Anglo European School

Students from the Anglo European School, Ingatestone Infant School, Ingatestone and Fryerning C of E Junior School, Mountnessing C of E Primary School and Margaretting C of E Primary School joined together to create a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity and community.

Over 400 primary school children, Parish Counsellors, staff and volunteers gathered at Anglo European, for a special Samba workshop led by colleagues from the Greater Essex Music Hub before creating a unique Samba collective which led the parade through Ingatestone village. Colourful masks, international flags and energetic samba rhythms ignited the streets of Ingatestone as children proudly showcased their musical talents, playing in unison as a community. It was wonderful to see so many families, residents and supporters line the route and cheering the children on.

A huge thank you to Peter, Sally and Sarah from Greater Essex Music Hub for delivering fantastic samba workshops that helped unite 4 schools and over 440 students in such a spectacular creative endeavour. We were also delighted to welcome Deputy Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Ben Rigby, who joined the parade, and thank everyone who donated so generously to the Alzheimer's Society collection along the way. An amazing £249 was raised! It was also lovely to be joined by Randal Smith, who chairs the Brentwood International Cultural Festival this month and we hope we launched this in style!

Jody Gee, Head of Anglo European School said, "This was a very special day and one we will not forget. It was fabulous to join the Anglo European Education Trust family together to learn Samba rhythms, celebrate our international community, share professional learning and expertise and raise much needed funds for Alzheimer's UK, our community charity."

Thank you to everyone who took part and made the day so memorable. For photos please visit our website: https://www.aesessex.co.uk/home/about-us/photo-gallery/international-community-carnival/

At the heart of every successful school is a strong partnership between students, staff and parents. We know that the best decisions are made when the voices of our whole community are heard, and this year we are strengthening the ways in which stakeholders can share their views, contribute ideas and help shape the future of our school.

At Anglo European School, we believe that every student should have the opportunity to be heard and to help shape the future of our school. That is why we are excited to launch our new Student Voice structure, designed to ensure that every year group and every form has a genuine voice in school decision-making.

Each form group will elect one Student Voice Representative who will join their Year Council. Led by the Year Leader, Year Councils will meet once every half term to discuss issues, ideas and opportunities that are important to students within that year group. This new approach will ensure that concerns, successes and suggestions from every form are regularly heard and considered.

Following these meetings, two students from each Year Council will be selected to represent their entire year group on the new Student Leadership Council. Meeting once every half term with members of the Senior Leadership Team. This council will discuss key issues affecting students across the whole school and help influence future developments and improvements.

Alongside the councils, we will also be introducing Student Focus Groups to discuss particular topics. These groups will be open to any student with an interest in the topic discussed, whilst also including invited students from different year groups to ensure a range of perspectives. Topics may include homework, behaviour, rewards and recognition, the school environment, wellbeing, and any other important issues identified by students. The first focus group will explore students' views on the Yondr pouch system.

This new structure is all about working together to make Anglo even better. We want students to tell us what is working well, where improvements could be made, and share new ideas that will help us continue to create a positive and successful environment for learning.

By giving every form group representation, ensuring every year group has a voice, and creating opportunities for all students to contribute to key discussions, we hope to empower students to make a real difference in our school community.

The first Year Council meetings will take place on 8th October, and we look forward to seeing students play an active role in shaping the future of Anglo European School.

Our staff play a vital role in shaping the culture and direction of the school, and we remain committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our colleagues to share feedback and contribute to decision-making, whilst providing us with feedback on workload and their wellbeing in our workspace. This term our staff will feedback via their Performance Management meetings with line managers, they will be invited to meet with Governors to share their ideas on school improvement and half termly, Mrs Gee meets with staff union and wellbeing representatives to listen to their views and discuss school priorities, new policies and matters raised by staff.

We would also like to hear your views and feedback, especially if you are new to the school as parents and can bring fresh ideas and new perspectives. As a school, we recognise that many parents have limited opportunities to visit the school site, and practical factors such as parking restrictions during the School Rebuilding Project will add to this challenge. This means we must find creative and effective ways to ensure parents remain fully connected to our school community.

Over the coming months, we will be seeking parental feedback on important policy developments through surveys and consultations. Thank you to all those who provided feedback on the summer school, start to term and last summer, the new RSHE policy and curriculum.

We are also delighted to be hosting a series of Curriculum and Information Evenings, designed to help parents better understand the learning experiences, curriculum content and exciting international opportunities specific to your Year group.

These events provide an invaluable opportunity for families to engage with staff, ask questions and gain deeper insight into the curriculum. Our programme began this week with the Year 7 Curriculum and Information Evening followed by the Lower SIxth.

Following these meetings, we will send you a survey to capture feedback pertinent to your year group and to inform our school improvement plans. They should take a few minutes but provide valuable insights for the senior leadership team here.

Building a Stronger International learning Community Together

Whether through student leadership, staff consultation or parental engagement, every voice matters. By listening carefully to one another and working together, we can continue to build a school community that is inclusive, ambitious and responsive to the needs of all those it serves.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we begin another exciting year together.

