Newsletters

Spring Term - 24th January 2025

Welcome to our latest news update, including opportunities for students to take part in arts and careers activities outside school, and our usual WESPA round up. As parents and family members, you are such an important part of our community and working in partnership with you is very important.

Of course, if you have time, it would be great to see you at the WESPA meeting next week. But, it is particularly important that Year 11 parents attend parents' evening on Wednesday evening, 29th January. You will have sent a link to book appointments. This is the final main opportunity for you to hear the advice students need to act on to be successful.

As I'm writing this, a quarter of Year 11 have just left their English intervention, giving targeted support for the Language and Literature GCSE papers. This is a reminder of the intervention running across the week, between now and the start of GCSE exams.

5Rs in focus: Respect and responsibility

Students have recently been reflecting on the school community and the importance of Respect and Responsibility, two of the school's 5Rs.

These are the key messages for students to take away with them:

• William Ellis is a strong community where relationships and trust are important. And all staff and all students are valued.​ It is the TRUST that is evident between each of us that makes the community work so well.​
• Behaving with consideration and with kindness is central to all that William Ellis stands for.​
• When trust is broken, relationships are damaged and ​communities weaken.​
• We are all responsible for maintaining the high standards that ​the school expects.​

We have had a few students in the past week decide to film others in the school community without permission, outside school. It is important that all students know that this is wrong:

• So that they do not do it, and do not encourage others to do it.
• So that if it happens to them, they know that it is important to tell a trusted adult so that it can be dealt with.

Rudeness to others, gossiping about others, spreading things about others and passing on inappropriate messages, sharing images of others on social media is unkind and not in line ​with the 5 Rs.

​In the UK, it is generally legal to film or take photos of people in public spaces without their consent. However, if the person being filmed has a reasonable expectation of privacy, things are different.​

Additionally, filming someone in a way that is intended to harass or intimidate them can be considered a criminal offence. It is always best to respect someone’s privacy and obtain permission before filming or taking photos, especially in private settings.​

If the filming is done in a public place, it is generally permissible as long as it does not infringe on the privacy of the individuals being filmed.​

If a video of you goes viral without your consent, it may be considered a violation of privacy rights.​

Please talk to young people in your family about this, to reinforce the messages that we are giving at school. And please let us know if a young person is filmed, so that we can deal with the incident properly.

Orchestra of Chaos - After-School Workshop Series at Central Saint Martins. For students aged 14-18

Join this unique workshop series to create your own musical instrument using computing, coding, woodwork, and metalwork. Be part of an experimental orchestra and compose collaborative music with your handmade instruments! Sessions run Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5-7:30pm (4-27th February). Students must attend minimum 6 out of 8 sessions. Email school@storeprojects.org with your name, school and year group to register. Places are limited.

William Ellis was proud to be a part of Camden’s Art Bienniale 2024, showcasing work from the borough’s students

Camden have started planning for the Camden Art Biennale 2026 and intend it to be even bigger and better than last time, including an extended exhibition. As a reminder you may enjoy watching a short film about Biennale 24 CSAB without subtitles or CSAB with subtitles. Camden will be running some interim Biennale art activities which will be happening in February:

Exhibition

Look out for our exhibition across Granary, Pancras and Canal Squares revisiting and celebrating the Biennale (3rd February to 1st March)

Workshops:

Passing the Baton: From Simple Sticks to Spectacular Ideas

Simple materials - such as the humble stick - can spark incredible creativity. Inspired by techniques taught at Central Saint Martins, this series of workshops will explore how simple materials, like sticks, can be transformed through imaginative making. Each session, led by tutors from CSM, offers hands-on experience including fashion, textiles, drawing and 3D design / architecture and digital media. Along the way, young people will gain a glimpse of what happens at Art School and why it might be an exciting path for their future. So, come along this half term, explore, experiment and see how big ideas can grow from something as small and simple as a stick!

Sat 15th - Tues 18 Feb 2025 at Central Saint Martins, Granary Square

For 7–12 year olds and their families. Free but booking is essential.

Four workshops, one theme: come to one, or all four sessions! Daily 10am - 4pm in timed slots

Click here to book.

International Women's Day Celebration Event for Year 12 and 13 students interested in STEM careers

An International Women's Day celebration for students in Years 12 & 13 who identify as women. The event includes networking with industry leaders, employability skills workshops and joining the Empower ME Network. Taking place in central London on March 12th (9:30 AM - 4:30 PM). Sponsored by Thales, Barclays and UCB. Students can sign up directly via this form

Yours faithfully,

Izzy Jones

Headteacher