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Newsletter 11Th October 2024

Our newsletter aims to keep parents and carers up to date with school news, activities and key information throughout the year.

If you have any feedback on or suggestions for the newsletter, please send your comments via email to newsletter@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Don’t forget to visit our website (www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk) for more news and information.

Thank you for taking the time to read our news and for your support.

A Marsh Headteacher

Disclaimer: Highfields School is not responsible for the quality of products or organisations publicised through articles or advertisements in the school newsletter.

Message from the Headteacher

Were you one of the 300 or so people on our Starkholmes tours for prospective students this week? Dylan’s mum was because she, despite having her son taught by me last year, is still considering Highfields for his younger sibling. It turns out that she is one of the very small but hugely discerning people who actually read this bit in the newsletter.

Thursday was the third in a series of three closely spaced visits from Lisa Walton at EMET who is helping us prepare for Ofsted. I love my job but I am not a massive fan of Ofsted, not because I resent being held to account, just because of instances where their inspections have had unintended consequences (contributing, in the most tragic case, to the loss of headteacher, Ruth Perry). Lisa is, then, hugely helpful as she makes judgements of our school based on little snapshots of evidence (as do Ofsted). Unlike Ofsted, however, she then spends time working with us to improve our understanding of our school which, in turn, helps us figure out ways to improve it for our children.

Anyway…the thing I most love about being involved with students is that you discover stuff for the first time over and over. In a food tech lesson, for example, a student took his tartlet out of the oven and exclaimed ‘it’s like something you’d buy in a shop!’ (see photo of one of his classmates’ efforts, shown to me on his way home). In Y7 they were having their first go at handball and in DT they were exploring ergonomics: how to make a product to fit some element of the human physiognomy. Secondary school is often a place where students begin their journey into the world of relationships (both of my sisters are married to people they met at school). We do our best as a school, whilst focusing our students on academic learning, to cover such basic concepts as consent, listening, sharing, communication etc which tend to result in successful relationships (I hear). I mention this only because there was a short-lived bit of excitement amongst year 7s at lunch the other day and when I asked what was going on they told me that someone had ‘asked out’ someone else. And so it begins…

I moved house in the summer to Sheffield and have swapped a gentle commute from Chesterfield for what seems more like a rally stage over the Sheffield and Beeley Moors. Since the start of term I have seen two cars smash each other’s wing mirrors of at a closing speed of what looked like about Mach 3. I also hit a pot hole and dented my wheel and, the other morning, I was hit by a young deer who sadly left an imprint of its head in my driver’s door. Yesterday, I had to stop when a farm vehicle struggled with a narrow lane and, whilst waiting to move on, a cow peered over a wall at me. I looked back and smiled one of my most friendly smiles but rather than smile back this cow just glared at me and made me feel very uncomfortable (it had a similar look to one shown in image). This was the final straw and I am now thinking of moving back to Chesterfield.

Have a lovely weekend! We are Highfields.

A Marsh, Headteacher

Reminders for the week ahead.. Week A

Tueaday 15th October

 Y10 Geography trip to Burbage

Wednesday 16th October

 Cross Country – Darley Dale Primary School

Friday 18th October

 6th form Iceland trip

Sports Leaders

YR 10 Core PE Friday group St Joseph’s came to visit today so the Sports leaders who had been preparing for this practical delivery could show off their leadership skills and potential. More news and photos on this in next week’s newsletter.

Girls Engagement project update Esther S in Year 12 has been surveying the girls in school in KS 3 to gage their views on Physical Activity which will be shared at the next Youth Sport Trust board panel meeting next week.

Mrs J Allen

Bentley Bridge Road

May we remind you that Bentley Bridge Road is an unadopted road and there is no public right for access or parking. Please respect our neighbouring residents by avoiding this road unless you are visiting one of the houses.

Year 11 Prom

This year we are happy to announce the Year 11 Prom will be on June at Ringwood Hall, timings etc to be confirmed.

Y10 preparation for GCSE- Highfields Hustle Activities

Year 10 students have now embarked on their “GCSE Marathon” in all subjects. Time will fly by and it is very important for students to be approaching their studies with ambition and focus from the start. One of the strategies we use to train students for success is known as the “Highfields Hustle” and we wanted to tell you about it. All Year 10 students are completing a fortnightly Highfields Hustle activity in tutor time to help to mentally prepare them for their GCSE exams. There is a growing body of research that suggests successful students approach their studies with a specific set of behaviours, skills and attitudes.  In short, academic success can be as much about character and approach to learning as it is about intelligence. We are using a range of activities from “The GCSE Mindset” by Steve Oakes and Martin Griffin to help best prepare our Year 10 students for their exams using the positive mindset model of VESPA.

V = Vision

How well do our pupils know what they want to achieve?

E = Effort

How many hours of independent work do they do per week?

S = Systems

How do they organise their learning and time?

P = Practice

What kind of work do they do to practice their skills?

A = Attitude

How do they respond to setbacks?

The activities aim to help equip our students with the skills they need to develop and sustain a positive mindset as they approach their GCSE exams. You will be able to see what they have been working on each fortnight in their form time exercise book. We look forward to sending you updates as the students’ progress through their activities.

Miss Hughes and Mrs Green, the Y10 team.

Mrs Cooper ran a national poetry competition at lower site before summer called "Through Their Eyes" and three current Y9 students (Immy R, Anna S and Leila B) have been

poetry competition whole school called "The Beautiful Truth." Mrs Cooper has already had some brilliant entries in.