Primary School Visits to Year 11 GCSE Drama Performances
It was a real pleasure to welcome students from our local primary schools to watch the Year 11 GCSE Drama performances this week. They had the opportunity to experience our excellent drama facilities and enjoy the high-quality production first-hand. A huge well done to our talented Year 11 students for their fantastic performances, and thank you to St Michael’s, Holy Trinity, and our wonderful Drama department for helping to make this such a positive experience.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
We are delighted to share that, in the latest Duke of Edinburgh statistics, Charters School was ranked 4th overall in the South of England for the number of awards completed across Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. This achievement, which includes both state and independent schools, is a real testament to the strength of our personal development curriculum. DofE is about much more than hiking with friends – it helps students build confidence, resilience, community spirit and valuable life skills through volunteering and learning new talents.

Year 13 – Next Steps
We are incredibly proud of our Year 13 students. So far, 181 students have applied to university through UCAS, with many already receiving offers, including four Oxbridge offers – an outstanding achievement. The remaining students are being fully supported with apprenticeships and work-based applications. This means every student has a clear pathway forward, helping them to stay motivated and focused as they prepare for their exams in May and June.

Year 11 – Next Steps
All guidance interviews for our Year 11 students have now been completed as they plan their next steps for the coming academic year. It has been great to see students engaging positively with the process and considering their future options carefully.

Year 9 – Options Process
Following last week’s presentation to parents and carers, we were pleased to host our Year 9 Options Evening this week. Departments were on hand to offer advice and guidance, supporting students and families as they begin to make informed decisions about the subjects they wish to study in Years 10 and 11.

Valentine’s Bake Sale
This week also saw our annual Valentine’s Bake Sale in support of our House charities. A big thank you to everyone who baked, donated and bought cakes – your generosity and enthusiasm helped make the event a lovely success.

Search Dogs Visit
On Wednesday, we welcomed an unannounced visit from search dogs, as part of our ongoing safeguarding work. We partner with a national company that supports major events and law enforcement, helping us to ensure that our school remains a safe and secure environment for everyone in our community.

Mobile Phones
As a reminder, we are a phone-free school. Any phone seen or heard during the school day will be confiscated in line with our policy, which is fully supported by the Education Act 2006. Our approach is designed to support learning, focus and wellbeing. We appreciate parents’ support in ensuring that phones are kept in pouches or not brought into school. Further details can be found in our policy.

Assemblies This Week
This week’s assemblies, led by Mr Stephenson, focused on explaining changes to the structure of the school day from September 2026. These changes will not affect start or finish times, but will improve the internal organisation of lessons and breaks. A letter outlining these updates has been sent to parents and carers.

Trips and Enrichment Activities
Students have continued to enjoy a wide range of enriching trips and activities this term, including university visits, workshops and competitions:

These experiences play a vital role in broadening horizons, building confidence and enriching learning beyond the classroom.

Attendance
Since the start of the academic year, students have had 98 school days, alongside a two-week half term and two weeks off at Christmas. Recently, a student commented that 90% attendance felt “okay”, but when this was translated into 10 missed days – or two full weeks of school – it really highlighted the impact of absence.

The table below shows how attendance percentages translate into missed learning time:

Missing this amount of school inevitably affects a student’s learning, confidence and engagement. Good attendance habits are also essential preparation for adult life and future employment. We continue to work closely with students and families to support improved attendance, and we encourage parents to contact tutors if they have any concerns.

Check out this week's news stories by clicking on the images below

Annual Valentine's House Charities Bake Sale

FoCS Race Night Fundraiser Success

The Importance of Getting the Basics Right 

Medical Society Talk at Eton College

GCSE Drama Performance to Primary schools

Inspiring Sustainability Workshop

Oxbridge Success for Our Fab Four!

Take a look through our social media using the buttons below

A huge well done to all our Stars this week...

7	Jaidan	When their friend fractured his arm playing football in school, Jaidan was part of the group of friends who fetched help, helped him to his feet, started to clean his wounds with a clean tissue, escorted him to the medical room, fending off footballs on the way, and gave up the rest of their break to make sure their friend was okay. I'm super proud of him for showing that he is so kind and caring. Jaidan is also always polite, contributes when he can and is always very respectful.
8	Bella	Showing integrity at all times - also giving maximum effort during tutor and PDL displaying elements of excellence
9
10	Kabisha	A focused and hard working student who always does her best, respected by her teachers and peers alike. Always strives for excellence.
11	Sienna	In recognition for always doing the right thing.
12	Camaren	A fantastic week in representing the school at SATRO event so positively and for some recent outstanding homework, as well as always being polite and courteous.
13	Toby	Toby - for his effort and thought that went into his passionate presentation. Toby clearly made the effort to share with the class a real interest that he has.

Here is a round-up of the fixtures from the past fortnight.

We reported a few weeks back on Savana in Year 9 attending her first England Football Talent ID Pathway match and training event, on the back of which an England representative came and watched Savana during a school fixture.  Savana has now been invited to another England event during half term. The event is to continue monitoring Savana’s progress throughout the football season with the aim to place her within England Women’s Pathway.  This event is a training session to show how England train.  Well done Savana this is great news!

