BETTER Times Issue 7 - Achieve: Autumn 2020

BETTERTIMES Bohunt Education Trust Termly Events Review ISSUE 7 – AUTUMN 2020 – THE ACHIEVE ISSUE!

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BOHUNT EDUCATION TRUST CELEBRATES STUDENTS’ GCSE ACHIEVEMENTS On Thursday 20 August, students across Bohunt Education Trust (BET) collected their GCSE examination results before embarking on the next stage of their education.

Ray Morton, Chair of Trustees said,

In what has been an extraordinary year, with students unable to sit examinations, yet demonstrating enormous dedication and hard work, successes across BET schools included:

“Students, staff, governors and the whole Bohunt Education Trust community have pulled together with awe-inspiring efforts during the last few months. I am immensely proud of their response to such a challenging set of circumstances - one which has been of courage, resilience and positivity.”

• Bohunt School in Liphook, whose student Mary Skuodas achieved ten grade 9s and one (top) grade A in Additional Maths • Bohunt School in Worthing, whose student Tom Sellens achieved ten grade 9s • The Petersfield School (TPS), whose students Lucy Powell and Charlie Offen secured a jaw-dropping eleven grade 9s each • The Costello School in Basingstoke, whose student Sam Holland achieved nine grade 9s

Neil Strowger, Trust Leader said, “We are delighted to be celebrating the hard work of our students across the Trust today as they collect their examination results – results which will help them to embark on the next stage of their education.

We are inordinately proud of our 2020 cohort and wish them the very best with their next steps, whether that be studying with us at Bohunt Sixth Form – which achieved a record 50% A*/A for A level entries this year – colleges or embarking on apprenticeships.”

Since the start of lockdown, BET schools have worked tirelessly to provide the very best in education and care to students, including an appeal to ensure all the Trust’s young people have access to home learning devices, a food bank, and the provision of PPE to the staff and local NHS providers.

See pages 14 and 15 for a fantastic double page celebration of results across the Trust!

IN THIS ISSUE...

STUDENTS WELCOMED BACK AFTER LOCKDOWN | BOHUNT SIXTH FORM’S A LEVEL RESULTS

VE DAY CELEBRATIONS | BET HEADS IN THE MEDIA | NHS FUNDRAISING | GAME-CHANGER ACTIVITIES | SUSSEX TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS | VERA AND BOB | ‘LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN’ INTERVIEWS | AND MORE…

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR I must begin with a HUGE THANK-YOU to all staff.

Your phenomenal efforts over the last four months were tremendous, and of great benefit to all our students. I know that you all have worked hard, upskilling in many cases to facilitate lessons via the internet, keeping in touch with many pupils to ensure their continued engagement, and putting in many, many hours of dedicated effort.

Many of you continued to come to your schools, to look after the surprisingly few students (children of key workers, etc). It is pleasing to note that your efforts have been welcomed by students, with 90% engagement levels across the Trust. You have made sure that our young people have proper internet access, distributed life-saving food parcels where appropriate, and utilised our resources to manufacture personal protective equipment for local NHS workers. The Trustees and I are immensely proud to have witnessed your response to such a challenging set of circumstances - one which has been of courage, resilience and positivity. WELL DONE. The uncertainty over GCSE and A-Level exams has given students (and teachers) unnecessary and significant stress. I am well aware of the exhaustive, detailed, rigorous work that went into our cross-Trust moderation of predicted grades, eventually justified by the final acceptance by the DfE that teacher assessment is better than any computer algorithm.

Media interest in the Trust has been very high, with primetime BBC News visiting Worthing, interviewing the Head Adam Whitehead and several staff and students. Radio Solent interviewed Gary Green, who gave an interesting insight into the “digital divide”, about our pioneering work via the Virtual School to ensure that all disadvantaged pupils have not only laptops but also internet access at home via Trust-funded dongles. Local MP Maria Miller visited Costello shortly after Year 10 students re-started and was impressed by their observance of physical distancing and desire to resume education.

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Costello’s Assistant Headteacher, Claire Seddon and Welfare Officer, Mandy Gannon, were also visited by Maria Miller MP and BBC South, in recognition of their hard work in supporting vulnerable families with food and household essentials. This was provided firstly via weekly deliveries and later with a ‘food shop’ (food bank) - enabling families to visit the School for vital supplies. Teachers across the Trust continue to be inspirational, as evidenced by Worthing AHT Briony Palmer and the Bohunt Horsham team receiving Sussex Teacher of the Year awards.

Summer term normally includes exhibitions of art students’ work. Undaunted by the inability to do this in physical spaces, art departments across the Trust curated a Virtual Arts Exhibition, showcasing the huge variety of works. As it was possible to see the students’ work across our schools, this was arguably broader and more exciting than the more usual physical exhibitions!

The start of this term will feel very strange to all. The need to continue with all anti-virus precautions is paramount, but I know that all staff (and most students!) will be glad to be back in their classrooms. Hopefully, a successful vaccine will be available in the next few months. After a short introductory period, this “new normal” will settle down, and we can return to focusing on providing an excellent education for all our re-invigorated learners. Certainly, we live in interesting times. Welcome back!

DR RAY MORTON

Chair of the Trust Board

BETTER TIMES

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MESSAGE FROM THE TRUST LEADER You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.

Not my words but those of the USA’s longest serving First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. By the time you are reading this issue of BETTER Times, we will have faced fear in the face and reopened our doors to all our young people. And about time too.

It is all too easy to lampoon and lambast our political class and I shall be moderate in my opining. We are fortunate to be members of a family of schools whose leadership is guided by a clear and palpable sense of moral purpose, of doing the right thing for children. Now is the time for us to stand firm in what we believe.

Yet, despite all the U-turns and apparent abdication of responsibility that have epitomised a summer of turmoil, there has also been something incredibly refreshing about a results season firmly rooted in the achievements of young people. Our schools have refrained from flooding social media and the press with ever more creative headlines shouting about our ‘best results ever’.

Whatever else, this summer has been about students. You may have read in the TES that BET is one of the founding members of a cross-sector movement that is seeking radical change to public examinations (see page 8). This summer has demonstrated that status quo is not fit for the COVID-19 world: we need a wider and more flexible approach, rather than the dystopian and algorithmically - mutant or otherwise! - obsessed assessment of young people.

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Sociologists such as Neil Postman have written of the contraction of childhood, eroded by the proliferation of technology from a younger and younger age. Lockdown has also changed childhood and not for all children for the better; as Postman postulates, “Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.”

More poignantly than ever as we begin a new academic year, we are preparing the future generation for a world that will look different from now, instilling the attributes, knowledge, resilience, empathy and ethical outlook that means we will overcome the current and future pandemics.

Finally, colleagues, amid these times of COVID-19 anxiety, perhaps the tumultuous events of the last academic year have provided a reminder that things do not have to be like this.

We have an urgent need to be more ambitious for our young people, for education, for the world as it might be and not what it is, nor indeed what it was. And this means re-engaging our students with education and the successful implementation of our 5Rs: Reignite, Resilience, Reopening, Recovery, Reimagining.

Here’s to better times ahead.

NEIL STROWGER

Trust Leader of BET

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BOHUNT STUDENTS HEAD TO TOP UNIVERSITIES, FOLLOWING A LEVEL RESULTS ON 13 AUGUST, STUDENTS AT BOHUNT SIXTH FORM COLLECTED OUTSTANDING A LEVEL EXAMINATION RESULTS – WITH HALF OF ALL ENTRIES BEING AWARDED THE TOP GRADES. ALMOST ALL STUDENTS GAINED A PLACE AT THEIR FIRST-CHOICE UNIVERSITY, INCLUDING OXBRIDGE, VETERINARY AND MEDICINE.

Bohunt Sixth Form’s second ever cohort has improved further upon last year’s success with some truly exceptional individual achievements: • Esme Hammersley, with 3A* and 1A will go on to study maths • Both Beth Barnes, who achieved all A*s and As, and Alex Joad, who achieved all A*s, will continue their studies at Oxford University • Kym Maidment, Hannah Paffett, Adam Clark, Alex Chung and Tom McKnight all achieved 3 A*s • Will Lewis and Evie Weston achieved 2 A*s and 2 As and will go on to study Economics and Philosophy, Politics and Economic • Florence Clark, Hollie Bowe, Charlotte Goddard, Ollie Graham, Emily Jones, Saskia Lambot and Tom Miller were each awarded all A*s and As • Mia Linares, Louis Martin, Maisie Stewart, Rebecca Swift, Sam Waine and Fin Wilson all achieved 3 As

Overall, 50% of A levels were graded A*/A, 77% were awarded A* to B and 96% of exams achieved A* to C. Will (A*, A*, A) going to University of Surrey to read Economics, said: “Bohunt Sixth Form has been perfect; I could not have asked for more. The teachers and students have been fantastic.”

