Headteacher’s message

A parent has been in touch to offer their support at this difficult time. They have suggested that perhaps my newsletters give an edited and possibly ‘over sunny’ representation of how things are at the moment and have asked what it’s really like…so here is a bit more information about where we are.

Our biggest challenge is to provide the ‘broad and balanced education’ required by the government at the same time as keeping students and staff safe. Within this we are finding that Track and Trace alerts are meaning that our staff have to self-isolate which increases the number of covered lesson and supply teachers in school. Currently we have significant numbers of staff, including senior leaders, self-isolating. This, coupled with usual levels of staff absence due to non-Covid illnesses is affecting the quality of our curriculum delivery. Added to this, teachers are having to simultaneously offer inclass teaching and remote learning to students self-isolating.

Staff are working extremely hard to mitigate these challenges but when a colleague is forced to isolate, it is not only their absence in the classroom, but also their absence on duties before, during and after school which affects the quality of our provision. When the level of staffing drops below a level where we can safely teach and supervise children we may have to make some difficult choices. So there we are. The challenges we are facing are no greater than other schools elsewhere but they are definitely there nevertheless. I thank you for all and any support you can offer us at this time.

Despite all this we still get into lessons. The first highlight of the week was in a food lesson where I got to eat one of the best Yorkshire puddings I’ve ever had (all Covid safe) which was prepared by a year 9 student. And the second highlight was getting constant updates from Will B via email about T.E.S.S.A. This acronym describes a technological innovation that will “change Highfields forever!!!”…although I am not sufficiently qualified to explain how. Yet.

Finally, three students in year 8 MADE MY DAY on Wednesday. Rather than forming another committee or having a meeting they seized the initiative and became activists for change. Here they are beginning to attack the litter/plastics problem in our, and many other schools. As soon as I can I will introduce them to the Eco-schools students on upper site but this was a sight for sore eyes.

Before I forget, please read our fantastic success from the 2020 Girls Active awards in our Sports Leaders section.

We Are Highfields

A Marsh Headteacher

Sixth Form Open Evening Information – launching November 2020

We will be launching our sixth form open evening package in November, to help students think about the options available.

Tuesday 17 November - Zoom open evening talk

Will give you an impression of sixth form, the wider opportunities available and some advice about choosing your subjects. The arrangements for the talk, and the Zoom link, will be sent to interested students nearer the time.

Sixth form subject information

Each subject will have information to help you decide if it is what you want to choose. These links will be on the website. This information will be posted ready for the open evening and will remain on the website for the rest of the year so you will be able to keep looking at it if you want to.

Sixth form prospectus

The 2021 online prospectus will also be available on the website providing further course content detail.

Check out Highfields sixth form for year 12 families https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFEvGvUoTRg&feature=youtu.be

Process

At the end of November we will ask you for your top four subject preferences. This will not commit you to those subjects, but it helps us to plan for demand and to build our option blocks to allow the best fit with what students want to study. We will do this by an electronic survey.

We then publish the option blocks in late January and students complete an application form, including their subject choices.

In February and March we will then have individual meetings with students to discuss options.

Decisions on your future take time, so this is the start of the process. It is not unusual for students and parents/carers to still have questions in the summer of next year, and so we will be happy to keep up the conversations with you over time. We don’t want you to feel rushed. We do want you to feel informed.

The sixth form team would be happy to hear from you and can be contacted on the following emails:

Mrs Sargeant (sixth form manager) rsargeant@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Mr Flett (Director of sixth form) mflett@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Mrs Cruise (Assistant head of sixth form) lcruise@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk