Headlines, Term 4, March 2023

Headlines

Head’s Message

Last edition I spoke of the hope that comes with the emerging Spring. At the end of this term, as we approach the most hopeful event that is Easter, we have a sense of that hope leading to a positive reality. This is not just through warmer climate and longer days, but a clear sense of what it is that, collectively, we are working for.

I am very proud of the achievements of both staff and students this term. Whether in the many awards and accolades you will see in this edition, or in the support they have shown for each other, there has been a real sense that this is a community both of ambition and also of consideration and empathy. We know that for many young people, the last few years have been difficult and continue to be so. We know that is also true for a number of adults. However, I am increasingly seeing the shared understanding that it is only by working together that we will be able to sustain the community that supports and nurtures our young people in the ways we all feel are so important.

This presents itself in a variety of ways, in over 51/2 separate hours that I have spent talking to groups of students about their thoughts and ideas. In the ongoing dialogue with staff about how they want to support young people achieve and grow into their best selves in the face of significant online influence and control. I also see it in the increasing willingness of students to step forward and be part of the solutions to the issues they see in society, to be compassionate and proactive advocates for positive leadership. That is inspiring and exactly why staff love to work with them. The achievements, academic, aesthetic and sporting this last term have been impressive. Staff and student shave been represented on a national platform and have performed at the highest levels. They have also shown themselves to a variety of audiences to achieve consistently well in College: focused, dedicated and ambitious and with the trademark Heathfield compassion and consideration that stand our students apart.

There is much to read in these pages to celebrate. I hope the Easter break provides some time for exam year groups to focus on their key revision topics, but also some well-deserved time for rest and relaxation. Well done all on a very successful term.

Help and Support:

We understand that life sometimes throws up issues or problems that need to be resolved. We understand that concerns regarding your child’s well-being or progress can be worrying. We want to work with you to resolve issues as early as possible. Please use the routes highlighted here as a parent: REPORTING A CONCERN.

In school opening times please encourage your son/daughter to report ANY issue or worry to us so we can address it. If we don’t know, we cannot act and we want to help:

• Tell a teacher or your form tutor

• Speak to your Head of Year

• Speak to your Pastoral Manager

• Email help@heathfieldcc.co.uk to report a problem

However, over Easter if you have concerns there is a range of support available and signposted on our website: https://www.heathfieldcc.co.uk/?page_id=937357

YEAR 7

Mrs Krouwel

Attendance

Average attendance for Term 4: 93.2%

Praise

Average praise points per student for Term 4: 125

This term has involved a variety of different tutor time themes to enhance students’ knowledge and experiences of different cultures. These have included World Book Day, International Women’s Day, as well as some subject based themes around Art, Math’s, Food Technology and PE. Students have also had the opportunity to raise money for Comic Relief during Red Nose Day, as well as for the school library, by taking part in the Library Quiz. This demonstrated their ability to contribute to the wider community of the school and also their creative flare in designing fancy-dress outfits!

Year 7s have shown their talents in a variety of sports including success in becoming the Wealdon Champions for Netball, Rugby, Football and Athletics. They will now go on to compete in the next stages of competition at County level next term. We wish them luck!

We also had individual success for Elosie Jenkins at the European Taekwondo open in Rome, where she came home with a bronze medal.

Next term, Year 7 will have another opportunity to show their progress within their second assessment fortnight of the year starting on May 15th. They will also continue to meet once a week with their Sixth Form mentors and could take the opportunity to ask them about successful revision techniques to help support themselves.

Well done and good luck to all Year 7 students for next term!

Now that Year 8 options forms have been submitted, students have the opportunity to focus on, and make the most of their wider curriculum activities before these courses formally stop being studied in July. Recently form groups H,E,A and T all took part in a wider curricular French day. This incorporated a day filled with lessons about French culture and other subjects such

as such as geography, drama and history were given a French twist. Students then watched a

performance based upon a French story to conclude the day. In June, form groups L,D,C and M will have the opportunity to take part in a Spanish wider curriculum day, a fantastic opportunity to stretch their Spanish understanding.

This term in PSHE, Year 8 have been thinking about wellbeing and self-care. In PSHE, students are looking at healthy lifestyles and healthy eating, with our focus being around developing our understanding of what it means to be ‘healthy’ and how to use our resources around us to support living a healthy lifestyle. These considerations will allow students to look after themselves as they begin to pursue success through extra-curricular activities and their learning.

YEAR 8

Ms Adams

Attendance

Average attendance for Term 4: 92.6%

Praise

Average Praise points per student for Term 4: 116

YEAR 9

Average attendance for Term 4: 91.5% Praise Average praise points per student for Term 4: 101

Term 4 has been a busy time for Year 9, as they move up the school and through their GCSE courses. Their progress is marked this term by their first set of mock examinations in their 2-year courses. This is a really valuable moment, where students can start to experience what their real exams will feel like in a little over a year’s time. Alongside this key moment for their qualifications, Year 9 have also been thinking about their futures. On 9th

March, the entire year group had a day off timetable for their Employability Skills Day. Over the course of the day, they engaged in a number of workshops on Personal Finance, Business, Labour Markets, Oracy Skills and Digital Skills. Conversations throughout the day showed that the students were learning lots of valuable information and skills, as well as engaging deeply with their intentions, prospects and options for future employment and careers.

Year 10 have continued to work hard and apply themselves this term, which is paramount considering their intensive exams are on the horizon. To help students prepare, we had our revision evening on 22nd March, which highlighted the best and most effective ways to revise and commit information to long-term memory.