Beth (A*, A, A) going to Corpus Christi, Oxford to read Experimental Psychology, said: “Today is utterly surreal, a crazy day. It has not sunk in yet, but I am very excited to be going to Oxford University and I would like to thank my teachers who have helped me get there.”

teacher, Mr Ayres, for all of his support and amazing teaching!”

Clare Hodgson, Head of Bohunt Sixth Form, said: “I am immensely proud of all our students, who have worked so hard over the past two years and thoroughly deserve their results.

“Whilst it has been an unusual and challenging end to the academic year, the way in which our students have responded to the circumstances has been truly admirable and they are a credit to Bohunt Sixth Form.

We wish all our students the very best of luck as they embark on their next steps and look forward to welcoming more students back to Bohunt Sixth Form in September as we begin a new year.”

Neil Strowger, Headteacher of Bohunt School said: “I am incredibly proud of all students and staff who have worked tirelessly to achieve success despite the challenging circumstances.”

Damian Hinds MP East Hants said: “I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to everyone at Bohunt on today’s A level results. The extraordinary circumstances faced by schools this year have not dented the commitment and energy of the Bohunt community, and all involved should be very proud of their achievements. These results are testament to the hard work of students, their families and staff over the last few months, and I wish all students the very best for the future.”

Saskia (A*, A, A) said: “I am so relieved… but I am absolutely delighted to be going to Imperial to do Biological Sciences. I will continue my Mandarin studies too as part of the Horizon programme and look forward to practising my language skills with the international students. I am so grateful to my biology

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BETTER TIMES

INCREASED PROVISION MEASURES SEE BOHUNT STUDENTS WELCOMED BACK TO SCHOOL SITES AFTER THREE MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN – WITH BBC NATIONAL NEWS AND MP VISITS SCHOOL ACROSS BET REOPENED TO SMALL NUMBERS OF YEAR 10 STUDENTS, IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT DIRECTION, FROM MONDAY 15 JUNE. THE TRUST WAS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BBC NATIONAL NEWS AND MARIA MILLER MP TO ITS SCHOOLS TO SEE THE HARD WORK UNDERTAKEN BY STAFF TO PREPARE FOR INCREASED PROVISION. Having been open since 20 March, including over the Easter holiday and three bank holidays to vulnerable children and those of key workers, BET schools followed government direction to plan for the partial return of some students, to offer face-to-face support to supplement the remote education of Year 10. Online provision also continued for these students, and those in all other year groups.

Schools implemented a range of protective measures which went above and beyond national guidance, including temperaturetaking and handwashing on arrival, 2m at all times physical distancing, increased cleaning of classrooms and all surfaces, utilising outdoor space and staff PPE. Trust Leader Neil Strowger said, “Front of mind for all our school leaders is our children’s safety, wellbeing and absolute right to an education. The safety of our staff and wider community is also paramount. We have provided in-school education to vulnerable children and those of key workers since 20 March, and gamechanging online education to all other students throughout this period. This provision will, of course, continue for as long as is needed, including an increase in ‘live’ video conferencing teaching, and we are confident that we can continue to provide outstanding education to all our students in the coming weeks.”

Maria commented, “It was great to see first-hand how the measures put in place by Costello have encouraged the safe return of eligible year groups… It was also interesting to discuss what could be put in place over the summer to allow pupils to catch up. It is vital that this generation of school children are not adversely affected by the pandemic in the longer term.”

Headteacher Randall Jull said, “We are delighted to have been able to welcome back so many of our students; their feedback, and that from parents and staff about how safe they have felt throughout the Bohunt return strategy – and how pleased they have been to be back – is humbling, and testament to the work we have been doing. We are working hard to get the students back in a safe and measured way so they can do what they do best – thrive here with us.”

On 15 June, Bohunt School Worthing welcomed BBC Education Editor, Branwen Jeffreys to interview Headteacher Adam Whitehead. The clip aired on BBC News at Six and News at Ten and Radio 4 Six O’Clock News: www.bohunttrust.co.uk/ news/bohunt-school-worthing-on-bbc-news/. Read more on page 31.

A week later, The Costello School welcomed Maria Miller MP to see the measures put in place. Maria observed classrooms and discussed the situation with Headteacher, Randall Jull. She also met DT teacher Claire Young, who has designed and made over 3000 visors for local health providers.

ISSUE 7

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BOHUNT DEVELOPS NEW GAME-CHANGER RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN MAY, BET PROUDLY LAUNCHED A RANGE OF ‘GAME-CHANGER’ CURRICULUM RESOURCES TO ENSURE YOUNG PEOPLE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE A FIRST-CLASS EDUCATION THROUGH THE LOCKDOWN. THE RESOURCES HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO APPLY TO STUDENTS IN ALL SCHOOLS, TO BENEFIT AS MANY CHILDREN AS POSSIBLE. They are based on BET’s overarching vision to prepare students to be game-changers: to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to have the confidence and resilience to challenge the status quo, think bigger than themselves and make change happen. BET’s ‘gamechanger’ curriculum resources support its strengths, for example in provision of outdoor learning, STEM and immersion teaching and were developed by the Trust’s subject leaders to ensure students received the best possible online learning.

Special ‘game-changer days’, which ran at each BET school during the summer term, included virtual field trips and access to innovative new resources. The Trust has also developed a unique app, working closely with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, to enable students to record expedition research remotely.

To assess the positive impact of the resources, BET is undertaking research in partnership with leading research organisation ImpactEd, which will be published shortly. We have also launched online professional development for teachers, including a half-termly research newsletter (also in collaboration with ImpactED), so that they can maintain their CPD and deliver the resources as effectively as possible. There are two programmes, depending on whether schools are 1-2-1 iPad schools or not.

Philip Avery, Director of Education at BET, said: “Clearly, none of us would have chosen for schools to close over lockdown, but our role as educators is to provide the best education to the children and young people we serve. The resources are not only

for during lockdown, but for the future - and set schools in the Trust up for sustainable improvement.”

The game-changer materials will be used for curriculum and outdoor classrooms when schools are back to normal and have helped promote BET’s vision of education to parents and students. The up-skilling of teachers in digital skills is helping schools in terms of moving IT forward, especially in schools that are not yet 1-2-1 iPad schools. Benefits have also been seen in self-marking, which save teachers time and online modelling which aids students’ understanding of new concepts. The gamechanger initiative has also created space in teachers’ timetables for professional development on how to better meet the BET principles of effective online teaching, thereby improving the impact of our online learning.

Parental comments included, “Thank you Bohunt, this has been the most stress-free home-schooling from a parent’s point of view because you had all the technology and processes in place very quickly, and managed to keep the kids engaged throughout this difficult time. Having a virtual trip has been a major bonus. Well done for all your hard work. You are very much appreciated.”

Neil Strowger, Trust Leader said: “Bohunt has always been a leader in innovation and we consistently strive to meet challenges head-on. I am especially proud of the new Duke of Edinburgh’s Award app, which is genuinely ground-breaking, and which enabled our students to continue to reap the benefits of an outdoor education, even during lockdown.”

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BETTER TIMES

BOHUNT EDUCATION TRUST CELEBRATES VE DAY WITH VIRTUAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS ACROSS BET MARKED THE 75TH VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY AT HOME WITH A HOST OF GAME-CHANGING VIRTUAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES, TOURS AND HOME PARTY IDEAS.

VE DAY – 75 YEARS – A SHARED DAY OF CELEBRATION BET MARKS 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN EUROPE

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At Priory School, DT teacher Kay Coghlan made a Union Jack out of PPE Visor parts that were surplus to requirements from those made at the School last week.

On 8 May 1945 Britain declared victory in Europe over the occupying forces, and despite the hardship and loss preceding the end of the war, Britain celebrated with street parties, dancing and merriment. In May 2020, 75 years on, students and families of BET schools remembered the celebrations with activities at home, with schools recognising the day in their own way:

The Petersfield School (TPS) designed a party pack for students including tips on how to cook on a ration.

Families from the school can practise and submit pictures of their recipes.

Bohunt Horsham ran a virtual school trip back in time to help students understand why VE Day is so important and held a sponsored run in support of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. The School raised over £500. The School also held a Wartime Bake Off, with a guest appearance from none other than Winston Churchill.

The Costello School provided special online History lessons, sharing students’ work on Facebook.

Bohunt School, Liphook invited students to add to a ‘time capsule’ and designed a ‘party pack’ sent to all students including fun ideas to commemorate the day: from learning the popular 1940’s Lindy Hop dance, to making ginger beer.

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Bohunt Wokingham taught remotely from a VE Day activity pack, including home party ideas.

