Welcome to the Summer Newsletter 
The Summer Term is usually one of the most hectic and this year has been no
exception. Events this term have included a ‘Creative Showcase’, Sports Awards and
Lower School Awards Evenings, our Year 11 Prom, Year 6 and Sixth Form Induction
Days, a Year 10 ‘Be a Sixth Former for the day’, District and West Hatch Sports Days,
the Jack Petchey Foundation Awards Evening plus a number of trips and visits.
We will not be able to cover everything in this newsletter, but you can keep up to date
with the latest West Hatch news via our school website, Facebook and Twitter.
We do like to hear from our alumni and find out what you have been doing since
leaving West Hatch. You can get in touch with us via Geoff Towsey,
our Careers Co-ordinator and Alumni Officer, by e-mailing
gtowsey@westhatch.essex.sch.uk
 Also, please encourage any other alumni you may be in contact with to sign up to our 
alumni network, via networks.futurefirst.org.uk/former-student/westhatch
Last June we introduced a House system at West Hatch.
Over the last year there have been numerous House competitions, from
Bake Offs to fancy dress days and app designs to sports day.
We are very pleased to announce that, after the 2015 Sports Day, our first West Hatch House Champions are
Brunel
Class of ‘76 Reunion!?
One of our alumni is trying to organise a reunion for the class of ‘76.
Full details are yet to be confirmed, but they have set up a Facebook group:
West Hatch Class of '76 @ 50!!
 As soon as we have confirmation of full details we will let you know.
 
“It was a great day full of engaging Sixth Form lessons for 
our Year 10s to try, subjects they may not have studied 
before. I really hope it gave them some
inspiration to try their best at their GCSEs to progress to
this next stage in their career." 
Mrs Schaefer   Assistant Headteacher, responsible for the Sixth Form
Our Year 10s find out what it’s like to be a Sixth Former for a day.
On Wednesday 1 July, our Year 10s found out what life is like as a Sixth Form student. They were able to
create their own timetable, based on what subjects they would like to study. They then had the opportunity
to experience what these subjects may entail.
West Hatch is proud to be part of the Jack Petchey
Foundation Gold Award scheme.
by their peers and staff to each receive £200 which
they can elect to spend on an aspect of school life to
benefit the greatest number of students.
Winners Warren Smith, Georgia Norman, Georgia
Bird, Hannah Brandon, Deanna Mathers, Rhys
Maslen, Gabriel Connolly, Nataskia Lopez Dias and
Ella Reeves joined other young people in a night of 
celebration at James Hawkey Hall, Woodford Green.
They received their awards from Essex Police District Commander Chief Inspector Denise Morrissey.
Mrs Julie Smith, mother of Warren Smith - the school's September winner - said: "What a wonderful, positive
evening - full of confidence and amazing young people."
The West Hatch High School Leaders' Award was presented to Geoff Towsey for his work in careers,
encouraging students into Higher Education and his behind the scenes support for Heads of House.
Caroline Haines, West Hatch High School's Jack Petchey co-ordinator, said: "The motto of Jack Petchey - to
inspire, motivate and achieve - is what we aim to do every day in our school community at West Hatch. The
awards scheme reinforces this."
 
Year 12 AS Geography students enjoyed a residential trip to
Castle Head in the Lake District.
Year 10 students Charlotte Allen and Holly King were the first Child
Development students to take home RealCare Virtual Babies for a
weekend of sleep deprivation and hard work. The 'babies' are based on
the schedules of 15 real babies and must be fed, rocked, burped and
changed. A sophisticated piece of technology, the RealCare Babies are
incredibly life-like and respond to the care giver by cooing after good
care (and burping too) and recording all the care that has been given
on the Care Report as well as rough handling, shaken baby,
unsupported head and neglect. Both girls did exceptionally well and truly
appreciated the difficulties and demands of caring for a baby. Holly said:
"It was stressful! I took the baby out shopping and received some funny
looks."
Charlotte said: "It was harder than I had thought. Getting up in the night
was the most difficult part. I enjoyed taking the baby out and explaining
how it related to our course." Anjala Sharma, Head of the CACHE
Department, said: "We use these babies within an educational
framework to provide a memorable and practical hands-on opportunity
for young people to experience the realities of parenthood. "Many young
girls see the pretty side of parenthood - dressing up babies and pushing
them around in a lovely pram and think this is what parenting is all about
but the hard side of parenting - the night feeds, fussy and unhappy
babies, not enough sleep and feeling very tired and frustrated - is
something all parents go through and needs to be experienced too."
Students studying Child Development take babies home.
The students took part in a range of fieldwork from studying
and comparing two rural areas, and the impact of tourism
on the area, to studying the changes in a river from source to
mouth. Students worked extremely hard, particularly in the
evening when they completed gruelling statistical data.
Teacher Zoe Barrett said: "I was so proud of how enthusiastic
and hardworking the students were. They totally embraced
the experience and made me proud to see how they were
able to transfer their theoretical knowledge from the classroom to the field. "The students really showed they
were the best they could be!" Ellie Henry said: "The field trip was really good fun and I enjoyed working in
groups to collect data. "It was so enjoyable and interesting at the same time. We really bonded as a class."
 Alex Brett said: "I loved the trip and it has made me even more certain that I want to study Geography at
university."
 