As a year group, Year 10 have a number of promising athletes and sportspeople who excel in sport inside and outside of school. A fantastic example of this is our Year 10 rugby team, who recently combined with our Year 11 team and competed in the Under 16 Sussex Cup against Hurst College. Their performance was outstanding. It was a close game, with the final score being 17-17 and both teams winning the Championship and sharing the title.

Notable highlights were Fin Vos scoring the first try, Adam Churchyard putting in an unbelievable defensive effort and Elliot Smith successfully kicking 3/3, including a last-5 minute clutch conversation from the line to secure the draw. Stefan MewettRichardson and Marcus Deans also put in great performances as forwards, coming up against a very big physical pack.

Finally, I want to thank all students for their dedication and determination whilst trying to improve over this term. I hope you all have a great Easter break.

YEAR

Average attendance for Term 4: 88.2% Praise Average praise points per student for Term 4: 81

Average praise points per student for Term 4: 81

Mr Holden

Mr Richardson

YEAR 11

Attendance

Average attendance for Term 4: 89.5% Praise

Average praise points per student for Term 4: 52

Year 11 students had an assembly by Lawrie Alford, STEM ambassador, who was representing CXK, an organisation to provide support, advice and guidance to help young people find work or training. Following the assembly, over 30 students volunteered for an apprenticeship workshop. The workshop looked at how to access and navigate the apprenticeship site and receive alerts about relevant apprenticeships. The workshop also covered how to apply for apprenticeships and CV writing.

The start of this term also saw Year 11 completing a final round of mock exams. Students have received feedback in lessons and have used this to inform their revision at home.

The Lead Prefect team have also met this term to discuss plans for the Year 11 prom which will be held on Friday 14th July at East Sussex National. Further information on timings and arrangements for the 14th July will follow next term.

Progression Update Elke impresses!

We are continuing to support Year 12 in researching potential progression routes Post 18. With students we have:

➢ Visited the UCAS Discovery Day in Brighton

➢ Conducted a Wider Curriculum Day for progression including presentations from Apprenticeships, Gap Years and the University of Brighton. (See Page 21)

➢ Supported students through PSHEe and in Term 4 students will receive additional lessons to support.

➢ Held progression Evening for parents and carers.

MEDROX, our group for students applying to competitive universities, has also launched this week.

For more information and support please visit the Firefly Page.

Last week Elke in Year 12 attended The Southern Public Health conference for students interested in studying medical courses. She eloquently voiced thoughts and opinions in response to Professor Chris Whitty and was applauded for her contributions. Well done Elke!

VI FORM

Attendance

Average attendance for Term 4: 91.6%

Praise

Over 600 praise

End of Term 4

At the end of another busy term we are rewarding students with our termly praise raffle. This gives the opportunitity for students to win a lucky dip, a Café Six voucher or a raffle ticket for the praise draw. Well done to all who received praise!

Mrs Woodland

Ms White

Focus on Key Stage 3

These pages include details of the curriculum followed by Year 7 and 8.

A powerful way to help learning is to ask your son/daughter about the topics they have experienced and encourage them to talk about their understanding and interests with you.

English

Year 7 have thoroughly enjoyed their introduction to Shakespeare. Having witnessed the madness and mayhem in the woods of A Midsummer Night's Dream, they are now taking stock and reflecting on the key characters and on Shakespeare's dramatic techniques. As the topic comes to a close, they will be undertaking their first piece of extended drama analysis, focusing on the comical fight scene between Hermia and Helena and unpicking how Shakespeare creates comedy for his audience.

In Year 8, students are finishing S. E. Hinton's iconic account of teenaged life in smalltown 1950s' America. They have been drawn into the complexities of the story, in particular the struggles faced by those most marginalised in society. Identity is the key theme in English for this year group and students have been asked to explore how the various characters construct and perform their identities as teenagers on the cusp of adulthood. In response to their reading, they will be producing a piece of their own creative writing inspired by Hinton's work.

Maths

Year 7 have been applying their algebraic skills to geometry problems and finding the area and surface area of shapes.

We remind students that when we are finding area of a shape we are substituting values into a formula. It also means that we can use skills from solving equations to solve reverse problems.

Year 8 have been looking at calculating with percentages, we encourage students to use the multiplier method, i.e. to find 60% multiply by 0.6.

Year 7 have been looking at human reproduction and variation in Science lessons this term, looking at development and also how we are all different. Students have collated class data such as height and produced graphs showing the variation in the class.

In Year 8, students have been looking at elements and the periodic table, learning about different properties of elements and why they react in certain ways. We created models to show how the bonds between each different element creates a whole new compound, such as water from hydrogen and oxygen, or salt from sodium and chlorine.

History

During this term, students in Year 7 will continue to investigate persecution in the Early Modern Period. They are studying the English Civil War and will use primary source evidence to judge whether the rumours were true that Prince Rupert's dog Boy, was actually a witch! Their work will culminate with them judging whether the interpretation that witches were, 'withered and wild' in this period, is accurate.

Year 8 students have been investigating the Battles of Imphal and Kohima, which took place during the Second World War. They are judging whether the battles were significant in the context of the war, as they have largely been forgotten in British consciousness. They are using the '5 R's' of significance to do this.

