Highfields School Newsletter Issue 12

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Highfields School Newsletter Newsletter

2020-21

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

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

Be the best you can

-1-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Contents: Headteacher’s message ...............................................................................4 Parent/Carer Update ....................................................................................5        

November stakeholder survey feedback ...................................................................... 5 Exams in 2021 .......................................................................................................... 8 School snow closures – early notice regarding school strategy/risk assessment ............. 9 Reminder: Weduc.................................................................................................... 11 Covid-19 - Updated school transport guidance from the DfE ...................................... 12 Covid-19 – clarification on self-isolation .................................................................... 12 All-weather sports pitch update ................................................................................ 13 Christmas hamper appeal ........................................................................................ 14

Sports Leaders News ............................................................................................... 15   

Sports Leaders Update ............................................................................................ 15 Youth Sport Trust - The Big Give .............................................................................. 16 Whole school extra-curricular sports clubs ................................................................ 16

Careers, College & Apprenticeship News ..................................................... 17              

Resources ............................................................................................................... 17 Careers inspiration and advice from BBC Bitesize....................................................... 17 Online careers programme for 11-18 year olds .......................................................... 17 Y11 students – Decisionz Magazine .......................................................................... 17 Buxton & Leek College ............................................................................................. 18 Learn Live - & Free resources .................................................................................. 18 My Future app and website ...................................................................................... 19 Unifrog Careers programme ..................................................................................... 19 Chesterfield College ................................................................................................. 20 Highfields Sixth Form............................................................................................... 22 Learning Curve Group Courses ................................................................................. 23 Virtual work experience opportunities ....................................................................... 24 Law and Politics Summer Internships ....................................................................... 27 heppfest ................................................................................................................. 28

Support and information ............................................................................ 32    

Free Microsoft Office for Students ............................................................................ 32 School Website / VLE: ............................................................................................. 32 Free School Meals ................................................................................................... 32 b_line cards ............................................................................................................ 33

Highfields Uniform ..................................................................................... 33

Be the best you can

-2-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Reminders ................................................................................................ 34      

Dropping off and collecting students......................................................................... 34 Road safety ............................................................................................................ 34 Suitable outdoor wear for students during the autumn/winter terms .......................... 34 Covid-19 measures .................................................................................................. 34 Masks in school ....................................................................................................... 35 Reminder: Severe peanut allergy (Starkholmes site) ................................................. 35

Community information.............................................................................. 36 

Derbyshire’s Autism Alliance..................................................................................... 36

Coronavirus guidance ................................................................................ 37        

Advice if students (and staff) display symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) .................. 37 School response to notification of positive Covid-19 cases.......................................... 38 Covid-19 absence: a quick guide for parents/carers.................................................. 40 School transport Covid-19 notice .............................................................................. 40 Keeping up with learning during absence/when self-isolating ..................................... 42 Guide for students accessing information if self-isolating ........................................... 42 Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline ....................................... 42 Mental Health support ............................................................................................. 43

Revision resources ..................................................................................... 45 

Y11 recommended revision resources ....................................................................... 45

Glossary of Abbreviations ........................................................................... 47 Key Staff for 2020-21 ................................................................................ 49 Form Tutors 2020-21 ................................................................................. 50 Highfields School Governing Board 2020-21 ................................................ 51 Key dates for 2020-21 ............................................................................... 52 2020-21 academic year .............................................................................. 53 Highfields School Contact details ................................................................ 53

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

Be the best you can

-3-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Headteacher’s message We’re cautiously hoping that the Y7/8 self-isolation acted as a mini fire break because since then cases have reduced markedly (I type this nervously and ready to respond to the next spike).

I spent some time with Mr Cole working through your responses to our survey and both of us were extremely touched by the level of support you have shown for our attempts to handle this crisis. We hold ourselves to high account and are never complacent. We noted that there were suggestions on our risk assessment. Mr Cole will give you a little more of an insight into how we reflected on your survey responses and will provide some responses to questions and concerns regarding bubble sizes and other Covid risk assessment based questions (see overleaf).

We have a suite of strategies designed to help students catch up after lockdown and these include investments in laptops, software, Lexia Literacy Support, extra time from staff and various other plans.

The strategy in which we have most faith is to ‘make every lesson count’. That’s what we focused on in our CPD session on Monday and it was great to see teachers sharing ideas that we hope will squeeze every drop of learning out of the time we have with our students.

In lessons this week I’ve seen a food teacher use a strategy from our improvement project known as Operation Word Power. This project involves trying even harder to encourage students to use the language of specialists. In this case the teacher adopted our team strategy of using red to highlight these words.

And in technology, Jenson in Y7 had almost completed his automata. In case you don’t know what an automata is, it looks like this (just before you complete it).

The other day I tried to put a vegetarian meatball in my mouth without removing my mask. I looked around hoping that no students in the dining hall had noticed. Luckily, only a very small group of very polite Y9 girls had, and after a while, they managed to stifle their giggles. The thought that caused me to be so distracted was the latest setback to the all-weather pitch project the school has been waiting for since prehistoric times. Our excellent chair of governors, Angeline Ellson, has provided a short update in the newsletter (see page 13), but the thrust of her message is that this project WILL HAPPEN. What are you doing this weekend? If I find myself with time to spare in the absence of having to trace close contacts for new cases of Covid I am hoping to continue painting my hallway. I began this job so long ago that the paint colour I am using, which was all the rage when I started, has apparently gone out of fashion and is no longer being produced. My daughter says that it looks ‘a bit February 2020’. I don’t know what that means.

Whatever you get up to, I wish you and your family a peaceful weekend.

We are Highfields.

A Marsh Headteacher

Be the best you can

-4-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Parent/Carer Update November stakeholder survey feedback How are we doing? This is what you told us in our recent surveys Thanks very much for your responses to our recent surveys. Students, parents/carers and staff were all asked for their views around similar themes: the return to school, our approach to putting in place risk measures in a school context, quality of teaching, learning and catch up, standards of behaviour, quality of leadership and sense of ‘Highfields community’.

Feedback overall was very positive, with some strong endorsement of all that we are doing to provide a high standard of education whilst keeping students safe during Covid times. As ever we received some very useful comments about what we could be doing better and will use this to improve.

Parent and Carer Survey responses We had 317 responses to the parent/carer survey.

Parents/carers are very positive about a number of crucial aspects - 75% agree / strongly agree that:  The return to school going well  We are doing a good job reducing risk in a school context  Behaviour of students is good Parents/carers are even more positive about the following aspects - 85%+ agree / strongly agree that:  Quality of teaching is good  Taking COVID out the equation, children are safe  Quality of leadership of good  There is a strong sense of Highfields community We had a huge amount of positive feedback about things that we are doing well, and this is greatly appreciated by all staff. The following are typical examples:

‘Communication has never been better. We feel closer to the school and protective of the school and staff. You are doing an amazing job’ ‘The school is succeeding in delivering teaching in extremely challenging times and we are very grateful for all the efforts of staff and leadership team’ Parents/ carers were less certain about: How well their children are catching up with any lost learning from lockdown. Whilst 61% agreed that their child was catching up, 24% reported no strong opinion and 15% disagreed. Catch up is, and will continue to be, a huge focus for us – both in class, via wider support and through our emphasis on the need for outstanding approaches to learning from students in the current context.

Our central Catch Up strategy is enshrined within our Big 3. It is all about delivering an excellent quality of education through lessons day in day out, and keeping children feeling safe, valued, included and happy.

Be the best you can

-5-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Feedback on what we could do better covered a wide range of areas, many of them relating to the decisions we have to make on a daily basis about managing school life and risk in a pandemic. As one parent noted ‘you are faced with difficult decisions and people won’t always agree with them’.

We learn as we go and whilst most parents and carers clearly endorse our approaches some are less certain. We have collated some frequently asked questions and points and responses to these are provided below Comment / question

Response

Face masks should be worn by teaching staff and pupils all the time except in lessons.

We comply with government guidance on face coverings: to be used when moving through communal areas. Not advised for use in classrooms – make communication, interaction and relationships essential for education very difficult (and impossible for a number of staff and students who have hearing impairment). Students can wear if deemed appropriate by staff. Staff are maintaining social distance.

No, we are expected to be open for all students every day in order to provide education. We would be breaking the law if we did not comply with this requirement. We do not have choice in this matter.

Can the number of children in school at any one time be reduced as children cannot socially distance from their peers if school working at full capacity of students.

Children mix forms at break and lunch – can you give clarification on how this actually is being managed?

Students are divided into year group bubbles with designated social areas. We stagger lunch times to avoid any mixing. We have explained in previous newsletters that being a split site limits our ability to stagger timetables as there needs to be a common period when staff change sites. We do not have the budget or staff coverage to form two teams of teaching staff, one for each site.

