Wider Curriculum

Ouse Valley Competition

Heathfield has a tradition of excelling in Ouse Valley at the regional athletics competition and the cohort of 2023 managed to meet the expectations and show the strength across all year groups in the athletics meet. There were some superb performances across all year groups with Year 7 and 9 claiming victory for their individual year groups, whilst Years 8 and 10 taking home 2nd place meant an overall victory for Heathfield.

The Speakers Trust

The Speakers Trust Sussex final was held at Uckfield College this term. Corin Banfield and Olivia Baldock, who had already given their speeches to the rest of Year 10, were fantastic, competing against several other Sussex schools. Both were coached by last year’s Heathfield finalists, Adam Toogood and Hivda Aydogan. Hivda, as last year’s winner, hosted part of the evening in front of an audience of headteachers, former contestants, families and Uckfield’s mayor.

The winners were from Varndean, Chailey and St Leonard’s Academy.

Year 12 Wuthering Heights trip

Year 12 English Literature students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity of walking in the footsteps of the Bronte sisters, on a two-day residential trip to Haworth in West Yorkshire.

On their first day, students visited the Haworth church, paid their respects at the Bronte memorial and admired a fabulous piece of art made entirely of burnt toast. They also enjoyed a three-mile trek past the beautiful Bronte Waterfalls to Top Withens, the ruin of the house that is said to have been the inspiration for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.

For an additional gothic experience, students spent the night in the incredible Haworth YHA, housed in a gothic mansion originally built in 19th century for a rich mill owner.

On their second day, students enjoyed a series of fascinating lectures on the Bronte family and on various interpretations of Wuthering Heights, which is the key exam text for this group. Students were able to explore the Bronte parsonage, much of which looks just as it would have done when the Brontes were alive - even down to the sofa where Emily finally succumbed to tuberculosis shortly after her only novel was published.