Science

Geography

Year 7 have completed a module on migration with a particular focus on the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). It is one of the most sensitive issues in Geography, as pupils will explore the different reasons people migrate, including conflict and refugees. We have been impressed with the maturity and respect shown by all Year 7 classes.

Year 8 pupils have completed a module called creating landscapes, which allows them to understand the different processes that have created the spectacular scenery and landscapes of the UK. From the glacial landscapes of the North, through to the limestone caves of Cheddar Gorge and even our local Wealden Anticline. We also had a one-off lesson looking at potential career options within Geography and we hope that many of our pupils have chosen to take Geography at GCSE next year.

Computing

Year 7 students have been learning about the history of the Internet and how communications systems worked before the introduction of the Internet. They’ve also developed their understanding of what the Internet really is and how it works.

Year 8 students have been learning about the internal workings of computers, studying circuits and logic gates to help them understand how computers actually work and carry out tasks.

What are KS3 students learning in

Design & Technology

Year 7 students have been learning about metals, their properties and working characteristics alongside developing workshop skills including pewter casting to make a keyring.

This term, Year 8 students have been learning about different design movements including Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Memphis and De Stijl, and using this as inspiration to design and make a lamp.

In this rotation, Year 7 students have been exploring both healthy eating and food science. They have been learning about gelatinisation and how this can be used to created different sauces. They used this information to make Macaroni Cheese.

Pupils have also been exploring the Eatwell Guide and looking at healthier recipes in their practical lessons. They have used this knowledge in making a healthy pasta sauce and fruit muffins.

Year 8 students have been examining the functions of ingredients, looking at raising agents. They have also been meal planning using balanced nutrition. Students have made a range of products in practical lessons including Fajitas, Quiche and Bolognese.

Year 7 have had a lot of fun talking about their hobbies. They have had opportunities to give and justify their opinion on varied sports and activities which they do in their free time. It’s great to make French lessons relevant to them, and accessible to all with the many cognates the topic brings: le tennis, le rugby, le basket, le foot. They are really impressing us with their spontaneity and engagement. Students in Year 8 learnt about leisure time too, perfecting their use of the perfect tense, a tricky element previously seen in Term 1. Then, we rounded up the term with a fabulous French day of ‘Histoire, Géographie, Théâtre, et Français, bien sûr!’ In the French session, pupils had the chance to play games from Mrs Fox’s childhood such as ‘le jeu des sept familles, les petits chevaux, le jeu de l’oie. Bravo!

Year 7 students are making excellent progress explaining what they study at school, expressing a range of opinions and describing people, including teachers! They are developing their understanding of how present tense verbs are formed in Spanish and how to develop their application of different verb forms, so they can improve their range of language. They are also getting

to grips with some more complex language patterns, including understanding how adjectives agree with nouns and also looking at word placement.

In Year 8, students are taught how to order food like a native, using phrases including: ‘Para mí’ ‘Voy a querer’, ‘va a ser’ and ‘quiero’. Students should therefore be ready to head off to any Spanish speaking country and order food and drink. Year 8s are also learning how to form and use the near future tense, which is a really important area of grammar that they will need as they continue onto Key Stage 4. It is really exciting to see pupils engage with this part of the curriculum, as this means they are able to talk about their own future plans, as well as continue to develop their confidence in both spoken and written Spanish.

Physical Education

Students across both Year 7 and Year 8 have been exploring, developing and extending their understanding in a range of different sports that have given them confidence to perform as individuals and within a team. Students rotate on a 3-week carousel around; Badminton, Basketball, Dance, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby.

Year 8 are continuing to explore how to create tension and suspense through lighting, sound, language and vocal and physical techniques to convey a ghost story. They have created soundscapes, scary still images of the chamber of horrors and have been trying to frighten each other with their own spooky stories. They are now developing these narratives into devised pieces of theatre designed to make the audience feel uneasy.

Year 7 have been in the final stages of rehearsal of their Roald Dahl scripted extracts and have been performing these entertaining pieces in their Drama lessons. We have been really proud of their achievements and the confidence and enthusiasm that they have shown.

Art

Year 7 have now successfully finished their Mark Marking unit of work. They did so well and it was really special to watch them grow in confidence with the various tools and techniques we used. We have now started the Fabric Lenny scheme of work where we start to apply those skills we learnt in year 7.

We kick started the unit with a bird drawing using the mark making techniques we explored in our very first lesson in year 7. The outcomes were nothing short of spectacular with students really embracing the use of a wide variety of marks to make their birds look dynamic and exciting.

Year 8 are now starting to move into the Expressionist Portrait scheme of work. This sees students extending their knowledge and skill base to portraiture. Students start with extensive studies into the features of the face, spending a lesson each on eyes, noses and mouths through timed studies. Each lesson of timed studies is followed by a lesson where they do a sustained drawing over a single page of their book. This really helps students being to grasp the concept of observational drawing and the importance of looking closely at what you are drawing to achieve accuracy.

Music

In Year 7 we have been focusing on the ukulele. Students have been playing ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz and playing the chords alongside the song in groups. Students have been working on their group working skills as they have been working in practice rooms with groups of 6 to 7 students.

In Year 8 we have started to look at Film Music. We have analysed different genres of film and how they each use music differently and we are now looking at students writing their own film. They are exploring Garageband on the Macs and are developing their understanding on how music can change the genre/feel to a film from where the film is set to the emotions felt by the audience.