Bohunt Worthing held an online virtual assembly about VE day and students examined what can be learnt from original footage of the first VE Day celebrations in 1945.

Trust Leader Neil Strowger said, “We are innovators, and, after almost 7.5 weeks of providing virtual education to our students, we saw the opportunity to mark the 75th Anniversary of VE Day virtually as a positive one. Lockdown has aspects of wartime: comparisons can be made with the uncertainty of how long it may last and feelings of isolation. It’s important to teach our students about VE Day and this is one they may never forget.”

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BET LEADERS COMMENT ON NATIONAL EDUCATION ISSUES: MARK MARANDE IN THE TELEGRAPH, GARY GREEN ON BBC SOLENT AND NEIL STROWGER AND PHIL AVERY IN NATIONAL GCSE REFORM ROUNDTABLE BET leaders had the opportunity to comment on pressing issues within the national education debate this summer, including TPS Principal, Mark Marande, who was asked by The Telegraph to comment on the Government’s suggestions to reduce practical content in GCSEs. Read the main copy below – copyright The Telegraph.

We live in exceptional times. So, it is no wonder that the Government is consulting on whether to streamline GCSEs next summer.

Clearly, something must be done. While schools such as mine run GCSE courses over three years – and I can confidently say our pupils are not behind in their studies – plenty of others run them across two years. For these children, missing six months’ school is equivalent to 25 per cent of the course.

How could that not have an impact on their potential grades – and futures? I welcome and strongly support Ofqual for taking the problem seriously.

One much discussed and welcomed part of its recommendations is the ‘content sampling’ approach suggested for the History GCSE, which would allow pupils and schools more choice regarding which content they answer exam questions on. This would free up our teaching time considerably and could be successfully applied to more subjects.

However, the proposals are different for some subjects. They will mean not being tested in oral exams for modern foreign languages, for example, and watching teachers carry out science experiments – rather than getting stuck in as pupils.

Health and safety requirements will certainly affect our ability to take drama students to the theatre. And – to a certain extent – we are already used to working to this more academic approach, thanks to the GCSE reforms in 2017 which stripped back subjects so they could be tested in that formal examhall way.

That taught us that you cannot expect everything to be tested in a two-hour exam at the end of a two or three-year course. So, for the pupils’ sake, it is important to focus

most energy into helping them achieve the best result. Having said that, as an educator, I am not perfectly happy with the idea of ditching the more practical elements of any subject.

students to step away from their desks.

Some skills are so important to a subject that we will have to find time to teach them regardless of whether they carry weight in a final exam. Take the geography field trip: this work is crucial to becoming an outstanding geographer… or being able to speak and understand Mandarin, French or Spanish, A huge part of learning a language is its value in communicating with others.

Our very own Head of Virtual School, Gary Green, was interviewed on BBC Radio Solent’s Breakfast Show at prime time about the ‘digital divide’ and what BET schools have been doing to address it during lockdown – with a focus on our device donation appeal.

So, how can we make sure children are getting the best of both worlds – even in these exceptional times? Administratively, it’s going to be a challenge – and my team at TPS, like so many others -including our fellow schools within Bohunt Education Trust – is already working hard at making sure our lessons still come alive; that they inspire and are memorable. We mustn’t forget that what children enjoy at GCSE may well end up what they do at A level or university and beyond.

Mark’s thoughtful account can also be found at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-andcareers/2020/07/13/gcses-will-streamlinednext-year-not-lose-much-practical-content/

Listen to the full clip at: https://www. bohunt tr u s t .co .uk /new s /bbc- radio interviews-gary-green-on-digital-divide/ – copyright BBC. Finally, Trust Leader Neil Strowger and Director of Education, Philip Avery took part in a cross-sector roundtable in June, together with Lord Baker, Geoff Barton and Bill Lucas, which looked at the future of GCSEs. Read the initial coverage at: https://www.tes.com/ news/state-and-private-schools-movementscrap-gcses

It’s also worth remembering that for some children, the moments spent in applied learning when they are handling test tubes in chemistry or inventing new products in Design and Technology, are when they shine brightest. Some of these pupils do their best outside an exam hall - and that is important too.

At TPS, we recognise we want children to be expert in their subject – whatever that is.

That is much more important than an exam result. This is a challenging task for teachers: I want the best academic results for my students, but I don’t want my staff teaching to the test. That’s not enough. We are not an exam factory even though we are rated Ofsted ‘Outstanding’. But I am confident that our students are in a good position, thanks to their online learning which has been continuous since lockdown. Hopefully, we will be bridging gaps in their knowledge rather than starting from scratch.

I honestly believe that when you have passion and love for a subject, you will get great results in it. The key to that is in the teaching, though.

When children are taught by someone who really loves what they teach then I do think you can get them through a narrowed curriculum – however disappointing that is for now.

Hopefully, young people will be able to be inspired regardless thanks to that positive attitude to go on and have rewarding futures.

But I haven’t quite given up hope yet; this is still at consultation stage. Maybe there is hope yet for the geographers and language

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BETTER TIMES

PHIL AVERY INTERVEWED BY 1851 TRUST ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 ON EDUCATION THE 1851 TRUST’S EDUCATION TEAM, TOGETHER WITH THE INEOS PERFORMANCE TEAM (THE TEAM BEHIND ELIUD KIPCHOGE’S LEGENDARY SUB-TWO HOUR MARATHON RECORD), DELIVERED LIVE TEACHING DAYS WITH FREE DIGITAL RESOURCES TO OVER 500 YOUNG PEOPLE, INCLUDING STUDENTS AT BOHUNT HORSHAM – AS PART OF ITS COMMITMENT TO #CLOSINGTHEGAP. In September we are so looking forward to being back with the students. However, many students will have missed chunks of learning, When back, we will be able to see how wide the learning gaps are and we’re going to have to come up with innovative solutions to be able to close them. Those innovative solutions are going to be helped greatly by the mix of inspiration and high-quality science learning, for example as seen on STEM Crew and the live teaching sessions.

At BET, we believe we are providing a fantastic education. That means striving for great exams results, but for us, education is far more than that. It’s about the opportunities we can give young people to learn about careers, it’s about teamwork and leadership, it’s about how that all comes together to produce something that’s incredible for the students long in to the future.’

During the 1851 Trust’s time at Bohunt Horsham, Phil Avery, BET’s Director of Education, was interviewed on the effects of COVID-19 on education. His comments were: “We are not sure what the long-term effects of COVID-19 will be yet as it’s still playing out. However, there are things that we are already worried about from what we are seeing. Firstly engagement: we have several students who have found it difficult to engage at all with learning. Then there are other students who have struggled to engage in a productive way with learning as they haven’t got that trained adult to support them all the way through. For both groups we are worried about the attainment gap and their ability to re-engage.

Our normal school days tend to look traditional with learning across subjects such as science, maths and technology. But the real-world learning does not work so well in those neat silos.

You need to bring subjects together through multi-disciplinary learning. In the real world you won’t be working on a project as an individual, you tend to be working as part of a team and normally you’re not working on things that are known, you’re trying to work towards the unknown, trying to do something different, something better. Therefore, working with STEM Crew is crucial to what we are trying to develop in young people, because it is ambitious, multidisciplinary learning. It is working with the materials and role models on STEM Crew that allows our young people to thrive.’’

The 1851 Trust now has a proven model delivering exciting and highly engaged science lessons in 35% of UK schools, reaching +150,000 young people each year, many of whom are from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.

INEOS 1:59 STEM CHALLENGE DAY

On October 12th 2019 Eliud Kipchoge broke the last barrier in modern athletics, the sub 2-hour marathon, to inspire others to believe they can overcome their own personal barriers. He believes that #NoHumanIsLimited.

The 1851 Trust in partnership with Bohunt Education Trust would now like to invite you to put yourself into the shoes of the team behind the INEOS 1:59 challenge, with a series of three exciting STEM challenges for those in Years 7 and 8.

Tuesday 14th July LIVE online from 9:00am – 1:00pm

During the day you will learn key concepts in physics, biology and maths wrapped up into the real-life contexts of pacemakers, nutrition and course selection

PLUS

To take part you must be online from 9:00am until 1:00pm.

During the afternoon session we will be setting you and others in your school a physical challenge of your own with various prizes to be won!

Join the Bohunt 1:59

1:30pm – 3:00pm Physical Challenge!

