Anglo European School

IB Results were issued to 209,600 students worldwide on 6th July 2026 and we are pleased to announce that our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme cohort scored an average of 33 points out of 45, above the global average of 31 and equivalent to an approximate score of ABB at A level.

Our top scorers were Molly who has exceeded the requirements for her place at Durham to study English Literature, Lee who is planning to study for a Masters Degree in Engineering, Physics, Nuclear and Applications at the University of Nantes in France, Amir who intends to study at York University in Canada and Ryan who secured a place to study Mathematics at St Andrews in Scotland. Our IB Career-Related Programme and 3 A level Plus students also did phenomenally well in the IB Components, and they are still eagerly awaiting their A level results on 13th August in order to see if they have the total grades they need for university or apprenticeships.

Our school mission statement, influenced by the IB philosophy aims to encourage students to become ambitious, resilient and principled lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. This cohort have embraced the challenge of the IB Diploma Programme, Career-related Programme and IB Courses and have demonstrated time and again their compassion, understanding of different perspectives as well as their academic ability. When asked to reflect on the results he had achieved, Amir said: "The hard work has paid off ... I am pleased I did it and I'm proud of what I've accomplished."

Our IB Curriculum Manager, Mrs Porsz, said: "I am very proud of everything that these students have achieved and I have no doubt that they will be fantastic ambassadors for our school as they embark on their next steps, be it a Russell Group University in the UK, a university abroad, a gap year or an apprenticeship. Beyond their academic achievements, these students have developed as academically curious individuals who are capable of university-style research and independent learning which will stand them in good stead, no matter what their future plans."

Thank you for your continued support for students this week following another week of very hot weather. As with all weather decisions, lots of people have lots of different opinions and thank you to those who took the trouble to write and express your views on the matter. We have read them all and will be discussing the 2027 summer term plan with governors, as we know that this is likely to be the new norm come July every year. We review the uniform provision annually and will look again at the summer term offer. We have to balance our choices new legislative changes which limits the number of branded items we can have available and with a consideration of additional costs to parents, which we always try to avoid if we can. We will always consult on any change to the uniform offer, as we know that optional does not always mean equitable.

The Department for Education's guidance states that "we expect that the vast majority (of schools) should be able to remain open for the whole day.... We appreciate that, in some cases, the extreme temperatures may have contributed to lower attendance, and we know school leaders did everything they could to support pupils while making sensible, proportionate decisions."

When the MET Office warning turned red at the end of June, we felt that it was unsafe to continue to be in these buildings with 30+ bodies in one room, with many classrooms surging beyond 30 degrees Celsius. This week, the warning has risen to amber but our risk assessment indicates that was no immediate threat to safety and we have been able to manage business as usual with a lot of fans, water and fortitude!

The students have been incredibly resilient and sensible in their behaviour around the school, staying hydrated, keeping in the shade and using the canopy and in-door dining facilities. We've also had a lot more space in school this week, with so many students abroad.

Temperatures are predicted to remain high all week. Therefore, we are suggesting students remain in the school PE kit for the remainder of the term. Please ensure they continue to apply suncream, and bring refillable water bottles to school.

Next Tuesday, we are due to enjoy our annual Sports Day. We have been risk assessing whether or not this can proceed. Given that this takes place on the far field, with minimal shade and facilities we have decided to adjust the programme for the day in line with weather forecasts. The morning looks more temperate and has cloud cover and so we can continue with an amended programme for Years 7 and 8. Students will return to the school site for break time and normal lessons will resume from Period 3. Unfortunately, we will not be able to facilitate events for Years 9 and 10 as the temperatures rise significantly after midday. Therefore, for these Year groups, they will have a normal school day. This is disappointing for us all and we will, as part of our Summer Provision Review consider alternative means of running such outdoor events in future.

We have been tracking Anglo temperatures around the world this week. Mrs Wootton was reporting 9 degrees from Hvolsvollur in Iceland, Mr Knights was reporting 34 degrees from China, Mrs Nichols sent us a reading of 38 degrees from Kyoto in Japan and Mrs Peeters reported a very pleasant 27 degrees from Vienna. Anglo students experience a variety of weather at this time of year. Which weather would you like for the visits season 2027?