Can you keep to class bubbles as Year bubbles are so large?

Working in class bubbles would make it impossible to deliver the broad, balanced curriculum that we think it is important to deliver, and which we are encouraged to provide. Schools that have tried to operate in class bubbles have found this difficult to sustain and local schools who adopted this stance in September have recently reverted to year bubbles. We do not feel it is practical, enforceable or emotionally healthy to silo children into set social groups in break/ lunchtime and feel that this would affect motivation and attendance.

Can you make online learning accessible for children and families whose preference is to do so (rather than attending school)?

The government has been clear that students should attend school if they are well enough to do so.

Attendance is important for students’ educational and emotional wellbeing.

Can you reduce the amount of mixing of forms and teachers at school?

We have reduced mixing during the school day by implementing year group bubbles, one way systems, 100 minute lessons and staggered lunchtimes. To keep children in one form group throughout the week would make all GCSE options, practical lessons and support groups in key subjects impossible.

Be the best you can

-6-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Comment / question

Response

Will children be penalised if selfisolating and work is not completed due to me not being at home to supervise school work?

No. We were delighted that 94% of Y7and 8 students engaged with school work every day during the recent selfisolation. We understand that there are many pressures on families. If we notice that there is no engagement with work calls home will be made to check that everything is OK and to offer support. We appreciate all support parents can give in ensuring that students do not fall behind if they are asked to self-isolate.

Are we sure all students keep their masks covering their nose AND mouth at all times on transport to and from school as this is an enclosed non-ventilated space with a high chance of different year groups and site cross contamination?

We check that students are wearing face coverings properly as they get on school buses. We have reinforced the importance of this in messaging to parents and students. We cannot enforce wearing once the buses leave school premises; students need to act responsibly.

Could a text message system be used for informing parents of emergency alerts, such as about the need for a year group to isolate?

We have invested in Weduc and hope that families have now downloaded this app. Apart from that we use email, text, Twitter and Instagram to message families, along with updates on our website. Our experience is that, thanks to students’ use of social media, messaging is more effective than ever before but we appreciate that in isolated cases information can be missed.

Student Survey responses We had 167 responses to the student survey.

Students are broadly positive (65% agree / strongly agree) about:  Our return to school going well  Catching up with missed learning from lockdown  Our efforts to reduce COVID risk in a school setting Students were even more positive (75%+ agree / strongly agree) about:  Teaching being good and helping learning – 40% strongly agreed with this statement  Feeling safe in school (COVID aside) and knowing who to speak to with any concerns A couple of comments about what we are doing well: ‘Keeping our spirits up, teaching us, keeping us safe, separating year groups. I get a great education’

‘Making it feel as normal as possible even though we’re in a global pandemic’ Students were less certain about:

Behaviour being good – 41% had ‘no strong opinion about this’. In our recent Behaviour and Attitudes ‘deep dive’ we explored this further with interviews with students, to supplement the multiple visits we make to classrooms each week. Students explained that most students behave very well, but there are ‘the odd one or two who don’t’. Older students said that behaviour had improved in the last couple of years and reported that it was very rare to have a lesson disrupted.

Be the best you can

-7-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Answers to the behaviour question also seem to be linked to another area where students expressed less certainty: ‘Students are good at following new systems to keep us safe’ - a theme in the responses to the ‘what could we do better’ question relate to concerns about some peers not following new Covid rules as well as them.

We continue to learn. All of us are adapting to very different circumstances. We will continue to review how we are doing and look at ways in which we can focus on staying safe whilst ensuring that students learn effectively.

Thanks again to all who responded to the survey and to everyone who continues to support our school through such challenging times.

We Are Highfields.

P Cole Deputy Head

Exams in 2021 We now have a bit more certainty about the nature of exams and assessment in 2021.

We now know:  Exams will take place in summer 2021 (stated consistently by the UK government over many months)  They will take place about 3 weeks later than in most years, starting in early June and finishing in early July (announced earlier in the autumn)  They will be graded generously – in line with the overall grading of summer 2020  We will be told some of the topics to be covered in exams. We don’t know any more about this yet, but expect to hear more in the new year.  Students may be allowed to take some extra support materials such as formula sheets into the exam This news comes as our Y11 and 13 students complete mock exams. They have tackled this challenge brilliantly and we are very proud of their efforts. Their committed, positive approaches to learning, our carefully planned teaching and caring support are crucial to our ‘catch up’ strategy. They are in a good position to show what they know, understand and can do in exams later in the year.

For more information on decisions about exams, and some of the thinking that has surrounded these decisions please see DFE guidance on summer exams and the short Times Education Supplement (TES) article below on 5 ways in which exams will be different this summer.

TES article: https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-gcses-2021-5-ways-exams-will-be-different-next-summer

DFE guidance on summer exams: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-support-the-summer-2021-exams/guidance-tosupport-the-summer-2021-exams#students-who-miss-all-exams-including-the-contingencypaper?utm_source=3%20December%202020%20C19&utm_medium=Daily%20Email%20C19&utm_campaign =DfE%20C19

Be the best you can

-8-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

School snow closures – early notice regarding school strategy/risk assessment We have now reached the time of year when we alert you to the steps we take if we are forced to close the school in an emergency, ie due to extreme weather conditions or equipment failures associated with the change in the weather. We should stress at the outset that this is something we only do with great reluctance, but our overriding concern is the health and safety of our students and sometimes such action is unavoidable.

Feedback from parents/carers, students and staff suggests that communication over snow closures needs to be clear and timely. The handling of snow closures will always create discussion within a school community. I hope that this at least explains our approach in advance of any snow closure.

Current challenges around making the school site and approaches clear after snow or heavy ice:    

Derbyshire County Council prioritises main routes and will not guarantee early clearance and gritting.

A local business has agreed to clear both sites but cannot grit. Other companies will not grit because of a perceived fear of litigation. Clearing both sites takes longer than schools who have to clear only one site.

We have investigated the purchase of a mini tractor/snowplough/gritter but cannot justify a significant expense for equipment that is needed for only a few days a year.

Ice is just as big a risk to opening as snow and is as hard to clear with current resources. There have been a number of accidents on our sites caused by ice and this has resulted in injury to staff and students with resultant absences from work/school.

Risks of opening when heavy snow or ice is expected/forecast:   

   

Snow and ice increases risk of road traffic accidents for student and staff.

Bus services are often cancelled which results in some students being stranded with parents/carers being forced to make arrangements.

Student numbers will be high (many are local) but staff numbers may be very low (our staff travel in from locations such as Sheffield, Stoke and Buxton). This can result in students being unsupervised on site. Usually when school is open following heavy snow, lessons are adversely affected and staff can find themselves supervising very large numbers of students with a consequent impact on learning.

The sites are surrounded by steep hills and this provides further risk to motorists and pedestrians following heavy snow/ice.

Where late notice is given that school is opening (as leaders seek to assess the situation until the last possible moment), parents/carers have reported that pressure is put on them to revise childcare arrangements.

Early clearance cannot be guaranteed. Accidents on school sites following snow or ice have resulted in injury, sustained absence and costly litigation in the recent past.

Staff/student time which can be used for productive work from home can be wasted on long and hazardous journeys to the school sites only to find lessons being badly disrupted or cancelled due to staff and student absence.

Be the best you can

-9-

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Risk of NOT opening when heavy snow or ice is expected/forecast:   

Parents/carers are caused inconvenience by having to adapt childcare arrangements Learning time is lost, even when students and staff work from home (teachers will issue work to complete via Show My Homework to undertake at home) The leadership of the school will incur criticism if forecast heavy snow does not arrive despite school being closed.

School strategy regarding snow closure: 1.

The school will seek to communicate clearly with parents/carers and local cluster primary schools when heavy snow or ice is forecast or expected.

2.

To minimise the risk to students and staff, and to facilitate childcare adaptations for parents and carers, the school will aim to close as soon as heavy overnight snowfall is probable.

3.

The school will seek to announce closure before midnight and definitely before 6.00am.

The school accepts that this may result in widespread criticism if heavy snow does not fall or does but doesn’t settle.

School emergency closure procedure Snow – during school hours: If there is a heavy snowfall during the day while students are already in school, and it becomes clear that getting home at the normal time may be difficult or dangerous, we may decide to close early. If we do close, the following instructions are given to students before they are allowed to leave the premises: •

If students know for sure that they have a safe destination with someone to look after them (such as their own home or a relative, neighbour or friend’s home) and provided they are sure they can reach this destination, they may leave when asked to do so.