Over 70 Year 11 students completed their assessed Duke of Edinburgh expeditions this weekend and are well on their way to obtaining their Bronze awards.

Delayed, due to the summer heatwaves, rather than contending with excessive heat, it was a night under canvass in torrential rain that challenged their collective morale!

Happily, camaraderie, team spirit and a can-do attitude saw all groups packed away and ready for an ever so slightly damp departure nice and early on Sunday morning, giving them plenty of time to unpack their wet tents and dry them out on Sunday afternoon. It was quite the contrast to the perfect walking conditions they had enjoyed on the Saturday.

Camp site meals ranged from some delicious home-made pesto to the now traditional pasta and tomato sauce, spiced up with frankfurters (other pre-cooked, parboiled sausages are available!). Our expedition partners commended our students for their politeness, great teamwork and how respectful they were to both staff and to the campsite. We are incredibly proud of them all for their efforts and for how well they represented our school community and themselves over the course of the weekend and want to congratulate them on their achievements.

This week’s assembly focused on inclusion, belonging and helping every student thrive in our school community. Students were reminded that success is not about being the best, but about doing their best, showing resilience, and making progress every day.

We explored how everyone can help create a welcoming and inclusive environment by showing kindness, respecting different viewpoints, and ensuring that others feel valued and included. Students also discussed the importance of positive participation in lessons, extracurricular activities, and wider school life.

The assembly introduced students to our Inclusive Language Guide and Behaviour Guide and reinforced expectations around respectful communication. We discussed the impact of discriminatory language, stereotypes, and unkind comments about appearance, highlighting the importance of challenging behaviour that makes others feel excluded.

Our key message was simple: do your best, be kind, include and respect others. Together, we can ensure that every member of our school community feels a strong sense of belonging and has the opportunity to thrive.

Please feel free to share this flyer:

Earlier this week, one of our ex-history students donated a significant collection of around sixty books on Eastern European and Soviet history. This collection is of particular value, as both at A-level and IB, students study the USSR as well as the Tsarist Russian Empire. Dubbed the 'Magyar Collection', this series of high-level texts will be available to sixth formers and GCSE students alike from the library. We are always appreciative of donations such as this one, as they allow students access to specialist resources that they would otherwise need to spend their money on. Challenging texts like these are also a great way for students to prepare themselves for the rigours of university life, where reading is the cornerstone of learning.

We would like to remind all students and families of our school expectations regarding piercings.

Years 7-11

Students in Years 7-11 may wear one small metal stud in each ear lobe only. No other piercings are permitted. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Hooped earrings
• Nose piercings
• Septum piercings
• Lip piercings
• Eyebrow piercings
• Tongue piercings
• Multiple ear piercings

Any unauthorised piercings must be removed before attending school.

Physical Education and Practical Activities

All piercings present a health and safety risk during PE lessons and other practical activities. Students are therefore required to remove all piercings before participating in PE and other practical subjects at the teachers' instruction.

Please note that staff are unable to remove piercings on behalf of students, and covering piercings with tape is not an acceptable alternative.

Sixth Form

Students in the Sixth Form may wear multiple ear piercings, provided they are appropriate for a professional educational environment. Large hooped earrings should not be worn as they are a health and safety concern. Facial piercings of any kind are not permitted, including nose, lip, eyebrow and septum piercings. Again, students may be asked to remove such items for particular practical activities if they present a risk.

Important Advice for Families

We strongly advise students and parents to consider our expectations carefully before arranging any new piercings and ensure this is not during term time. If a new piercing cannot be removed for several weeks while it heals, this may place the student in breach of our uniform policy or Sixth Form Dress Code and could result in them being unable to comply with school expectations, leading to sanctions. Thank you for your support in maintaining our high standards of presentation and safety.

At Anglo, we believe that every student should have the opportunity to thrive both inside and outside the classroom. This term's exciting and inclusive Extra-Curricular Programme offers something for everyone, whether you're looking to get active, unleash your creativity, develop new skills, meet new friends or explore future career interests.

From sporting opportunities and performance arts to academic enrichment and special interest clubs, there are countless ways to get involved. Why not challenge yourself at Debating Club, express your creativity through Art Club, develop your coding skills with Coding Club, take centre stage in our Drama activities, or represent the school through one of our many sports clubs? Whatever your interests, there is something for you. Whether you attend one club or several, these experiences will help you grow, connect with others and truly thrive this autumn term.

Anglo fielded two Year 7 boys' football teams in two different matches against the same school and won 6-1 and 7-2. Well done boys! What a great start to the season!

Year 7 student, Daniel has recently achieved his 1st Dan Black Belt in Kickboxing at Kazenkai in Brentwood, becoming the youngest black belt in the dojo's history. It is an incredible achievement that has taken years of commitment and hard work.

Daniel's martial arts journey began in 2019 when he first stepped onto the mats to learn karate. Eager to challenge himself further, he took up kickboxing in 2020 and later added taekwondo to his training in 2023. Since then, martial arts has become much more than a hobby. It has taught him discipline, resilience, focus, and confidence.