PSHEe

This Term, Year 7 students embark on learning about Relationships, Sex and Health Education. This develops on from the curriculum at primary school as PSHEe is taught in a spiral way. Our first secondary focus is Puberty which is part of Health Education, we will explore the emotions puberty provokes, young people’s growing sense of self and negotiating our journey into adulthood.

Students in Year 8 start a series of units on Healthy Lifestyles, building on the Drug Education work before Christmas on tobacco smoking and vaping, we will be exploring the importance of good food and its link to a longer and healthier life both in terms of physical and mental well- being.

Philosophy and Religion

Year 7 PRE students have been learning about care and compassion. They have been having interesting debates on how best to help others and they have reflected on different religious views. Looking at recent events such as Covid pandemic, they have explored how different religious communities (for example, Muslim and Sikh communities) have supported people in a variety of ways. Through lessons on the theme of friendship and sacrifice, students have also been asked to reflect upon the value of their own friendships and how to help each other.

In Year 8 PRE, students have continued their exploration of the importance of Jerusalem to world religions. They have also demonstrated deep compassion while studying views and beliefs surrounding the concept of an afterlife. The quality of their questions has shown high levels of engagement, thoughtfulness and a willingness to listen to, and respect, the views of their peers.

Focus on Key Stage 4 and 5

What are KS4 and 5 students learning in..

Key Stage 5

Psychology

This Term, Year 12 have considered the topic of eyewitness memory. We have discussed cases in which false convictions have resulted from inaccurate eyewitness accounts and what the impact of this is on individuals and on society. Students have learnt about the impact that anxiety, leading questions and post-event discussion can have on the ability of eyewitnesses to provide accurate testimony. Students finished this topic by considering how psychological research has been used to develop the police interviewing technique: the cognitive interview.

In addition, Year 12 have continued developing their knowledge of research methods. They have been looking at how to conduct self-report and observational research and they have had a go at conducting their own small scale observations, to test their inter-rater reliability.

Students in Year 13 are working hard towards preparing for their final exams. They are now studying some of the final content of the course, including the topics of gender and aggression. These two topics require them to draw together their understanding of the approaches in psychology they have considered throughout the course, their research methods knowledge and their knowledge of issues and debates in psychology, in order to demonstrate that they can think critically about the theories they are learning about. They have demonstrated a fantastic understanding of psychology in class discussions and it is always a pleasure to see the progress in knowledge and skills students have made since the start of Year 12. These final topics present a great opportunity for students to show their full potential.

Super Curricular

Whilst our year 7-11 students do not have the opportunity to study Psychology, they can get involved with the subject via the super curricular fortnight activities. In the most recent supercurricular fortnight we encouraged students to focus on the biological approach and to learn more about their brain. It is always wonderful to see younger students embracing the opportunity to develop their understanding of a subject

that they might study in the future – why not have a look at what psychology activity you can get involved in during the next super curricular fortnight!

How I can help my child learn in Psychology?

✓ Discuss with them the topics they are learning about – they should be able to give you examples of how their learning can be applied to our everyday lives.

✓ Encourage them to use the resources available on firefly for revision.

✓ Test, test, test! Testing improves memory and allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses – testing can be in the form of flashcards, or practice exam questions.

What are KS4 and 5 students learning in..

Key

Stage 4

Our Year 9 students have made a fantastic start to their study of sociology this year. They are currently focusing on the sociology of the family and it is always exciting to see our students develop a more critical understanding of the role of the family in society. We have had discussions on topics such as, whether the nuclear family is really necessary in society, why UK families are more diverse than ever and whether the child-centered nature of society today is really because it benefits the children or

Sociology

whether it is more for the benefit of capitalism. This topic is an opportunity for students to take a familiar part of our lives that they might not have considered in much detail before and to see how different people and different sociologists might see what is happening from very different perspectives. Next year, students will take this understanding and apply what they know to the topic of education – we are looking forward to hearing their ideas in the debates and discussions we will be able to have!

Year 10 (2 year course) and Year 11 (3 year course) students have been further developing their written exam skills this term as we build towards the summer exams. We have been focusing on the ability to create a coherent and detailed essay that demonstrates their ability to make judgements about the relative importance of different sociological arguments. This has been done

whilst studying the topics of crime and deviance, and stratification and differentiation. We have debated whether crime really can be necessary for society, as functionalists might suggest, or, whether this view hides the class and gender inequality that Marxists and feminists would argue underpins the causes of crime and the workings of the criminal justice system. In stratification and differentiation, students have considered topics such life chances and how they are influenced by social class, ethnicity, disability sexuality, religion, gender and age. The importance of understanding inequalities exist in society underpins this aspect of the course, and it is an opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of diversity and inequality in our society.

Key Stage 5

In Year 12, students study core topics across the year, such as education, culture and identity. The education topic is a critical look at education from the different sociological perspectives. Students this term have considered what different sociological perspectives suggest about the UK education system.

What are KS4 and 5 students learning in..

Sociology

In culture and identity students have explored the concept of culture and considered questions such as, what is culture? Why is it so important to a society? And what are youth subcultures and what role do they play in creating youth identities? Popular culture (TV, films, pop music, video games etc.) has also been examined from different sociological perspectives and its influence on how we see ourselves has been questioned.

Year 13 students have been studying the media and crime and deviance. In crime and deviance they have been developing their understanding of the opposing views of sociologists on the causes and relevance of crime in our society. A detailed look at examples such as the alleged corruption in FIFA in relation to the Qatar world cup provided an opportunity to look critically at a topical world event.

