Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you are well.
Please can I just reiterate a few points around standards and expectations.
As you can appreciate we have a policy on mobile phones. Can I please clarify again that they are not to be used under any circumstance during the school day. If a mobile phone is seen, then it will be confiscated and put in the safe. The young person can collect the mobile phone at the end of the day. The policy is very clear and when you sign up to be a part of our Boteler Family, that means that you agree to our rules. I really appreciate and value the relationship we have with our parents, carers and families and I am always willing to work with you to best support your child. By having grey areas in terms of what is and what is not allowed causes inconsistency and this is not fair on the young people as they do not know where they stand.
The students are superb on the whole regarding mobile phones and if they need to contact a parent/carer for example as an emergency to top up their iPay account for food, then they come to me and ask “please may I message my Mum for money on my account”. They of course can then do this in an office with me or another staff member. We do understand situations and are reasonable. However, utilising a mobile to call a parent/carer if unwell or if something has happened in the school day, is really not helpful. If the young person does this without us knowing, this means we cannot deal with the problem or give you the correct information and it can lead to upset, misinformation and frustration.
We are however looking into the possibility of having a total ban on mobile phones in the school day, but this is in its infancy. I know you will have seen a lot on the news regarding this topic, as many schools have implemented systems such as this and it is having a really positive effect on behaviour, attitudes and learning. I appreciate and understand you will have your views and I will gather them from you in due course when I have done some more research. I will always keep you fully updated. In the meantime please reiterate school rules to your child and please support us.
Just a reminder too around the expectations in terms of uniform. If a young person decides to wear a skirt then they must wear black knee socks or black 70 denier tights. Ankle socks are not permitted and the young person will be expected to change if this is the case. If a young person has not got a tie then they will have to purchase a new one. Both long sleeve and short sleeved shirts are permitted but they must be tucked in at all times and have a top button to fasten. Black tailored school trousers are permitted only. Fashion trousers, leggings or flares are not.
I am not sure we will be able to source the new school skirt for September and I am conscious of time. However, regardless of this, just a reminder that school skirts must be worn at knee length. If a skirt is purchased that is too short (without being rolled over) then this will have to be rectified and a new one bought. School shoes must be black. Boots, trainers, Nike Air Force 1, canvas shoes, shoes with a sports logo on are not permitted. False eyelashes, facial and ear piercings, gel and false nails and nail varnish is not permitted. Minimal make up at KS4 is allowed, but not at KS3. Tinted lip oil, tinted lip balm, lip gloss or lip stick is not permitted. No jewellery is permitted. If it is seen it will be confiscated and put in the safe for a parent/carer to collect at their convenience.
I will not apologise for wanting the very best for each and every one of my young people. The right attitudes and behaviours stem from the foundations and fundamentals of rules, standards and expectations. The expectations are so clear and communicated so regularly that you can appreciate my frustration at times. I also know the vast majority conform, however, I need us all on board. Therefore, I am just asking for your support and for you to consistently work with us.
This week has been incredibly positive and the Year 11 students are doing so well with their GCSE Examinations. It was a heavy week for them in terms of the number of exams and they have just been so resilient and focused and I am so very proud of them.
I had a truly wonderful time at Tyn-Y-Felin (the TCAT outdoor education centre in Anglesey) with our first Year 7 cohort. I know there are two more visits happening in the next few weeks. It was a real pleasure as Headteacher to spend time in the with my young people in this context and I only wish I could go on all 3 of the visits. The weather was kind to us and it was just a wonderful experience. I know the students and staff had a brilliant time and made so many memories. Thank you to those who have written in with your positive feedback, it is much appreciated.
Just a reminder about the Parents’ Forum on Mental Health, Thursday 22nd May at 18.00 in the School Hall . We have a variety of guest speakers booked in and it will be really worthwhile, so if you can spare an hour that would be amazing.
Thank you again for all your support. I really do appreciate it. If I can be of any help or assistance then please do not hesitate to contact me [email protected]
Have a lovely weekend.
Beverley Scott-Herron
Headteacher
One Week to Go – Let’s Finish Strong!
We’re into the final week of our attendance push – and then it’s May Half Term!
Let’s keep the momentum going: every lesson counts and every day in school makes a difference to your progress, confidence, and future.
Whether you’re revising for exams, working on projects, or aiming for 100% attendance—you’re making progress. We’re proud of how far you’ve come this year. Let’s finish strong and head into the half term break knowing we’ve given it our best!