RACE NIGHT

Last Friday evening, the Friends of Charters School hosted their second fundraising event - a fun Race Night.  Thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening a roaring success.  The full story can be read via our News Section above but a fantastic £1,293.15 was raised and all proceeds go directly to  enhancing the school experience for our students.  Thank you!

UNDERSTANDING ATTENDANCE - A QUICK NOTE FOR PARENTS/CARERS

This term Charters is taking part in a national research project called “Understanding Attendance” with ImpactEd. The aim is simple: to help us better understand what helps young people come to school feeling ready, confident and able to learn — and what sometimes gets in the way. Attendance is influenced by many things, from routines at home and sleep, to friendships, wellbeing and how connected students feel to school.

Next week you will receive a short online questionnaire. We would be really grateful if you could spare a few minutes to complete it. Your views genuinely matter — they will help us shape the support we provide and ensure we focus on the things that make the biggest difference for our students and families. Responses are anonymous and are analysed alongside other schools nationally so we can learn what works best.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Working in partnership with parents is one of the most powerful ways we can help every student attend well and thrive.

YONDR POUCHES

A reminder to students that mobile devices (phones, watches, earphones)  MUST be in YONDR pouches before they come onto the school site.  This means they should not be being used in the canteen or anywhere else on site before or after school.  Our Mobile Phone Policy applies as soon as students are on site.

BRITISH BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD RESULTS

Our Year 12 Biologists participated in the British Biology Olympiad, which challenges to expand their knowledge by tackling tough questions about a range of biological phenomena. It's great to see students stretching themselves and showing fantastic problem-solving skills. Particular recognition goes to:

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK

This week we shone a light on the range of apprenticeships available across a broad section of industries.  Students in Years 9 and 10 took part in workshops delivered by Activate Apprenticeships,which highlighted the levels of apprenticeship available.  Many were surprised to discover that there was something for everyone - from Level 2 designed to give 16 year-olds with limited qualifications a bridge into the work of work, through to Level 7 which is the equivalent to a Master's Degree.  Discover more here.

PRE-LOVED UNIFORM

Thank you to everyone who donated items or bought from the Pre-loved Uniform sale this week.  £30 was raised for the school's Unity fund.  The next day for donations/sale will be during the last week of the spring term -  Monday 23 March (collecting donations) and Wednesday 25 March (sale).  We are low in stock on most items so all donations appreciated but please note we are only accepting items with the new brand logo now.  Thank you

LIBRARY DISPLAY

As part of Children's Mental Health Week, Mrs Olding and her student Library team have created a wonderful display which offers reading around Children's Mental Health, to raise empathy, reassure those facing mental health issues and offer strategies to build resilience; thus promoting the development, in line with Charters Character Pillars, of compassion, confidence and resilience.

NATIONAL ENERGY SYSTEM OPERATOR (NESO) VIRTUAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Are you interested in an exciting career in engineering and energy systems? Join us for a Virtual STEM work experience with National Energy System Operator (NESO) to discover opportunities in the engineering and energy sector and learn how you can help shape the future of sustainable energy.

NESO is part of the UK Government, so it is publicly owned and has a core responsibility for the entire distribution of the UK’s electricity and gas supply.      

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday 17th February
• Time: 10:00am - 2:30pm
• Location: Virtual via Zoom (Link provided upon registration)
• Who Can Attend? Year 11,12 and 13 and university students

Why This Event Matters

The National Energy System Operator plays a crucial role in shaping the UK’s energy landscape, ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy supply. By attending this event, you’ll gain valuable insights into how engineering is driving the energy transition and how you can be part of this vital work

Why Attend?

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

• Learn About Engineering Roles: Gain insight into the innovative work of the National Energy System Operator to balance supply and demand across the UK’s energy grid.
• Explore Career Pathways: Discover opportunities for school-leavers and graduates and meet current and former apprentices/graduates working towards a sustainable future.
• Hear From Experts: Meet engineers working at the forefront of the energy transition, tackling real-world challenges to create a greener and more sustainable future.
• Ask Your Questions: Participate in a live Q&A session to get tailored advice about the skills, qualifications, and experiences needed to succeed in this field.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore an engineering career with a leading organisation in the energy sector. 

Register Here

We look forward to welcoming you to this insightful session and helping you take the next step towards a rewarding engineering career.

Our Upcoming Opportunities page is constantly updated with new and exciting Careers opportunities.

 

BE PREPARED
EVERY DAY STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BRING...

 

HOPE FOOD SHARE

The Hope Church food share takes place each Tuesday from 12pm-1pm. 

The items include mainly fresh food and bakery items donated from local supermarkets. The food is at the end of its shelf life (but still perfectly fine to eat!) and would otherwise just go to waste. Bring a bag to fill up, stop for a chat and a cup of tea (and cake!!) and warm up in the church. ALL welcome, no voucher/referral required.

Hope Church, Sunningdale, The Hope Centre, High Street Sunningdale, (next to Nag’s Head).

Please CLICK HERE for more details.

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