Keen to try a STEM challenge beforehand? Visit www.stemcrew.org

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BLACK LIVES MATTER STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE RESPONSE TO THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE RESPONSE FROM THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT, A NUMBER OF BET’S CURRENT STUDENTS AND ALUMNI CONTACTED SCHOOL LEADERS DIRECTLY OR SIGNED AN OPEN LETTER. OUR STATEMENT, PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE IN JUNE, IS BELOW: The aim of BET schools is to be inclusive, kind and welcoming. We pride ourselves on our high expectations for all and refusing to accept an impoverished past as justification for an impoverished future. We are resolutely committed to the promotion of equality and the creation of learning communities free from intolerance, discrimination and unconscious bias. We are clear that ethnicity is a protected characteristic and we stand in solidarity with the Black community in the struggle against racism and in tackling matters of inequality.

Over the last month, a number of BET’s current students and alumni have asked how we and our schools can play a positive role in the future.

We are delighted to receive such communication as a key part of vision is to create students who are not only successful in life but want to change things for the better as they navigate it – be they social, environmental or political. We have welcomed the correspondence, which has been thoughtful and constructive, and is testament to our students and alumni trying to do exactly this: to change things for the better, to become game-changers.

As a high-achieving, ambitious and innovative group of schools, we are acutely conscious of our position of influence. As a pioneering education trust, we encourage our students and staff to be the difference they want to see in the world. We recognise that these issues are not new, and that they are pervasive. We know that challenging racism must be part of our responsibility to broader society and should include ongoing reflection and improvements by individuals and organisations – and we are committed to playing our part.

The majority of the requests we received focused on curriculum reform or diversification and we have responded individually to a

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number of students and sought their views on what, specifically, they would have wanted to know to make a difference to society. We will share these views with Subject Directors, so that they can cross-reference it against curriculum maps (which run across all our schools).

As a multi-academy trust, it is necessary for us to largely follow the National Curriculum (NC) – which is how state schools are inspected – and so real reform will come from the Government.

Currently, the NC and exam specifications do not support the Black Lives Matter movement well; for example – BAME writers have been dropped from the new AQA exam specification and the History NC is prescriptive and content-heavy.

However, we rightly ensure that our curriculum matches what we feel is important. Below are a few examples of what we currently teach, much of which will be familiar to alumni: • The English Key Stage 4 curriculum includes other cultures (e.g. American Literature Of Mice and Men – although a white author) and includes BAME writers, for example, John Agard from British Guyana and the poem ‘Checkin’ out me history’ is very much about attitudes to other cultures and a poem by Imtiaz Dharker is about refugees and conflict – both Imtiaz and Agard live in the UK. • Within geography, the legacy of colonialism and slavery is within the Year 8 scheme of work (this means it is before students choose their options and so will be studied by all students) on factors that impact on development and at Year 12 it is part of a variety of units: impact on Glasgow, portrayal of BAME in art in the past and how that fuels current prejudices and perceptions and access to national parks for BAME people.

• In history, colonialism and slavery are also taught in Year

BETTER TIMES

8 (so again studied by all students), as is the Civil Rights Movements in the USA and the UK. More specifically, those units cover Britain’s role in slavery plus Thomas Clarkson and Olaudah Equiano’s campaigns, Benjamin Zephaniah’s rejection of an OBE, imperial India, a series of lessons on the Benin Bronzes, the scramble for Africa, and an analysis of Britain’s conduct as an imperial power in Africa, lessons on race in Britain, including Windrush, and a lesson on whether race is adequately represented in the British curriculum. The subject also participates in Black History Week.

• Racism specifically is covered in our PSHE curriculum and is revisited in different year groups.

• We have sought and collected views from our alumni about what they would have liked to have been taught. Based on their comments, we are: • Introducing more BAME writers into the English curriculum • Reviewing the History curriculum and asking ourselves particularly, ‘Whose history are we representing?’ It is likely this will lead to a wider variety of sources and different case studies within the slavery, empire and civil rights units • Reviewing the Geography (and wider) curriculum to consider post-colonial geography.

• Running a diversity day (gender, disability and race) across several of our schools • Reviewing our data to look for unconscious bias.

The events of the last few weeks serve as a powerful reminder of the need for action by us all. Racism has never been, is not and never will be tolerated in any of our schools. We recognise that our schools are geographically situated in predominantly white demographic areas, we are not complacent about our responsibility to ensure that students and staff understand the importance of promoting race equality. Indeed, this makes the issue more important not less.

We have, since the start of COVID-19 lockdown, been ‘ahead of the curve’ in providing support for socially disadvantaged families, lending devices to students who cannot access online learning; setting up food banks and ensuring that vulnerable children can come to school even during the holidays.

Our Equality Objectives (EO) aims for the next four years are clear: • Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it • Foster good relations across all characteristics – between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

circumstances) have equitable access to the same total experience and opportunity of our schools’ curriculum including all extra- and co-curricular activities, trips and events including ensuring equitable access to appropriate careers/post 16 pathways: • reduce the incidence of the use of racial or homophobic language by students in member schools.

We will strive to do more within our schools to challenge systemic racism by listening more, deepening our commitment to recognising personal implicit and explicit biases; talking about, confronting, and responding to racism, and supporting our students and staff to be anti-racists.

“Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with. But if we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people of colour to deal with it. It’s up to all of us – Black, white, everyone – no matter how wellmeaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out. It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own.

It ends with justice, compassion, and empathy that manifests in our lives and on our streets.”

– Michelle Obama, in a statement following the death of George Floyd.

Finally, we are incredibly proud of our current and past students, who have grown to be successful and caring members of society.

Indeed, we are and always have been committed to ensuring our students are not only aware of inequality and understand its causes and effects but are motivated to do something to change the status quo.

Black Lives Matter.

Bohunt Education Trust Leaders, June 2020

• Relating to these aims, our objectives can also be found in the EO statement, with detailed plans setting out how they will be achieved. They are to: • ensure our staff and volunteers represent the diversity of the communities across our member schools.

• ensure all students regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and background (including personal

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BET AND D OF E – A POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP BUILDING ON THE INCREDIBLE SUCCESS OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME WITHIN BET OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE ALUMNA STUDENT, JODIE, WHO HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED HER GOLD DOFE AWARD, IN THE SUMMER 2020 DOFE MAGAZINE. JODIE COMPLETED HER GOLD DOFE AWARD IN Y11 AT BOHUNT SCHOOL IN LIPHOOK LAST YEAR.

As part of BET’s overarching commitment to guarantee all pupils are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential, the Trust offers the DofE to all students in Y9 and above. The team at BET has raised over £50,000 in grants to help support their most disadvantaged and vulnerable students on their DofE journey.

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BETTER TIMES

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW… NICOLE JONES,TEACHER OF MATHS, BOHUNT HORSHAM What gets you out of bed in the morning?

On a weekday, it really is my job. I wake up, often check twitter and then get ready and drive into school. I am always excited to see our students and staff and to chat to them about what they are looking forward to on that day.

How would you describe your job to a child?

I can go from meeting a parent to running a whole-school assembly to teaching Mathematics to friendship advice to collecting litter! It is my privilege to be able to work with young people every day. Each day is different; each day has its own set of challenges. I work within an amazing team to support young people to make positive choices for them to achieve their dreams. It is the best job in the world.

What is your biggest ‘game-changing’ achievement, personal or professional?

I was the first person to go to university in my family; I studied Psychology at University of Sussex. This led me to complete a Mathematics course at Brighton University, followed by a PGCE, more Maths at UCL and now I am studying again at University of Winchester. I did not realise that university was an option for me when I was younger, but a teacher who really believed in me encouraged me to aim high.

What 3 words would you use to describe your job?

Inspiring, challenging and awesome.

Where you do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I will be teaching in our new school (that is currently being built!) feeling very proud of our first and second year of students and very proud of our growing Mathematics and SEN department (I cannot wait to see this!). I also hope that I will have travelled a bit more- I really want to visit South Africa and Italy soon.

What’s your favourite song lyric or line from a film?

No one else Can speak the words on your lips Drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins The rest is still unwritten.

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What’s the best thing about working at BET? I feel like I am in the premier league of schools. The staff are brilliant, meaning that the students have so many opportunities to thrive (in and out of the classroom).

If you were an animal, what would you be?

An ant – small but mighty.

What two things would you take to a desert island?

My best friend(s) (hopefully that counts as one!) and music.

Tell us a joke.

I would tell you my joke about margarita pizza… but it’s too cheesy.

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GSCE AND A LEVEL RESULTS 2020

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BETTER TIMES

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SPOTLIGHT ON… EMILY, DEPUTY HEAD STUDENT, THE COSTELLO SCHOOL

During her time as a Brookvale House Captain, Emily showed commitment to giving other students the opportunity to have fun and participate in house events to win house points. It was important for students to still have this opportunity during lockdown and Emily continued to be committed to weekly House Captain meetings and Student Voice meetings in amongst all of her own home learning and now being in school for face to face teaching as well.

