Photo of the Balcarras Croquet Team with the impressive Trent Building at Nottingham University in the background.

House Dance

On Monday we had the 2026 House Dance Competition. It was a great event and featured some star performances. Graveney emerged victorious overall and Jess McPherson won the Lewis Cup. Well done to her!

Be sure not to miss the House Dance Highlights Concert on Monday 29th June at 7pm in the Main Hall.

There is an article here on the website:

https://www.balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk/news/?pid=3&nid=1&storyid=1510

6th Form UCAS Convention

On Tuesday the sixth form took Year 12 to the UCAS Convention in Birmingham. They were able to look around the stands of dozens of universities looking at their degree and apprenticeship offers.

Year 7 Skipathon and Charity Stalls

On Tuesday we had the annual Year 7 Skipathon and Charity stalls event. We have always used this to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. We had to change it slightly this year because of the weather. The pupils did their skipping in the sports hall and we had the charity stalls under cover. I enjoyed having a go on several of the stalls and surprised myself at just how far I could throw a welly. I got real distance! My thanks to Mrs Saunders and the Year 7 tutor team.

Year 9 Students Explore Careers in Construction

This week, our Year 9 students took part in an exciting "Constructing for Excellence" event, designed to showcase the wide range of opportunities available within the construction industry.

Representatives from seven different construction-related companies visited the school to speak with students and lead interactive activities. Students had the opportunity to design their own restaurant with Barnwood Construction, learning about the planning and development process behind commercial buildings. They also worked with Rappor, exploring the role of transport planning through an activity that involved assessing movement around the school site.

A key message throughout the day was that the construction industry offers far more than traditional trade roles. Students learned about the many career pathways available, including project management, engineering, architecture, surveying, transport planning, marketing, finance, and human resources.

With the UK currently facing a national housing shortage and significant demand for new infrastructure, the construction sector continues to play a vital role in the country's future. Industry professionals highlighted that construction is a growing field with a wide variety of rewarding and secure career opportunities.

The event was a fantastic opportunity for students to gain first-hand insight into the industry and broaden their understanding of the many careers that help bring construction projects to life. We would like to thank all the companies involved for giving their time and expertise to inspire our students.

International Women in Engineering Day Competition

This year 3 students from Year 9 entered the International Women in Engineering Day Competition ran by GCHQ. The competition required students to have a conversation with AI about an inspiring woman in a STEM career or encourage more women into STEM careers. Isla McRitchie was awarded Runner Up in the INWED 2026 Schools Competition. The panel of engineers and senior leaders reviewed all of the entries and were particularly impressed by Isla's thoughtful use of AI to research a number of influential women in technology, and how this research was incorporated into her own design. The panel also greatly appreciated the personal reflections included in the submission. Well done to everyone involved.

There is an article here:

https://www.balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk/news/?pid=3&nid=1&storyid=1512

Visit to Spirax Sarco

On Thursday afternoon Spirax Sarco invited five Balcarras students to join them in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day 2026 (INWED). This year's theme, #EngineeringIntelligence, celebrates the creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills that engineers bring to the world.

INWED gives women engineers around the world greater visibility at a time when they remain significantly under-represented in the profession. In the UK, 2021 figures showed that only 16.5% of engineers are women. As the only international awareness campaign dedicated to women in engineering, INWED plays a vital role in inspiring more young women and girls to consider careers in engineering and related STEM fields.

However, International Women in Engineering Day isn't just for women—it's for everyone who wants engineering to attract, develop, and retain the very best talent. Men play an important role as colleagues, mentors, leaders, and allies who help create inclusive workplaces where everyone can succeed.

Spirax Sarco actively champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and is committed to encouraging the next generation of engineers. The event gave students a valuable opportunity to meet inspiring engineers, learn about the wide range of careers available, and see first-hand how innovation and diversity are helping to shape the future of engineering.

My thanks to Mrs Lewis and Mrs Towers for all their outstanding work in careers.

Sports Day

Unfortunately, we had to postpone it this week. It will now take place next Thursday.

Holy Apostles

Today we organised an extra taster day for Year 6 Holy Apostles pupils. They will be on their residential next week and so will miss our official taster day. It was a pleasure to meet them. 

School Improvement Visit to Balcarras

One of the big advantages of being in the Balcarras Trust is that you get access to high quality school improvement advice from an independent source. The Trust’s School Improvement Partner (SIP) is Julie Tridgell. She visited the school a few weeks ago and looked at how inclusive the school is with a particular focus on the culture set by the school’s leadership team. Here is a short excerpt from her report:

Balcarras is an exceptional school. Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for providing high quality education for all pupils and leaders work effectively together to ensure that pupils with multiple vulnerabilities are effectively supported. Not only are individual leaders compelling around their commitment to improving the quality of provision at Balcarras even further but the collective strength of the team under the leadership of the headteacher is exemplary.

Dominic Burke