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Headteacher Foreword
As we approach the end of the term, I am pleased to share the highlights of the term and the achievements of the students. Carre’s has been a hive of activity, bustling with students and staff engaged in diverse pursuits which you can read about in this newsletter. This ranges from the sporting feats to intellectual pursuits, from creative and cultural activities to remembrance which remind us of the importance of empathy and tolerance, and from some tremendous team and group success to individual achievements.
Our students are the heartbeat of Carre’s Grammar School, and their achievements fuel our pride, so as we step into the next term, let us continue to nurture curiosity, resilience, and community spirit.
I wish you all a pleasant break.
Mr Law
Headteacher
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Term Dates
Term 4 - Monday 19 February 2024 to Wednesday 27 March 2024
Term 5 - Monday 15 April 2024 to Friday 24 May 2024
Term 6 - Monday 3 June 2024 to Friday 19 July 2024
More Useful Dates for Your Diary
Thursday 22 February 2024 - Year 11 Parents' Evening (in person)
Thursday 7 March 2024 - Year 7 Parents' Evening
Wednesday 20 March 2024 - Year 8 Parents' Evening (in person)
Thursday 13 June 2024 - UCAS Information Evening (at KSHS)
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Transport Reminder
I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the students who have adjusted their transport arrangements to ensure they are in school in time for form at 8.45am. We know some of our students have early starts and long journeys and appreciate the commitment shown by them to be on time, so they can access our full curriculum. Form time is an essential part of the school day when information and notices are shared, assemblies on important subjects are delivered, and personal development sessions are held. We feel it is very important that ALL students attend form time and this is our expectation. Any exceptions must be discussed with the Head of Year in the first instance.
I would also like to remind you that school is open early and runs a breakfast club, which students are welcome to attend.
All students late to school, including train students, will continue to be marked late and will be expected to make up the time with their tutors or Heads of Year. Please make arrangements to ensure your son and/or daughter is on time for school.
Many thanks for your continued support in helping us to provide a range of opportunities and experiences within our form time provision.
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Protocols for watching sporting fixtures during the school day
Protocols for watching sporting fixtures during the school day
We have reviewed many of our procedures over the last eighteen months, and one of these concerns families watching their children represent the school in sporting events during the school day. You will be aware that schools are bound by strict safeguarding regulations, but supporting one’s family members is an important part of family life, and we welcome families to be part of the school community. In law, the school is private property so only parents/family members are given an ‘implied licence’ to come on to school premises at certain times e.g. for appointments or to attend a school event. The school does not request DBS checks and barred list checks or ask to see DBS certificates for relatives or those attending a school event. The Headteacher reserves the right to review this and withdraw permission at any time, but we do not envisage this being the case.
Parents/carers and family members can watch the sport match/event provided they follow the protocols set out below:
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- Let the school know in advance that they will be coming to watch the match/event by emailing the Community Sports Officer, Laura Machin (Laura.Machin@carres.uk) in advance.
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- Report to the main reception on arrival and sign in, 15 minutes before kick-off.
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- Wait in the main reception area until a member of staff is available to escort them to the activity area.
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- Always wear their red lanyard while on site and hand it back to main reception on departure.
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- Remain in the spectator area unless using the toilet.
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- Use only the allocated toilets in the Northgate Sports Hall reception area.
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- If the match/event finishes before the end of the school day, wait in the spectator area to be escorted back to main reception to sign out.
Once in an area there will be one member of staff who oversees the game, and their responsibility is the care of the children, not the parents. The Headteacher has assessed risk and there is no need for a second member of staff to remain in the spectator area for the parents.
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Over the last 18 months, Carre's Grammar School has gone from an "Inadequate" Ofsted rating to a resounding "Good" across all categories, a feat accomplished by only a handful of secondary schools nationwide. This turnaround is truly remarkable and is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the entire school community. The previous inspection reports highlighted areas needing improvement, particularly in safeguarding. Instead of dwelling on the negative, we embraced the challenge head-on.
