a correction and the reasons behind it. We will be monitoring and refining this system as we move forward to ensure it works effectively for everyone.
Due to an internet outage this week, some parents did not receive notifications regarding after-school corrections. To prevent this in the future, any corrections scheduled after school will now take place the following day. Please note that we do not hold corrections on Fridays, so any sanctions given on Thursday or Friday will take place the following Monday.
I value your feedback, and I am committed to making this process as smooth as possible. Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards
Ross Gallacher; Deputy Headteacher
Friends of Sele School (FOSS)
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 13 September 2024
Since the impact of Covid meant that all social activities had to come to a halt, FOSS has not been re-constituted. This term we would like to take the opportunity to re-establish FOSS, which forms a vital link between the school and the community, with parents and carers of our students the key to it's future success.
As a result we will be holding a meeting at 7.00pm on Thursday 19th September, in the school Library at which we hope to meet parents and carers, discuss the future purpose and direction of FOSS and look to form a Committee which can take up ideas generated at the meeting and guide FOSS forward. Whether FOSS is mainly a social organisation, a chance for parents to meet others and/or staff, a way of keeping interested parents informed of new developments at the school, a fund-raising body to assist the school - or a mixture of all these and more - will be up to you.
We look forward to seeing you on the evening of the 19th September for what we hope will be a relaxed meeting that will come up with interesting ideas for the future of FOSS. There will be members of staff in attendance to assist the process but it is your meeting and we look forward to welcoming you.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Flu Vaccine - 25 September 2024
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 to 11 on Friday 13 September 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
Please find attached the E-consent letter for your child’s Flu vaccination for this coming winter. Please note that you can consent for either the Flu nasal spray, OR the non-gelatine IM Flu vaccine. Please make sure you complete the form online as soon as you can. The portal will close 48 hours ahead of the Flu session.
Vaccination UK East Anglia Immunisation (schoolvaccination.uk)
Flu can be very unpleasant for children and can sometimes cause serious problems, such as pneumonia. Children can catch and spread flu easily. Vaccinating them also helps protect others who are at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu, such as babies and older people.
The Sele School
A message from Herts County Council
The following message, which we received from Hertfordshire County Council, was sent to parents and carers on Thursday 12 September 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
We have been asked to send the following message on behalf of Herts County Council:
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and East Herts Council (EHC) are working together on a new Cycling and Walking Plan to make it easier, safer and more enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys and leisure.
Throughout the process, we will continue to work with local residents, schools, walking and cycling groups, Councillors and other key interest groups to learn more about where people want to travel by foot and cycle and what kind of improvements are needed to the existing network. We also really want to involve the people who live and work in the area to make sure that the route proposals that are developed are right for those who will be using them.
Kind regards,
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Welcome to the 2024 - 2025 Academic Year
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Wednesday 4 September 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
What a wonderful start for day one of the 2024 - 2025 academic year. We are excited for this year and look to continually improve and build on from our summer results. Eight subjects across the school met (or surpassed met) the national average of 22% of students achieving the highest grades 7-9.
This year, we have Lewis Hamilton's charity, Mission44, working with our post-16 students alongside Zero Gravity, a subject mentoring programme. The support from these organisations will help to ensure the chances of our post-16 students entering an Oxbridge institution are increased five-fold, alongside the possibility of being awarded a £3,000 scholarship to go towards the first year of university expenses.
For our Key Stage 3 students we have the UK Rocket Challenge as well as ReWise Mars Rover experience for Year 7 students. Finally, in the summer, the school is looking to secure a film project open to Key Stage 4 and 5 students to be part of a film making process from pre-production to production through to post-production.
Kind regards,
Mr C Quach
Headteacher
Letters below are from the 2023 - 2024 Academic Year
GCSE Results 2024
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 22 August 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Carers,
We hope you have had a lovely summer break.
1 in 3 (33%) students achieved a Grade 5 in both English and Maths
1 in 2 (50%) students achieved a Grade 5 in English
And just under 1 in 2 (45%) students achieved a grade 5 in Maths
However, the best results come from MFL and Science with the curriculum changes put into place.
In MFL, 1 in 2 achieved (53%) achieved a Grade 7 or higher
And in Science, 2 in 5 (39%) achieved a grade 7 or higher in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
|
GCSE |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
|
Triple Sci Entered |
||
|
Physics 5+ |
48% |
91% |
|
Physics 7-9 |
12% |
39% |
|
Biology 5+ |
68% |
83% |
|
Biology 7-9 |
20% |
39% |
|
Chemistry 5+ |
60% |
87% |
|
Chemistry 7-9 |
16% |
39% |
|
MFL Entered |
||
|
MFL 4+ |
73% |
73% |
|
MFL 5+ |
47% |
73% |
|
MFL 7-9 |
40% |
53% |
These results, alongside improvements in Maths, Humanities and across a range of subjects, mean that The Sele School celebrates another successful year of progress. Thank you to everyone for their constant support and belief; when we pull together our community benefits and most of our all, our children benefit.
Kindest regards,
Mr C Quach
MEd, BA Hon, PGCE, PACES, Dip. Trauma and Mental Health, PGCA, NPQEL
Headteacher
The Home Run App
The following message was sent on Friday 19 July 2024, to Parents and Carers of students who will be joining Year 7 in SeptemberDear Parents and Carers,
As you may be aware, at The Sele School, we are trying to encourage as many of our staff and students as possible to use active and/or sustainable forms of travel to and from school. However, we appreciate that with a school community spread over a considerable area, this is not always possible, so to try and give another option we offer the HomeRun App.
HomeRun has been developed to enable Parents and Carers to arrange lift share without needing to exchange personal contact details. We think it could also potentially be used to find travel buddies for students walking, cycling or using public transport to travel to school.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Learn to Cycle or Improve Cycling Skills this summer
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 19 July 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are pleased to be able to bring students at The Sele School the option to either learn to cycle or to improve their existing cycling skills this Summer Holiday. Sessions are free of charge and will take place at The Sele School - or in the case of Bikeability Level 3, close by.
The sessions are being run in conjunction with Hertfordshire County Council and Active in the Community; there is a seven-day window (starting today) during which these booking links are only available from this email (first-come, first-served). After that it will still be possible to book if there are spaces remaining, however, you will have to do so through the website of Active in the Community.
Learn to Ride is available through the following links:
Learn to Ride
31st July
1st August
2nd August
Bikeability, which takes place over three days, is available through the following links:
Bikeability
9AM start
11.30 Start
We hope that our students will enjoy the opportunity either to learn to cycle, or to hone their skills.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
End of Year Information Letter
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 19 July 2024Dear Parents and Carers,
As we draw another academic year to a close, I would like to thank you for all your continued support for the school community. We have had an exceedingly successful year re-establishing our sixth form and growing our links with industry. The first cohort of our ‘We Build It Better’ programme, have completed their course alongside our first Sports Leaders and Employment Labour Supply students. We continue to grow our links to provide the best educational experience for our young people.
There have been lots of events this year with our Duke of Edinburgh students returning from the Lake District yesterday and this afternoon celebrating the end of the school year with a House Festival. Our school council continues to run events through the year and yesterday we interviewed and selected our new members for next year.
We have made adaptations to our behaviour and attendance policies for next academic year. Please go to our website to access these policies. Some key information is highlighted below.
Mobile phones
Mobiles are a prohibited item. We do, however, accept that students may need phones for going to and from school. For this reason, we now operate a system of handing phones in. Mobile phones will be handed in at the beginning of the day and stored securely until they are handed back during form time at the end of each day or at the end of a correction if your child needs to remain at the end of the day. Should your child need to leave school early for whatever reason, they will be able to collect their phone prior to their leaving. If a child needs to contact home in certain specific circumstances during the day, this will be done through the pastoral team. If a student has a mobile phone during the school day this will be confiscated, and parents or carers will need collect it from school. A repeat offence will result in the phone been held until the end of the half term.
Corrections
We are running a centralised detention system for student corrections. Behaviours that impact the student’s ability to learn, e.g. lack of equipment, will result in a break or lunch correction. We need to instil a degree of independence into the students and so a correction will apply each time. Missed corrections will double and students will be expected to sit this at the end of the day on the same day.
Attendance and Punctuality
We still have regular lateness to students from students. Students’ must arrive no later than 8.40am every morning, they receive a correction for ten minutes plus the time late at the end of the school day. Phone calls which indicate traffic delays on a daily basis will unfortunately not be considered. Where we are impacted periodically by delays on a specific bus route or due to other known traffic issues, we will of course make necessary adjustments, but traffic is not an acceptable reason for repeated lateness to school. We acknowledge that students are not always in control of their lateness but this would not be acceptable in the workplace and we want our students work ready when they leave us.
During the school day we have 5-minute movement time at the end of break and lunch for students and this is sufficient time to arrive to lessons. Students must arrive promptly and sanctions for each minute late will be applied if necessary.
Uniform
Uniform expectations are made clear to all students. Students have an opportunity to correct any uniform issues initially, first thing in the morning, before entering a classroom. Corrections are given for uniform infringements. Where uniform standards cannot be met, students are sent home.