At the start of March, The Costello School announced their new student leadership team for 2020-2021. There was a clear vision for the Y11 student leadership team to plan and prepare a full ‘hand over’ to the new team and guide them into their new roles. Then lockdown happened and all plans went out the window.

The new student leadership team had to quickly take on virtual learning from home and one of the biggest areas of student responsibility within the school. This is where Emily, deputy head student 2020-2021 stepped up and showed her true passion to lead as an example and be a Gamechanger within The Costello School.

Right from the start, Emily felt she could do more to inspire and motivate other students within the Costello Community.

Her first idea was to send out a weekly motivational message to students to introduce the new student leadership team, be a friendly face to support and encourage others within this new method of learning at home. As a result, each week the leadership team worked collaboratively to send a new message out.

Emily is also passionate about providing support for those who might be struggling during this time and worked hard to create the first Costello Student Blog. The section of the blog Emily and another year 10 student worked on aimed to provide suggestions from the Costello community. These suggestions were focused around sharing fun and entertaining opportunities for everyone to have a go at and enjoy. The idea being, if one person has enjoyed it, then sharing that activity/recipe/music/ film/TV/exercise/book could provide enjoyment in other people’s lives as well. Such an amazing selfless act of kindness.

Lastly and possibly most excitingly, Emily showed tremendous passion for creating something positive out of the unprecedented time. Emily created a community project for the students and staff of Costello to take part in: A Tile Mural. Students and staff were able to safely collect a tile from the school gates and create a memory based around their experiences/emotions/ achievements during their time in lockdown. Once we are all safely back at school, these tiles will be collated, and a collage tile mural created to positively remember this period at Costello.

I am so very proud of Emily and everything she has put into her role during this time. She has stepped up and inspired so many people and I can’t wait to see what other ideas she achieves in the future.

Jenny Borthwick, PE Teacher and Student Leadership Coordinator.

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BETTER TIMES

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: THE COSTELLO SCHOOL SHOP

From the start of lockdown, Costello’s Assistant Headteacher, Claire Seddon and Welfare Officer, Mandy Gannon worked incredibly hard to ensure that vulnerable families were supported with food and household essentials, making weekly deliveries to many in the community.

Claire and Mandy were not alone in this essential work, as the site staff helped set up the virtual ‘shop’ each week and members of the pastoral team stepped in to help following the delivery from the Basingstoke Community Food Link project.

Vulnerable families were then invited to come to the Sports Hall to collect the items they need.

We will never be able to thank you enough, and we would love to thank you personally, but are not able to due to the nature of the physically distanced drop off system and the anonymity this brings. Please accept this as our personal massive thank you.”

As the donations continued to roll in, the School received a request from its local MP, Maria Miller, to come and see the excellent work being carried out by the school for herself. BBC South News also attended, to cover the fantastic project.

All at BET are extremely proud of the work done by Costello staff to support those less fortunate than others.

The School saw a rise over ensuing weeks in the number of families accepting the offer of help. As a result, Claire sent a request for support to staff and full school community - and the response was overwhelming.

Claire wrote in a Facebook post: “More than once today I have had to compose myself due to the amazing generosity of the Costello family. Your donations today have been so fantastic, way beyond our humble expectations (we should have known better and how wonderful you all are!!)

From the bottom of the Costello heart, thank you so much, it means so much to us and our families who really need our help.

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SPOTLIGHT ON… PRIORY SCHOOL’S EMMA SUCCEEDS IN SELECTION FOR THE EUROPEAN TEAMGYM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Emma said, “We cannot all be great academically so it is good to search for things we can get involved in that are fun but also challenging. By immersing myself in the gym, I have found my own strength and that is hugely important. My favourite quote is the one that says, ‘keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground’.” We couldn’t agree more!

Headteacher of Priory School, Stewart Vaughan, and all staff at Priory and Bohunt Education Trust would like to congratulate amazing Year 11 student, Emma, who recently qualified for the Great British Squad for the next TeamGym European Championships to be held in Denmark in 2021, an event postponed from October 2020.

What is even more incredible about Emma is that she had to overcome a massive setback in her sporting career as a crippling knee dislocation could have seen her leave gymnastics altogether if she hadn’t been so determined to get back on top of her game. Emma, we salute you.

TeamGym is an incredible team competition which sees teams of 12 gymnasts compete and entertain across three disciplines – floor, trampette and tumbling track. Team members need to have great flexibility, precision, strength and skill in running, jumping, tumbling, acrobatics and dance. They need balance, poise and physical strength to meet the requirements of the sport, which as its title suggests is all about perfect synchronisation and symmetry with your team. The forthcoming championships will be the thirteenth year they have been held.

Emma’s idol and constant inspiration to improve herself and get to the top has been her PSG coach and mentor Hema GaurSharma who is one of Britain’s top stars in the sport. As well as guiding Emma through the rough and smooth, Hema has an important work ethic which Emma has adopted and learned from. This ethic is to ‘never give up – even if you fall a hundred times, with each fall you learn something and try again.’ No doubt particularly important words in all walks of life.

Emma’s Mum, Christine, has been behind her all the way but credits the incredible team at Portsmouth School of Gymnastics for bringing out the very best in Emma. She said, “There is a really nice family atmosphere involved in the training and competition. It is such a dynamic and exciting sport; I really do hope it will be chosen as an Olympic discipline in the not too distant future.”

We hope so too and look forward Emma coming back to Priory to share her experiences (and hopefully medals) with Priory students in the years to come.

Go Emma – we wish you every success in the future!

When her family moved to Portsmouth, Emma enlisted at the prestigious Portsmouth School of Gymnastics in Farlington, and despite her horrendous knee injury, trained her socks off to get where she is today, rising through the ranks to become a real star of the already considerable talent pool there. Emma trains four days of the week and sees a bright future in the sport, both at competitive and club level. Her talent has given Emma confidence that she hopes others will find in their lives as well.

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BETTER TIMES

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: PRIORY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND STAFF RUN THREE MARATHONS IN THREE DAYS FOR PORTSMOUTH NHS. Pastoral Outreach Worker Katherine Hughes inspired students from Priory School attending key worker provision to undertake a fundraising initiative to say thank you to local NHS staff.

Many of the students expressed a desire to do something to say thank you to the wonderful staff at QA Hospital, and a fun run was decided on as the means to gain sponsorship. The students and Katherine spent time training in the weeks leading up to the event by running laps of Priory’s 3G all-weather pitch.

As more students heard about the event in school, it was decided to open it up to students at home doing some form of activity to also gain sponsorship. Making the most of the relaxation of government guidelines at that time, which meant that outdoor activity became unlimited, students chose to walk, skip, skate, cycle, or run at home, in their gardens or out and about in our lovely city. Students could set their own daily or weekly targets so everyone could get involved if they wanted to.

Over the three days 1-3 June the students running in school managed an astonishing 484 laps in total, that’s a total of 80.67 miles - or, over 3 marathons in 5.5 hours! Priory staff added to this total with an additional 35 miles - a staggering 115.67 miles in total - over 4 marathons.

Students undertaking physical activity challenges at home included Judah H (Y8) who cycled the equivalent of the entire length of the UK. His story was featured in the Portsmouth News: https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/education/prioryschool-pupil-completes-lands-end-john-ogroats-distancechallenge-nhs-2876263 Bella H (Y11) ran 7 miles a day for 5 days, Tilly G (Y8) skipped every day of the week, and many others pushed themselves and got active to gain sponsorship.

Y7 student Grace said “I did the run to raise money for the NHS. We are all going through a hard time and Priory wanted to help. I found it hard, but I powered through it for the NHS” So far, Priory has raised over £2500 and is hopeful of reaching its £3000 target once all the sponsorship money is sent in to the just giving page (which is still taking donations!) https://www. justgiving.com/fundraising/prioryschoolrun2020 ‘Headteacher Stewart Vaughan, who himself ran four miles, said he was “unbelievably proud” of students’ efforts and feels the initiative has really brought the school together, ‘giving children something to focus on is beneficial for both the community but also for individual wellbeing.’

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SPOTLIGHT ON… THE PETERSFIELD SCHOOL (TPS) STUDENT PROFILES: PAST AND PRESENT

Layla’s art exhibition “Ahzun” was supposed to feature at the Bargehouse gallery in March before it unfortunately had to be cancelled due to lockdown. So, they thought this would be a fun and creative way to showcase Layla’s fantastic work instead.

Well done, Layla!

To see more of her work, visit her Facebook page @ LaylaAndrewsArt or her website http://www.laylaandrews. com/bio.html

NINA TPS Year 8 Nina started recording an audio Lockdown Diary when school closed on 20 March. She thought it would be interesting to document her days in lockdown as we live through these strange times.

As Nina has enjoyed doing audio interviews locally and with TPS’ Radio Club she decided to use audio as her medium of choice. Her audio diary entries are featured twice a week on Petersfield Community Radio’s Morning Reports with each one now introduced by Dave Bowers, one of the radio’s producers and occasional presenters.

Dave’s intros have made Nina into a Lockdown Superhero with a 1930s American voiceover!

LAYLA In collaboration with London’s Oxo Tower Wharf lights turning blue each week to celebrate the NHS, they have also been featuring artwork on their billboard, and one featured billboard artist is former TPS student Layla.

Layla says that: “To be asked to create a piece for such an important cause during this incredibly difficult time, was a real honour. I wanted this piece to not only illustrate the strength, bravery and unprecedented resilience that our NHS has demonstrated, but to also express our solidarity, pride and gratitude for all they have done and continue to do, as the rock of our country.”

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BETTER TIMES

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: TPS: GAME-CHANGERS WEEK

Like all BET schools, TPS strives to go beyond achieving outstanding outcomes for students and looks to develop their self-confidence, communication skills, creativity, and character. These are all the qualities that students need to become ‘game-changers’ in their chosen field.

For this year’s Game-Changer Week, students were provided with lots of exciting enrichment activities that could still be completed in lockdown conditions via a menu of core and optional learning activities, including special game changer projects and competitions, physical challenges, outdoor learning, VE Day anniversary activities and much more.

As preparations for VE Day got underway, students immersed themselves in all things 1940s with hairstyle/fashion challenges, song-writing, dance challenges, making bunting and recreating all sorts of wartime food and drink recipes.

Some students showed great community spirit, helping in village shops, delivering supplies, baking for neighbours, and organising neighbourhood socially distanced get-togethers. There were some fabulous creative projects, too: a Year 7 piece of artwork has been included in the Tate Gallery’s Kid’s Corner, and another Year 7 painting of an NHS worker has been sent to one of the Nightingale Hospitals.

Organiser, Alistair Whitehouse, said, “It was an incredible trip across the world together and sharing staff and students’ daily physical accomplishments was an honour. 63 TPS staff took part and the students recorded scores 2157 times throughout the 7 days. I hope everyone continues to challenge themselves throughout this term, finding new physical feats to overcome, whether that be with regular 2k walks, or 100k bike rides across the south coast – the main thing is we take care and continue to look after our physical and mental wellbeing.”

Principal Mark Marande said, “I was really impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and creativity during Game Changer Week, especially considering the additional challenges involved in running these activities remotely. The students stepped up in a very special way!”

The stop frame animation challenge garnered some fantastic videos, ranging from The Hunger Games to the lifecycle of a tadpole!

One Game-Changer challenge was particularly popular – the 2K a Day Challenge - to collectively walk, run or cycle the distance from Petersfield to Tokyo - the venue for next year’s Olympic Games! Staff and students really got behind this and posted photos and distance/time updates. Over the Bank Holiday weekend alone, students and staff completed a staggering 4521km, bringing our overall total to 12,759km. It was an amazing week-long adventure that took staff and students to Strasbourg in France, Merkheuli in Georgia, Douala in Cameroon and Beijing in China, stopping off in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, before reaching Japan.

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LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN… NEIL MOGGAN, DIRECTOR OF SPORT, CITY ACADEMY NORWICH (CAN)

How did you feel when the schools were first closed at the start of lockdown?

A bit apprehensive about what would happen to older friends and family that I care for greatly.

How did you think you would find ‘remote learning’ and has your opinion changed over the past two months?

I have been really impressed by how staff and pupils have adapted so quickly to make the best use of technology in the situation. In PE at CAN, we made huge strides in just three weeks which we had planned to do this summer anyway - but thinking it would take about three months to achieve.

Which lessons have you enjoyed most and why?

It has been great to see how our students have risen to the physical activity challenges we have set them.

How have you filled your free time at home?

Can you tell about something you enjoyed, respected or achieved during lockdown?

I have really enjoyed having quality time with my young family.

It has been amazing to watch them grow up and see how our relationships get closer every day. I have also loved having the time to be physically active every day - it has been great for my mental and physical health.

Have you learnt anything new about yourself that has surprised you?

Yes, I made a conscious decision very early on to look for the silver linings in this pandemic and be responsible for my own happiness. I think this has really helped me manage my mental health at this time and remain positive looking forward to the future. It has also had a beneficial impact on the people around me.

I have used the time to future-proof myself and my family’s future by improving my skills. I have reflected and reviewed my priorities, have nearly finished an NLP life coaching qualification and am in the process of setting up a business as a side-line from teaching. It has been fascinating learning all these new skills and I think it will make me a better teacher for doing it.

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BETTER TIMES

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: LOCKDOWN PE AND SPORT IS A GAME-CHANGER AT CAN. City Academy Norwich used the power of PE and school sport to be a game-changer for students, in terms of their mental health, physical activity levels and bringing the community together during the challenging time of lockdown.

Staff saw some outstanding performances each week, with Layla in Year 10 holding a plank for 5.30 minutes: what a gamechanger! These resources were shared with local secondary and primary schools, to support and build close relationships with all our community.

Each week, staff at CAN challenged all students and staff to aim to complete 60 minutes of physical activity per day through activities of their choice such as running, walking, cycling, Joe Wicks, yoga, dance, geocaching, or socially distanced sports. Students completed a google form on the following Monday and all those who achieved 60 minutes a day of physical activity were entered into a prize draw for a weekly gift voucher, as well as feeling fantastic about their health.

Each year, in the final term, CAN holds a Sports Awards evening to celebrate the exceptional efforts of students throughout the year. This year, despite COVID-19, CAN went virtual across social media platforms. With celebrity videos from Jamie Redknapp, Jake Humphrey and former Norwich city goal machine, Iwan Roberts, it was a great way to bring the community together and celebrate students’ achievements in a wide range of categories including for the first time, PE E-learner of the year!

Alongside this, each week a member of the PE team filmed a weekly skill challenge, which included sit ups, juggling, press ups, keepie-uppies, squats and the plank. The challenge was to beat the teachers and complete as many in an allotted time.

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Please visit CAN social media platform to see the awards: if you listen carefully, you will even hear a special appearance from the X-factor/Britain’s Got Talent voice over man – Peter Dickson!

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SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: BOHUNT SCHOOL, LIPHOOK – VIRTUAL ERA (VERA) CHALLENGES! Examples of awesome, game-changing activities included: • Arwen and her little sister Cerys, who were part of the Scrubs4NHS initiative, which has raised almost £14000 and provided hundreds of scrubs for Haslemere and Petworth hospitals and other NHS centres.

Traditionally, during the summer term, students at Bohunt School in Liphook gear up for ERA week which includes a trip to the Normandy D Day beaches for Year 7, ‘glamping’ for Year 8 in the New Forest, wild camping in the Cotswolds as part of Year 9 Bushcraft, taking part in DofE or experiencing one of the many activities held in school.

This year, ERA week in its traditional form was not possible, but staff were determined that it would continue, albeit virtually.

To encourage students to share their lockdown achievements, VERA (Virtual Enjoy Respect Achieve) was introduced.

VERA week challenged students to undertake a week of GameChanger activities and fun tasks that took them away from the virtual classroom and into alternative environments. Students accessed tasks via a VERA webpage on the School’s website, that sought to develop a ‘game-changer’ attitude, whilst undertaking tasks that demonstrated the School’s ethos of ‘enjoy’, ‘respect’ and ‘achieve’.

• Millie in Year 11, who made face masks for residents in and around Liphook. Millie’s stitching proved to be so good, she turned her face masks into a small business.

• Staff challenged themselves to learn new skills whilst away from the classroom, undertaking couch to 5k runs, standup paddle boarding, making scrubs for the NHS, bike rides, painting by numbers, making cushion covers and even a 30 day yoga challenge.

Head of School Neil Pittaway said, “This year has proven that our students continue to demonstrate game-changer qualities despite the unprecedented circumstances of lockdown. I am very proud of all their achievements this term.”

ERA week is always well received, and this year was no exception. Whilst students were not able to experience the great outdoors or participate in ‘Heroes Day’, they took part in numerous ‘Beat the teacher’-style challenges from the PE department and showcased what makes a game-changer.

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BETTER TIMES

LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN… LUCY, YEAR 8, BOHUNT SCHOOL, LIPHOOK

How did you feel when the schools were first closed at the start of lockdown?

I felt a little anxious and worried at the beginning of lockdown, because when school closed, I was unsure what was going to happen and how long I would be off school.

How did you think you would find ‘remote learning’ and has your opinion changed over the past two months?

I thought I was going to find it harder as I did not have the ability to ask my teacher questions, but it has not been as bad as I first thought. There are ways to get support from teachers whether that is through email or private comments on Google Classroom when I don’t understand something. I have now started using Zoom to have live lessons with my teachers.