The results speak for themselves. The latest Ofsted report paints a picture of a thriving school where:
- All students, including those with special needs, are challenged and engaged.
- A positive learning environment reigns, fostered by clear expectations and mutual respect.
- Students feel safe and supported, knowing their concerns will be addressed promptly.
- Academic achievements are strong, with top grades becoming the norm in both GCSEs and A-levels.
- The whole school community works for the benefit of all
But the numbers only tell part of the story. What truly shines through is the spirit of Carre's. During their visit, the inspectors noted the ambition and commitment of the staff, the positive attitude of the students, and the support of parents, trustees, and governors. It's this collaborative spirit, this sense of shared purpose, that helped the school to be recognised as it has been.
Whilst we are delighted with the outcome, we do not intend to rest on our laurels and will continue to work hard to provide the best possible environment for students to reach their potential.
Nick Law
Executive Headteacher
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Mr Law and members of the Student Council following receipt of the latest Ofsted Report.
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Positive Influencer Winner
More good news!
Ieuan of Form 9W won a 'Positive Influencer' competition for Internet Safety Day. He acquired a shiny trophy for submitting some fantastic ideas about how to make the internet a safer place for all, and his ideas are so great that he will be working with the Safer Community Service, Lincolnshire County Council, to deliver his ideas across all schools in Lincolnshire, as an ongoing project!
Congratulations Ieuan, we have an influencer amongst us!
Thank you, Dan, Stay Safe Online Safety Officer, for coming to Carre's to present Ieuan with his trophy.
These are Ieuan's ideas:
I was thinking that we could use 8 categories that link together.
1. Interactive Workshops:
These should include lessons on online etiquette such as, cyber bullying, privacy settings, authenticity, thinking before you post, digital footprint, and to verify before you share.
As well as learning how to recognise scams and age-inappropriate material.
With the addition of how to create strong passwords.
2. Interactive Activities:
These could contain games and scenarios that could appear in their lives.
3. Parents:
We could use parents to reinforce what they learn at school to support their child's Internet experiences.
This could be done with courses and guidance.
4. A Digital Citizenship Curriculum:
To be respectful, responsible, and safe when using the Internet.
5. A Cyber Hygiene Checklist:
Using the checklist I created, ACT SAFE, you would always remember how to ACT SAFE.
A - Always update software
C - Create strong passwords
T - Two-factor authentication
S - Secure browsing habits
A - Awareness of scams
F - Frequent backups
E - Educate yourself on new practices
6. Online-Safety Pledges
This would work well mainly for primary schools, as secondary schools and above might not use them as well.
7. Parent-Child Workshops:
With discussions between parents and their children, they would work through the issue together, and the children would know to ask for assistance if needed.
8. Online Safety Ambassadors:
This would be where older students or young volunteers would mentor younger people about how to use the Internet responsibly.
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County Champions - Under 14s and Under 18s!
The under-14s recently became County Basketball Champions, beating Boston Grammar School 60-32.
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A good week for basketball. Despite a very tough game against Spalding Grammar School, the under-18s emerged as County Champions.
Congratulations should go to:
Year 12
Finn Moss, Charlie Cook, Charlie Gretton, Alex Walker
Year 11
George Anderson, Sam Fenemore, Elod Nadasdi, James Thornley, Isaac Hill
Year 10
Luke Redhead
Four students took part in a chess event at Nottingham High School. They won the regional qualifier and have now qualified for the British Championship Finals on Saturday 20 April, in Aston.
The team of Anderson, Bailey, Rooney and Whitelaw made the most of a good draw to secure 13/16 points, just edging out Nottingham High School on 12.
Well done to all our students.