Form Changes
The pastoral leaders, form teachers, safeguarding team, and SEND department have been working closely together to review and reorganise the current form groups. Our aim has been to create new form groups that we believe will best support the educational and social needs of our students. By doing so, we strive to provide the best possible learning environment and ensure that each student can make the most progress.
We understand that changes can be challenging, but please be assured that this decision was made with careful consideration and the best interests of our students in mind. We believe these new groupings will foster a more positive and productive educational experience for everyone.
Students will be informed of their new form groups in September when they return to school. In the meantime, we wish all our students and their families a wonderful and restful summer break. We are excited to welcome everyone back in September, ready for a fresh start and another successful year. In September we have two Inset days on 2nd and 3rd September so term starts for students on Wednesday 4th September. Our new Year 7 students will start at the normal time of 8.40am (so should arrive a few minutes earlier) and the rest of the school should arrive towards the end of morning break ready to start at 11.10am.
If you have any safeguarding concerns over the summer holiday, please contact safeguarding@sele.herts.sch.uk for other enquires admin@sele.herts.sch.uk though please note these accounts are not monitored throughout the holiday so there may be a delay in the response time.
Kind regards
Ross Gallacher; Deputy Headteacher
Normal uniform on the last day of term
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 18 July 2024
Good morning,
Following a few enquiries, I would like to confirm that students are required to wear normal school uniform tomorrow. The school day ends as normal at 2.45pm
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
After School Dance and Gymnastics in September
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of incoming Years 7 and 8 on Wednesday 17 July 2024
Dear Parent or Carer,
We are delighted to be able to offer after school Dance and Gymnastics sessions for our Year 7 and Year 8 students (current Year 6 and 7 students); these classes are fully funded, so are free to the students and are delivered by East Herts Gymnastics Club and by Carter School of Dance. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, so if your child would like to take part please sign up using the details below.
Thursday evenings (term time only) from 3.30 - 4.30pm: Gymnastics with East Herts Gymnastics Club please use the following links to book places
In the event that demand exceeds the number of places available your child will be added to a waiting list and will be contacted when the first ten-week programme of the new term is close to the end. Classes will take place in the Gymnasium, unless notified otherwise.
If you have any queries, please contact me, however, I cannot accept bookings, they must be made using the details above.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Director of Public Health - Herts County Council
The following message from the Director of Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council was sent to Parents and Carers on Wednesday 17 July 2024
240717 end of term letter to parents mmr and whooping cough.pdf
UK Youth Rocketry Challenge
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 to 10 on Tuesday 16 July 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are excited to announce our participation in the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC). This is a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in a fun and educational experience, enhancing their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
-
Event: UK Youth Rocketry Challenge
-
Challenge: Design, build, and launch a model rocket with a fragile payload (an egg).
The rocket must reach a set altitude with a specific total flight duration, while adhering to the specific set rules. The competition’s rules and scoring parameters change each year to challenge the students’ ingenuity and encourage a fresh approach to rocket design.
- Benefits:
-
Hands-on engineering and presentation skills.
-
An extension of what students are already learning in Science, Technology, and Maths.
- Opportunities to meet industry leaders in aviation and space.
-
Certificates, and awards for winning teams and their schools.
-
The winning team receives a paid-for trip to Farnborough International Airshow 2024 to compete against teams from America, France, and Japan.
-
Private tour of an Airbus site for the winning UK team, courtesy of our sponsor, Airbus
- Students must be enthusiastic about the project.
- The project will be extracurricular and take place after school (weekday to be decided).
- Teams will be limited to a maximum of 12 students, each team consisting of 3 to 6 students from mixed-year groups.
Please talk to Mr Burgess regarding your interest.
We encourage all interested students to participate in this exciting event. Let's aim for the stars!
Best regards,
Mr Burgess
School Newsletter from Herts Fire and Rescue Service - Summer Edition
The following message from the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 12 July 2024
Car parking restrictions at The Golden Griffin
The following letter was sent to Parents and Carers on Tuesday 9 July 2024
Good afternoon,
We would like to bring to your attention the following message received from McMullen & Sons Brewery regarding restrictions on parking at The Golden Griffin pub opposite the school, please note the car park is patrons only.
They confirm that the following car parking restrictions will go into place in September.
'The system will include ANPR, capturing car registrations entering and leaving the car park.
Guests using the pub will be required to enter their registration plate internally at the bar, on each occasion they use our pub.