Which lessons have you enjoyed most and why?

The lesson I have enjoyed the most is geography, because it has been very well organised, and they have changed what we must do each week which has given good variety.

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How have you filled your free time at home?

One of the ways I have filled, my free time at home is by spending time with my family as we have all be at home. It has been nice to spend quality time with them. We have been able to play games and chat more during this period.

Can you tell about something you enjoyed, respected or achieved during lockdown?

One of the things that I have achieved during lockdown is going outside more. At the start I was quite worried about going out. But, in recent weeks I have started to go out for more walks and have even met up with my friend on a physically distanced walk.

Have you learnt anything new about yourself that has surprised you?

One thing that I have learnt about myself is that I am more resilient than I thought I was especially when it comes to my work. I realise that if it doesn’t work the first time or if I don’t know the answer you have to work it out as you can’t always ask the teacher. It has made me more self-reliant in my learning.

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SPOTLIGHT ON… ALEX, YEAR 13, BOHUNT SIXTH FORM

Tell me about yourself in thirty seconds.

I’m 18 years old. I’m quite short, but (I hope) good things come in small packages! I really enjoy learning about new things. I am a keen tennis player and love watching sport generally. I like to make cheesy jokes, or even jokes about cheese.

What have been the highlights of your time at Bohunt Sixth Form?

There hasn’t been a specific highlight as such. I’ve really enjoyed the time I spent at Bohunt Sixth Form as a whole. I felt it to be a great learning community, with lots of kind and supportive people. The teachers made all my A level subjects very interesting and the Aspire programme was stimulating.

Specific events I really enjoyed was the Parliament trip in year 12, and the Russian history lecture trip last year. Taking part in debates at the Model United Nations club was always a fun and enlivening experience and the running club also kept me on my toes!

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Tell me something we might not know about the Sixth Form?

Although the majority of the Sixth Form, in my year, was made up of students who went to Bohunt secondary school, I found that this didn’t impact on my ability to settle in. People were very friendly, so I soon felt at home.

What are your plans?

It was fantastic when I heard that Oxford University had offered me a place to study History, so fingers crossed that will be my next step [Alex did get the grades he needed for Oxford; see story on page 4!]. I’ve always loved history and politics; so, with any luck I can find a career, such as the civil service, where sometimes these subjects can come in useful.

How have you been supported at Bohunt?

I have been supported by wonderful teachers who have helped me to maximise my ability. I also feel like I’ve been supported by my friends and classmates.

What would your advice be to someone considering joining Bohunt Sixth Form?

Try to enjoy it! Maximise all the opportunities the Sixth Form gives to you.

BETTER TIMES

LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN… SARAH, YEAR 12, BOHUNT SIXTH FORM

How did you feel when the schools were first closed at the start of lockdown?

Apprehensive, not knowing what type of learning would occur and what the future will hold. Also, how I would cope with not seeing teachers and friends for a long period of time, but also hopeful that the lockdown would lead to a prevention of more people becoming ill. It was a clear fear of the unknown.

How did you think you would find ‘remote learning’ and has your opinion changed over the past two months?

I initially thought that remote learning would be a struggle, as I was not that proficient at using technology. Normally I thrive on having teachers explain topics I find difficult in a face to face format and a clear regular routine. However, ‘remote learning’ has not been that far from the “normal”. Having zoom lessons allows a class to occur as it would in real time, also being able to ask teachers questions via email means that when we return to normal, better communication out of lessons can be kept. I have more skills at using online software and these are life lessons that I would not have learnt if lockdown had not occurred.

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Which lessons have you enjoyed most and why?

I have really enjoyed being able to have a psychology question time where groups of students studying the course would be able to ask questions to a panel of experts (another group of students). This inspired group discussions between psychology classes and a conversation about attachment in application to society. Being able to hear other students’ opinions in different classes was possible due to flexible timetables. I have also really enjoyed art lessons where we have been life drawing over zoom, it is very similar to being in the classroom and therefore is encouraging to have some normality, all be it by virtual communication.

How have you filled your free time at home?

My free time at home has been spent going on many runs, I have noticed a new appreciation of being outdoors and in nature. Also, I have been sewing garments, masks and having a freedom to be creative outside of the art I do for my A Level course. This increased free time has also provided me with the opportunity to complete skills or tasks for my personal statement and therefore I have completed a MOOC on Forensic psychology, an essay competition on gender and entered a piece for an art competition.

Can you tell about something you enjoyed, respected or achieved during lockdown?

I have been writing letters to the elderly members of my church who may feel lonely or isolated during this time. I have also included a crossword and word-search to keep them entertained and have had many positive replies about feeling more secure knowing they are not being forgotten.

Have you learnt anything new about yourself that has surprised you?

I think I have come to understand how I work best, and this can be applied to later life and going into university. This independent learning has been challenging but has strengthened myself control and ability to prioritise a work life balance. I have also surprised myself by taking on new challenges such as thinking about my career and life goals as well as improving my focus on academic tasks to my highest possible standard.

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SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: BOHUNT WOKINGHAM: STOP DAY The day started with students discovering four different mountain climbers and the reasons behind each of them becoming a game-changer. To link in with our outdoor education program and Duke of Edinburgh award, students then had to research into the equipment which may be needed to complete a successful climb on Mount Kilimanjaro.

The next activity gave the students greater independence over their learning as they chose one of four mini projects to complete. This also allowed some great creativity to be seen by students who chose to complete the ‘super challenge tasks! It was wonderful to see such brilliant ideas and designs being submitted. To allow the students to refuel ready for the afternoon’s activities, a cooking challenge was set. This not only provided a bit of hands-on practical time for the students, but also enhanced their understanding of diet and nutrition, particularly focusing on the macronutrients a climber would need.

In May, Bohunt Wokingham held its first STOP day during lockdown. The PE team created a fun-filled and active day to get people moving and motivated. The day was focused around Climbing Kilimanjaro with activities based around the following learning objectives: • Game-Changers in the field of climbing

Refuelled and ready to start again, the afternoon session started off with some first aid and safety tips, making some great crosscurricular links with health and safety in PE. This then led nicely onto the final challenge of the day... the big climb! It was a large, daunting task which may have seemed impossible to start with, but with the help of friends and family lots of students managed to conquer the climb and make it to the top! It was a very successful day with some fantastic work being submitted - well done to everyone who took part and became a Bohunt mountain climber!”

• Nutrition required to undertake extreme outdoor activities • The planning required for a climb • The social impact of climbing on local populations • Injuries and First Aid • THE CLIMB! It was not only students that took part; whole families got involved, as well as staff.

There were some delicious dishes made which showcased the cooking talents of our students. Hidden veg Bolognese, easy carbonara and veggie spaghetti. Anyone else hungry??

As one PE teacher said, “As part of home learning, the students recently took part in their first STOP day, with the focus being Mount Kilimanjaro.

Throughout the day the students had a variety of activities to complete, in line with the ‘Game-Changer’ ethos of the school.

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BETTER TIMES

LOCKDOWN LOWDOWN… ANIKA, YEAR 9 (DEPUTY HEAD GIRL), BOHUNT WOKINGHAM

What are your ambitions?

My ambitions are to go to a reputed university (e.g. Oxford) to study engineering. I want to come up with an innovation that will protect the environment or help the unprivileged.

What motivates you to explore unique extension tasks?

Whenever I do a piece of work, I ask myself - have I reached my full potential? Or was this just inside my comfort zone? If it is the latter, I nudge myself to go that extra mile. An overview of the task below is when we had a competition between different teams in our maths class and I was asked (as the captain) to create a short video/animation for Completing the Square or on Solving quadratic equations. In the video, I go over how to solve quadratics by completing the square as well as some interesting visual proof of the formula.

ISSUE 7

What has been your favourite lockdown lesson and why?

Personally, I have cherished every single lockdown lesson however a few of my favourites would be DT, Maths and Mandarin because of the wide range of creative, independent and collaborative tasks and projects we have done to make lessons more interesting.

What is your best lockdown memory?

My best lockdown memory would probably be when we could meet someone from another household. I met up for a long walk (with social distancing) and chatted with my best friend from primary school who I hadn’t seen in a long time. We relished the moment, told each other about our experiences, laughed and poured out our thoughts and feelings to each other. It was one of the happiest times in lockdown.

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SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT: BOHUNT WORTHING – BOB (BEST OF BOHUNT!)