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Our volleyball team continued their impressive development with 2 wins from 3 games in the latest Under-18 Boys' Grand Prix, part of a national England Volleyball competition. A very narrow 3-set defeat to York VC was followed by a convincing 2-0 win over Lincoln Cannons VC and a first ever win over the traditionally strong PVC Leicester team, with Carre’s triumphing 2-1.
Our next round of matches is on Saturday 2 March, when we will face Lincoln and Leicester once more, as well as coming up against Liverpool for the first time.
Well played Finn, Charlie, Archie, James, Dan, Harry and Adrian!
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VOICEIT Workshops
We took 50 students from Carre’s and KSHS to the music careers event at Lincolnshire Showground.
They were able to take part in a range of different workshops, including songwriting, beatboxing and rap.
Other workshops were lead by Mark de Lisser (a vocal coach from The Voice and the Masked Singer), Hayley Sanderson (vocalist from Strictly), event organisers from The Drill Hall and a BBC Radio 2 producer. It was a great day!
The photos show our students in the songwriting workshop and singing with Mark de Lisser.
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The Historical Association The Great Debate 2024
On Wednesday 17 January, Isabel, Sophie and Emily went to Lincoln University to take part in the Historical Association Great Debate heats.
After delicious chocolate brownies, we gave our speeches in one of the lecture theatres in front of the other competitors, an audience and the judges.
The title of the debate this year was 'Which historical place or person from your local area deserves greater recognition?' We had done lots of research to be able to put our case forward and be able to answer questions from the judges, who this year were Professor Amy Livingstone, Dr Finn Pollard, Dr James Greenhalgh and Dr Imogen Witshire.
Isabel explained why she thought Nichola De La Haye should have greater local and national recognition, Sophie explained the impact that Charles Kirk had on the architecture of Sleaford and Emily explained why more people should recognise the historical significance of Mareham Lane.
There were also some fascinating speeches by other candidates, including the ice factory in Grimsby, Gainsborough Great Hall, Grimsby’s mayor who saved the football club, local suffragette Jessie Boucherett and the ground-breaking work in the treatment of mental health at Lincoln’s asylum.
Isabel was short-listed for the heat final after the judges were particularly impressed with how she presented her case for the historical significance of Nichola, to both local and national history. She also answered the questions the judges asked her with real confidence and knowledge. Isabel had the opportunity to make her speech again in front of an even larger audience and came runner-up to a student from William Farr.
Taking part in the Great Debate was a really useful experience for us. We had to identify our topic, write our speeches and then cut them down to last only 5 minutes, which was a really difficult task! It will also be useful when we come to writing our applications for university.
Lincoln University History Department is going to put our speeches on their blog, so you will be able to read them in full – watch out for the link.
Mrs Wilson was very proud of all of us, and we are looking forward to competing again next year.
Isabel, Sophie and Emily Year 12 History.
Well done and what a great experience!
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Holocaust Memorial Day, on 27 January, is taken from the day the Soviet Army liberated Auschwitz.
The Year 10 students watched a webcast alongside over 25,000 other students (although the boys said 10,000, it was more!). Some of the Year 10s spoke to Miss Mills, Teacher of History afterwards, to say how interesting they found it. Miss Mills has heard Hedi speak before, and she is incredibly forthcoming and honest about her experiences, including losing most of her extended family in the Holocaust.
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On Tuesday the 23 January we watched a holocaust memorial webcast which shared the story of Hedi Argent, who managed to luckily avoid the holocaust by having a lucky opportunity to escape to England just a year before WW2 broke out. When she described the way she was forced from her home, it made us think about how she must have felt at the time and how painful it must have been to have to leave most of her family behind. Before she fled, she told us of how she was bullied in school for just being a jew, this made us contemplate how lucky we are today and how we have the freedom of religion and do not have to put up with people and teachers abusing those who they think are below them.
Luckily, it was not all bad news, as we know, Hedi was lucky and managed to escape with just her parents, whereas some of her family were not that lucky and sadly perished in the camps. It must have been so painful to find out lots of her immediate family died in such a horrific event, and both of us, along with thousands of other students, will feel very sorry for the events she had to live through. Her speech and stories of her experience were very inspiring to see what opportunities arose and saved her life.