If registrations aren’t entered, a fine will be issued by the external company that we have employed to install and manage the equipment.
I would also like to take this opportunity to inform you that the Golden Griffin will be closed for refurbishment from Monday 15th July, and the car park will be closed off and considered a building site, so due to Health & Safety it will not have any access to the public.'
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
GCSE and A Level Results Days
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 11 and 13 on Monday 1 July 2024Dear Parent or Carer
Please see attached information regarding A Level and GCSE Results Day.
If results are unable to be collected by the student personally, then a form is attached to nominate someone else to collect them. Please can the form be completed and returned, before the end of term.
If you have any questions please contact bsavage@sele.herts.sch.uk
Kind regards
Mrs Beth Savage; Exams Officer
Summer Parks - Engaging Activities for 12 - 16 year olds
The following message (from the Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership) was sent to Parents and Carers on Monday 1 July 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
We have been asked to send the following information regarding summer activities for 12-16 year olds delivered by The Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP). Details will follow shortly on how to register for these events.
I am writing to inform you about an exciting opportunity for students this summer. The Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) is pleased to announce the return of our 'Summer Parks' programme for 2024. Building on the success of last year's programme, we aim to offer free and engaging activities for children aged 12-16 across Hertfordshire.
Programme Overview:
- Duration: Three weeks
- Dates: 5th – 23rd August
- Age Group: 12-16 years
- Cost: Free of charge
- Locations: Five parks across Hertfordshire
- Borehamwood Mondays 5, 12 and 19 August 3pm - 6pm Borehamwood Youth FC, 82 Aycliffe Road WD6 4JW
- Stevenage Fridays - 9, 16 and 23 August 3pm - 6pm. King George V Playing Fields, Sish Lane SG1 3LS
- Watford Wednesdays - 7, 14 and 21 August 3pm - 6pm King George V Playing Fields, Tolpits Lane WD18 9QD
- Welwyn - Thursdays - 8, 15 and 22 August 3pm - 6pm, King George Playing Fields, Beehive Lane AL7 4BP
- Cheshunt Tuesdays - 6, 13 and 20 August 3pm - 6pm, Grundy Park, Cheshunt EN8 9RJ
What Summer Parks Offers:
- A diverse range of sports and physical activities.
- Creative arts and crafts sessions.
- Food provision through vouchers redeemable at local food outlets.
- Safe, supervised environments where students can socialise and stay active.
- We believe this programme provides a fantastic opportunity for young people to engage in physical activity, develop new skills, and enjoy their summer holidays in a safe and supportive environment.
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Elective Selections for the new academic year
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 to 10 on Friday 21 June 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
Please be aware that some electives may involve a cost, and certain activities are offsite. By signing up, you agree to cover any associated expenses and give consent for your child to participate in offsite activities. It's crucial to carefully review the details of each elective before making a selection.
Additionally, certain electives are exclusive to particular year groups, and some are running for the entire year, making them unavailable for selection later in the year. We've expanded our elective offerings and are thrilled to include more industry partners, providing valuable real-world experiences for our students. Our industry placements trial in the summer term has been a success with students working in restaurants and manual labour. This offer is expanded, but only available for Year 11 students.
There will be a dance elective for those wishing to dance in the next school production. These students must be committed to the production in February as well as after school rehearsals. There will be a selection process for some dances, but anyone is welcome to apply. This will happen in the autumn term and students who are successful will stop their elective choice and join a dance group.
We encourage you to discuss the available options with your child, ensuring they make an informed and exciting choice. Your child will need to join the "student vote" google classroom in order to make their selection. We aim to give all students one of their three preferences but cannot guarantee first choices. Students who miss the deadline or make incorrect selections will be allocated study groups.
Kind regards,
Ross Gallacher; Deputy Headteacher
Theatre Trip for GCSE English Students - September 2024
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 10 Students on Wednesday 19 June 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
Re: An Inspector Calls Trip for GCSE English Students on 5 September 2024
I am very pleased to inform you that we are able to take our current Year 10 GCSE English pupils to see a matinee performance of An Inspector Calls at Alexandra Palace in London on Thursday 5 September 2024. (Timings to be confirmed: Depart school at 11.40am and return to school at approximately 6.30pm).
Students will need to be in school uniform, and will need to bring a packed lunch with them as there will be very limited opportunities to buy food on the day. Students who are entitled to Free School Meals will have their lunch provided by the school. Students will also need to bring a note book to take notes, as this is part of their GCSE course.
The trip will enable students to view a theatre performance of the set text which they will study and respond to within their final exam at GCSE. It will give students a valuable insight of the play, and develop their understanding during their study of the text.
