Welcome to the latest weekly update. It has been a beautiful week at Balcarras—the sun has shone every day, the spring flowers are gradually making their presence felt and all sorts of fun things have been going on.

Balcarras Win Bronze Medal at the England National School Squash Finals

On Wednesday the Balcarras Boys’ Squash Team came third at the National Squash Championships held at Edgbaston in Birmingham.  This is our highest finish at a National Final since we won the National Young Enterprise Competition in 2013. The team met in my office at break for a special well-done ceremony with me, Mr Lane and Mr Critchley. Well done to the boys! See article here:

https://www.balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk/news/?pid=3&nid=1&storyid=1431

PTFA Comedy Night Tonight

There are some tickets available for the Comedy Night tonight. They are great events so please do support it if you can.

The Spring Concert

On Tuesday night we had the Spring Concert. This event serves as an opportunity for GCSE and A level musicians to practice their assessed piece in front of an audience. I have to say it was a wonderful evening. My thanks to Mr Armstrong, Mr Howell, Mrs Watts and <r Horne.  

Apprenticeship Rehearsals

On Monday and Tuesday this week I attended presentations given by 4 Year 13 pupils who this week have apprenticeship interviews. We think it is a good idea for them to have a run through before the real thing. I was very impressed by each. It is always such a busy time to year as we support Year 13 in looking at next step opportunities.

Year 12 pupils visit to Oxford

On Tuesday Mr Niblett took a group of 47 Year 12 pupils to Oxford. They visited Lady Margaret Hall (which is our link college at Oxford) and St Hilda’s. Mt Niblett runs our ‘Boost’ programme which aims to encourage and widen participation in university. As part of the visit our pupils met up with Balcarras alumni; James Pearne, Daniel Morgan and Emily Crook, who shared their experience of life at Oxford.

Maths Hub Strategic Board

On Wednesday morning I attended the latest meeting of the Glow Maths Strategic Board. GLOW Maths continues to do sterling work supporting maths educators across the region. I am ever so proud of the contribution Balcarras makes to the wider educational landscape in the southwest.

Meeting of the Chairs

On Wednesday morning I met with the Chair of Governors and the Chairs of the Governors Committees to plan for the next full governors meeting. I am ever so grateful to the governors for the time they give to Balcarras.

Sporting Highlights of the Week

Aside from the Squash we have also had a number of other great sporting highlights this week. Well done to the Year 9 Netball Team who were undefeated in winning the Cheltenham District Netball Championships. They beat Cleeve in the semi-final and CLC in the final.

The Year 11 Boys Football Team beat Chosen Hill in the Quarter Finals of the District. They now head on to the semi-finals. The Year 8 Boys Football Team beat Bournside 3-0 and are making good progress in their qualifying competition. The Year 10 boys beat Cleeve 5-1 whilst Year 9 drew 2-2 against the same opponents. The Year 7 Girls Football Team are enjoying a highly successful season—their latest result: a 7-0 victory against All Saints. There were lots of fixtures last night as well and I haven’t yet caught up with all of the results. A highly successful week for our sports teams!

40th Anniversary Celebrations

There are some nice things planned for our 40th Anniversary Celebrations.

If you haven’t already then please do take a look at our fundraising platform:

https://balcarras.hubbub.net/coming-soon/

Here are a couple you can get involved with:
⚽ Join the Balcarras 40th‑Anniversary 7‑a‑Side Football Tournament!

Dust off your boots, gather your teammates, and get ready for a fantastic afternoon of football fun as part of our 40th‑anniversary celebrations!

On Thursday 26th March from 4pm, Balcarras will be hosting a mixed‑gender, mixed‑ability 7‑a‑side tournament, open to the whole school community. Whether you’re a seasoned striker, a casual kick‑about player, or someone who just wants to enjoy the atmosphere, we’d love you to be part of it.

Who can play?

Absolutely everyone!
Parents, staff, alumni, Sixth Formers, and friends of the school are all invited to take part.

There will also be a bar open for participants and spectators.

Entry Details

• £10 per person (payable via ScoPay)
  👉 https://www.scopay.com/product/6627020
• Sign up as part of a team or as an individual
• 40th anniversary football link to fill in form
• Teams can have up to 10 players
• If entering a team, please nominate a captain and choose a team name
• Team Captains should list all players on the form
• Team Members and individuals should also complete the form so we can organise the squads