The media topic is a deep dive into an aspect of society that we are all familiar with, but might not have thought so critically about. Students have considered the issue of ownership and control. They have explored whether owners such as Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg own the media, or if we as the audience have ownership.

The topics of globalization and how global media brands such as Netflix, Disney and Amazon are so powerful and whether they are changing our understanding of the world and shaping our identities has been covered. We always encourage sociology students to follow the news closely and the topic of who decides the news agenda and how powerful the news is in influencing our views has been the focus of recent sociology lessons.

Super Curriculum

Whilst our Year 7 and 8 students do not have the opportunity to study sociology, they can get involved with the subject via the Super Curriculum fortnight activities. In the most recent Super Curriculum fortnight, we encouraged students to focus on the 2021 Census data to see what it tells us about society today and how society has changed over time. It is always wonderful to see younger students embracing the opportunity to develop their understanding of a subject that they might study in the future – why not have a look at what sociology activity you can get involved in during the next super curricular fortnight!

How I can help my child learn in Sociology?

✓ Discuss with them at home the topics they are learning about – they should be able to give you examples of how their learning can be applied to news stories and world events.

✓ Encourage them to use the resources available on firefly for revision.

✓ Test, test, test! Testing improves memory and allows them to understand their strengths and weaknesses as they prepare for exams – testing can be in the form of flashcards, or more importantly, practice exam questions.

What are KS4 and 5 students learning in …

Key Stage 4

Year 9 began the year by focusing on key musical vocabulary and listening to a wide range of music to develop their understanding of how to use the vocabulary to critically analyse music. During Term 2, students practiced and performed a selection of festive songs to develop their ability to perform as an ensemble. During Terms 3 and 4, students have been focusing on composing music. We started by learning how to create initial ideas and now we have more of a focus on how to develop these ideas into a chosen genre of music.

Music

Year 10 began the academic year with a review of content learnt in Year 9 and then worked on putting their musical vocabulary to practice with examined material. They have focused on 3 set works so far: Afro Celt Sound System – Release, Beethoven - Pathetique, John Williams – Star Wars. A lot of lessons have been dedicated to composition, where students have picked a stimulus of their own choosing and written a piece of music influenced by that specific style of writing.

Year 11 have continued to work on their set works which they started in Year 10 and are now at the stage where they have covered all 7 set works in detail. There main focus this year has been on performance and composition. They have been working on a composition set by the exam board on top of their free composition which they started in Year 10. They have also completed a solo and ensemble recording for the course.

Key Stage 5

At the beginning of the course, Year 12 got straight into analysing the set works from the exam board using the musical terminology which they developed in GCSE. They have studied pieces by the Beatles, Debussy, Berlioz, Stravinsky and Anoushka Shankar. Whilst analysing these pieces aurally, they have also been working on their essay writing skills and writing critical essays on why these selected pieces are important to Music history. They have also been working on their compositional writing skills and developing their ability to write music in an idiomatic way.

Year 13 have been working hard on their analytical skills based around 13 set works. Like in Year 12, there has been a focus on critical writing skills for these pieces. They have continued to work on a composition based around a stimulus of their choosing and also working towards a 6 hour composition exam. Year 13 also have a 8 minute recital of a range of pieces for their chosen instrument.

How I can help my child learn in Music?

✓ Test your children on their knowledge of the key musical elements. These can be found in their google classroom. You can also listen to the set work they are studying with them and get them to talk about what is going on in the music using the key musical elements.

✓ Support your children with ensuring they are doing practice on their instrument each week to work towards their performance exam.

Year 8 Wider Curriculum

On 24th March, Year 8 students studying French spent the morning engaging in a number of lessons with a French theme, and the afternoon watching a live production of a French play about a Haunted House (https://www.onatti.co.uk/).

Students and Teachers engaged in speaking lots of French and learning new facts about France and French culture! In Drama, students had fun shouting French insults at each other and acting out parts of the script from the afternoon play. In Geography students were inspired to travel through France, drawing a map of key areas and writing their research in French. In History students learnt about France in World War 2 and looked at sources written

in French using their translation skills to decipher the message. In French they played French board games and French bingo! All Teachers used French in their lessons and showed students how

The play in the afternoon, performed solely in French, was the perfect ending to a thoroughly enjoyable day! One student (Harry Fletcher) was even invited on stage to take part in the second half of the play as a story character, engaging in the French dialogue and entertaining his fellow students!

When students were asked for feedback it was extremely positive and we were thrilled they enjoyed the day. We were so impressed

important it is to ‘have a go’ and not be worried about making mistakes. at how determined they were to speak French even when they didn’t feel confident. One student has even requested we make it a longer event, including an over night stay!

The other half of Year 8, show study Spanish, will have a similar day in June. Onatti will be back performing a live performance in Spanish!

“I liked it all! Thank you to all the teachers and performers that have made my day so special. Thank you!”

Year 9 Wider Curriculum

On 9th March 2023 our Year 9 students engaged in a number of workshops all centred around Employability Skills: Finance, Business, and Oracy. In Finance, students learnt about different salaries for different jobs, discussed what they thought of these salaries and whether they were fair and learnt about the tax system. In Business they heard from entrepreneurs who had started a company from one idea and learnt about merits of the different employment options. In Digital Skills they learnt about the high percentage of jobs that require strong digital skills and had fun building a Pizza

and had the opportunity to

The students had the opportunity to work with Wealden Works on the personable skills employers look for. Ms Taylor, our Careers lead, also spoke on opportunities in the local area. Wealden Works is an Employability Programme based in Heathfield and we were thrilled they took the day to work with all our Year 9 students. Students engaged in discussions about what is acceptable and not acceptable in the workplace and it gave everyone the opportunity to think about life as an employee and how to work with each other. Our Careers Lead, Ms Taylor, also spoke to the students about local opportunities and the skills employers are looking for. It also gave Ms Taylor the opportunity to explain the support that is offered over the next couple of years, including Careers interviews and a chance to visit a Careers Fair in Year 10.

