Charter Bermondsey students took to the skies as part of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots’ initiative to get young people flying. Charter Bermondsey students were joined by students from Charter East Dulwich for a memorable experience at Cambridge Glide Centre.
Students received a flight in a glider under the instruction of an experienced qualified instructor. Gliders are an unpowered aircraft, so it’s launched either by winch or via an aero-tow behind a powered aircraft. Using naturally occurring currents of rising air, gliders can remain airborne for hours and travel hundreds of kilometres.
Our students had flights of around 20 minutes in a two-seat aircraft, enjoying the extraordinary views of the Cambridge countryside. Some students even got the opportunity to take the controls under the supervision of their instructor.
Captain Pete, Honourable Company of Air Pilots said: “What a well behaved and polite bunch of students!”
A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all and we are looking forward to returning in the new academic year. View our video of the day to see the experience through students’ eyes.
Community Bulletin May 2023
Compass School is excited to share that it is to join the renowned The Charter Schools Educational Trust this Summer. The merger, which has recently been
approved by the Department for Education, comes as the school also readies itself to move into a brand new, state-of-the art building near Bermondsey tube later this year.
approved by the Department for Education, comes as the school also readies itself to move into a brand new, state-of-the art building near Bermondsey tube later this year.Charter is a local trust that has outstanding schools and excellent sixth forms, as well as being a leading provider of professional development for teachers through the London South Teaching Schools’ Hub.
Compass School Principal Marcus Huntley said:
“We are delighted to be joining the Charter family as we continue to strive for excellence in all aspects of the holistic education we offer our pupils”.
As part of the new partnership, Compass, which is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, will become “The Charter School Bermondsey”, providing a clear sense of its identity as a Charter school and its proud location at the heart of Bermondsey.
Mr Huntley said:
“We will have a new name, a fantastic new building, and be part of a wider family of schools, while our mission, values and sense of community will remain the same. The Charter Trust shares our values and is committed to the highest academic standards for pupils, enrichment and well-being.”
Cassie Buchanan, CEO of The Charter Schools Educational Trust, said:
“We are delighted that Compass School will become The Charter School Bermondsey upon joining our family of
schools. By adopting the trusted and successful The Charter School Bermondsey name, we hope the pupils and staff will have a strong sense of belonging within our large educational community. The name change reflects the ethos shared by all the schools in the trust and will honour the unique identity of Compass School Southwark. All the pupils will continue to receive a high-quality education and benefit from the wealth of resources and expertise that come with being part of The Charter Schools Educational Trust.”
The new The Charter School Bermondsey will have the same admissions arrangements as Compass School, with applications made through Southwark.
Joining such a great multi-academy trust is great news for our community and underscores our ambition for a transformative education for our students.
What is a MAT?
A Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) is a group of schools that work together under a single legal and administrative framework. Currently, Compass School is a Single Academy Trust, and it is government policy that single academy trusts, like Compass, can really benefit from being part of a multi-academy trust.
School Uniform
We are working with our supplier, Price & Buckland, to ensure there is minimal impact on our uniform.
- New ties will be provided to all students without cost
- We will provide a free, iron on logo for existing blazers
- New blazers, PE shirts and tracksuit tops with the updated logo will be available to purchase from Price & Buckland from July. Price & Buckland are creating new unbranded tracksuit bottoms that match the tops also available to purchase from July.
- There is no change to other unbranded items of uniform
- Legacy PE kit can be worn until parents are ready to replace these
- We have asked Price & Buckland to design a summer dress for 2024 to add to the diversity of our uniform
The Charter School Bermondsey was delighted to hear that The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers were sponsoring their free fruit programme to the tune of £1,500.
Having initially been set up as part of Compass’ Children’s Mental Health Week activities, students now have free fruit on arrival each morning for at least the next 10 weeks.
The World Health Organisation’s 5 A Day Campaign encourages fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Evidence shows there are significant health benefits to getting at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, so it’s important that we all eat enough of them to stay healthy.
Principal, Marcus Huntley said:
“The school is delighted to receive this donation and pupils are certainly making the most of this offer. The cost-of-living crisis has a wide-ranging impact including cutting back on healthy food. We hope to continue to offer free fruit beyond the 10 weeks of initial funding.”
Nam, Year 9 said:
“I keep physically healthy through the Greenhouse Table Tennis club, but I don’t always eat healthily. Having the fruit just there for us helps me make the right choice.”
The Charter School Bermondsey participated in Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, from 6-12 February 2023. This year’s theme, Let’s Connect, aims to make a difference to the lives of children and young people across the UK. There were student, parent and staff focused activities in school including some led by The Nest.
The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers, whose Royal Charter was granted in 1670, is a keen supporter of the school, providing support for initiatives including art workshops and careers programmes.
The Charter School Bermondsey
Keeton’s Road
London SE16 4EE
Telephone: 0203 542 6506
Email: info@charterbermondsey.org.uk
Twitter: @CharterSe16