•

If students are uncertain whether there is someone at home, they need to check before departure and should telephone to make sure of their arrangements. The school will make its telephones available free of charge to those who do not have a mobile phone, but obviously this may delay departure as we only have three external lines. Students should only leave once they are certain of their arrangements.

It would be helpful if you can discuss at home what you want your son/daughter to do in the event of school closing early so that they know of arrangements in advance.

If students cannot make arrangements and are not sure what to do and where to go, they must remain in school in the care of the staff of the school until suitable arrangements have been made.

A member of staff will always remain in school with students until everyone has been collected.

Be the best you can

- 10 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Snow – overnight: In the event of heavy snow overnight we would ask parents/carers to use their discretion in deciding if it is safe for their child to set off for school. Emergency closures happen perhaps once or twice a year.

The school will inform you of closure as soon as the decision is made to close the school, by various means: the school website; BBC Radio Derby, by text and/or email and by the Weduc App. Once students have been sent home, students and parents/carers should listen to local radio or check our website for further instructions about our plans for the following day. This information is usually posted on the school website by 7.30am each morning.

Breakdown of equipment: If, as happens very occasionally, we suffer a complete breakdown of equipment, depriving the school of its basic services, such as electricity or water, we may be forced to send students home for their own safety. The same procedure will be followed as for a snow closure.

Reminder: Weduc A reminder to parents/carers to download the Weduc App or register via the Weduc website to begin to receive communications from school. Enrolment emails have been sent out over previous weeks to email accounts we hold for parents/carers.

Initially are using Weduc for direct communication only of any Covid-19 updates and emergency alerts to families, before we fully launch the system later in the year.

Be the best you can

- 11 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Covid-19 - Updated school transport guidance from the DfE The Department for Education has updated their guidance on home to school transport, in accordance with advice from Public Health England. The guidance requires that face coverings must be worn on transport to secondary school or college. This change is in response to local authorities reporting that non-compliance remains sketchy across England. This guidance change clarifies the DfE’s message that face coverings are an important measure in reducing the transmission of coronavirus, particularly in enclosed spaces where social distancing is difficult to maintain. The guidance is clear that, where ‘must’ is used, something is essential for public health reasons.

Guidance will make clear that face coverings must be worn by children and young people aged 11 and over across all transport to secondary school or college, whether public transport or dedicated school transport. This does not apply to those who are exempt from wearing a face covering on public transport, and children and young people who may not be able to handle them properly should not wear face coverings. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-to-school-and-other-places-of-educationautumn-term-2020/transport-to-school-and-other-places-of-education-autumn-term-2020

Covid-19 – clarification on self-isolation As per Public Health England advice, if a member of your household develops symptoms of Covid19, all household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken at home.

Students should not attend school if any member of the household has shown symptoms and/or is awaiting a Covid test.

If the test result received is positive, students need to remain at home and not leave the house for 14 days of self-isolation (starting from the day when the first person in the house became ill). If a negative test result is received students can return to school as long as they are symptom free.

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) are:  new continuous cough and/or  high temperature and/or  a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell Tests can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. People who do not have symptoms should not request a test unless this has been specifically requested by Public Health England or the local authority.

Please see the link to the PHE ‘Stay at Home’ Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-homeguidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Be the best you can

- 12 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter All-weather sports pitch update I wanted to update you on the all-weather sports pitch which has been long awaited at Lumsdale site.

The local authority wrote to governors on 26 November to raise ‘concerns about the liabilities that fall to both the council and the school when accepting Football Foundation grants’. You may remember that the Football Foundation was contributing a significant amount of money to augment section 106 monies received as a result of a local housing development.

The local authority accepted that the school was very disappointed that these concerns had been raised relatively late in the process and that this would mean a further delay to the completion of this project. In recognition of this, the local authority made a significant contribution to allow an allweather sports pitch to be built without the involvement of the Football Foundation.

Governors are now exploring the options open to them, but want to assure all Highfields community members that a) the funds for this project are secure and b) the project will go ahead. We need to plan carefully to ensure that this sort of setback is not allowed to slow the process again. We have also been advised that Covid-19 has affected pricings and supply chains and this may or may not affect the speed of progress. When further plans have been agreed I will update you again.

We feel disappointed that this project has been delayed but we are very confident that this resource will, when completed, offer brilliant opportunities both to Highfields students and the wider community.

Angeline Ellson Chair of Governors

Be the best you can

- 13 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Christmas hamper appeal

Be the best you can

- 14 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Sports Leaders News Mrs Allen (School Sports Co-ordinator) Our sports leaders are usually extremely busy supporting sporting activities not only in school, but also within our partner primary schools and across the wider community. This year for the start of the year initially we are looking at alternative ways for our sports leaders to work and we will update you in our newsletter.

Further information on sports leadership can be found on the school website: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/students/sports-leadership/

Sports Leaders Update On Friday 27 November our year 13 sports leaders, Jayden, Sophie, Matt and James, received their awards for outstanding leadership during the last academic year. These awards would have been given out at the sports leaders annual awards evening in April that was cancelled due to lockdown.

They led activities for our year 7 and 8 ‘active in mind’ project group at Starkholmes on Monday lunchtimes alongside Mr Molyneaux.

Sports leaders awards were also given to Libby for Female Leader, Reece for Male Leader and Courtney and Emily for Girls Active leader.

REMINDER: Level 1, 2 and 3 Sports Leaders Level 1, 2 or 3 sports leaders should register their details on the skills tracker as per Mrs Allen’s email.

Sports webinar Mrs Allen continues to keep up to date with training and support for sports in school and attended the Well Schools webinar on Thursday 3 December covering issues associated with ‘leading in a time of crisis’.

Be the best you can

- 15 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Youth Sport Trust - The Big Give Youth Sport Trust’s aim is to support front line teacher and school staff wellbeing following the Covid19 crisis. YST’s Well Schools Movement aims to help schools embed a wellbeing strategy that will impact of staff and young people to transform their health and wellbeing using sport and physical activity.

Thank you to sports leaders who donated a total of £60 to the Youth Support Big Give last week. All donations are match funded by the Monday Charitable Trust and Sky Sports, resulting in a total of £120 raised.

Whole school extra-curricular sports clubs The PE department are running the following clubs for students across both sites. These are much reduced to what would usually be on offer but are compliant with the latest Covid-19 guidance. Full details are available from the PE department.

Monday

Tuesday

Week C

Weekly

-

-

-

-

Y10 Leaders Mrs Turner/Mrs Allen Y8 table tennis Mr Shirtcliffe

Y11 Leaders JST/JA

Y9 netball Miss Tabbenor Sports leaders - primary Mrs Allen/ Mrs Turner/ Mr Molyneux

-

Y10 table tennis / badminton Mr Shirtcliffe

-

-

Y12/13 Leaders Mrs Turner/Mrs Allen Y12/13 table tennis / badminton Mr Shirtcliffe Y7 Leaders Mr Molyneux

Y12/13 Leaders JST/JA Y12/13 table tennis / badminton Mr Shirtcliffe Y8 Leaders Mr Molyneux

-

-

Week A Y9 table tennis/ badminton Mr Shirtcliffe Y7 netball Miss Tabbenor

Week B Y8 netball Miss Tabbenor

Y11 table tennis / badminton Mr Shirtcliffe

Y11 table tennis / badminton Mr Shirtcliffe

Y9 Leaders Wednesday Mrs Turner/Mrs Allen Y7 table tennis Mr Shirtcliffe Y10 football Mr Roberts Thursday

Friday

Be the best you can

- 16 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Careers, College & Apprenticeship News Careers Information Resources Careers information, apprenticeship vacancies and higher education information can be found on the webpage under Students-Work Experience and Careers. http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/students/work-experience-careers/

Careers inspiration and advice from BBC Bitesize Explore BBC Bitesize’s brand new collection of free, online careers resources offering a wealth of inspiration and advice for students.

This new resources offer a rich collection of case studies across a wide range of sectors, linking curriculum subjects and the world of work: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers

Online careers programme for 11-18 year olds START is an online careers programme designed to connect 11-18 year olds with their future career potential.

The programme is broken down into sections on ‘world of work’ with a job search according to subject, skill or interest; ‘what to study’ about pathways and qualifications; ‘where to learn’ which views all colleges, universities, sixth forms, training providers and UTC; and ‘employability’ which has sections on work experience, work preparation including CV writing, covering letters and interview preparation.

There is also the facility for students to upload their personal statement and CV, so they can start to build their own careers profile.

Students can access the programme at home via the website (www.startprofile.com) with the student code they have been issued with – contact Mrs Turner for further details.

