Dear Parents and Carers, 

I hope you are well and enjoying the lovely weather.

As we are in our final academic term I like to ensure you are all fully prepared before we break up with regards to September and any changes that are potentially on the horizon.

Mobile phones

We have had some great discussions regarding the pouches with the young people and the vast majority are on board. We have had some samples in school so we have been looking at these and trialling them with the young people. I have been really impressed at their understanding as to why we are bringing the pouches in and I was really proud at their level of maturity in discussions and their support. I have responded to all the parents/carers who have emailed in with questions and if there are any more you can think of then please do not hesitate to contact me, it really is no problem. I am really happy you want to engage with us and we will do our best to support in any way we can. Once we have finalised which product it is we are finally going with, then we will take you through all the product information in detail and put on some information sessions so you feel fully briefed.

School Skirts

As I mentioned a while ago, we were looking at a new type of school skirt (nicer material, more flattering fit, better quality and cheaper)  to be introduced for September 2025, however, the company unfortunately could not deliver on what we needed, so this has been pushed back for 12 months. I need to give you enough lead in time so it can be budgeted for and I also would like some students to trial this product too for me. I have taken the skirts home and washed them, put them through the tumble dryer, hung them out, scrunched them up etc and done everything imaginable to test their durability and they have stood up to the tests admirably.  All this being said, those who choose to wear a skit for this September will have to wear the style that is currently on offer. However, we are going to have more consequences if those young people wearing skirts do not conform to our expectations on how to wear the skirt. With this I mean that the skirt length has to be just above the knee or longer. The skirt lengths at present are not appropriate and this needs to be addressed.  I appreciate some of our students have grown and hence why we are not imposing the sanctions before the summer. However, come September the skirts need to be the appropriate length and with room to grow. If a skirt is not the correct length then a new one will have to be purchased. My advice is please purchase one slightly longer than above the knee. I will be passing this message out to the students so there will be no excuse come the new term.

Building works

As you will see from later in this publication we have won funding to completely refurbish the Hospitality and Food Technology rooms. This is a really exciting project to ensure we have the very best facilities for all our students. I am not sure of a time frame as yet, as we have only just found this news out in the past few days.  

The School Council have worked really hard with me regarding the toilet facilities and I am pleased to say that we are getting new toilets at both KS3 and KS4. The cost of these is significant, but they are a worthwhile investment. It is nice to be able to work with the School Council on projects such as this as their hard work has led to improved facilitates for all. The new toilets will hopefully be fully operational for September. The KS3 toilet refurbishment is really significant, so the work will start on them before the Summer holiday. Therefore, we will only have the KS4 toilets available from late June/early July. However, these toilets will be staffed and we will be flexible with waiting times etc.

I really do appreciate your ongoing support as it is much appreciated. As always if there is anything I can help with then please do not hesitate to contact me at bscott-herron@boteler.org.uk

Have a lovely weekend.

Beverley Scott-Herron
Headteacher

 

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Free School Meals Vouchers (FSM)

With only a short time remaining until the end of the academic year, we want to remind families that some still have a significant amount of their £100 FSM voucher left to use.

These vouchers can be used towards school trips, uniform, equipment, and more.

If you’re unsure how much you have remaining, please contact your child’s Head of Year for support.

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

Rewards Trip Reminder

Thank you to those of you who have already made payments for the rewards trips. A reminder that the deadline for payment is Monday 30^th 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. Once a visit has been paid for, via iPay, your child will not be permitted to swap to another visit.

In addition to making the payment via iPay, please can parents/carers ensure that they have completed the parental consent form, via this link – https://forms.office.com/e/dakLLQzzmC

 

Year 10 

Please be aware that the full Year 10 cohort are attending Warrington Vale Royal College taster day on the 2nd July. 

You will have received full details via the Arbor app. 

Please use the summer to help your child decide which college and which course is for them when they leave . In September they will be doing their college applications. 

On our website you can find links to the college pages to help them prepare: Post-16 and beyond – Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School

 

Year 9

Year 9 continue to be amazing ambassadors during Year 6 transition supporting with our subject taster sessions. 

 

Year 8

On the 14th of July all Year 8 will be taking part in a ‘Jobs  of the Future’ workshop led by Higher Horizons (Keele University).  This is part of their Careers learning Journey programme. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uniform Donations

Our PE department is welcoming donations of PE kit. If you have any items you can donate, please could they be dropped off at the PE department or brought to the main reception.

In addition to PE kit, we are welcoming donations of the following items of uniform.

-skirts

-bags

-blazers

-ties

–barely worn school shoes

These can be left in the box outside the main reception.

Please can we ask that any donated items be clean.

 

LGBTQ+ Council cake sale for Pride Month

To celebrate Pride Month, the LGBTQ+ Council held a cake sale – not only to not only raise funds for charity, but to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ Council within school, and the importance of celebrating Pride. The students chose Stonewall as their charity to donate to. Stonewall are part of a vibrant global movement for change. They fight for freedom, for equity and for potential. 

Thanks goes to the students and staff who supported the cake sale, to all those who donated money and cakes, with a special thanks to our Parents Supporting Boteler group for their amazing support. Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School would like our LGBTQ+ community to know that our school is a safe space for you. We see you, and if you are experiencing any challenges; please talk to us. We are always here to support you. Our LGBTQ+ Council meets every fortnight, on a Week 1 in Room 26. Everybody is welcome; however they identify. For further information, please email aroberts@boteler.org.uk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EAL Coffee Morning

A reminder that we’ve got our EAL (English as an Additional Language) Coffee Morning on Wednesday 25th June, 9am-10.30am in the Main Hall. .