Well done Year 11 – Leading by Example!
A huge well done to our Year 11 students for showing excellent punctuality and being ready take on their exams. Your commitment, especially in the lead-up to the most important part of your education so far, has been outstanding. You’re setting a fantastic example for the younger year groups – keep it up!
Why 90% Attendance Matters
A reminder to all students and families: falling below 90% attendance means you are classed as persistently absent, which can trigger more formal support and monitoring procedures. It’s never too late to improve your attendance—every day really does make a difference.
Rewards Trips – Open for Payment!
Thank you to those who have declared interest in your child attending one of the end of year reward’s trip to Chester Zoo (all year groups), Blackpool Pleasure Beach (all year groups) or The Trafford Centre (Year 10 students only). We are now in a position to accept payments via iPay in order to secure your child’s place on the trip.
The deadline for payment is Monday 30th June and it is important to note that there are limited places on the trips based, with us operating a waiting list once the capacity has been reached. In addition, once a visit has been paid for, your child will not be permitted to swap to another visit.
Please click on the following link for payment details – Rewards Trips
Mental Health Awareness Week
In support of Mental health awareness week, on Monday 19th May Bronnie will be performing in our hall.
Period 3 – Year 7
Period 4 – Year 9
Period 5 – Year 8
Bronnie is Country Rock singer-songwriter from the North West of England who is passionate about using her platform to promote diversity, self empowerment, and emotional wellbeing among young people. As part of her UK schools tour, she’ll be visiting schools in CHESHIRE between the 12th – 23rd May (across mental health & diversity weeks) with her attending only twelve schools in the region. Bronnie’s background is both impressive and relevant:
Championed by BBC Radio One & Capital FM Liverpool-based Bronnie has already put her stamp on some of the UKs biggest music industry platforms. Independently, she has become a touring and recording force, supporting the likes of Little Mix and Sophie Ellis Bexter on their tours. Bronnie’s work is also featured across numerous Netflix soundtracks. She is very excited to be promoting positive messages regarding mental health, racial discrimination & homophobia to pupils all around the UK. Please find a couple of links to her music below;
Bronnie – The Giver (Chappell Roan Cover Video)
The Prime Agency – Promo Video
Bronnie’s visit is about more than just music.
After her performance, Bronnie will lead a thought-provoking and heartfelt session on Mental Health, Body Image and Equality, sharing her personal journey and experiences.
These events are designed to:
- Empower studentsto speak up about mental health and offer strategies & advice around emotional well-being
- Body Image– Promoting body positivity, self-acceptance, and resilience against societal pressures.
- Equality & Inclusion– Emphasising the importance of treating everyone with respect, embracing diversity, and standing up against discrimination.
- Provide a memorable and inspiring experience encouraging students to value their individuality, respect others, and make healthy decisions.
Year 11
Please see below the link to the information and opportunity for students to book onto Bentleys work experience programme for this year taking place from the 8th to the 11th July. Applications are now open until the 23rd May.
Bentley Motors Work Experience Programme 2025 Job Details | Bentley Motors Ltd
Year 10 College Taster Days
Year 10 students should have all selected their subject taster day options for their Taster Day on Wednesday 2nd July at Warrington Vale Royal College. They have been emailed the link. Students who were absent on Tuesday have also received a message home. All Year 10 students will attend this taster day.
On Monday July 7th Priestley College are holding their taster day for students in Year 10 who are interested in applying to Priestley College, all other students will remain in school.
Year 10 Post 16 information evening will be taking place on Tuesday 10th June at 6pm. Priestley College, Cronton and Riverside College and Warrington Vale Royal College will be joining us. Year 10 students will need to apply in September for their college place.
Year 9 Ambassadors
The students in Year 9 who took part in their leadership training last week did extremely well and will now be ambassadors and support with the Year 6 transition programme next half term. The feedback from our trainiers was extremely positive, well done to all.
Boteler Wider Curriculum
Please find our Wider curriculum link here:
If your child has attended an extra curricular club this year you will notice that it is now showing on your child’s timetable in your Arbor app. This is to enable the member of staff to register the child at the activity. It will also help to remind your child to attend. We have backdated some activities so these might be showing as well.
Supporting Your Child’s Literacy at Home: What the Research Says
Parental engagement is one of the most effective ways to boost student achievement. According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), effective parental involvement can lead to +4 months’ progress in literacy across an academic year.
