th September 2024
Our newsletter aims to keep parents and carers up to date with school news, activities and key information throughout the year.
If you have any feedback on or suggestions for the newsletter, please send your comments via email to newsletter@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk
Don’t forget to visit our website (www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk) for more news and information.
Thank you for taking the time to read our news and for your support.
A Marsh Headteacher
Disclaimer: HighfieldsSchoolisnotresponsibleforthequalityofproductsororganisationspublicisedthrougharticlesor advertisementsintheschoolnewsletter.
Message from the Headteacher
How do you get to sleep? I can’t sleep at the moment. This tends to happens to school leaders who are expecting an imminent Ofsted inspection: far too much adrenaline in the system. I sleep in an attic room and this means that you get the natural ‘white noise’ of raindrops on the skylights, so I should be lulled into blissful sleep. But I’m not. If you have any sleep tips you know where I am...
Luckily, schools are very exciting places and so it’s quite easy to remain alert at work. For example, this week we had another visit from our Trust to help us prepare for Ofsted. They were more challenging this time and, whilst very positive, left us with some challenges to consider. One such challenge was how to manifest the strengths of our school in the very small window that Ofsted presents. Working on it…
It’s lucky I’m not competitive because if I were I would be banging on and on about this group of lads who went over to Antony Gell this week and beat them 12-0. I love sport and its ability to contribute to both our physical and mental health. I love the fact that more and more at Highfields, boys and girls are involved in playground kickabouts at break and lunchtime. But I REALLY love winning!!
On Thursday evening we went into Open Evening mode and welcomed around 1,000 visitors at our upper site. Somehow or other I managed not to take any pictures apart from this one. If you drove to the Open Evening you may have seen these desperate figures (members of senior team and site team) looming in your headlights as they doggedly tried to fit far too many cars into far too small a carpark. These open evenings are always a delight for us and my favourite moment of the whole evening (and possibly week) came from a parent who already has two children with us. He took me aside and said, ‘we’ve come for a look around but to be honest we wouldn’t dream of sending our youngest anywhere else…we could not be happier with Highfields in every single way.’
Highfields is far from perfect and I know I could always be a better headteacher. But I cannot tell you what a privilege it is to work amongst the brilliant staff, parents and students of this wonderful place. Thank you to everyone who made Open Evening such a wonderful event.
We are (most definitely) Highfields. Sleep well.
A Marsh
Tuesday 1st October (Week A)
Wednesday 2nd October
• This girl can (female Sports Leaders)
Thursday 3rd October
• “Come from away” Musical
Friday 4th October
• Matlock Music- Duo Piacello, piano and cello 7:30pm
Leadership Skills Foundation Centre of Excellence for 24/25
The status recognises centres that are going above and beyond with their implementation of leadership thus empowering their learners to believe, lead and succeed.
It gives Highfields great pleasure to announce we have achieved this prestigious status for the second year running.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday 2nd Oct This Girl Can event at Whitworth Park
Wednesday 16th Oct Primary Cross Country @ Darley Dale Primary school
Jayne Allen
Thrills, Goals and Glory
Highfields had the first football fixtures of the season on Wednesday evening, travelling to Anthony Gell with the year 8 Boys and mixed Y7 and 8 Girls football team. Both teams looked great in their newly donated football kits courtesy of the Rotary club Matlock.
The Girls, who played against a pretty much all Year 8 side from Anthoy Gell, played some great football. Passing and getting into space, receiving back, some driving runs breaking their defence and some resolute defending. The game was very even with lots of end to end action, the game resulted in a 4 – 4 draw Amazing goals from Mia, Ruby and Taisy.
Mr C Shirtcliffe
Y8 Boys Football vs Anthony Gell
On Wednesday, our Y8 boys football team travelled to Anthony Gell for their first fixture of the season - and I am pleased to report that they emerged victorious by a 12-0 margin! This included a ruthless first half display that saw the lads 7-0 up with a hat-trick from Jacob as his first 3 goals were scored within 10 minutes.
In the second half, the boys knew that the game had already been put to bed and agreed to mix the formation up and for all of them to try some new positions. This did result in a slightly more even second half, with Mason (one of our smaller players in stature yet one of our most impactful outfield players) pulling off some impressive saves in a full-size goal. The MOTM and scorers are below, well done again to our Y8 boys!
MOTM: Jacob
Scorers:
Jacob x5
Ted x2
Sam x2
Albert Jaxson
Mason
Mr J Waller
Why Homework is a good thing..!