We are very grateful to our Teachers for running engaging and informative workshops and to Wealden Works who were able to share useful advice to students as they start thinking about job applications and what it takes to be a successful applicant.

“I loved the advice given by Wealden as they were nice and they really knew their stuff also I loved learning about CVs as it made me feel a bit more confident.”

“The best bit about the day was that there are so many different career options and it has made me excited for the future.”

Company in teams. In Oracy they learnt the secrets of confident speaking

put these skills to practise and speak in front of each other.

Year 12 Wider Curriculum

“I found the gap year talk from OysterWorld really interesting. It’s made me think about maybe doing something different, like working in Canada, straight after college to get some experience before committing to work or uni” – Year 12 student

Year 12 students fully engaged with the opportunity to explore possible progression routes after Sixth Form this term. Students learned about applying to university, higher and degree apprenticeships and gap year opportunities in talks from Brighton University, ASK Apprenticeships and OysterWorld, before using Unifrog and other online resources to reflect on their interests and strengths and then starting their research and planning for potential routes beyond A levels.

The Progression Day follows a term of assemblies on different progression routes and will continue through PSHEe lessons in the coming terms. On 14th March, all of Year 12 visited the UCAS Convention in Brighton attended by HE and apprenticeship providers from across the country. Parents also had the chance to learn about post-18 progressions in a parents event on 2nd March.

“It was really pleasing to see how engaged Year 12 were across the whole day, taking in all the information from our speakers about apprenticeships, university and gap years, asking lots of questions, and then exploring their own interests and ambitions to begin to identify potential progressions after sixth form.” – Ms White

Library Leaders

Our Library leaders have been very busy this term with not only the work they do in the library every week of the school year, but also committing to events after school demonstrating the great integrity that they all have.

On a daily basis, anyone who uses the library will see our library leaders busy at work, building their leadership skills. They are developing strong interaction skills by signing books in and out to students and supporting all those who want book recommendations. They also keep the library tidy and well-organised so students can easily find any books they are specifically looking for.

Recently, our library leaders took part in the Southern Schools Book Awards (SSBA). They had to read 6 newly published books and decide which was their favourite. Ms Kite, our school librarian, took the library leaders to Hurstpierpoint College for the SSBA prize giving evening. The library leaders were true ambassadors for the school and agreed with the judge’s verdict of awarding the prize to Caroline O’Donoghue for her novel All Our Hidden Gifts.

All students who attend the SSBA evening, are awarded a voucher and our library leader, Phoenix, went on stage to collect the vouchers on behalf of Heathfield Community College.

Just a matter of weeks later, our library leaders were called into action again, to support the annual Library Quiz Night. It is the most brilliant evening of quizzing with fabulous fancy dress. The library leaders spent the evening selling refreshments, collecting in answers and marking them. The winners of the fancy dress competition were a group of oompa-loompas resplendent in orange face paint; meanwhile, our overall quiz winners were a group of golfthemed Year 11s, with Mr Carter also a member of their team.

Well done library leaders – you’ve done a great job this term!

Heathfield Reads

Reading gives students such a wealth of benefits which is why encouraging our students to read is a priority at Heathfield Community College. All the research tells us the same thing about reading: it gives students both an academic advantage and a well-being boost.

Each year, we conduct an annual reading survey that shows the majority of Heathfield students do spend some time, each week, reading outside of school hours. Over time, we have consistently seen that Heathfield students are more likely to read than typical teenagers (based on the annual surveys from the National Literacy Trust).

Still, we want all our students to reap the benefits of reading so we promote reading with posters of staff and students across the school and offer everyone the opportunity to take part in Heathfield Reads. Here are the rewards on offer:

➢ Bronze, Silver and Gold reading certificates each term

➢ A house point for every book read

➢ Entry into the termly £10 Amazon voucher competition if you reach Silver/Gold standard

Readers are winners!

Teachers’ Favourite Reads

This month the College is highlighting reading, posters of our teachers with their favourite reads are placed in the Library:

Sevens Heaven

Ben Ryan

Ms Boote

Assassins Apprentice

Robin Hobb

Mr Pollard

Mr Richardson Isaac and the Egg

Bobby Palmer

Mrs Adams The Hate U Give Angie Thomas

Wider-Curriculum

Hegarty Maths Wild Science

Phoenix Hadden has achieved the amazing feat of receiving 100% in all 925 Hegarty maths tasks. This shows resilience, ambition and determination of the highest order!

This achievement has been recognised by the founder of Hegarty Maths, Mr Colin Hegarty. Well done Phoenix!

The College hosted a myriad of animals this term as we welcomed Wild Science. Students had the chance to interact with a ball python, tree frog, bearded dragon, crested gecko, hissing cockroach and guinea pigs.

The students had a great time getting to learn some interesting facts about the animals, with lots of knowledge on show by the students and some really good questions being asked. Our expert, Jess, was very knowledgeable and great with the kids, letting them hold or pet the python and tree frog depending on how comfortable they were with the animals!

Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Practice Walk

The second practice walk for the bronze Duke of Edinburgh award took place this term with a 6 mile route from Burwash. After a week of horrendously wet weather, there was a welcome break in the trend with blue skies, albeit with a biting wind.

The conditions underfoot varied from extremely muddy to standing water which made it challenging to stay upright. It certainly was a test of kit and personal fitness, which our students passed with flying colours.

In preparation for the walk, the students in their teams had plotted the route on the maps and calculated the expected time and elevation for each leg of the journey. Whilst out on the route the

students then practiced linking the 2D mapping to the real environment, honing their map reading skills and continuing to develop their confidence in the outdoor environment, with the support of the volunteer staff, Ms Norman, Ms Bubeer, Ms Savage, Ms Sheldon, Ms Cornish and Ms Harker. The next step for the 7 teams will be camp craft training including tent pitching and trangia stove practice before the summer expeditions.

Wider-Curriculum

Year 7 Rugby Success

Well done to our Year 7 boys rugby team who recently qualified and played in the Sussex Schools U12 Finals day at Brighton Rugby Club. They won both their games on the day, with opposition coaches and supporters commenting on the exciting and high-quality style of rugby they played.

This confirmed their place as one of the strongest sides in the County. Congratulations boys!

Carnival Club at Same Sky Mas Camp

On Saturday May 11th, Year 11 students took part in a Mas Camp workshop in Brighton with Same Sky community arts group. The four students, Alice, Lauren, Alex and Aneshka had already worked out what they wanted to make at the workshop based on our Children’s Parade theme of inventions and particularly origami. They took along their life size plan drawings for their big make. The design is a crane made to look like an origami crane of peace. With the help and expertise of artists from Same Sky the students constructed the crane sculpture mainly from garden canes and some willow withies. They are a fantastic team of students who worked really well together making decisions about scale and keeping the overall look of the sculpture together. Whilst one pair made the wings, another pair made the main bird structure with Mrs Damazer and Miss Corbett who was able to join us for the day. The crane sculpture is about 2m tall and 2m long.

The students also had to work out how to make it in sections so we can transport it on the coach to Brighton for the parade on May 7th 2023. This was a little challenging but the girls figured this out quickly. The crane will be carried on a stretcher and the wings will be operated by two other students in Carnival Club.

Back at school we are working on the decoration of the crane and smaller pieces younger students have created. Students are learning new skills like screen printing with their own stencil designs to create patterned paper inspired by Japanese patterns. We will be doing the final stages of making

and then the actual decorating at the start of next term in readiness for the Children’s parade. The Samba Band are rehearsing on the drums to accompany us in the parade and we are all really looking forward to the event. If you are in Brighton look out for us!

Carnival Club welcomes new members at any time of year. We meet on Wednesdays at 3.10pm in Art 1. If you would like to know more, please speak to Mrs Damazer or Miss Corbett.

Wider-Curriculum

Let’s Dance Red Nose Day

Values Leaders, College Council Leaders, and staff worked together sell cakes and red noses to raise money for Comic Relief 2023. In addition, our Red Nose Day celebrations were boosted by non-uniform day contributions from Year 7 to Year 11 which led to a fantastic total of £1,516.

This fabulous show brings together young people from local schools and colleges in a unique celebration of dance. Taking place Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 March, the event sees over 30 schools and 850 dancers perform a variety of dance styles.

Broadbridges Uniform Sale

Tuesday, 9 May 2023

3:15pm – 4:30pm

Link Hall

It is a great opportunity for young people from Key Stage 2 through to A Level and FE groups to perform in a prestigious venue in the heart of Eastbourne’s Theatreland.

32 Heathfield students, from all year groups, performed a contemporary dance piece to “Easy on me” by Adele. For most of our dancers, it was their first time performing in front of a live audience, with an electric atmosphere at a packed Congress Theatre! Lifetime memories were made for the students, parents and school.

Library Quiz

This year the annual Library Quiz was the most packed we have had in a number of years, with a whopping 38 teams participating in the evening's events! We had fantastic costumes ranging from Miss Surrage and her dalmations, to Mr Pollard and his Disney princesses! However, the winning team were Mrs Woodland and her Oompa Loompas who have set the bar high for next year with their amazing effort!

There was a fantastic atmosphere in the hall as all teams competed to come out on top, with Mr Carter and is team, 'Full Swing,' taking the Number 1 spot on the leader board. The quiz raised £657, which will all go towards the Year 11 Prom and the Library.

Sixth Form Wider-Curriculum

Sixth Form Drama Trip

This term, the Drama department took all their A-level Drama students to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to watch a digital version of their set text "Equus" by Peter Shaffer, starring Daniel Radcliffe as the disturbed Alan, who has blinded six horses, and Richard Griffiths as the tormented psychiatrist Dysart who is trying to make sense of this violent act.

The students found watching a theatre version of the play extremely helpful, as in the written exam they are presented with an extract from the play, and they have to write about how they would perform one of the roles and how they would stage it, focusing on a design element.

Great British Spring Clean

An intrepid group of Sixth Formers showed their community spirit when they took to the footpaths and verges around the local area to clear them of litter as part of the National Keep Britain Tidy Campaign. Six bags of rubbish were filled and a prize was awarded for the most unusual find! The group enjoyed their litter pick so much they have vowed to go out weekly!