Here are some research-informed strategies to help support your child’s literacy at home:
Encourage regular reading.
Create a quiet, distraction free reading environment at home. Discuss books and articles they are reading to boost comprehension and vocabulary.
Model positive reading behaviours.
Children are more likely to value reading if they see it valued at home. Let them see you read books, newspapers, or even recipes.
Support with academic vocabulary.
Help your child learn and apply key subject specific words, especially in subjects like English, science and maths.
Use technology wisely.
Tools like SAM Learning, can help engage students with language rich content in an interactive format.
Talk about learning.
Regular conversations about schoolwork, including what they are reading or writing in class, helps reinforce understanding and build literacy confidence.
Reminder: Upcoming Parent Forum – Student Mental Health & Resilience
Thursday 22nd May | 18:00 – 19:00 | Main Hall
A reminder that our next Parent Forum will take place on Thursday 22nd May, focusing on Student Mental Health, Building Resilience and Balancing School Life. This event is designed to offer an insight and strategies for helping your child navigate emotional challenges and manage their time and wellbeing effectively.
Refreshments will be provided and we strongly encourage all parents and carers to attend.
Please confirm your attendance by clicking on the link below.
https://forms.office.com/e/C6rzJF5rPP
Ty’n-y-felin – Year 7 Residential
Our inaugural trip to Ty’n-y-felin was a big success. 42 Year 7 students and 5 staff members set off on the 2 hour coach trip to Anglesey in North Wales. Excitement levels were high as we travelled along the scenic coast. We arrived at Ty’n-y-felin and were greeted by Joe the centre manager. After lunch the students learnt the valuable life skill of how to make a bed whilst they settled into their dorms. The sun came out as we walked to Silver bay and the deserted beach was like a postcard picture with clear water and soft sand. During the scavenger hunt the students found all sorts of treasure and then work in form groups to create beach art. Students set the table for dinner and delicious jacket potatoes filled our hungry tummies. The talent show led by Mrs Scott-Herron allowed students and staff to show off their skills which involved magic, dancing, singing, a poetry reading by Mrs Hesford and some impressive footballs skills that Mr Mason could not compete with! Ominous grey clouds rolled in to deliver some rain and thunder, but thankfully it soon passed. After some supper, the students settled down well and got a good night’s sleep ready for day 2.
We woke up to clear blue skies and the sound of the jets warming up at RAF Valley, we knew it was going to be a day full of adventure. Our first activity involved walking down to the creek at high tide to do some crabbing. The students were very respectful to the wildlife and they displayed some fantastic teamwork skills helping each other out to catch some crabs. We learnt about the tides and undercurrents of the water and some of the wildlife that inhabit the area. Then we moved onto frisbee golf and team building activities. The students had great fun working together and the staff had a competitive game too with Miss Byrne and Mrs Scott-Herron showing off their frisbee golf skills! After some sandwiches for lunch we split into two groups. One group stayed back at base to do some arts and crafts whilst the other students headed back to Silver Bay beach for more sand, sea and games. Our leader Joe had to heard some sheep and we got to watch as they ran past us like the Tour de France! Once we were all back together we enjoyed pizza and salad for dinner followed by a quiz organised by Mrs Graham. To finish off a jam-packed day we gathered outside as the sun was going down to sit around a campfire. We talked about the things we had experienced and enjoyed that day whilst we toasted marshmallows and made smores with chocolate digestives! Some very sleepy heads made their way to the dorms as the sun set on a brilliant day.
Our final morning at Ty’n-y-felin started with the life skills of packing suitcases and clearing up rooms! It was great to see so many students helping each other out as well as offering to help staff with clearing the classrooms and communal spaces. We then took some time to reflect on our experiences and created triangles of bunting with Mrs Hesford and Miss Byrne drawing and writing about the memories they had made. Mr Gwinnett and Mr Mason led sporting activities in the sunshine before we all gathered to have our lunch. We shared our favourite moments from the trip with each other as well as some funny highlights. We said our thank you’s and goodbyes to the staff and then headed back home where the return journey was decidedly quieter! The staff want to thank our Year 7’s for engaging in the trip and activities so well truly showcasing the Boteler values and making great memories.
For the latest KBS newsletter please click here
This week, we marked Mental Health Awareness Week at school, embracing this year’s theme of ‘Community.’ Our focus was on strengthening our school community and ensuring our students are informed about the mental health support available to them.