Y11 students – Decisionz Magazine Please follow the link below to the latest Decisionz magazine. This is a free online publication that provides a wealth of advice and guidance for students who will be looking to take on the next step in their lives post Y11. It provides advice about colleges in Derbyshire, how to make applications to college and sixth forms and information about careers. http://magazine.decisionz.co.uk/books/qdus/#p=1

Be the best you can

- 17 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Buxton & Leek College

Buxton & Leek College have just finished their Virtual Information Events which have taken place over recently. Their next expected events will likely take place in January which will take on a similar format. Students can still register for these events the same way as last time through the registration form on the website to ensure they get an appointment slot.

Register at: https://www.blc.ac.uk/virtual-information-evening-2/ As part of the event Buxton & Leek College launched a new part of their website containing lots of video content and information relevant to any school leavers thinking about coming to the college. It is a useful resource and makes for easy exploring.

To access follow the link below: https://www.blc.ac.uk/about-blc/virtual-open-day/ Normally the college would offer to host application workshops to support students who want to come to Buxton & Leek College. They would like to continue this commitment towards supporting students who otherwise find applying to college difficult and will be running group video chat sessions with students over Teams or speaking to students over the phone to provide information advice and guidance or to walk them through the application process.

Learn Live - & Free resources Learn Live have a virtual pod within www.myfuture.org.uk (located within the careers and transitions zone). Within their pod there is a live streaming TV screen – they will be streaming careers linked videos from over 300 organisations continually through the platform, as an example the Royal Navy are streaming currently.

Linked to that within the ‘Welcome to the Careers and Transitions zone’ you will see a ‘more videos’ hotspot with over 150 pre-recorded videos that have been recently added from organisations such as KPMG, Barclays, Mental Health charities etc.

Be the best you can

- 18 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter My Future app and website My Future is a virtual gateway to support students with their next steps.

• • • •

Meet local employers and explore apprenticeship opportunities Work with training providers to learn about and access courses that are available Virtually visit post 16 institutions including colleges and universities Learn about the employment opportunities in your town

To access My Future click on the link below: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/learning/myfuture/ If you are using a PC click on the launch full screen button below to enter the platform or if you are using a mobile or tablet download the app from m.appbuild.io/myfuture

Unifrog Careers programme We have signed up to the careers programme ‘Unifrog’ which offers students careers advice, support and guidance. Students in years 10 and 11 have been emailed with the log on details for Unifrog.

If students have not received an email they can access the website through the link www.unifrog.org/sign-in and click on ‘forgotten password’ to reset the password and log in.

A quick tasks sheet on Unifrog has been uploaded to Show My Homework for students to complete.

Be the best you can

- 19 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Chesterfield College

Be the best you can

- 20 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter : Virtual Work Experience live on the platform!

Be the best you can

- 21 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Highfields Sixth Form Our website provides you with resources and an insight into life in our amazing sixth form, as well as the wider opportunities available and advice on choosing subjects. All our subject information and sixth form prospectus can be viewed electronically to help students decide what they would like to do in the sixth form.

By the end of November students are asked for their top four subject preferences in an electronic survey. This will not be a commitment to the 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 then publish the option blocks in late January and students complete an application form, including their subject choices. In February and March we will hold individual meetings with students to discuss options.

Decisions on students’ futures 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 answer any questions you may have 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

Be the best you can

Mrs Cruise (Assistant head of sixth form) lcruise@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk - 22 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Learning Curve Group Courses

Be the best you can

- 23 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Virtual work experience opportunities Virtual work experience opportunities - Unifrog Unifrog have added over 110 virtual work experience placements to the special opportunities tool as they recognise how difficult it is for students to secure work experience at the moment. W Some of the FREE opportunities include:  JPMorgan Chase Investment Banking Virtual Experience  Accenture Virtual Experience Programmes  Clifford Chance Business and Human Rights Global Virtual Internship  HM Government Cyber Discovery Virtual Work Experience Students can also find paid-for programmes such as InvestIN's Future Doctor Programme.

The virtual WEX placements are all on the special opportunities tool. You can find the tool in the 'Searching for opportunities' section of the Student homepage.

Once you've selected which country you're from, the tool asks which country you're interested in searching opportunities from. To find all the virtual WEX opportunities, select 'Online/ Worldwide' You then select up to 10 subject areas you're interested in and click through to the longlist. From here, you can create a shortlist of up to 10 opportunities. Your shortlist gives you information about what to expect from the placement and how to apply for it.

Log in to the Unifrog platform and take a look at the 110+ opportunities available now: https://www.unifrog.org/signin?mc_cid=86bb8723ab&mc_eid=d6738d8f3a

Be the best you can

- 24 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Free Virtual Work Experience for whole year groups – Speakers for Schools The Experience programme from Speakers for Schools have a fantastic virtual work experience opportunity for students from Highfields School.

Virtual STEM Careers and Skills Week – 20 online sessions with unlimited places at one of the world’s most prestigious science and engineering firms!

If students want to find out more about careers in science, technology, engineering and sustainability, between 7-11 December, Speakers for Schools have partnered with one of the world’s biggest science and engineering firms, Johnson Matthey, to run a virtual skills and careers week. Each evening, scientists, engineers and other professionals from across the firm will be running a range of one-hour careers information events, including: Finance; Law; Engineering; Tech Start-Ups; Scientific Research; Information Technology (IT); Graduate and Apprenticeship Schemes; Strategy and Business Development; Human Resources (HR) They will also be offering skills sessions, helping students to understand the importance of the following skills for their own futures: Job applications; Resilience; Communication; Problem solving; Sustainability; Social value of science; Biases and stereotypes; Career success; Career searching.

About Johnson Matthey At Johnson Matthey, our vision is for a world that’s cleaner and healthier, today and for future generations. We’re passionate about people and the planet, and we use science to create technology that contributes to healthy and sustainable societies. For example, we fight air pollution with our automotive technologies, and we make better use of the planet’s resources by turning house waste into airplane fuel. You can find out more at https://matthey.com/en/about-us Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

If you have any queries about the process, have forgotten your login details or are having technical issues, please get in touch with experience@speakersforschools.org or call 02075 493 669.

Be the best you can

- 25 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Speakers for Schools Work Experience Opportunities Speakers for Schools have added more exclusive virtual work experience opportunities on the Experience portal for East Midlands students.

New Virtual Work Experience Opportunities: Nursing https://www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/929 Dates: Duration: Age: Application Deadline:

15 – 19 February 2021 9am – 3pm 16+ 25 January 2021

A week at Spotify https://www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/941 Dates: 15 - 19 February 2021 Duration: 10:00 – 15:00 Age: 16+ Application Deadline: 25 December 2020 Meet the people behind the masks: North West https://www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/907 Date: 22 January 2021 Age: 14+ Application Deadline: 17 December 2020 VWEX The Office of Communications - Ofcom https://www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/949 Dates: 15 - 19 February 2021 Age: 16+ Application Deadline: 15 January 2021 Govia Thameslink Railway https://www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/946 Date: 17 February 2021 Age: 14+ Application Deadline: 17 January 2021 Students interested should apply as soon as possible to have the best chance of success. Opportunities may close early if many applications are received.

For a full list of placements follow the link below to sign in, search and apply: https://www.s4snextgen.org/

Be the best you can

- 26 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Law and Politics Summer Internships Ages 12-18 - The Ultimate Work Experience, London 2021 For a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience up to 10 days of interactive, immersive work experience in Law or Politics next summer.

You will get the chance to:  Advocate before a judge in the Supreme Court  Privately network with MPs in the House of Commons  Meet corporate lawyers in an iconic London skyscraper  Work alongside UN and Foreign Office staff in "Model UN"  Cross-examine witnesses in a high-stakes murder trial Places are highly limited, register before 31 December and use the code INTERN15 to receive 15% off.

Ages 15-18 register: https://investin.org/collections/law-and-politics-summer-internships-ages-1518?mc_cid=1a7db9434a&mc_eid=758eb3ee37 Ages 12-14 register: https://investin.org/collections/summer-future-internships-up-to-10-days-in-person/products/thefuture-lawyer-summer-internship?mc_cid=1a7db9434a&mc_eid=758eb3ee37

Be the best you can

- 27 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

heppfest

Be the best you can

- 28 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Be the best you can

- 29 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter School Meals – week 3 menu Week 3

Monday 7 December – Friday 11 December

During the autumn/winter term and until Covid-19 guidelines are relaxed there will be a reduced menu option for both school sites.

Highfields Grab and Go Menu: Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Christmas Dinner day!

