Alternative activities & events

Free Speakers for Schools - virtual talks w/c 8 February 2021

Speakers for Schools will continue to run live broadcasts this year for young people learning online, at school and at home.

Here is next week’s full Live Broadcasts Schedule: https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/upcoming-vtalks/

DATE: Monday 8 February TIME: 10:00 – 11:00 YEAR GROUP: KS4 – 5 / S4 – 6 SPEAKER: Tom Toumazis MBE, Former Media, Entertainment and Tech Executive, now investor in start ups

We are delighted to be hosting a Broadcast with Tom Toumazis, Former Media, Entertainment and Tech Executive, now investor in start-ups. Tom is a public speaker, sharing his work/life experiences and encouraging young people to explore a career in the world of media and entertainment. He was awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to children. Tom will be sharing insights into the ‘art of nudging’ and how to get noticed in a world of noise!

DATE: Monday 8 February TIME: 14:00 – 15:00 YEAR GROUP: KS4 – 5 / S4 – 6 SPEAKER: Milo Beckman, Author, Maths without Numbers

Join us here to hear Milo Beckman, a maths prodigy from New York. Milo’s projects and independent research have been featured in The New York Times, the Huffington Post, the Economist and others. He has worked for a US Senator, three tech companies, two banks and taught mathematics in New York, China and Brazil. His debut book, Math Without Numbers, is an illustrated guide to shapes, dimensions, infinity, symmetries, proofs, and more. Milo will be talking about a famous question in abstract maths: Is there anything bigger than infinity? He is looking forward to answering your questions.

DATE: Wednesday 10 February TIME: 14:00 – 15:00 YEAR GROUP: KS4 – 5 / S4 – 6 SPEAKER: Jean-Patrick Cheylan, Head of Entertainment Partnerships, Europe, Twitter

Speakers for Schools is delighted to be hosting a Broadcast with Jean-Patrick Cheylan. Jean-Patrick is in charge of supporting the leading European entertainment content creators to grow and monetize their audience on Twitter. He leads a 5 people team based in London, Madrid and Paris, which covers partnerships across Tv, cinema, music, fashion, lifestyle, food. Jean-Patrick will be sharing insights into his career journey and where to gain relevant work experience. He will be providing advice on how we can develop our resilience.

Panel Broadcast with Flipbook Studio

DATE: Thursday 11 February TIME: 10:00 – 11:00 YEAR GROUP: KS3 – 5 / S1 – 6 PANEL: David Cordon, Head of TV and Film, Jo Wilkinson, Head of Production & Yuval Turgeman, 3D Artist Join us for a panel discussion with Flipbook Studio, an innovation production studio who provide Visual Effects, Animation, Digital, Immersive and Film for their international client base. David Cordon, Head of TV & Film, Jo Wilkinson, Head of Production and Yuval Turgeman, a 3D artist will be sharing an insight into their careers and will be providing tips for students who are interested in a career in Film and TV. Students will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions.

Penguin Talks in Partnership with Speakers for Schools

DATE: Thursday 11 February TIME: 14:00 – 15:00 YEAR GROUP: KS4 – 5 / S4 – 6

Lit in Colour: Why Empire is Relevant Today, with Sathnam Sanghera and Zawe Ashton

Award-winning author and journalist, Sathnam Sanghera, joins actress, playwright and director Zawe Ashton, to discuss the impact of Empire on modern Britain, its absence from the school curriculum and why it’s relevant to young people today.

HOW TO JOIN THE LIVE BROADCASTS

1. Join 10 minutes before the broadcast to be ready 2. You can join without needing an account – https://vimeo.com/418436143 3. For full speaker descriptions visit the broadcast schedule (https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/upcoming-vtalks/)

Watch pre-recorded broadcasts from the Speakers for Schools library https://www.speakersforschools.org/inspiration/vtalks/vtalks-video-library/

Support and resources available

Families Accessing Free School Meals

During this third national lockdown the government are not offering the national free school meal voucher scheme and schools are offering out hampers to families who usually have free school meals.

We are preparing hampers with enough food in for a fortnight. If you would like a hamper, or have a query regarding hampers, please email Kerry Alcock (kalcock@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk) if you have not already done so.

Hampers will be available for collection in the Bowler Hall at Starkholmes on Tuesdays. Please ensure you wear a suitable face mask and maintain social distancing when on the school site to collect hampers.

Free School Meal Criteria

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.

Financial help from the ‘We Are Highfields Fund’

We have reopened the We Are Highfields fund that we set up during the last lockdown to support Highfields families affected by the Covid-19 outbreak to pay bills and get connectivity. Please pass these details on to anyone who may need help but does not access school emails or the newsletter.

Application forms for the We Are Highfields Fund can be requested from the finance office either by email (finance@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk); can be completed over the phone where you will be asked few simple questions to check eligibility (01629 832325); through your child’s year manager or the school website:

https://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WeAreHighfieldsApplication.docx This is a hardship grant and is considered on a case by case basis. This grant scheme will be paid out until funds are exhausted. To be eligible you must be a parent/carer of a students at Highfields School and have savings of less than £1,000 per person or £2,000 for a family or couple (including rolling bank balance).

Highfields In School Support (HISS) - Emergency Childcare

If you wish your child to attend school because they meet the criteria previously issued, please email lleverton@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk by Friday of each week and specify the details of the days and times of the following week that emergency childcare is required.

Any students attending should bring packed lunch/snacks and are required to wear a mask when on the school sites. Mrs Leverton will confirm details to families individually.

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/