Each year group took part in a mental health awareness assembly, highlighting the wide range of support services our school provides—from school nurse drop-in sessions to ‘My Mind Coach,’ our whole school mental health app. We aimed to empower students with the knowledge of where and how to access help, whatever their level of need may be.
To round off the week, we welcomed our Mental Health Support Team, who delivered an engaging session to our Year 7 students. They introduced themselves, explained the support they offer, and encouraged students to reach out whenever they need guidance or help with their mental wellbeing.’
The Wellbeing Council organised a Wellbeing Scavenger Hunt for the whole school, highlighting key support areas such as the ‘Your Voice Matters’ box, our Wellbeing Garden, and the gym. The event aimed to showcase the variety of spaces available to support students’ mental health and wellbeing, while helping them understand the positive impact these areas can have on their overall wellness.
Sport and Performance
How Rowing became accessible.
Let’s start with some incredible news from one of our elite Rowers and Academy Sports+ students Maisie Seed (Year 11). Maisie has been offered a 2 year Rowing Scholarship a Shrewsbury School – one of the top 1% UK Independent Rowing Schools. Alongside an intense training schedule, Maisie will study Sport Science, Philosophy and Theology, Government and Politics and will complete an EPQ. Maisie began her Rowing journey through opportunities at school and Warrington Rowing Club (Oarsome Rowing project now All Aboard Youth Rowing). Maisie is a true inspiration to our younger students and yet another example of our students achieving amazing things.
In connected news, Ruby Wells and Maisie Rowed for team North West at ‘Holme Pierrepont’ Nottingham in a WJ16 4X-. Against 14 other regions. In their time trial the girls finished 6th which put them into the A final where they finished 6th overall. More recently Maisie and Ruby raced at the ‘Junior sculling regatta’ at Eton Collage ‘Dorny lake’ in the WJ16 4X. In their time trial they finished 8th putting them into the B final where they finished a close 3rd (less than 1s from second place) and in 9th place. On timing the girls finished in 5th place overall. These are National competitions going head to head with the best Rowers in the country!
To top it off, both girls will be racing at the National Schools Regatta May.
Academy Sports+ News
The next Academy Sports+ experience for our young athletes is taking place on Friday 20th June 2025 at Liverpool John Moores University to explore further themes of Sport Science and top level performance.
The official TCAT Academy Sports+ Awards Evening will be held at Priestley College on the 3rd July 5:30-6:30pm. All Academy Sports+ students plus Parents and Carers are invited. More information to follow.
In preparation for next year, applications for the Academy Sports+ programme will open soon. Does your child compete at national, regional or professional standard in any sport or dance discipline? If so, we want to hear from you! Applications are open for students from Year 8 to Year 11.
For more information please see the letter attached from Mr Burbidge here: Academy Sport+ Programme
Cheshire Championships for Ellie!
Ellie Barker (Year 11) competed at the Cheshire Championships recently and finished 2nd in the 300m with a PB of 41.5s and 2nd in the Hammer throw. Impressive set of results particularly to train at this level whilst preparing for her GCSEs!
Characteristics that underpin success in PE and Sport
The PE Department have been working with students to help them understand the importance of not only becoming better athletes but better people. Character development is crucial in helping young athletes grow into responsible, successful adults – a big theme here at Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School. There is a lot more to just ‘turning up’, students need to turn up with purpose to school and particularly PE lessons. Our top 7 traits and characters we believe in are:
- Courage: Young athletes need to have the courage to take risks, face challenges, and overcome obstacles. They need to believe in themselves and have the courage to take the field and give their best effort.
- Effort: Consistent effort is the foundation of success in athletics and in life. Young athletes need to learn that success takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
- Integrity: Young athletes need to understand the importance of doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. They need to have strong moral character and a sense of responsibility to their team, their sport, and their community.
- Perseverance: Young athletes need to learn to persevere in the face of adversity and to never give up. They need to have the mental toughness to push through tough times and to keep working towards their goals.
- Leadership: Young athletes need to develop leadership skills that they can use both on and off the field. They need to learn how to motivate their teammates, lead by example, and make decisions that are in the best interest of the team.
- Composure: Young athletes need to have the ability to stay calm and composed under pressure. They need to be able to maintain their focus and composure in the face of adversity and to make smart decisions when the game is on the line.
- Compassion: a strong sense of compassion and empathy. Students should understand the importance of treating others with kindness, respect, and understanding.