Fourteen West Hatch High School students have taken part in the
school's first Creative Showcase. The display evening gave the Year 7
and 8 students a chance to show off the work they completed as part of 
their Extended Research Project. Teacher Naseem Alahi, the school's
Extended Research Project co-ordinator, said:" Students have gone
away and done some individual research and designed and recreated
something of their own choice. “We had lots of different projects - quite
a few of our students went along to museums, found something that
inspired them and recreated them." Work ranged from fashion and a
dress made from newspaper to butterflies, a mosaic and The Globe
Theatre. Mrs Alahi added: "The work was of a high quality, unique,
creative and well researched and the evaluated projects were
showcased in an interesting and memorable evening." The judges
praised students’ ability to articulate in depth the concept behind their 
individual creations and their ability to answer questions asked as part
of the judging process. The overall winners were: Peoples’ Choice
award, Katie Scollan (with her interpretation of Van Gogh's Sunflower 
painting), the Judge’s par excellence award, Imogen Stephens
(butterflies); the Most informative and Engaging award, Kai Azizi
(Animation); Most Insightful and Enriching, Sushanthan Chandramohan
(Ferris Wheel) and Most innovative and imaginative, Olivia Roberts.
Austen House raised £116, for Marie Curie Cancer Care, when they washed more than 20 cars as part of a charity car wash.
Creative students show off  Extended Research Project work
Katie Scollan (Inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers)
Sushanthan Chandramohan (Inspired by engineering and force)
 
Year 7s visit the University of Essex
Thursday 18 June was a slightly earlier start than usual, for some of our Year 7s, as forty-seven of them
made their way into West Hatch for 8:20am. They had already psyched themselves up for a ninety minute
coach trip, as they left West Hatch and started their drive down to Colchester.
The students knew they were on their way to the University of Essex, but many of them did not really know
what to expect. All they had been told was that they would be spending the day at the University to get an
insight into what university life is like and what you could study. Whilst some of them had visited universities
in the past (with brothers, sisters, cousins and other family or friends), for many of the students this was the
first time they had actually visited a university.
When they arrived and made their way off the coach they were amazed by the campus. As they walked
passed the various lecture halls, accommodation, clubs, canteens and shops, they soon began to realise
this was like a little village; it did not take them long to realise you would never have to leave.
The first activity of the day was a brief introduction to university life and why you might consider going to
university. Although they were at the University of Essex, all the information would be equally relevant for 
any other university in the country. The students were amazed by the various opportunities and activities
they could get involved with as a uni student.
Following this talk, the Year 7s were then given a tour of the University and had a chance to see some of 
the accommodation. The tours were delivered by some of the Student Ambassadors, who were current (or 
recently finished) students, and this was a fantastic opportunity for the Year 7s to ask them any questions
they may have had.
Following the campus tour was the all-important lunch break. The students were given the opportunity to
grab something to eat in the various food outlets across campus and have a little explore of their own:
despite the fact many of them had brought lunch with them, they still could not resist the sweets, ice creams
and Slush Puppies®.
 After lunch is was back to another room and this time an opportunity to discover some more information
about different universities and courses. The Year 7s had to design a poster about a specific university and
answer a set of questions such as: how much are the tuition fees, where is it and what clubs and societies
can you get involved with?
The researching a university resulted in much discussion and some fantastic posters. This was an
opportunity for the Year 7s to look through some University prospectuses and find out some more
information themselves.
Before we set off on our journey back home, there was just one last opportunity to ask the current University
students any questions; and there were a lot from our Year 7s. It was not just the quantity of the questions,
but also the quality of them which was amazing. There were some really mature questions and they gave
the students a good grilling.
By 2:30pm it was time to get back on the bus and make our way back to West Hatch. It was agreed by
students and staff that the day was a success. It got many of the Year 7s thinking about university and what
they will do in the future. It was an enjoyable visit and they now have something to aim for in the future.
 Although they all loved the University of Essex campus, it was agreed that we will have to do another 
university visit, so the students can compare this to a city university: Oxford or Cambridge seemed a popular 
choice!
Last day of term was
Challenge Day at West Hatch
On Friday 17 July, our Year 7s, 8s and 9s took part in various challenges, to win
points for their House.
The day consisted of a quiz, dodge ball and an obstacle course (including egg &
spoon, three legged race, hula hoop challenge, egg toss, speed dress and
sponge & water challenge).
This tested our students teamwork and tactical skills and was a really enjoyable
way to end the term.
 At the end of the day, all the scores were added up and Newton House were the
overall winners of the day.
This means that they will start next year  with 30 House Points, but the other 
Houses are not too far behind.
Victory for Austen at the 2015 Sports Day
Brunel handed the Sports Day trophy
over to Austen, as they were triumphant
during the various track and field events
on Thursday 16 July.
points separating 2nd and 3rd.