Once again, congratulations to all our students who completed their work experience. We have received feedback from employers, and our students should be incredibly proud of the effort, professionalism, and enthusiasm they brought to their placements. Thank you also to everyone who supported the organisation and delivery of these placements.

Work experience is a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the working world, develop new skills, and build confidence. Our students have had the chance to step out of the classroom and into the professional world, working in a variety of local businesses, organisations, and institutions.

One Year 10 student had the incredible opportunity to work at the Porsche development centre in Weissach Germany - one of the world's leading automotive research, development, and test centres. Matteo said: ‘It was a real privilege to be able to experience this unique setting within the car industry. During the two weeks I enjoyed being part of the mechanics team who were working on prototypes. I was helping by fitting new parts like EV batteries and steering systems. One of the highlights was being in the co-driver seat when testing one of the prototypes on the impressive in-house test track. The time at Porsche was incredibly varied and inspiring, giving me a real insight into automotive engineering. The experience strengthened my ambition to pursue a career in engineering and motorsport, and I am very grateful to everyone at Porsche for making me feel so welcome.’

Another Year 10 student completed their work experience placement at the radio station Gateway 97.8FM. Amelie said: ‘I secured an exciting opportunity to gain an insight into life at a radio station. The inspiration for this placement came from a Year 6 visit I attended as part of my school's news team. Although I felt nervous at first, the staff were incredibly welcoming and quickly made me feel at ease. One of my first tasks was to create a 20-minute radio script on a topic of my choice, complete with four carefully selected songs. My supervisor taught me how to structure a professional radio script and shared valuable techniques for engaging listeners and presenting confidently on air. I learnt how to record and edit my script using professional broadcasting software. Following this, I wrote and recorded a variety of five-minute segments covering a range of topics, from my favourite singers to the future of artificial intelligence. This allowed me to develop my research, writing, presentation and editing skills while becoming more confident behind the microphone. As a result of my hard work and enthusiasm, several of my recordings were broadcast on the station, giving me the rewarding experience of hearing my own work aired to listeners. This placement strengthened my communication skills, boosted my confidence, and gave me a valuable insight into the fast-paced and creative world of radio broadcasting. I would recommend to anyone.’

Thank you to the students who have worked in school too, working with the Site Team, the SEND Team, the International Office, the Library and the Media Team. We hope that this has given these students a glimpse behind the scenes of working at a busy secondary school.

We are grateful to our partners at Colliers and Peter Jones Foundation for supporting industry placement for our IBCP students. Thanks also to the International Office for organising the work experience placements with our partner schools in Madrid, Paris and Frankfurt.

Please do continue to send in photos from your placement to enterprise@aesessex.co.uk for student experience case studies.

Well done to all our Year 10 and Lower Sixth students!

A group of Year 10 students successfully launched a self-built rocket from the school field. The project showcased their enthusiasm for STEM, teamwork, problem-solving, and practical engineering skills. After weeks of planning, designing, and building, it was fantastic to see their hard work rewarded with a successful launch. Congratulations to all the students involved for their creativity, dedication, and achievement.

Congratulations to Jai for being awarded Scout of the Year for raising the most amount of money for charity and for always thinking about others. You may recall that we shared a poster of his tree climbing sponsorship and are happy to report that in one hour he managed to climb around 20 trees. So far, he's raised £500. He needs £500 more to reach his £1000 target - so is still accepting donations - https://gofund.me/4f39d2017 All the money raised will be going to Great Ormond Street, as he was under their care as a newborn.

Congratulations Jai!

Congratulations to our Catering Assistant, Mrs Garcia on the publication of her fantastic children's book, "Tonada Kids". Mrs Garcia shares why she decided to create this book below:

"I worked as a music teacher in my home country, Venezuela, for fourteen years, where I had the privilege of teaching students at every stage of the educational system: preschool, primary, secondary and, finally, university level.

Later, I moved to Spain to complete a Master's degree in Music Education. By the time I finished my studies, returning to Venezuela was no longer possible due to the social and political situation in the country. So, having settled in Spain, I began directing children's and adult choirs in the La Rioja region. One of these choirs was at the Co-Cathedral of Logroño, where I worked for five years.

