Welcome to the latest update from Balcarras. We are now at the end of week 6 and October half term is within touching distance. Just two weeks to go!

Senior Maths Challenge

This week over 120 sixth form pupils took part in the UK Senior Maths Challenge. That’s the highest number yet. We’ll find out the results in a few weeks. My thanks to Mr Critchley for organising.

Balcarras are County Hockey Champions….Again!

On Wednesday the Year 9 Girls Hockey team captured the County Championship for the third year running. They now qualify for the Regionals. Here is a photo of them with me and Miss Davies celebrating the win.

House Music Competition and Highlights Concert

On Tuesday we had a wonderful House Music competition. Hundreds of pupils from every year group took part and there was a great atmosphere all day. Mrs Watts and Mr Howell were joined by our external judge, Jonathon Trim, from the Gloucestershire Youth Orchestra, on the judging panel. It was a close decision but in the end they gave it Selvey House. That’s now three House Music’s in a row for Selvey!

On Wednesday evening we had the Highlights Concert. It was a great event and I was pleased to see so many parents there. I often say that we want music to be at the heart of the school—evenings like this give me confidence that it is. My thanks to the music department, everyone who helped on the technical side and, in particular, to the sixth form leaders who devised the programme and arranged the music.

Music Videos

The latest video will be released on the Balcarras Music Channel at 6pm tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/@balcarrasmusic495

So far the videos posted have been viewed 38,432 times!

Gloucestershire Schools Forum

I am an elected representative of the Gloucestershire Schools Forum representing academy schools. The Forum is a statutory body and exists to offer advice and oversight to the local authority around school funding. It has 29 members. The Forum receives regular reports about school funding. I have been a member of the forum for about three years. During that time a crisis has grown around the funding for High Needs pupils. The local authority retain responsibility for allocating this funding which covers Special Educational Needs and Disability (both in mainstream and specialist provision), alternative provision, hospital education, and various other things. On Wednesday, the local authority reported that the deficit this year on High Needs is forecast to be £45 million. That will leave the cumulative deficit at £125.2 million by August 2026. The deficit is forecast to be £270 million by 2029. By the end of 2025 the national High Needs deficit is forecast to be £5 billion. That is the cumulative deficit across every local authority in the country.

I have continually made the point that the current crisis is playing out in two places at once. Local authorities are sliding into ever greater debt and deficit but schools up and down the country are also being asked to provide services without the necessary funding. Something has to give.

This crisis has been building for a long time and has been largely ignored by successive governments. This failure of government cannot be allowed to continue. There needs to be an urgent plan put in place.   

Year 12 Pupil Pursuit

I carry out seven ‘pupil pursuits’ across the school year. Basically, I follow the timetable of two pupils and just experience life as a student for the day. On Thursday I did my first of the year following two Year 12 pupils. It was a very enjoyable day. My favourite lesson was politics!

Year 7 Parents Evening

It was lovely to see so many Year 7 parents in the school on Thursday afternoon. The Year 7s have made a great start to their careers with us.

Buddy’s Official Photo for the year

Buddy’s Official Photo arrived this week. Doesn’t he look handsome?

Half term Activities offered by Charlton Kings Parish Council

Charlton Kings Parish council are offering the following activities during half term.

Right, that’s it. It’s a quiet weekend for me…no football and no travelling. I’m just going to put my feet up.

Dominic Burke