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Please check before booking your holidays. SPRING TERM: Thursday 3rd January 2019 - Friday 5th April 2019 term ends at 12.30pm Half term - 18th February - 22nd February 2019 EASTER HOLIDAYS – Monday 8th April – Monday 22nd April 2019   SUMMER TERM: Tuesday 23rd April 2019 - 24th July 2019 Tuesday 23rd April 2019                     (Inset day - non pupil day) Term starts for PUPILS on Wednesday 24th April 2019 HALF TERM - 27TH MAY – 31ST MAY 2019 Monday 22nd July 2019 *                   (Inset day - non pupil day) Tuesday 23rd July 2019 *                   (Inset day - non pupil day) Wednesday 24th July 2019 *              (Inset day - non pupil day) Term ends for PUPILS on Friday 19th July at 12.30pm

The Governors, Staff and Pupils, cordially invite you and your child to our Year 6 Open Evening Thursday 27th September 2018 7pm - 9pm - Headteacher talk at 7.15pm Daytime Tours of the school available: Thursday 27th September 9.30am – 12.45pm (Booking not required) Every Monday 9.30am – 12.45pm from the 10th September (other dates/times will be available on request) “A highly inclusive school, where there are high expectations of what all pupils can achieve.” (Ofsted 2017) Outstanding Results - Highest EBacc results in Harlow since 2012 A successful academic inclusive school A place where each child is treated as an individual and challenged to exceed their potential Continuous education 11-18 years A caring, multi-cultural, multi-faith school   ALL ARE WELCOME TO APPLY TO ST MARK’S

Watch Video Students and staff at St Mark’s West Essex Catholic School are today celebrating another great year, with students once again achieving excellent results, with many going on to universities, often the first in their family. Another superb pass rate was achieved with 95% of all A level examinations passed and 60% with grades A*-C and 99% of students getting into a university / course of their choice. A particular feature of these results is that all students, whatever their ability, have achieved well and made fantastic progress, with many overcoming difficult personal circumstances to do so. To achieve these results in light of the recent government reforms which have seen examinations become more challenging and demanding, is testimony to the skill of our teachers, the work of the students and the success of our Sixth Form. A delighted Headteacher, Elaine Heaphy, congratulated both students and staff. “We are delighted for the students, they should be proud of their achievements and we wish them all the best for their future endeavours.  Certainly, I would like to put on record my thanks to students, staff and parents for what was an exemplary team effort. Our Sixth Form draws from all the other schools in Harlow and we would congratulate these schools for their work in successfully getting these students through GCSE studies and giving them the grounding for A Level study.  We are sure that they will share in this success.  We look forward to welcoming the ‘new’ Year 12 cohort in September”. There were many examples of outstanding individual performances.  These include amongst many others: Jasmine Warwick - A*/A/A - reading International Management at Warwick University Halle Andrews-Clark - A/A/A - reading Biochemistry at Southampton University Taylah Andrews-Clark  - A/A/A - reading Biochemistry at Southampton University Lauren Bone - A/A/A - reading Medicine at York Medical School University Rose Joseph - A*/B/B - reading Economics and Maths at Surrey University Fleur Cracknell - A/A/B - reading Criminology, Policing & Forensics at West London University Thomas Festa - A/A/A - reading Economics at Loughborough University Ruchi Masih - A/A/B - reading Biological Sciences at Leicester University Sarah Van Der Lith - A/B/B - Gap year, working in Malawi Aimee Cheung - B/B/B - reading Psychology with Education Studies at Warwick University Abigail Willis - B/B/B - reading Law at Bristol University

St Mark’s top of the table for English Baccalaureate achievement for yet another year.   We are delighted to inform you that earlier this term the published Government figures show that St Mark’s has come top of the Harlow schools’ league table again for the number of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate.  St Mark’s achieved 30% with the National Average being 21.3% (Harlow average 19%). These are outstanding results which have been achieved by a complete cross-section of young people.  St Mark’s is a local comprehensive which offers places to all young people living within the area regardless of academic ability.  Examination achievement is regarded as an important aspect of the education we provide but not necessarily the only important quality. We believe that a number of factors have contributed to this success, of which the hard work of the pupils themselves, the support of their parents and the skill and dedication of our teachers are the most significant.  These excellent results demonstrate the effectiveness of high quality teaching coupled with team work.  St Mark’s has achieved a consistently good standard of examination results for many years now, but we are not complacent and will seek to build on this achievement. The impact of our work with our young people is clearly demonstrated by the number of pupils who have received offers to universities, following their UCAS applications. The tables also highlight the greater than average number of our sixth form pupils who go on to further education. As a school we give every pupil an opportunity to have life chances that in other schools they may not have been given,  These results, and those of last year, show that pupils at St Mark’s, whatever their ability: Are more likely to be studying the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) Are more likely to achieve the English Baccalaureate Are more likely to be studying GCSEs than ‘equivalent’ courses Are more likely to achieve 4+ in English and Maths More likely to stay in education More likely to go on to study at University I would like to congratulate all those involved in achieving this wonderful outcome.

Charlotte and Logan were invited to tour the House of Parliament by Robert Halfon, Member of Parliament (MP) for Harlow. Along with three other scouts, they received the visit request because of their successful selection to represent Harlow and Essex in the UK contingent at the World Scout Jamboree 2019 in West Virginia, USA. The World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) is a gathering of Scouts and Guides from all over the planet for an exciting programme of global development, peace, cultural understanding, adventure, friendship and fun. The scouts were met by Mr Halfon’s apprentice and were taken on a tour to learn about the business and traditions of the House of Commons and House of Lords, the day to day workings of the UK Parliament as well as the history of the almost 1000 years old Palace of Westminster. They also walked through the hall where Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England and speaker of the House of Commons at the time, was condemned to death on 1st July 1535. As well as visiting Parliament, Logan and Charlotte have been involved with fundraising events such as quiz nights, raffles, car parking, sausage sizzles and clothing collections. They will both be abseiling from the Church Langley Water Tower in May. If you would like to support the team’s fundraising efforts, make an online donation to:  https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/harlowWSJ2019