This informal event will bring together EAL parents and carers to:

Enjoy refreshments and conversation in a welcoming environment

Meet other parents and build community links

Learn how the school supports students with English as an Additional Language

Explore how parents can help at home, even when English isn’t their first language

Ask questions and share ideas with our EAL team

The event is part of our wider commitment to inclusive parental engagement. We know that when schools and families work together, student outcomes improve.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Here is some evidence informed strategies parents can use to support their child’s learning at home:

1. Establish a Consistent Routine

Why it works: Children thrive with structure. A regular routine supports focus, reduces stress and improves time management.

How to apply: Set fixed times for homework, screen use, meals and sleep.

2. Encourage Reading for Pleasure

Why it works: Reading improves vocabulary, concentration and academic achievement across all subjects.

How to apply: Read together, talk about books, visit the library, or encourage 15–20 minutes of quiet reading a day.

3. Take an Interest in School Life

Why it works: When parents show interest, students are more likely to be motivated and feel valued.

How to apply: Ask about the best part of their day, look at their books, or attend school events.

4. Praise Effort, Not Just Results

Why it works: Praising effort builds resilience and a growth mindset.

How to apply: Recognise when your child works hard or tries something new, not just when they get high marks.

5. Talk About Learning at Home

Why it works: Conversations help children make sense of their learning.

How to apply: Ask open-ended questions like “What did you learn today?” or “What was the most challenging part of your day?”

 

For the latest KBS Wellbeing newsletter please click here

 

LGBTQIA+ mental health

Pride Month is a special time for our community to come together and celebrate LGBTQIA+ identities. But for some, it can be difficult and bring up feelings of shame or stigma, either from ourselves or from others. You might not feel able to come out, or you could face negativity from the people around you.

 

 

 

 

 

Self care during Pride month

It can be difficult to feel proud of who you are when you’re facing discrimination, and this can have a huge impact on our mental health. Here’s some tips on looking after yourself:

• Tell people what helps. Let people you trust know how they can support you when you’re not feeling great. If you feel comfortable, you might want to tell them what your triggers are so they know how to help you.
• Know your warning signs. Try to be mindful of how you feel over the month. Watch out for signs you might start to feel unwell. They’ll be different for everyone, but knowing them can help you get support faster.
• Keep track of how you feel. Tracking how you feel is helpful to suss out patterns in what’s making you feel good and bad. So you might notice that if you’ve spent more time on social media this month, it’s made you feel worse. You can keep track with a mood diary, notes on your phone, or with colours. It is not always possible to avoid things that make us feel low, but managing what you can will help.
• Look after yourself. Negative conversations about LGBTQIA+ can be harmful to hear and it might make you feel worse about yourself. Challenge unkind thoughts you might have about yourself – and make sure to do nice things for yourself too.

For further information and support click the link: Celebrate and reflect on Pride with #TeamMind | Mind – Mind

 

Science Department

United Utilities STEM Challenge 2024/25

14 of our Year 9 students have over the last 20 weeks taken part in the United Utilities Stem Challenge. This is an intense 20 week program that really challenges the students in many aspects of working within a team.

Forming 2 groups, they had to design a building that would benefit the residents of Coniston Water in the Lake District. This is not as easy as you might first think. The students had to give reasons and plan every aspect of the buildings – a care home and community centre.

Using maps of the region, students had to site the building and then explore ways and costs of supplying the electricity and water giving an environmental impact. Then followed the building itself, the design, what it was going to house and the benefits to residents and the local population. Along with this, full 3D design drawings were required.

Once the building plan was completed they had to market their company, designing logos, and company strategies. An engineer from United Utilities came to our school every week to mentor the two teams with their work, for 20 weeks.

At the very end of last half term, we all attended a presentation day held at United Utilities headquarters, where the teams had to present to 4 industry leaders. They were also joined from other teams from TCAT schools in Warrington. During the day they were able to mix and discuss other teams’ ideas and work.

I cannot stress enough how much work goes into planning and delivering such a difficult task and our students were just amazing throughout the project. Well done team Boteler. We also came away with the poster design award.

 

 

Food Technology

Exciting News from Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School! 🎉

After a lengthy and determined effort, Mrs. Callaway is delighted to share that she has secured significant funding from The Savoy Educational Trust to support the refurbishment of our Hospitality and Catering room.

This generous grant marks a major step forward for Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School, helping us provide an upgraded, industry-standard space where students can develop vital skills for the future. The Savoy Educational Trust is a national charitable organisation dedicated to advancing education and training within the UK hospitality industry—making this partnership especially meaningful.

We are proud to offer opportunities that empower students to reach their full potential. This project will not only enhance our facilities but also reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence, opportunity, and aspiration, rooted in our Christian values.

Work begins soon—watch this space for exciting updates!

 

Drama Department News

We were delighted to welcome former student Josh Gosney to the department for work experience.  A few weeks ago, he worked with Year 7 Students on their campaigns on the subject of ‘Wacky Soap’.  This week he supported our Year 10 Students during their practical mock exam.  Josh studied Drama at KS3 and KS4, leaving with top marks in his BTEC Performing Arts qualification. Josh continued his studies at Priestley College and then studied for his degree at the prestigious East 15 Drama College in London.  Josh will be graduating in July and embarking on his career in the Arts.  We look forward to continuing with his work experience as he shares his talents and experiences with our students.