Main Meal

Organic

Beef

Loaded Roast

Chicken

Catch of

One

Beef

Nachos

Turkey Cob/

Korma

the Day

Burger in

Baguette

a Bun Main Meal Vegetarian Two

Burger in a Bun

Veggie

Loaded Roast

Veggie

Roasted

Nachos

Quorn Cob/

Korma

Vegetable

Baguette

Calzone

All main meals are served with seasonal vegetables and traditional accompaniments.

Light

A selection of hot paninis, jacket potatoes, pasta pots and cold

Bites

sandwiches/baguettes are available daily.

Be the best you can

- 30 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Monday 7 December – Friday 11 December Food available at break: Monday

Bacon Cob

Toast with Butter

Half Toasted Teacake

Croissant

Full Teacake

Garlic Bread

Crumpet Tuesday

Bacon Cob

Toast with Butter

Half Toasted Teacake

Garlic Bread

Full Teacake

Pizza Baguette

Crumpet Wednesday

Bacon Cob

Half Buttered Bagel

Crumpet

Half Cheese Topped Bagel

Toast with Butter

Toastie (2 slices of bread)

Garlic Bread Thursday

Half Toasted Teacake

Crumpet

Full Teacake

Toast with Butter

Bacon Cob

Garlic Bread

Sausage Cob Friday

Bacon Cob

Garlic Bread

Crumpet

Half Buttered Bagel

Toast with Butter

Half Cheese Topped Bagel

Flavoured Naan

Be the best you can

- 31 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Support and information Free Microsoft Office for Students Students at Highfields School can download Microsoft Office for free on up to five devices, for the duration of their time as a student at the school. Microsoft Office can be installed on compatible desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. https://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/students/office-for-students/

School Website / VLE: Resources are available on the school website www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk Students can access ‘all users’ from home from the Highfields School website:  Go to Highfields School homepage  Click on ‘portals’  Click on ‘student portal’  Enter school IT username (not email address) and password  Find ‘all users Starkholmes’ or ‘all users Lumsdale’ on the right hand side  Select the appropriate department/folder required.

If students have forgotten their password please email reset@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk specifying your user name and tutor group to request a new password.

Free School Meals Families could qualify for free school meals if meeting the following criteria:  Universal Credit, provided there is an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)  Income Support  Income-based Jobseekers Allowance  Income-related Employment and Support Allowance  support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999  the guarantee element of State Pension Credit  Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190) as assessed by HMRC  Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) Universal Credit has begun to be rolled out in Derbyshire and will affect all areas of Derbyshire by the end of 2022 - full details are available on Derbyshire County Council’s website https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/adult-care-and-wellbeing/benefits-debt-and-legalmatters/welfare-benefits/universal-credit/universal-credit.aspx Young people age 16 to 18 who receive the benefits or tax credits in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals. Even if you meet any or all of the criteria, families will not be eligible if they are claiming Working Tax Credit. You can sign up for free school meals at any time of year. You or your partner can claim for your children, as long as you live at the same address. You do not have to fill in a separate form for each child, even if they go to different schools. For further information contact the free school meals team on 01629 536400 or 01629 536481.

Be the best you can

- 32 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter b_line cards b_line is Derbyshire County Council’s cut-price travel discount and library card for young people aged 11 up to 19 who live in Derbyshire. b_line cards are free unless a replacement is needed for a lost or damaged card (replacement cards are £5).

There are two types of b_line card:  an orange b_line1 card for 11 year-olds (in secondary school) up to their 16th birthday  a purple b_line2 card for 16-year-olds up to 19th birthday b_line cards are no longer issued automatically. If students want a card (or a replacement card) they must apply online through Derbyshire County Council’s website https://bline.derbyshire.gov.uk/home.faces

Highfields Uniform A strict uniform code is implemented at Highfields School. Our school uniform is easy to source and practical, it helps to promote a community identity, encourages pride in appearance, makes life fair for all students when the same rules apply and reflects the high standards and expectations we have at Highfields School. Staff perform a variety of uniform checks and we ask that parents/carers support our uniform code.

The uniform code is designed to be clear and can be accessed on the following link: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/UniformCode.pdf Parents/carers are encouraged to check with the school on 01629 581888 where they are unsure.

Trutex Direct and Kick Off Sport both stock Highfields uniform. Kick Off Sport also stock the Highfields PE kit. Orders can be placed on line both with Trutex Direct (https://www.trutex.com/) and Kick Off Sport (https://www.kickoffsport.co.uk/highfields-uniform.html) if you know the size and items required without the need to visit a store directly. To assist with purchasing the right sizes Kick Off Sport have produced a size guide (see link below).

Various information has been prepared on our school uniform and can be accessed on the links below or from the school website: FAQs: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/UniformFAQs.pdf Uniform supply list: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2020/09/UniformList.pdf Uniform size guide: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2020/09/UniformSizeGuide.pdf

Be the best you can

- 33 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Reminders Dropping off and collecting students We would like to remind parents/carers that students should be dropped off and collected outside of the school site in the mornings and at the end of the school day. Parents/carers should not enter or park in the school car park allocated for staff and visitors or bus bays allocated for school transport.

We are always keen to be good neighbours and to protect the safety of all pedestrians and road users.

With this in mind please exercise care and consideration during busy times and take care not to block driveways or to use private car parks of local businesses when dropping off and collecting your child from school. It has been raised by the Rees Partnership at Lumsdale that parents/carers are using their private car park for upper school site students. They have asked that parents/carers find an alternative safe space to drop off and collect each day.

Road safety We are well aware of family concerns regarding road safety. We deploy our staff fully on site to ensure students’ comfort and safety before school, during break/ lunch and after school. We have staff on duty to oversee both sites as students get off and board buses.

We are unable to assume the roles traditionally undertaken by the school crossing patrol and police officers. We constantly remind students through assemblies and form times of the need for careful behaviour around roads.

We remain very concerned at reports of unsafe behaviour on the two mile stretch of road between Starkholmes and Lumsdale. We have relayed these reports to DCC school crossing patrol who have ‘noted’ our concerns and passed them on to the school crossing project officer dealing with the Starkholmes crossing site. Whilst we will continue to raise this issue with our partners in road safety, we would ask that you speak to your children to remind them of the need for care whilst on foot in our area.

Suitable outdoor wear for students during the autumn/winter terms As part of the Covid-19 guidance school is following there is a need for ventilation in corridors and classrooms, as well as students following a one way system around school. This means that children are more exposed than usual to cold temperatures and wet weather. Please could you remind them to attend in warm clothing suitable for the change in weather and, where rain is forecast, a waterproof coat or umbrella.

Covid-19 measures We ask that students are reminded to attend school with masks (more than one if using disposable masks) to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Students will be allowed to wear a mask in the classroom if they feel it is necessary.

Due to the ventilation in classrooms and students moving outside regularly through the one way system, please ensure that students are wearing layers and warm/waterproof coats when leaving the house now the weather is changing.

Be the best you can

- 34 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Masks in school Masks are mandatory for all secondary age students when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms (ie in corridors and communal areas) and where social distancing cannot be easily maintained. Students are permitted to wear a mask in the classroom if they feel it is necessary.

Please ensure your child has a mask with them each morning (more than one if using disposable masks) to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Reminder: Severe peanut allergy (Starkholmes site) We would like to remind parents/carers that a student attending Highfields lower school site (Starkholmes) has a severe peanut allergy. Strict avoidance of peanut products is the only way to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction. We are asking your assistance in providing the student with a safe learning environment.

To reduce the risk of exposure for the student, the Starkholmes site will be peanut free. Please do not send any peanut or products containing peanuts or nuts for your child to eat at any time in any area of the school. Any exposure to peanuts through contact or ingestion can cause a severe reaction. If your child has eaten peanuts or peanut/nut products prior to coming to school, please be sure your child's hands have been thoroughly washed before coming to school. As a guide to ‘peanut products’, the main ones are:  Bags of peanuts  Snickers bars  Cereal bars with peanuts in  Reece’s chocolate products  Chocolate coated peanuts  Peanut butter sandwiches  Products which state they may contain peanuts or nuts (there is presently no law to confirm whether or not the nuts are peanuts)

Be the best you can

- 35 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Community information Derbyshire’s Autism Alliance

Be the best you can

- 36 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Coronavirus guidance Advice if students (and staff) display symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) If your child develops symptoms of Covid-19, they must not come to school and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared. Anyone with symptoms will be eligible for testing and this can be arranged via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.

All other household members who remain well, must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. This includes anyone in your ‘Support Bubble’.

Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-homeguidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill.

Household members should not go to work, school or public areas and exercise should be taken within the home.

If you require help with buying groceries, other shopping or picking up medication, or walking a dog, you should ask friends or family. Alternatively, you can order your shopping online and medication by phone or online.