Daniel trains at least three times a week, balancing his demanding martial arts schedule alongside his schoolwork. Every training session, every challenge, and every setback has helped him grow stronger, both physically and mentally. Daniel credits the support of his senseis and fellow students at Kazenkai for helping him reach this milestone, and his family could not be prouder of everything he has achieved.

Congratulations, Daniel, on your fantastic achievement. We look forward to seeing what you accomplish next!

The Anglo European School Association (AESA) is looking for new committee members and volunteers to help support the school community.

Our committee meets around five or six times a year, usually in the evening. Meetings are a mixture of online and occasional face-to-face sessions, making it easy to get involved around other commitments. You do not need any previous experience, just a willingness to share ideas and help us organise activities that support the school and enrich opportunities for students.

We're also looking for volunteers who can lend a hand at some of our fundraising events throughout the year. This might involve helping on refreshment stalls at evening events, supporting our popular Quiz Night, or assisting with lunchtime stalls at Christmas and Mother's Day.

Whether you can join the committee or simply help at the occasional event, your support would be greatly appreciated. Every contribution helps us raise valuable funds for the benefit of our students.

If you'd like to find out more or get involved, we'd love to hear from you. Together, we can make a real difference to our school community

We are delighted to be able to offer tickets for Adventure Island at a reduced price again this year. These are ideal for anyone hosting an exchange student or just to celebrate the end of a busy term! Tickets are now priced at an amazing £15 each! Check out the website for more information on this popular theme park https://adventureisland.co.uk If you would like to purchase tickets please WhatsApp or message 07833 248014. Tickets are valid until December 2026.

Thank you for the support of the parents who have already joined and made a difference. We would love to increase the numbers and meet our initial target of 100 tickets sold this term if possible.

Be part of something special! Join The Parents Lottery and help us create a thriving school community. Every ticket you buy funds vital projects, from books to curriculum equipment.

Each £1 ticket also gives you the chance to win £25,000 every Friday along with a selection of other prizes.

To support our upcoming events, we are looking for donations of raffle prizes. Every contribution, big or small, helps us raise valuable funds to support our students and school community. Ideas for prizes include gift vouchers, chocolates, hampers, bottles of wine, beauty products, board games, books, cinema tickets, sports equipment, or new and unused gifts. Please could all donations be given to either Student Services or the Main Office. Thank you for your support and generosity.

Information on how you can support the school can be found here:

https://www.aesessex.co.uk/home/about-us/support-the-school/

If you would like to make a one-off donation please use the QR code.

Postcards of the World. Artwork and Art Gallery - ongoing through Hey Joe

Draw a postcard, bring a postcard, join in and express the world in postcard size. We are hanging cards people have drawn or dropped off that express an aspect of their culture. We've received Nigerian, British, Cameroonian, Brazilian and others so far. Join in and let's see what you see!

The Sports Wall at Redbridge Library

The Sports Wall features some 40 prominent sports personalities from countries represented here in Brentwood. And there's space for you to add more! We know we've missed some so come add to the wall!

Monday 21st September - Year 9 individual photos / Jack Petchey Awards Evening @7.30pm

Wednesday 23rd September - Year 8 individual photos / Year 11 Future Ready Day

Thursday 24th September - 12.30pm early closure / Open Evening for Year 7 and Lower Sixth students 2027

Friday 25th September - Non-Pupil Day

27th September - 21st November - Frankfurt Long Term Exchange students at AES

From 28th September - morning tours for prospective Year 7 and Lower Sixth students 2027 -

book here https://www.aesessex.co.uk/home/admissions/open-evening-and-tours/

Tuesday 29th September - Year 11 Geography Study Visit/ Year 9 Information Evening @6pm

Wednesday 30th September - Year 10 Food Tech RSH Visit

Thursday 1st October - Year 11 Information Evening

Friday 2nd October - Year 10 and 11 Destinations Day and Sixth Form Subject Fair

Monday 5th October - Year 8x Visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor

Tuesday 6th October - Year 8y Visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor

Monday 21st September - Year 7 Boys Football v Moulsham @AES / L6/U6 Netball Rally @Brentwood School / Year 8 Boys' Football @SJP

Wednesday 23rd September - Year 7/8 Netball @Plume / 6th Form Football v St Marks

Monday 28th September - Year 9 Rugby @Ormiston River / Year 8 and Year 10 Netball @Moulsham

Wednesday 30th September - Year 8 Boys' Football v Plume @AES / Year 8 Rugby Festival @New Hall / Year 9 Netball v Plume @AES

Thursday 1st October - U16s Essex Cup Netball @Robert Clack / Year 10 Football @SJP

Please note this is a guide only, fixtures can be subject to change or cancellation.

You can now view the full catering menu and the range of food options available around the school by following the link below.

Finance - finance@aesessex.co.uk

Admissions - admissions@aesessex.co.uk

Visits - visits@aesessex.co.uk

Attendance - report this through the Arbor using the orange tab "Quick Actions", click on Attendance and Log Absence

Email: enquiries@aesessex.co.uk
Website: aesessex.co.uk
Location: Anglo European School, CM4 0DJ, Willow Green, Ingatestone, UK
Phone: 01277 354018