To enable the trip to run successfully, a payment of £29.50 is requested towards the cost of the ticket and transport. Places are limited so will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Payment and consent for this trip should be made using the ParentPay system. The trip (and cost) will show on your parent account page. You will need to click the ‘consent’ box before making the payment. Payment/consent will need to be made by Wednesday 12th July.
We would like all pupils to attend, so if you feel that you need any financial support with this trip then please email: hkirby@sele.herts.sch.uk
Please ensure that we have your current contact details as we will use this number on the day of the trip in case of emergency.
Yours sincerely
Mrs K Goldsmith; Head of English
Arriva Buses Saver Tickets
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Monday 17 June 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
Please find below a letter from Arriva Bus Company regarding the Arriva Student and Child Saver tickets; the 'cost effective' and 'flexible way of paying for travel costs'.
southern counties herts ss dd letter student hertfordshire .pdf
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Ofsted Survey
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 23 May 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
The Sele School Senior Leadership is conducting it's annual review, we encourage all parents to complete this parental survey to help inform us of the areas we may need to develop further.
Kind regards,
Mr C Quach; Headteacher
Uniform from September
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Monday 20 May 2024
Good afternoon,
I have had a few enquiries about the uniform changes in September. An email was sent in April however, due to the problems some had downloading the attachment, I am re-sending the relevant information here:
The school has made the decision to move forward with a uniform policy that will only include trousers, effective from September 2024.
We would like to address concerns raised about trouser types. In order to avoid creating unnecessary issues, we have decided to permit all trouser types with the exception of denim, cords, skinny trousers or leggings. Trousers in black or grey are acceptable. For ease, below are our uniform expectations with the changes for September included.
Uniform
- Blazer (required): Burgundy with school badge
- Trousers: Black or Grey. Denim, cords, skinny trousers or leggings are not acceptable.
- Tailored Shorts: Grey
- Shirt/Blouse: White formal button up Shirt or Blouse (suitable to be worn with the school tie)
- Tie: KS3 Burgundy/ KS4 Burgundy Striped
- Socks or tights: Black or grey tights or ankle socks (white or coloured ankle socks are not acceptable)
- Pullover (optional): Burgundy (plain with no logo or badge)
- Belts: Fashion belts may not be worn
- Shoes: Plain black polishable shoes with no visible logo (not trainers or trainer-like shoes)
- Winter coat: Plain dark coloured
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Walk to School Week
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 17 May 2024
Dear Parent or Carer,
At The Sele School we encourage our staff and students to travel using active and/or sustainable forms of transport where possible. Next week, from 20 - 24 May, we will be taking part in Walk to School Week.
We hope that members of the school community will take the chance to experience the benefits of an active start to the day and walk to school if this is practical. If you live too far away for walking to be an option, maybe walking part of the way to school might still be possible - being dropped off, or getting off the bus, a little earlier than usual?
In addition to Walk to School Week we have also been involved in East Herts Council's 'Breathe Clean' initiative which included an Anti-idling initiative led by a group of our students. East Herts Council has asked whether parents and carers would please complete their survey using the link below.
The insights the survey results provide will help the Council to understand people's knowledge of air pollution and their travel patterns https://tinyurl.com/EastHertsParents. A flyer regarding the survey, with a QR code has been posted on the school's Facebook and X accounts, and can be accessed via that route if preferred.
We thank you for your assistance in both Walk to School Week and the East Herts Breathe Clean project.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Home Learning
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Key Stage 3 Students on Friday 3 May 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As part of the ongoing feedback we have received regarding our Home Learning provision, we are trialling a new system for the summer term.
Home Learning will continue to take on various forms through project-based learning, individual tasks or a selection from a take-away sheet. Staff will acknowledge the completion of Home Learning through the reward of an achievement point. If Home Learning is not completed, then the staff member will communicate home.
To support the completion of home learning we provide the library space during break and lunchtimes, as well as run a home learning club after school until 4:30pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
I will send out a short questionnaire after May half term to evaluate the new system we are trailing. Thank you for your continued support, while we continue to adapt and review our Home Learning provision.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions or suggestions.
Kind Regards,
Miss Samantha Burgess; Assistant Headteacher
Free Cyber Choices and Online Safety Events
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 2 May 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
external parent event advert.pdf
Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Year 9 Students - RSE Survey
The following message was sent to Year 9 Students on Monday 15 April 2024
Dear Year 9 Students,
Please see slide below.
Mr Quach has requested students complete this survey please. You can access the survey via link or QR code provided on the slide.