Household members staying at home for 14 days will greatly reduce the overall amount of infection the household could pass on to others in the community.

If you are able, move any vulnerable individuals (such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions) out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of the home isolation period.

Symptoms The most common symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) are recent onset of:  a new continuous cough(this is defined as coughing a lot for more than an hour, or have three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours),  a high temperature (above 37.8C),  a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia) For most people, coronavirus (Covid-19) will be a mild illness.

If your child does develop symptoms, you can seek advice from the nhs.uk website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/check-if-you-have-coronavirus-symptoms/.

If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, or they are worsening you can seek advice from NHS 111 at https://111.nhs.uk/ or by phoning 111.

How to stop Covid-19 spreading There are things you can do to help reduce the risk of you and anyone you live with getting ill with Covid-19:

Do 

wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds

Be the best you can

- 37 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter    

use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available wash your hands as soon as you get home cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

Further information is available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Public Health have advised: As schools and colleges across England return, students may feel unwell for example with a sore throat, aches and pains, a stomach upset, a runny nose, tiredness or a headache. If students have these symptoms (without the temperature, continuous cough or loss of smell symptom), then they don’t need to have a test.

The decision as to whether or not they come to school or stay at home should be taken as you would do in normal times (they are not required to stay off school).

Where a child has a sickness bug, as always, they must be kept off school for 48 hours.

School response to notification of positive Covid-19 cases We required the following key information from parents/carers when notifying school of a positive Covid-19 test:  the date symptoms started  the date the test was taken  the date the result was received  the names of ‘close contacts’ of the student during social times at school and any students they have spent time with as close contacts after school  the number of the bus if the student caught a bus to/from school.

A close contact is:  a person who has had face to face contact within one metre of the individual testing positive  contact within one metre for one minute or longer without face to face contact  someone who has been within 2 metres for more than 15 minutes  a person who has travelled in a small vehicle with the individual testing positive, or near them on a large vehicle or plane.

School then checks lesson seating plans to work out how many close contacts there are from lessons, identifying any students who have sat within 2m of the individual testing positive in any lessons during their contagious time prior to developing symptoms. Individual classrooms are then checked manually to see where the desks are and how much room there is.

Once this information is obtained school contacts Public Health England schools helpline who take down the details. If the case is there is only one in a year group and if school are confident we have identified all close contacts we only need to ask those students to stay off school and to self-isolate for 14 days.

School informs the Local Education Authority and the school nursing team.

Be the best you can

- 38 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter If there is more than one case in a year group, or there is uncertainty around close contacts, then school receives a call back from East Midlands Public Health. They go through all of the information, contact parents/carers where there are positive cases and review the school’s risk assessment. East Midlands Public Health then give school advice on what steps to take next.

Important points: 

It is really important that parents/carers keep children in their home if they test positive or are asked to self-isolate.



It is key that parents/carers know where their children are and who they are with so close contacts can easily be traced.



Unless there is a really urgent situation (such as urgent first aid) staff need to keep 2m away from students and other staff so they are not classed as close contacts.



It is key to understand that if you are a close contact and take a test, even if the result is negative, you have to self-isolate for the full 14 days.

Public Health provide school with a template latter to send home to all parents/carers and a different letter for parents/carers of close contacts. We take on board all advice that Public Health give us.

Claire Rifkin Assistant Headteacher

Be the best you can

- 39 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Covid-19 absence: a quick guide for parents/carers

School transport Covid-1 9 notice

Be the best you can

- 40 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Be the best you can

- 41 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Keeping up with learning during absence/when self-isolating It is always important for students to try to keep up with learning if absent from school. It is fair to say that the risk of absence will probably be greater this year than under normal circumstances due to Covid-19.

Students who are self-isolating will be provided with work which we aim to align as closely as possible to our planned curriculum. Lesson resources and a summary of lesson content and instructions will be placed on Show My Homework. So long as they are well, students are expected to access this work and encouraged to follow their usual timetable as closely as possible. However, they should allow for the fact that lesson content might not be on Show My Homework until later in the day, as teachers may amend resources and instructions so that they line up with the lesson taught in school.

Work should be submitted as instructed on Show my Homework.

Please get in touch with your child’s Year Manager if your child is having difficulty accessing work due to lack of suitable technology and we will endeavour to help.

If we do have to ask a whole year group to stay at home for a period of time due to a confirmed Covid case within the year group we currently plan to switch to remote learning during timetabled lesson time.

Meanwhile we are stressing the importance of every minute that we have in the classroom. We love having our students back in school, and doing what we enjoy doing best – teaching them in our classrooms, workshops, sports halls and studios. They have really impressed us with their desire to get on with learning. Long may this continue – fingers crossed in school, but should this not be possible at any time their desire to learn will be extra important in making a success of keeping up from home.

Guide for students accessing information if self-isolating For any students self-isolating please see the guide below on how to access your school email account, VLE (virtual learning environment) and SMHW (Show My Homework) from the school website.

All resources and communication between school and students will be via these platforms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7oWZnLde9I&feature=youtu.be

Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline The Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents/carers and young people can contact this helpline by calling 0800 046 8687. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

Be the best you can

- 42 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Mental Health support

Be the best you can

- 43 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter

Be the best you can

- 44 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Revision resources Y11 recommended revision resources Subject

Recommendations

Computer Science

Students had their revision guides before the mock exams last year and can use these again in year 11. CGP OCR Revision Guide and workbook. They are priced £5.95 each but can be bought via school for the school discounted price of £5.50 for both.

They also have a workbook with their revision guides which staff will mark when work is completed.

Design and Technology

Specification can be found on www.aqa.org GCSE Design and Technology – code 8552, along with sample assessment material. Revision guides purchased through department are Collins Design and Technology AQA GCSE 9-1 and CGP Design and Technology Revision Guide. CGP Design & Technology Revision Cards can be purchased from the Department at a cost of £5.00 on Parentpay.

Drama

AQA Drama by Annie Fox is recommended. This is published by Illuminate Publishing and costs approximately £23.

Dance

The website www.arts-pool.co.uk has a fantastic range of resources that can be bought for all components of the GCSE dance course.

The dance department are also subscribing students to the e-learning hub (letter already sent home with details).

Engineering

Recommended website to use for revision is www.technologystudent.com Specification can be found on www.wjec.co.uk Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Engineering, along with specimen assessment material.

Revision booklets are provided through the department specifically for exam practice.

English Language

There is no specific revision book for this course, but there are various CPG revision books which cover the skills (https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/)

English Literature

Copies of revision books such as York Notes and CPG (https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/) guides are available to look at in the English department, but there is no recommendation to buy a revision guide.

Resources for revising poetry, 'Poetry Essentials' and 'PEASI' paragraphs are available on show my homework.

Film Studies

Each film on the syllabus has a bespoke booklet made by the teaching staff. Each student has a copy of the booklet that they can now take home to revise from.

Food and Nutrition

Students have their Revision Guide 'Collins GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition Grade 9-1 WJEC Eduqas Complete Practice and Revision Guide' which were purchased at the start of Year 10.

The website https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/14-16-years/ has fantastic resources.

Specification and digital resources can also be found on https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/food-preparation-and-nutrition/

Geography

The Eduqas Specification A revision guide is recommended and will be available to buy from the geography department at a cost of £10 or students can purchase the guide through the following link: https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/subjects/geography/products/14-16/my-revision-noteswjec-gcse-geography

Be the best you can

- 45 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Subject

Recommendations

History

The way in which the course is taught means that the students will have their own revision guide through the printed booklets for each topic which are provided to students for use during lessons. If students wish to buy revision guides, the History department have a number of recommended books which can be purchased online, please see a member of the History department for details. There are also some revision guides on all users which can be printed off or used, please go to: All Users Upper / History / GCSE / Edexcel GCSE 9-1 / revision guides. There also other revision activities in the GCSE History folder on All Users Upper.

Languages

Useful websites for vocabulary revision are memrise, quizlet, duolingo, classtools.net and languagesonline.org.

German revision guides have been ordered in school and can also be purchased via CGP https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/School/books_gcse_german.book_DAS41 'New GCSE German AQA Complete Revision & Practice (with CD & Online Edition) - Grade 9-1 Course'

Maths

Maths AQA revision guides (higher or foundation depending on tier of entry) are available to purchase via ParentPay for £4.10

Music

The CGP GCSE AQA Music Revision Guide is recommended (ISBN 978-1782946144).

PE

New GCSE Physical Education Complete Revision Guide and Practice – for the Grade 1-9 course (with online ed) AQA GCSE Physical Education: Student Book by Kirk Bizley GCSE Physical Education – Pocket Posters: The Pocket: Sized Revision Guide (a little more basic, but is very clear and colourful).