Year 12 UCAS Trip

All of Year 12 visited the UCAS Convention in Brighton this term.

Students attended presentations, visited stands and talked to representatives from 100s of different Higher Education providers about different courses and apprenticeship routes after Sixth Form.

Job Vacancies

Please click on the link below for our current vacancies.

http://jobs.heathfieldcc.co.uk/vacancies/

Parliament and Supreme Court Visit

In February, 38 of our Year 12 historians took part in a visit to the Houses of Parliament, the Supreme Court and the National Portrait Gallery. Our students had an enriching day investigating how laws are made and how laws are interpreted. They also learned about the nature of the changing relationship between the people, Parliament and the Monarch. The students walked some of the journey taken by King Charles I on the day of his execution in 1649 from St. James’ Palace to the Banqueting House and were lucky enough to also catch the changing of the guard.

Our students represented out Community with great enthusiasm and engaged throughout the day.

HOUSES

House Public Speaking Competition

This term, our Sixth Form debating students encouraged other interested and engaged students throughout the College to take part in our Public Speaking event. As well as listening to our students speak, they also received advice, support (and brownies) from the Sixth formers.

It was great to see so many students taking this opportunity to improve their oracy.

The Battle of the Boards House Competition

This March our Houses participated in great numbers in the Battle of the Boards House competition. Students had lots of fun at lunch times playing board and card games against their peers and competing across the Houses.

Thank you also to our excellent House Prefects who ensured that the event ran smoothly. There were great Chess tacticians and a lot of drama in games of UNO and KerPlunk as well as a whole array of other card games. It was a thoroughly enjoyable week for all that took part and represented their House.

The results were as follows: Tower 1st , Batemans 2nd, Cade 3rd and Heffle 4th .

Alumni News

This term our alumni have been involved in a very exciting collaboration with the student writers who put together articles for The Heathfield Vine, the college newspaper. Click here to read the latest issue: http://heathfieldcollegenewspaper. weebly.com/

Year 13 student Bethany Cassé edited the fantastic edition that included interviews with alumni studying a variety of subjects at university, post-graduates in a range of fields, and also alumni who had taken alternative routes into their careers. With career pathways including law, architecture, health and safety for Historic Royal Palaces, working in film and TV, and more, there was something to spark the interest of all readers. A huge well done to Bethany and all of the writers who put together such a brilliant read to inspire our young people, and a thank you to all alumni who contributed.

The alumni team are also pleased to start preparations for our summer event again this year. During July we are inviting alumni into college to speak to our Year 12 students about their experiences since leaving. Whether that leaving date was last year, 5 years ago, or more, we would love to involve as many alumni as possible. The event consists of group talks led by alumni about university life and courses, gap years, apprenticeships, and career progression across a breadth of areas, and also a carousel event that facilitates meaningful encounters that support students' knowledge and choices for the future.

If you are a Heathfield Community College alumni and would like to be involved in this event, please let us know by filling in this short google form

https://forms.gle/s9dAWGCbeSeHtAnXA or e-mail dtaylor@heathfieldcc.co.uk.

Whenever you left Heathfield and whatever your stage of education or career, please get in touch using the QR code or by emailing alumni@heathfieldcc.co.uk

Monday, 17 April

Dates for your Diary

Start of Term 5

Start of Year 12 MFL Mock Oral Exams

Wednesday, 19 April A Level PE Moderation

Friday, 21 April Canterbury Roman Museum - Year 9 & 10 Latin Students

Saturday, 23 April Silver DofE Practice Walk

Start of Year 12 Mock Exams

Start of House Basketball Competion

Monday, 24 April

Start of A Level Art Exams

Start of House Talent Show

Tuesday, 25 April Year 10 Wider Curriculum Day – Big Futures

Wednesday, 26 April Junior Maths Challenge (Year 7 and 8)

Thursday, 27 April KS4 Home Learning & Revision Forum House Competition Talent Show

Friday, 28 April Year 9 and 10 Motivational Speaker – What Makes a Man.

Monday, 1 May Bank Holiday

Tuesday, 2 May Start of A Level Photography Exams

Wednesday, 3 May Year 9 Vaccinations: Tetanus, Diphlemia/Polio/Meningitus ACWY

Thursday, 4 May Faraday Challenge Day – Year 8 - Robertsbridge Community College

Friday, 5 May Speak Out Challenge Workshop

Sunday, 7 May Carnival Club - Brighton Children's Parade

Monday, 8 May

Tuesday, 9 May

Coronation Bank Holiday

Start of GCSE Art Exam (Year 10)

Start of GCSE Photography Exam (Year 11) Year 9 Sponsored Walk

Broadbridges Uniform Sale, Link Hall, 3:15pm – 4:30pm

Start of A Level Exams

Thursday, 11 May

Start of GCSE Art Exam (Year 11)

Start of GCSE Photography Exam (Year 10)

Monday, 15 May Start of GCSE Exams

Tuesday, 16 May EEP Robotics Challenge 2023 Year 12 A Level Art & Photography trip, Tate & Southbank, London

Thursday, 18 May Year 9 Drama Performance to Parents, 3.30pm – 7pm

Saturday, 20 May Silver Practice & Bronze (Group A) Assessed Expedition

Wednesday, 24 May KS4 and KS5 Music Showcase

Thursday, 25 May Year 12 Subject Feedback Evening

Friday, 26 May

Year 13 English Lit trip to A Midsummer Night’s Dream

End of Term 5