Kind regards,
Judith Adams; Office Manager
The Sele School - Bring your own devices initiative
Please see the message below which was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 - 10 on Thursday 28 March 2024
the sele school byod initial letter 1 .pdf
Hertfordshire Careers Hub - Annual Apprenticeship Survey
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Wednesday 20 March 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As part of the Hertfordshire Careers Hub, we are participating in their annual Apprenticeship survey which has been running since 2019.
We would really appreciate your help in completing this short survey to share your thoughts generally about post-16 options for your child. The survey responses are really useful to us as a school to identify how we can improve careers education and knowledge of the different pathways available for all students.
Please find the survey link here:
Kind regards
Mrs Anna Brady; Careers and Futures Lead
Breathe Clean Campaign
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Wednesday 13 March 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As you may be aware The Sele School is involved in a project which aims to improve air quality near the school by a number of initiatives throughout the year. These include raising awareness of the causes of air pollution, an anti-idling initiative and encouraging both staff and students to travel to school in the most environmentally friendly way possible.
This might include walking, cycling, using public transport or asking parents to drop them a few minutes walk from the school so that they 'ride and stride' walking the last few minutes of their journey. As part of the project we will be undertaking a travel survey on Thursday 14 March and we ask that as many students as possible enjoy the health benefits of starting the day with a walk, or a ride and stride.
To assist with the project may I also ask that Parents and Carers complete this survey by following the using the link below:
The survey is for the East Herts Breathe Clean campaign and should only take a few moments of your time but is very valuable to the school.
Many thanks for your help with this important project to improve the health and well being of our students by improving air quality in the local area.
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Sickness and Attendance at School
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 8 March 2024
Good morning
Please be advised that a few staff and students appear to be suffering from sickness and therefore we would ask that if your child has a bout of diarrhoea and/or vomiting, parents and carers adhere to the NHS guidelines of staying home for 48 hours
Also to remind parents and carers that absences must be reported via the attendance line - 01992 581455 option 2. Please leave a voicemail reporting your child unwell - this is the only method that goes directly to the staff member dealing with daily attendance marks. If you know your child will be off for more than one day, please state this on the message.
Many thanks and kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Form time information
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Form 7 Alpha on Wednesday 6 March 2024
Good morning,
As Form Tutor to 7 Alpha students, I wanted to get in touch to remind you of a couple of operational things that happen during form time in school. If you find you will struggle to equip your child with the items, please do let me know so I can look at how we can support you in this matter.
Students are asked to provide a well stocked pencil case each day in school in order to be prepare for each session. This will be checked in form at least once a week. Students should have the following with them every day:
- Blue pen
- Black Pen
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Rubber
- Sharpener
- Planner
- Reading book.
They may also bring a calculator, highlighter pens and colour pencils.
If students have forgotten equipment, it is their responsibility to see a member of the pastoral team to borrow what they need, prior to the start of the day.
Library books can be changed at break and lunchtime as well as in library lessons and I have a small collection in my classroom to borrow.
I was pleased to see that lots of the students were well equipped this week and therefore they received a merit for their organisation.
Whilst we also have assembly, reading assemblies and current affairs discussions on other days, we are required to also check students planners once a week for messages and to make sure students are keeping a note of home learning set (in case there is a problem with google classrooms). Please can I ask that you help support us by checking your child's planner once a week and signing it to say you have spoken to them about their home learning. I aim to check planners on a Tuesday in general so please make sure the week previous is completed before this day.
Kind regards
Anna Brady
Update re: Post 16 Education
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Year 11 ono Monday 4 March 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
This week meetings are taking place to confirm the curriculum offer, blocks and extra-curricular opportunities.
While I appreciate that a number of students have come home to discuss initial conversations they may have had with myself or their peers, these are to explore all avenues. We aim to provide an offer that will give every student the opportunity for future success and open up a wide range of pathways.
In the meantime if there are any students who are still wishing to make an application to our Post 16 please ask them to collect an application form from me.
Kind regards,
Miss Samantha Burgess; Assistant Headteacher
Teaching of Science
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 to 11 on Monday 4 March 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
To minimise the impact of cover on Science classes I am implementing the following with immediate effect. These temporary changes are to ensure that all students are frequently taught by a subject specialist and able to access the curriculum in a calm environment.
Mr Oyewole and Mrs Fadipe who are members of our school community will cover any absences in Science. Graham Shaw, Chemistry teacher specialist, will be returning to Sele from Easter onwards to provide additional support and capacity within the department. The booklets and resources will be available on Google classrooms to further support your child's learning.