Bob on Bob 19/06/2020

ISSUE 6

Greetings from Bob:

It’s been another fun flled week at Bohunt with the eagerly awaited return of ear 1 students.

chool is

slowly starting to feel more and more ‘normal’ and this week’s Bob was a real struggle to ft onto 3 pagess There’s been so much happening; both in school and out of school. I’ve been really lucky that I have managed to get the inside scoop on our latest Bohunt celebrity; Ella, who was interviewed by the BBC on Monday. There’s an exclusive on Page 3. There’s also been some impressive work from students participating in PE’s alternative curriculum last week (Page 2), and if you want to know if it’s BBQ weather this weekend check out Lauren’s weather report below.

I’m looking forward to a time when we can we all be back together again Take care, Bob Best of Bohunt

’ Weekly Weather: Trying to plan your next Summer BBQ? Well look no

Bob s

further... here’s this weekend’s forecast

y

hosted b Lauren.

Watch here.

This week, Lillie continues to spend time in the great outdoors.

Here’s a photo she sent me of the den she constructed in the

My goal is to keep us all connected during this time, and to showcase what makes us so special, showcasing the very best of Bohunt. Each week, students, parents and teachers have been sharing all the amazing things they have been up to. I then get the absolute treat of trying to fit this into my weekly Bob which I share back to you.

Over the last six weeks I have seen; volcano cakes, acrobatic cats, tik-tok fandom, new hobbies, staff singing, jewellery making, and a whole lot of pets and DIY! We have shared outstanding home learning, some tasty home baking recipes and even interviews with staff and students! It’s also been a great way to electronically meet our newest Bohunt additions; our future Year 7 students!

We have had some great submissions from Year 6 students who are very excited about joining Bohunt in September.

I’ve loved connecting us all together, and spreading the joy during lockdown Stay in touch!

woods!

Bob’s Favourite!

https://www.bohuntworthing.com/best-of-bohunt/

It’s not very often you get to meet another Bob, but when you do it’s defnately something to celebrate.

Meet Mrs Day’s dog BobÎ Bob has been a family member of the Bohunt gang since March òñ1ã. Øe’s now 13 and thought it was time to show his face to even out the number of cat posts.

Move over Thompson....meow.

Au Revoir, not Goodbye 17/07/2020

A happy Pride f rom Bob!

ISSUE 10

Greetings from Bob (and Luca ) Mrs Poole shared her amazing birthday cake she made for her train loving son! Save some for me?

Email me bob@bohuntworthing.com The Weekly Bob is for the use of the recipients only and must not be shared whether by email or social media without explicit permission of the sender

Bohunt School Worthing encouraged students to stay connected during lockdown with a friendly virtual persona named Bob. To say he has been a hit is an understatement… meet Bob!

Howdy Bohunt! Can you believe we are on Issue 10 of the Weekly Bob! When Team Bob frst met at Bob H- with the simple idea of fnding a way to keep us all connected during home learning, I was shocked to recieve such an overwhelming repsonse from all of you, and for that I am beyond grateful. Staying connected has never been more important, so this is not goodbye. It is simply au revoir for now....'

Bo b Best of BohunU This week&s edition, we also have guest editor Luca Venditto here to helpX Well, Well, Well. What an amazing year we have had! From our performance of Oliver and school closing! This is a year not to forget. As this is our ifnal BOB of the year, I’m here to remind you there’s a special suprise below. But ifrst, here is our Weekly BOB. Enjoy your summer break. Happy Pride. Stay safe and we will see you soon !

Luca

Teacher Music Video:

Hi, I’m Bob!

For the second year in a row, watch the staff of BSW show off their lip-syncing skills!

LV: Have they bettered last year's attempt? YOU DECIDE!

We’ve not met before, and we’ve also never been in a situation like this.

So, let me tell you a little about myself; my name is Bob, or to use my full name, Best of Bohunt.

The school building is a lonely place without our students and staff and while we can’t be together, it doesn’t mean we can’t keep in touch and share what we’ve been up to. I know I’m not alone in saying how much I miss our daily interactions and seeing all the many achievements.

Watch Here Luca’s Favourite! ’

LV: Here is Ellie s

, 8 weeks old! She

new kitten Riley.

He is only

looks very tired and also looks like a little teddy could snuggle at

I

night. f there is

I

I could look at forever, this is it. So this is anything

why it is my favourite.

LV: Last week was Alternative Learning Week in English. Both Ruby and Herb chose to complete the 'design your own book cover for A Monster Calls' And what amazing book covers they created. Ruby even included the blurb.

Charlie also created his very own Tree Monster Collage based on the Monster from the book. Ð(leftÖ Ruby (mid) Herb (right)

Email me bob@bohuntworthing.com The Weekly Bob is for the use of the recipients only and must not be shared whether by email or social media without explicit permission of the sender

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BETTER TIMES

BOHUNT WORTHING WELCOMES BBC NATIONAL NEWS WHILE BOHUNT WORTHING HAD BEEN OPEN SINCE THE START OF LOCKDOWN TO SOME STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHOSE PARENTS AND CARERS ARE KEY WORKERS, IT WAS NOT UNTIL MONDAY 15 JUNE THAT BSW WAS ABLE TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO STUDENTS FROM YEAR 10.

Following government guidance, the School saw the first arrival of staggered groups of Year 10 pupils in their first week back since March. Whilst this was already a momentous day, it was made all the more exceptional by having a BBC News crew cover the event and being featured on that evening’s BBC News at 6pm. As well as an interview with Headteacher Adam Whitehead, the BBC spoke to Y10 student Ella as she returned to school.

You can watch the clip at: https://www.bohunttrust.co.uk/ news/bohunt-school-worthing-on-bbc-news/.

SUSSEX TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS – WINNERS! In a worthy accolade, Bohunt School Worthing’s Assistant Headteacher Briony Palmer and Headteacher at Bohunt Horsham, Georgette Ayling and her team were nominated in the Inspire Schools Teacher of the Year Awards.

Mid-term, Briony and Georgette received news that they are winners!

Briony also won the ERA Award at the inaugural BET Awards in February this year (though she was unable to collect her award as she was self-isolating).

A huge well done to Bohunt Horsham and Briony for all their hard work.

ISSUE 7

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BET VIRTUAL VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION PARENTS, STUDENTS, STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE INVITED TO CELEBRATE THE WORK OF BET GCSE AND A-LEVEL VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OF 2020 WITH A VIRTUAL VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION. To enable visitors to safely experience the art, artwork from students across the Trust was hosted via the BET website. Trust Leader Neil Strowger gave a welcome address, and visitors were then able to view artwork via links to schools’ websites.

Gary Leeson, BET visual arts co-ordinator, said: “The visual arts are a vital part of the glue that helps to develop a sense of community and belonging. The annual visual art exhibitions are an important part of our educational offering, and something students and staff enjoy, as they celebrate the creative efforts of all. They are also a fantastic opportunity for younger students to be inspired to emulate their older peers. Moving online provides a perfect platform upon which to showcase our students’ outstanding efforts. I am incredibly proud of all of them!”

The exhibition is free and open to the Visit www.bohunttrust.co.uk/virtual-arts-exhibition/

public.

Copyright of all the images and material on our schools’ galleries belong to the individuals to whom the image or material is attributed, and no permission is granted by the display of such images or material in this magazine or on our websites for any use either in whole or in part other than as expressly agreed by the individual to whom the image or material is attributed. Readers of this magazine and visitors to our websites must not screenshot, print, download, forward, or store (or take any other equivalent steps) by any means or for any purpose other than immediate personal use.

Maya L - TPS

James S - Bohunt Sixth Form

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Amelia H - Bohunt School.

Kira - Bohunt School Worthing

BETTER TIMES

Alisha B - Priory

Anisa U - Priory

Meg S - Costello

Felix P - Bohunt School

Abi - Bohunt Worthing

Tilly WS - Bohunt Sixth Form

ISSUE 7

Madeleine D - TPS

Freya R - Bohunt School

Chhavi B - Costello

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Cosmina - Costello

Johnnie S - Bohunt Sixth Form

James S - Bohunt Sixth Form

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James - Bohunt Worthing

Persephone - Costello

Bella H - Priory

Josie D - Bohunt Sixth Form

Amelia H - Bohunt School

BETTER TIMES

Alfie MW - Priory

Brandon J - Priory

Brioni - Costello

Serena D - Bohunt School

Scarlett W - Bohunt School

Kate WW - Bohunt Sixth Form

FUTURE ISSUES OF BETTER TIMES We want to ensure you enjoy BETTER Times and find it a useful and engaging platform. If you have any suggestions for future content, please email Polly Sharpe, BET Director of Communications, at: psharpe@bohunt.hants.sch.uk

ISSUE 7

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E D U C AT I O N T RU S T

www.bohunttrust.com Longmoor Road Liphook Hampshire GU30 7NY t: 01428 724324 e: psharpe@bohunt.hants.sch.uk @Bohunt_Trust @bohunt_trust

Enjoy. Respect. Achieve.