Her bravery in sharing her story with over 10,000 students, at her age, is truly remarkable, and we believe that students across the country will be deeply impacted by her words. Hearing what she had to say was a rare opportunity, as to hear first-hand accounts from holocaust survivors is an incredibly lucky experience. It saddens us to think that in the coming years, such opportunities may become increasingly scarce. Nonetheless, Hedi's resilience and the lessons we have learnt from her story will continue to leave a lasting impact on our lives.
By Tom Berry and Sam Reed
For additional information, Hedi Argent was born in Vienna, Austria in 1929. She was an only child. Her father was a lawyer and her mother a chemist. They escaped Austria in 1939 and remained in England during the war. Her highly educated parents were forced to work as domestic servants. Hedi has told her story many times over the years. She is quoted as saying '... we have a duty to bear witness. While I can do it, I'll do it. If you want a picture of Hedi just google her. She comes up on the Holocaust Education Trust website.
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Super art work from Year 7 and 8 students
Stippling pumpkin - Kier S - 7W
Pepper - Edward R - 7C
Plum - Aiden H - 7B
Bottle Study - Noah R - 8.3
Sweet Study - Max N - 8.3
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Year 9 students were 'counting bubbles' in this tube of pond weed as part of their study into photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
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The Music Department organised a brilliant workshop for the Year 7 students.
They had a fun session of Japanese Taiko drumming with visiting workshop leader Dave Mitchell. They all learnt about Japanese culture as well as getting to make lots of noise!
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Rotary Young Chef Competition 2024
I really enjoyed the Rotary Chef Competition. I made a delicious chorizo pasta along with an appetising apple crumble. The judges said that they liked my food, but sadly, I could not be the runner-up or winner of the competition.
William, Year 7
It was very stressful trying to get all the food cooking at the right time however at the end I was proud of what I had made. I wasn’t bothered that I didn’t win I was just happy to be there and my main takeaway was that it was my first time being under pressure and I exceeded my expectations.
Sebastien, Year 7
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Wonka Cinema Trip
As part of the government's strategy to improve school attendance post-Covid, we have revamped the way we reward excellent attendance in school. This involves positive emails each term and, most recently, the reward trip to see Wonka at The Kinema in the Woods.
The students and staff had a great time with popcorn boxes galore!
Who knows what the next reward will be for excellent attendance between Christmas and Easter?! Watch this space!
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Cyclocross Season 2023-24
Thomas Cragg has been racing Cyclocross at County, Regional and National level for the 2023-24 season. The season has been fantastic with proper Cross conditions and a lot of bike maintenance and cleaning.
Thomas finished as Lincolnshire County Champion in the under 14s category, finishing 4th at Regionals against competitors from Nottingham/Derbyshire/Leicestershire/Lincolnshire. At National level, he finished 27th in the under 14s, out of 110 competitors.
The highlight has been the National series covering over 2000 miles, travelling the length of the country and flying the colours of Sleaford Wheelers. The under 14s ride the same courses as the elite level professionals, which is a key development tool with riders learning the best lines on each course.
This culminated in a 620-mile round trip to Falkirk for the National Cyclocross Championship in January. Arriving in Falkirk to blue skies and sunshine was a complete surprise. First practice on the Saturday showed a challenging course with multiple gradient changes and a vertical wall where riders would have to shoulder their bikes and climb up.
With a mid-pack gridding, Thomas had to work hard to move up from 39th to 27th during the 42-minute race. He chose not to change bikes and continued catching riders throughout the race.
Finishing a great season of racing, CX bikes are now serviced and away. Focus has now moved to the road and mountain bike season starting in March, where he will be competing at Regional and National level.
Well done Thomas!
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The Science Department won a cake!