After each summer exam season, we look in depth at what the data tells us. We ask ourselves how we should change things for our students. It may sound very simple but one of the conclusions we drew from this year’s Y11 and Y13 exams was: students who work hard at Highfields achieve success
That’s it. All the evidence suggests that students who attend well, work hard in lessons and develop excellent study habits outside school achieve the best grades. This gives them the best opportunities moving forward. Homework is a big part of what we talk about when we reference ‘study outside school’ so this year one of our Big 3 projects is to improve further our approach to homework.
We are basing our approach to homework on what research tells us works best. We aim for homework to be:
• Meaningful – it will be set regularly to review crucial knowledge. Regular revisiting of content over time is key to making knowledge stick. Research shows this very clearly. We do lots of this in the classroom, for example through quick quizzes at the start of lessons and by periodic review work. However, there can be a long time between lessons, and this means students forget and learning is lost. We can slow ‘forgetting’ down if we use time between lessons to review.
• Routine – students can expect to have homework from most subjects, most weeks. Students can expect to have some work to do most evenings / weekends, with expectations rising as they move through school. By getting into the best habits from as early as Year 7 it won’t be a shock when the demands of revision for external exams like GCSEs kick in more in Year 10.
• Manageable – with clear instructions to students on what they need to do. Our emphasis is on building routines of learning outside the classroom The emphasis of homework is on regular routines and quality –not on quantity or hours set. These routines will help students to become more effective learners over time It will be as efficient as possible for school staff favouring low teacher input/ high impact approaches which protect the wellbeing of teachers and the effectiveness of their wider curriculum delivery
• Recognised – This does not mean it will always be ‘taken in for marking’. Some HW will be completed online, some will be revision for quick tests, some will be checked in class.
Thanks for helping us understand and develop homework this academic year. Parents and carers have access to our Show My Homework system. This shows what homework has been set, guidance on how to do it and when it needs to be completed. We know students have busy lives outside school and balance is important in all things. A regular routine built over time will help students become more successful.
Students who work hard at Highfields achieve success.
Mr P Cole
Mrs Cooper ran a national poetry competition at lower site before summer called "Through Their Eyes" and three current Y9 students (Immy R, Anna S and Leila B) have been chosen to be published.
We're now doing another national poetry competition for the whole school called "The Beautiful Truth." Mrs Cooper has already had some brilliant entries in. Deadline is 18th October.
Did you know you can hire out our school facilities?
• 3G Pitch
• Hardstanding Courts
• Large Sports Hall
• Small Sports Hall
Please visit www.schoolhire.co.uk for more information, to view availability and to book.
Police Recruitment event. Any ages are welcome as it’s a good way for students to see what we offer and start to plan their potential career path. The link to register for the event (candidates must register to attend) is below and the poster attached. External Events - Shared HR Service Centre (tal.net)
Key dates & Calendar
2024-25 Academic Year INSET days (no students in school)
Term 1: 4 September 2024 to 24 October 2024 (Holiday 28 October – 1 November)
Term 2: 4 November 2024 to 20 December 2024 (Holiday 23 December – 3 January 2024)
Term 3: 6 January 2025 – 14 February 2025 (Holiday 17 February – 21 February)
Term 4: 24 February 2025 to 4 April 2025 (Holiday 7 April – 21 April)
Term 5: 22 April 2025 to 23 May 2025 (Holiday 26 May – 30 May)
Term 6: 2 June 2025 to 24 July 2025
Wednesday 4th September 2024
Thursday 5th September 2024
Friday 25th October 2024
Monday 2nd December 2024
Monday 30th June 2025 2024-25 provisional school events (TBC - further details will be issued prior to each event)
Sixth Form Iceland Trip
Careers Fair
Vocal Recital
Sixth Form Cranedale Trip
Sixth Form Open Evening
Blood Brothers trip
London Theatre Trip
Flu Immunisations
Christmas Concert
Evening of Theatre
Spain Trip
Easter Concert & Juliet Trip
School Musical
Berlin Trip
Friday 18th October
Wednesday 23rd October
Thursday 24th October
Monday 11th November
Thursday 14th November
Thursday 21st November
Wednesday 27th November
Friday 13th December
Tuesday 17th December
Thursday 23rd January
Friday 14th February
Tuesday 1st April
Thursday 22nd May
Wednesday 9th July – 12th July
Monday 21st July
9
7 Parents Evening Tuesday 19th November
Tuesday 3rd December
Tuesday 14th January
Tuesday 28th January
Tuesday 11th February
Tuesday 4th March
Tuesday 18th March