Year 10 will be covered where possible by a Science specialist. However, in the short interim period, a member of the Senior Leadership Team and our previous Science technician Mr Oyewole and Mrs Fadipe, will ensure a calm environment is implemented so that students can work through the relevant material.
I would like to assure you that we are committed to raising standards so that every student achieves their full potential in Science. These measures are short term, but please do not hesitate to speak to me if you have any concerns.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards
M Dukinfield; Head of Science
Electives Partnership - Employment Labour Supply Ltd.
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Year 10 Students on Friday 9 February 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we continue to grow our Electives programme we are delighted to inform you about an exciting new partnership between The Sele School and Employment Labour Supply Limited (ELS), along with its company director, Mr. Daniel Belton. This collaboration aims to provide our students with invaluable opportunities to enter various industries. This opportunity is only open to Year 10 students in the summer term and Year 11 next academic year.
As part of this partnership, ELS will facilitate the on boarding of our students, granting them access to potential employers. Additionally, ELS will provide training to equip students with qualifications essential for their respective industries. However, we would like to bring to your attention that there are associated costs for the training, and students are expected to cover these expenses and commit to the entirety of the programme. We will look for funding for future placements.
The training opportunities available through ELS include:
Catering Industry (Kitchen and General F&B):
Training in Food and Safety Level 2 - £15
PPE Requirements: Appropriate clothing and no jewellery
Landscape Gardening and Manual Work (including Warehousing):
Manual Handling Training - £12
PPE Requirements: Steel toe-capped boots
These two areas, catering and landscaping, will serve as pilot programmes for a broader rollout in the next academic year, contingent on their success. We believe that this hands-on approach will not only provide practical experience but also open avenues for short-term evening or weekend jobs and long-term career pathways.
It is important to manage students and parents' expectations associated with these placements. In the catering industry, for instance, students will play a vital role in the working kitchen, contributing to the industry's standards and operational efficiency but not act as chefs. The training and on boarding with ELS would take place at school during the school day before any placement can commence. Students would be required to make their way from school to the placements (this may require parental assistance). Students would be able to leave the school site from 1pm on the day of the placements.
If you and your child would like to take up this opportunity as a summer elective, please email me by 26th February 2024. rgallacher@sele.herts.sch.uk
We are enthusiastic about the opportunities this partnership presents and the potential to further enhance our electives into meaningful opportunities and careers.
Kind regards
Ross Gallacher; Deputy Headteacher
Home Run app
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 8 February 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
As you may be aware, The Sele School uses the HomeRun App to support the school community to create a safer, greener, and easier school run. On the app, you can explore alternatives to driving your children to school every day, connect with other parents to talk about journey sharing, and keep up to date with our school's positive impact.
To register to The Sele School's secure HomeRun network, click here: https://homerun-app.com/launch/sel8591
Already registered? Head back onto the app to strike up a conversation with other parents about journey sharing and make a the move towards more convenient, more sustainable travel arrangements!
Kind regards,
Sophie Bruton; Community Engagement Officer
Consultation on uniform (students)
The following message was sent to Students in Years 7 - 10 on Tuesday 23 January 2024
Dear Sele Community,
Below is the link to our student consultation. It will provide you with a voice to choose which style of trousers you wish to be allowed to wear. You can make a selection of more than one style.
Kind regards,
Mr C Quach; Headteacher
Consultation on uniform
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers of Students in Years 7 - 10 on Monday 22 January 2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
We have begun our consultation on uniform and this letter will provide you with a link to offer your input. From September 2024, The Sele School uniform will no longer include skirts. All students will be required to wear trousers. Please use the link below to select the style you feel would best represent the school and community; you can make more than one selection. Students will receive the same consultation request via their school email.
Consultation form - click on the link below or scan the QR code attached:
The reasons for this shift from skirts to trousers are explained below:
1. Cohesion and Equality
School uniforms mean that all students wear the same clothing. As a result, uniforms demonstrate a clear message of equality. Modern schools introducing trousers for all students is an important part of this equality, showing that all children are the same and come from the same starting point. It also creates a standardized dress code that’s easy for all children to meet; without any possibility of misunderstanding what is and isn’t appropriate. The revised school uniform makes sure that children dress appropriately, in clothes suited to a day of learning.
2. Group Identity
Seeing their peers wearing the same uniform as them also encourages children to develop a stronger concept of group identity. As such, school uniforms allow students to feel part of something bigger than themselves. This, in turn, helps children recognise the value of working together towards a common goal rather than focusing on their individual objectives.