Life then took me on another journey, and I emigrated once again, this time to a country that offered more opportunities than I could ever have imagined. However, I had to start all over again because this time I was facing a new language.

Shortly after arriving in England, I started working as a kitchen assistant at Anglo European School. I knew that this experience would help me improve my English and better understand the local community and its culture.

Being surrounded by students every day reignited my passion for teaching, but this time I decided to focus on teaching Spanish. I began teaching Spanish lessons in the evenings and at weekends. Of course, I could never completely leave music behind, especially knowing what a valuable educational tool it is.

I dusted off some of my old songs, updated them, and started introducing a new song for each topic I taught. They worked wonderfully.

Then I realised that children also needed visual support, so I began creating posters to accompany the songs. Later, I thought, "What if I made a video for each song to help children understand the message even better?" I researched, learned new skills and spent countless hours editing until the videos were finally ready.

One day, after singing one of the songs, a six-year-old student asked me, "Can I listen to the song in English?" That simple question inspired my next challenge: translating all the songs. This was not an easy task. I asked colleagues, friends and online translators for help because it was not just about translating the words; I also had to make sure that the lyrics still fitted the rhythm and melody of the music.

Once again, I dedicated countless hours to the project until I had the songs available in both languages, together with their videos on an educational YouTube channel created especially for these songs and many more that are still to come.

The final step was turning all of this material into a physical format by creating these Sing and Color Tonada Kids songbooks.

And if you ask me what comes next, my answer is simple: to continue developing and strengthening this project and, hopefully, to expand it by creating group singing classes in Spanish for both children and adults.

My dream is to bring people together through music and language, creating spaces where singing can become a fun and meaningful way to learn Spanish. Whether in schools, academies or community groups, I simply hope that one day the opportunity arises to make this next step a reality.

What started as a few songs in the classroom has become a dream that continues to grow, one song at a time."

Year 8 boys' Interform table tennis finals took place this week. The finals concluded with an outstanding match between Rais and Finley, with Rais narrowly winning. Well done to all who took part.

We were thrilled to read this news about our ex-student, Freddie, in the BBC News and wanted to share this. We were delighted to read of his success and we wish him well in his sporting endeavours.

As the term is slowly drawing to a close, please consider before throwing away outgrown uniform that we are willing to accept donations of nearly new uniform of all sizes.

We are also holding a "Nearly New Sale" on Friday 14th August from 9.30-14.30.

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 priced at £18 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.

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.

We're pleased to be offering funded holiday club spaces through Essex ActivAte for eligible children with SEND at @nuclearadventures and @nuclearwildforest.

If any of your students are eligible for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, they can use their voucher code to book a place at one of our activity clubs. They'll enjoy an action-packed day outdoors, building confidence, making new friends and having fun in the fresh air.

Every Tuesday and Thursday

10-2pm

2 hours at Nuclear Adventures on the high-ropes course

Hot lunch at the Secret Nuclear Bunker

1 hour of obstacle games at Nuclear Wild Forest

Must be 8+

https://nuclearessex.com/nuclear-adventures/

https://nuclearessex.com/nuclear-wild-forest/

To find out more about the Essex ActivAte programme and check your eligibility, visit:
🔗 https://www.activeessex.org/children-young-people/essex-activate/holiday-clubs/

30th June to 11th July - 9C MEP Visit to China

5th to 10th July - L6 Poland Visit

5th to 12th July - Year 9, 10 and L6 Japan Visit

6th to 10th July - L6 Paris Visit / L6 Iceland Visit

13th to 15th July - Year 10 History Residential to Hastings

13th July - IB Showcase and TOK Exhibition

14th July - Sports Day (Years 7 and 8 only)

16th July - Upper Sixth Prom

17th July - Last Day - Early closure, school finished at 12.30pm

Friday 14th August 9.30-14.30 - "Nearly New Sale"

13th July - Year 7/8 Girls' and Boys' Rounders v Becket Keys @AES

Please note fixtures are organised by all schools so can be subject to change and last minute cancellations - the PE staff will keep those involved in fixtures up to date with information.

Term Dates 2026-2028

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