Mr Whiting entered a national competition, organised by Educake, to calculate how many Educake questions were answered in 2023.
He answered 400 million and 1!
The Science Department were all thrilled to help him eat the amazing “apple crumble cake”.
Educake - Founded in 2011 and based in Oxford in the UK, Educake provides online homework and revision for many KS3 and GCSE subjects.
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Thank you very much to everyone who supported the recent non-uniform day and tombola.
The tombola raised £91 for Guide Dogs for the Blind and the non-uniform day £553, which is fantastic 🙂
Thank you - Mrs Carpenter, Head of English
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Alumni
Ross Booth (34), is a former Carre's student and found out recently that he has been selected to play hockey for England!
Matches, home nations and World Cup will take place in Scotland, Germany and South Africa this year.
Well done Ross!
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Ex-student Amy Bennett, an amazingly talented artist, business student and equally talented cookie creator, who opened her own bakery/cookie shop in time for Christmas to add to her flourishing online business…
Website intro blurb…
'Our journey partly started out of necessity as I needed to support myself while at University during COVID, however it turned into a simple yet powerful idea that is still true 3 years later: to create incredible cookies that embrace veganism and sustainability without compromising on flavour. Our cookies are made from high quality ingredients, are insanely soft and gooey, are kind to the planet, are better value than a lot of non-vegan alternatives on the market, and come with an amazing community you can't find anywhere else. Buying CHUNK is not just about buying a cookie, it's about making a decision that has a multitude of positive impacts. Buying one cookie supports a dream, it supports university societies, local cafés, it avoids unnecessary animal torture, helps the planet and makes a positive change.
We love what we do and we love our cookies. We've gone from baking at my Mum's house during lockdown, to moving back up to Uni and baking in a shared house, to quickly outgrowing that and getting our own house, to quickly outgrowing that and moving into a house with a bakery downstairs (phew!). We craft each cookie with lots of love and care in our Burley bakery, using only the finest plant-based ingredients and sustainable practices. We still use the same awesome recipe we did 3 years ago, and it's a 24-hour process to bake the cookies. We work 7 days a week, every week, to bake cookies that are shipped across the country.
CHUNK is for the eco-conscious, eco-curious, those who are tired of facing expensive, limited vegan/dairy free options, or those just wanting to make a positive impact while eating amazing cookies'.
Highly recommend!! Discounts available on first online orders -or visit her in store if you’re visiting Leeds over half-term 😊
Well done Amy - the cookies look delicious!
 
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Pre-Loved Shop
We have the following items for sale in our pre-loved shop. If you would like to view/purchase any of these, please call the office to arrange an appointment during school hours.
Blazer
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£5
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Trousers
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£3
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Shirts
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£2
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Polo Shirts
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£2
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Rugby Tops
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£3
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Socks
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£1
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PE Shorts
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£2
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Trainers/Football Boots
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£5
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Coats
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£4
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Notices
Please remember to label all PE kit and school property - as we regularly have a large collection of unnamed and unclaimed water bottles, lunch boxes, shoes, trousers, coats and PE kit.
If your son/daughter has lost any items, please ask them to come to the office to look through the lost property boxes.
We hold a lost property amnesty at the end of every term. Any unnamed and/or unclaimed items following the amnesty are donated to charity, put into our 'pre-loved' shop, or thrown away.
These items were in the amnesty in December.
Sickness/medical absence can be notified to the school office by telephone call 01529 302181 (we have an answer machine for outside office hours), the MCAS App, or via email: enquiries@carres.uk.
Please do not send voice text messages to our landline as these are often jumbled and unclear.
If your son/daughter is poorly/injured during the school day, they should come to the school office for assessment/treatment. Office staff will then make the decision to contact parents and arrange for collection. Students should not call home if they feel poorly.
A polite reminder that the front car park should not be used to drop students off in the morning or at the end of the school day. This is for safety reasons due to the number of students and staff arriving/leaving the site.