Kind regards,
Charity Football Match & London Marathon Event
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 12 January 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your overwhelming support and attendance at the charity football match held on Saturday 6th January. There were 145 in attendance and your presence truly made the event memorable and successful.
The match, featuring five dedicated staff members, was an exciting and closely contested affair, ending in a thrilling 1-1 draw. Notably, one of the goals was scored by none other than our Deputy Headteacher, Mr Gallacher.
We are delighted to announce that, thanks to your generous contributions, the event raised over £1000 for our chosen charity. This achievement is a testament to the kindness and generosity of our school community. The funds raised are going towards Hertfordshire Community Foundation who support local charities. This is part of a bigger charitable drive by Mr Gallacher and Mr Hughes who are running the London marathon.
Kind regards
C Quach; Headteacher
New partnership with Autolos Therapeutics
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 30 November 2023
Dear Parents and Carers
I am proud and delighted to confirm The Sele School will be partnering with Autolus Therapeutics to provide our A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics students access to Life Science sector and industry training, masterclasses and facility access at their new £66m Stevenage centre. We are excited to have this opportunity available to our A Level science students and look forward to providing our students greater access to industry across multiple sectors.
A short video about Autolus is provided in the link below.
More information will be shared with our community as the partnership progress and evolves.
Kind regards,
Technology and Social Media
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Friday 3 November 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology and social media, I wanted to address some important concerns related to the use of social media.
Social media is a powerful tool for communication and information sharing. However, it also has a downside, including the spread of misinformation. It's important to educate your child about the risks associated with believing and sharing unverified information on social media. Encourage critical thinking and fact-checking to help them navigate this digital environment responsibly. I am aware of a video suggesting taking double doses of painkillers within a reduced time frame can alleviate the symptoms of period cramps. This information is inaccurate and dangerous and can result in hospitalisation.
Social media platforms have age restrictions for a reason. These restrictions are put in place to protect the privacy and well-being of young individuals. Encouraging your child to adhere to these age limits is essential for their safety. Many social media apps set the minimum age at 13, and some even higher. Violating these age restrictions may expose your child to inappropriate content and potentially dangerous interactions.
As parents, you play a significant role in guiding your child's behaviour and decisions in the digital age. Open communication, setting guidelines, and monitoring their online activities can help protect them from the potential risks associated with social media. If you require any support in navigating this landscape please contact the school and we can signpost the relevant support available.
Kind regards,
Covid and Student Attendance
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Monday 16 October 2023
Dear Parents and Carers
Our school currently asks that if a student tests positive for Covid, has symptoms and is unwell, they should stay at home until they have two negative tests.
If a student is positive but without symptoms, then you must inform us of the positive test - students may come to school but must social distance and wear a mask until negative. They should use hand sanitiser regularly.
We inform staff of a child's positive result so that they may adjust seating plans if necessary and take other precautions such as opening windows in class.Kind regards
Judith Adams; Office Manager
Congratulations to our GCSE Students
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 24 August 2023
Kind regards,
Mr C Quach; Headteacher
Congratulations to Year 13 Students from the Head of Sixth Form
The following message was sent to Parents and Carers on Thursday 17 August 2023Dear Parent and Carers
There is much to celebrate with this year’s A-Level results for our Year 13 cohort. I have great pride in how resilient, focused, and positive our students have been throughout their Sixth Form journey which directly followed on from the undeniably challenging and unsettling Covid period they experienced during their GCSE studies.
Our students’ destinations are varied with some going into the world of work; some taking a gap year to help them decide on their future path and some are off to university.
I’d like to take this opportunity, to say a very big WELL DONE! to our students for all the hard work and dedication they have shown coupled with the support and guidance of their teachers.
To all our Sixth Formers, on behalf of all staff, we all wish you all the very best in your future careers and destinations.
Kind regards
Mrs Lee; Head of Sixth Form
Congratulations to Year 13 Students from the Headteacher
The following message, congratulating our Year 13 Students on their excellent A Level results was sent on Thursday 17 August 2023.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Myself and the entire staff body at The Sele School are delighted with the overall A level results and send a heartfelt congratulations to all of our Year 13 Students. Despite the reduction of top grades being awarded nationally, we have bucked the trend and increased the number of A Level Students achieving A*/B by 8% from 25% up to 33%. We should be exceptionally proud of their achievements considering the competitive climate created by the decision to increase the grade boundaries.
We wish all of our Students a wonderful start at their next destination and, as a school, we will continue to learn and to improve our provision as we open our post-16 offer to BTec students this year and re-launch our A Levels for September 2024. Onwards and upwards!
Kindest regards,
Mr Quach; Headteacher