GCSE Physical Education Revision Question Cards for GCSE. Available through School on ParentPay. All student booklets and supporting PowerPoint presentations are available in Allusers-PEGCSEPE 2016+. There are exam style questions and mark schemes in the booklets.

PRS

All students have received internally produced revision guides for two of their papers and will receive the third one before the mock exams. These are provided free of charge, but students will be charged for replacements if they are lost.

Science

Revision guides and revision cards are available to order through ParentPay. CGP online text books - https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/ Biology Triple award Username: biologytriple@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk Password: biologytriple Biology Double award Username: biologydouble@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk Password: biologydouble Chemistry triple award Username: chemistrytriple@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk, Password: chemistrytriple Chemistry double award Username: chemistrydouble@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk, Password: chemistrydouble Physics Triple award Username: physicstriple@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk Password: physicstriple Physics Double award Username: physicsdouble@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk Password: physicsdouble

Be the best you can

- 46 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Glossary of Abbreviations 5Rs- responsible, resourceful, resilient, reasoning, reflective AA - access arrangements (KS4 / KS5) SAA - suggested access arrangements (KS3) ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder AFL- assessment for learning AHT- assistant headteacher ALPS - data tool (1 is best 9 is worst) ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder BV - British Values CAMHS - Children and adult mental health service CBS - county behaviour support CBT- Cognitive behavioural therapy CEIAG - Careers education, information, advice and guidance CiC- children in care CME - child missing from education CPD - continuing professional development CPLD – continuing professional and leadership development CPT - cognitive processing Therapy CP - child protection CSE - child sexual exploitation DBS - disclosure and barring service (safeguarding) DCC - Derbyshire County Council DFE- department for education DHT- deputy headteacher Disadv - disadvantaged children DSEN - disability or special educational needs DSL- designated safeguarding lead DV- domestic violence EAL- English as an additional language EHCP - educational health and care plan EBACC- English Baccalaureate - suite of subjects defined by government (English/maths/science/ history/geography/MFL) EHO - early help offer EPQ - extended project qualification EWO - educational welfare officer EWA - educational welfare assistant FFT- Fischer Family Trust FGM - female genital mutilation FSM - free school meals FSW - family support worker GDPR- general data protection regulations HI - Hearing Impairment HLTA - Higher level Teaching Assistant HODS - heads of department IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome ICT- information communication technology IDSR - Inspection Data Summary Report (Ofsted) KIT- keep in touch (meeting) KS - Key stage (KS3=Y7-9, KS4=10/11, KS5=12/13) L&T - learning and teaching meeting - in depts

Be the best you can

LAC - Looked after Children LADO - local authority designated officer (safeguarding) LGBT- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual (support group) LD - Learning Difficulty LIO - Local inclusion officer MAS - middle attaining students (L4 in year 6) MAT- multi agency team MAST - multi agency support team (Sheffield) MaBL - Matrix Beyond Levels = assessment tool MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty MFL - Modern Foreign Languages MPS - main pay scale NEET- not in education, employment or training NON PP - non pupil premium NPQH - national preparation qualification for headship NQT - newly qualified teacher NS - next steps PHSE - Personal Health and Social Education PI - Physical Impairment PP - pupil premium P8 - Progress 8 - main headline figure from 2016 PRS - philosophy and religious education PSE - Personal and Social Education QA - quality assurance (often referred to as SESI) QDD - quality development dialogue REHO - re-pooling of early help offer RONI - Risk of NEET Indicator ROV - record of visit (SIP) RQT - recently qualified teacher RWCM - reading, writing, communication and maths SARU – students at risk of underachievement SAR- subject access request SCR - single central record (safeguarding), also Serious Case Review (national safeguarding) SEF - self-evaluation form SEN (K) - SEN support - students who receive - long term - different from and additional to provision SENCO - Special educational needs coordinator SESI - school evaluation/school improvement SISRA - software package used to track student progress SIP - school improvement partner SLT- senior leadership team SMSC - social, moral, spiritual and cultural (aspects of learning) SoW - scheme of work SPLD - Specific Learning Difficulty TA - Teaching Assistant TAF - Team Around the Family TLR - teaching and learning responsibility TSA - teaching school alliance UPS - upper pay scale VI - Visual Impairment

- 47 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Communication with school In order to improve communication with parents/carers, ensure we are compliant with the latest Covid-19 guidelines and to reduce the substantial cost and environmental impact associated with the amount of paper and photocopying involved in school mailings all correspondence is sent to parents/carers via email only.

Our aim is that only students’ data sheets, and of course, confidential or personal mail will be posted home. We fully understand that some parents/carers may wish to continue to have paper copies sent home rather than to receive communication by email and we will make arrangements to ensure that it is possible for this to continue upon request.

General enquiries The first point of contact for parents/carers for general enquiries is reception. Reception staff will ask you what the issue is in order for them to help with queries or refer you to a member of staff who can. Please be understanding with your expectations as, unless your call is urgent or considered a safeguarding matter, the majority of staff will not be able to respond to you immediately due to their teaching commitments and a return call may not be until the end of the school day or following day depending on the situation.

Pastoral enquiries and sickness absence If you have any concerns about a student, please contact your child’s form tutor in the first instance either by email (using their initial and surname, ie initialsurname@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk) or telephone. If you feel enquiries have not been adequately addressed by the form tutor or year manager, this can be followed-up with the relevant head of year.

If parents/carers wish to contact the school regarding attendance, please contact the relevant year manager. Each year group has their own year manager to deal with any enquiries or concerns: Lower school site (Starkholmes) - to contact year managers for years 7 or 8 from September 2020, please email as follows: Mrs Green - Year Manager (year 7)

tgreen@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Mr Tidmarsh - Year Manager (year 8)

dtidmarsh@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Upper school site (Lumsdale) - to contact year managers for years 9-13 please email as follows: Mrs Weightman Edge - Year Manager (year 9)

Hweightman-edge@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Miss Esposito - Year Manager (year 10)

aesposito@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Mr Allsobrook -Year Manager (year 11)

callsobrook@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Mrs Sargeant - Year Manager (sixth form)

rsargeant@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Subject specific enquiry (subject teacher) If you have subject specific enquiries, we ask that you contact the relevant subject teacher. If you feel enquiries have not been adequately addressed by the class teacher, this can be followed-up by the relevant head of department.

Be the best you can

- 48 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Key Staff for 2020-21 Headteacher: Mr A Marsh

Deputy Headteacher: Mr P R Cole

Assistant Headteachers: Mr D O’Reilly Mrs C Rifkin Mr M Hodkin

Associate Assistant Headteachers:

Mr K Rodgers - Years 7 and 8 (based at Starkholmes) Miss N Gresswell - Years 9, 10 & 11 (based at Lumsdale) Mrs C Morgan – Curriculum and timetabling

Heads of Year: Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Sixth form

Year Managers: Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Sixth form

Mrs A Hollinrake / Mrs L Redhead Mr J Redhead Mr A Bishton Mrs A Ruston Miss J Hughes Mr M Flett Mrs Green Mr Tidmarsh Mrs Weightman Edge Miss Esposito Mr Allsobrook Mrs R Sargeant

If you wish to report student absences, please contact the relevant pastoral staff to your son/daughter’s year group as indicated above.

Department Contacts: Art – Mrs K Fairbank Business – Mr I Lovatt Computing – Mrs J Hadfield D&T – Miss A Morris Drama & Dance – Miss E Bonsall English – Mr R Key Film Studies – Mr C Warrington Geography – Mrs M Barker History – Mr P Copeland Maths – Miss S Wallhead

Be the best you can

Modern Foreign Languages – Mrs M Bowen Music – Mr K Rowley PE – Mr C Shirtcliffe Psychology – Miss H Ould PRS – Mr R Platts PSHE/L2L – Mrs Turner SENCO – Mr M Hodkin Science – Mrs C Morgan Sociology – Mrs A Serjeant

- 49 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Form Tutors 2020-21 Starkholmes (lower school site): Year 7 7BC 7RP 7RHE 7OM 7LT 7PH 7SB

Mrs C Cooper / Ms C Bell / Mr R Ruston Mr R Platts / Miss C Hall Miss R Hendry / Miss H Ould Mrs A Morris / Miss L Poundall / Mrs H Megginson Ms L Tatum / Mrs A Wildgoose Mr P Hill / Mr A Brooks Mrs L Sayers / Mrs L Brailsford / Mrs C Wilson