If your son/daughter needs to be collected during the day for an appointment/is injured or poorly, you are welcome to use the front car park.
Thank you for helping to keep our site safe for everyone.
Please could our Sixth Form students be mindful when parking their cars off-site. We receive many phone calls from our neighbours complaining about inconsiderate parking. Please be aware that refuse lorries, emergency service vehicles and private cars might need access to roads/properties - student cars shouldn't be parked across a dropped driveway or so residents are unable to access their properties.
Thank you.
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Free School Meals
If you receive any benefits, you should tell your school as they can get extra funding called the Pupil Premium grant. This includes:
Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of the state Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Children who get paid these benefits directly can also get free school meals.
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Trustee Recruitment
Do you have a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of education? Are you eager to make a positive impact on the lives of young people? If so, we invite you to consider a rewarding role as a Trustee for the Robert Carre Trust.
About Us
The Robert Carre Trust is a thriving Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) committed to providing exceptional educational opportunities for students in the Sleaford area. Our two selective schools, Carre's Grammar School and Kesteven and Sleaford High School, share a common ethos of academic excellence, personal development and social responsibility.
Your Role as a Trustee
As a Trustee, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our schools and supporting our mission to empower students to achieve their full potential. Your responsibilities will include:
- Contributing to strategic decision-making and long-term planning
- Overseeing financial management
- Overseeing safeguarding of students
- Ensuring the schools adhere to high standards of quality and excellence
- Collaborating with fellow Trustees, school leaders, parents and the wider community.
We are seeking individuals with
- A passion for education and a commitment to student success
- Strong leadership and decision-making skills
- A sound understanding of financial management and governance
- Experience in a professional or educational setting
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In addition to the satisfaction of making a meaningful contribution, becoming a Trustee offers
- The opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and influence educational policy
- The chance to gain valuable experience in governance and leadership
- The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to shape the future of our schools.
Join Our Journey of Excellence
If you are ready to embrace a challenging yet rewarding role and make a significant impact on the lives of young people, we encourage you to apply. Applications, including a current CV, should be sent to the Governance Professional at debbie.scott@robertcarretrust.uk.
Together, we can create a legacy of educational excellence for the next generation of learners.
For more information please contact Debbie Scott, Clerk to the Governors: debbie.scott@robertcarretrust.uk
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31 Jan 2024
Year 7 students enjoyed a drumming workshop!
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11 Jan 2024
Over the last 18 months Carre's Grammar School has gone from an "Inadequate" Ofsted rating to a resounding "Good" across all categories, a feat accomplished by only a handful of secondary schools nationwide. This turnaround is truly remarkable and is a testament to the unwave...
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10 Jan 2024
On Monday, the Under-14 Team became County Basketball Champions, beating Boston Grammar School 60-32.
Well done - fantastic achievement!
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Carre's Sport - Twitter
The Year 8s continued their progress in the Jr. NBA, winning their two league games against Stamford School and Priory Ruskin Academy. Jacob made his debut for the school
🏀
Well done to Charlie, Austin and Dan for representing Lincolnshire at the East Anglian Cross Country Championships at Burghley Park recently.
Year 8 won their County Cup fixture 3-1 against QEGS Alford.
A really even game played in an excellent spirit by both teams! Goals from Harry T, Sam P and George C!
Year 8 B team footballers played out a really entertaining game v SGA Ruskington. A 5-1 win with goals from Harry G, Harry B, Teddy S & two for Harry H.
POTM - James H
Three wins in a week for Year 8 and 38 players representing the school!
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We are delighted to receive a ‘Good’ rating in all categories from Ofsted. This is a testament to our school’s commitment to providing quality education and preparing students for the next stage of their lives. #GoodSchool #QualityEducation #OfstedReport https://t.co/AdkDhtwlxE1 month ago
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01 Jun 2023
We are looking to appoint a Relief Catering Assistant
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