Year 8 8DC 8TC 8LH 8JOA 8BB 8JHA 8KSW

Mrs E Cruise / Ms E Davies / Miss E Fearn Mrs J Turner / Mr P Copeland / Mr K Rowley Miss L Hamrouge / Mrs J Grainger / Mrs J Clifford Mrs J Andrews / Mr M Webb / Miss R Morley Miss E Bonsall / Mrs N Bonner Mrs J Hadfield / Mr J Garth Mrs Wragg / Miss Fairbank / Mrs Millington

Lumsdale (upper school site): Year 9: 9CAH 9SLH 9JFG 9IL 9AB 9IR 9RYA

Year 11: Miss C Hall / Mrs C Cooper Mrs S Harrison / Mrs S Blakeley Mrs J Grainger / Mrs A Wildgoose Mr I Lovatt Mr A Brooks / Mrs J Clifford Mr I Richardson Mr R Atkins

Year 10: 10EB 10MJB 10KMR 10MO 10RR 10JG 10GPR

11SA 11LB 11RNS 11MWE 11MC 11KF 11CS

Mr S Archer / Mrs J Allen Mrs L Brailsford / Mrs J Allen Mr R Nightingale-Smith Mr M Webb / Miss L Hamrouge Mr M Crawford Miss K Fairbank / Ms C Bell Mr C Shirtcliffe

Sixth form:

Miss E Bonsall / Mr P Copeland Mrs M Barker Mr K Rowley / Mrs E Morris Miss A Morris / Miss H Ould Mr R Ruston /Miss R Hendry Mr J Garth / Mrs L Sayers Mr R Roberts

Be the best you can

12MAB 12RKB 12DM 12MFA 13HK 13HME 13MW 13CJW

Mrs M Bowen Mrs R Brown Mr D Moss Mr K Fairhurst Mrs R Key Mrs H Megginson / Mrs N Bonner Miss R Morley / Mrs C Wilson Mr C Warrington

- 50 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Highfields School Governing Board 2020-21 Highfields School is fortunate in the kinds of people who have volunteered to become governors, each bringing a variety of skills and experience to support the school.

The composition of the governing board for 2020-21 is split as follows. Each governor serves a four year term of office.

Name Miss Angeline Ellson Mr Paul Steeples Mr Rob Atkinson Mrs Allison Beesley Mr Edward Coxhead Miss Lizzy Dence Mrs Amanda Goodall Miss Emma Hill Mr Dennis Holmes Mr Andrew Marsh Mr David Matthews Deborah O’Donovan Mrs Selina Rodgers Dr Ewen Ross

Governor Type Chair of Governors Co-opted Vice Chair of Governors Co-opted Co-opted Co-opted Co-opted Staff Co-opted Co-opted Parent Headteacher Parent Co-opted Parent Parent

Link Governor Area Leadership and strategy Inclusion (SEND, behaviour, attendance) Safeguarding (H&S, wellbeing) Finance, resources and personnel Curriculum and standards

Highfields governing board has a strong focus on three core strategic functions:  ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction  holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its students, and the performance management of staff, and  overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

All   

governors are required to: undertake appropriate induction training prepare for and attend all meetings regularly undertake further training to develop their skills

Full details of Highfields Governing Board can be accessed on the school website: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/our-school/governors/

Be the best you can

- 51 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter Key dates for 2020-21 Please note all calendar dates are provisional at this stage and are correct as of 1 September 2020. The latest government guidance will be followed for all events/activities and any changes to the proposed schedule will be highlighted nearer the time of each event/activity.

2020-21 academic year 1 September 2020 to 23 October 2020

2 November 2020 to 17 December 2020 4 January 2021 to 12 February 2021 22 February 2021 to 1 April 2021 19 April 2021 to 28 May 2021 7 June 2021 to 22 July 2021

INSET days (no students in school) 1 September 2020 30 November 2020

4 January 2021 2 July 2021 22 July 2021

2020-21 provisional parent consultation evenings (tbc – dependent upon latest guidance) We are currently looking at alternative ways of operating parent consultation evenings – further details to follow.

Y8 parents evening Y13 parents evening

Y9 options / parents evening (4-7pm) Y11 parents evening (4-7pm) Y12 parents evening (4-7pm) Y10 parents evening (4-7pm) Y7 parents evening (4-7pm)

Tuesday 17 November 2020 (pre-arranged calls home) Tuesday 1 December 2020 (pre-arranged calls home)

Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday

12 January 2021 (Sports/Wheeldon Halls) 26 January 2021 (Sports Hall) 9 February 2021 (Sports Hall) 2 March 2021 (Sports Hall) 16 March 2021 (Sports Hall, upper site)

2020-21 provisional school events (tbc - further details will be issued prior to each event) Y7 Activity Day, Lea Green (part year group) Wednesday 23 September 2020 Y7 Activity Day, Lea Green (part year group) Thursday 24 September 2020 Autumn series A Level exams Monday 5 October – Friday 23 October 2020 Autumn series GCSE exams Monday 2 November – Monday 23 November 2020 Y11 mock exams (1) A Level Certificates Evening/Leaver’s Social Evening of Theatre (7-10pm) Y11 mock exams (2) Y9 internal exams (none core subjects) Easter Concert (7-10pm) Y10 internal exams GCSEs / A level exam series begins

Monday 23 November – Tuesday 8 December 2020 Thursday 17 December 2020 Wednesday 20 January-Thursday 21 January 2021 (Bowler Hall) Monday 22 February – Friday 26 March 2021 Monday 22 March – Thursday 1 April 2021 Wednesday 31 March 2021 (Wheeldon Hall) Tuesday 4 May – Thursday 13 May 2021 Friday 14 May – Tuesday 29 June 2021

Y12 internal exams Y8 internal exams Y7 internal exams Higher Education Evening (7pm) Y9 internal exams (core subjects) Y7 sponsored walk Y8 visit Lumsdale Y9 enterprise day Y6 visit Starkholmes Y11 Prom Whole school sports day School Musical (7.30-10pm)

Monday 24 May – Friday 11 June 2021 Monday 7 June – Friday 11 June 2021 Monday 14 June – Friday 18 June 2021 Tuesday 15 June 2021 (Wheeldon Hall) Thursday 24 June – Friday 25 June 2021 Wednesday 30 June 2021 Wednesday 30 June 2021 Wednesday 30 June 2021 Friday 2 July 2021 Friday 2 July 2020 (Alfreton Hall) Wednesday 7 July 2021 (Lumsdale site) Wednesday 14 July – Saturday 17 July (Wheeldon Hall)

(Tuesday 29 June is exam contingency day)

(Evenings & matinee/evening on Saturday)

2021 exam results days: A Level exam results: 24 August 2021

GCSE exam results: 27 August 2021

The Secretary of State for Education announced that the summer exam series will be delayed by 3 weeks giving students more time to prepare for their exams. The latest position indicates that exams will begin on 7 June and end on 2 July for almost all A level and GCSE’s.

Be the best you can

- 52 -

Highfields School

Issue 12: 4 December 2020

Newsletter 2020-21 academic year Term dates:

INSET days (no students in school):

Term 1: 1 September 2020* to 23 October 2020 Term 2: 2 November 2020 to 17 December 2020*

• • • • •

Term 3: 4 January 2021 to 12 February 2021 Term 4: 22 February 2021 to 1 April 2021

1 September 2020 30 November 2020 4 January 2021 2 July 2021 22 July 2021

Term 5: 19 April 2021 to 28 May 2021 Term 6: 7 June 2021 to 22 July 2021 * From 2015 schools have been able to consider variations to term dates provided they meet the statutory requirements. With this in mind we took the decision to return to school one day earlier for the start of the new academic year (Tuesday 1 September 2020) and finish the autumn term one day earlier (Thursday 17 December 2020). This was to ensure a smooth start to the academic year rather than students starting back with a staggered start on Thursday or Friday.

2021-22 academic year The following term dates are provisional for the 2021-22 academic year: Term 1: 2 September 2021 to 22 October 2021 Term 2: 1 November 2021 to 23 December 2021 Term 3: 10 January 2022 to 18 February 2022 Term 4: 28 February 2022 to 8 April 2022 Term 5: 25 April 2022 to 27 May 2022 (2 May 2022 is a bank holiday) Term 6: 6 June 2022 to 22 July 2022 INSET days for the 2021-22 academic year will be confirmed.

Highfields School Contact details Lower Site (Years 7 & 8): Telephone:

Starkholmes Road, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3DD 01629 584020

Upper Site (Years 9-13): Telephone:

Upper Lumsdale, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5NA 01629 581888

Website: General email: Admissions: Chair of Governors: SENCO: Newsletter feedback: Careers information:

www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk info@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk admissions@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk chair@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk mhodkin@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk newsletter@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk careers@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk

Be the best you can

- 53 -