Parents/Carers Update

Stakeholder survey

Parents/carers should be in receipt of our short electronic survey that has been emailed out today, 30 April. Your views are important to us and we would be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete this survey and give your feedback on how you think Highfields is doing. Your responses will help inform our main improvement plan (‘Big 3’) priorities for 2021-22.

A separate student survey will also be produced and emailed all students next week via their Highfields email address.

The surveys are anonymous, but there is the option to leave contact details if you would like a response. Surveys are open until midnight on Sunday 16 May.

Y11 & Y13 update on processes for awarding TAGs in Summer 2021

Year 11 and 13 families and students have been sent a Weduc communication providing full details of the processes for awarding Teacher Assessed Grades in the summer.

Students are currently working hard during this period of additional class-based assessments and taking this opportunity to show their teachers what they know, understand and can do in each of their courses. These assessments will play a very substantial role in helping teachers determine objective, fair and reasonable final grades, so we are delighted with the excellent approach that most students are taking towards them.

Each subject will be providing students with a written summary of the evidence they will be using to make final grade judgements. Students will be asked to check the evidence base documents carefully and sign to confirm they have seen, understand and know what evidence will be used to inform grade judgements. If a student believes there were mitigating circumstances that should be taken into consideration for a piece of assessed evidence they should contact school, providing full details, via exams@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk. The evidence bases and examples of special circumstances have been explained in the communication.

As you are aware we cannot discuss our judgements with any student or parent/carer and to do so could constitute malpractice. We have taken the decision not to share marks from the current assessments either; as with exams in any normal year students need to keep focused on what is ahead. We remain very grateful to students, parents and carers for not asking us for such information.

As ever, the crucial challenge for all of our students is to stick at their learning, and to take the current opportunities to show us what they know, understand and can do. They are nearly there!

Thank you to all families for their support.

Reduced canteen service for students at Lumsdale - 6 May Polling Day

The Government has confirmed that local elections will go ahead on Thursday 6 May. This means that the Wheeldon Hall at Lumsdale will be out of use for school as it will be used as a Polling Station.

Catering arrangements for students at upper site are affected and food options will be limited. Students are asked to bring a snack at break as the canteen is unable to offer food during morning break. A reduced menu of hot/cold take away foods will be offered at lunch for years 9-11. Catering arrangements for sixth form students and students in Y7-8 at Starkholmes will be unaffected.

Students will be reminded of the food options available to purchase on 6 May or advised to bring a packed lunch if they prefer. Y9 and Y11 will be served from the coffee bar as per their current staggered lunch times and Y10 will be served from outside Mr O’Reilly’s office.

Free period products in school

You may be aware that the government introduced the period product scheme in January 2020 to provide free period products for all learners who need them, as they are a necessity and not a luxury. The scheme was set up to prevent periods being a barrier to education for learners and help reduce the stigma around menstruation.

Highfields School holds a supply of a variety of branded period products available for students. All learners in school are able to access period products if they need them, for example, where students have forgotten their products, cannot afford products or in the case of needing products in an emergency. If a student needs free period products they can access these discretely from either school site reception or via their year team. Alternatively, parents/carers on low income or who are struggling owing to the loss of income due to Coronavirus can contact year managers, in confidence, to obtain a bulk supply.

Performing Arts Clubs

Performing arts clubs are running during lunchtime and after school from 3.30-4.30pm as we are working towards a summer performance – we need you!

Lunch After school

Monday

Year 8 Musical Theatre

Tuesday Year 12/13 Musical Theatre -

Wednesday Year 10 Musical Theatre Year 11 Musical Theatre

Thursday - Year 7 Musical Theatre

Friday Year 9 Drama - Lower site club will be in the performing arts mobile and upper site club will be in P1. All lunchtime clubs require students to bring lunch or have canteen food at break to allow time in the shortened lunch break.

Sports Clubs

The PE department are trialling extra-curricular sports activities in the form of ‘sports pods’ taking place on the following days after school:

Monday

After school 3.30-4.0pm

Year 10 Tuesday Wednesday Year 8 Thursday Year 7 Friday Year 9

Students participating should get changed in the changing rooms at the end of the school day ready to start the session at 3.30pm. Sessions will be a mix for all abilities/genders and run for an hour, finishing at 4.30pm. Activities will be decided on the evening.

Gardening donations

If anyone is able to donate any tools, seeds, plants or anything the student gardening club can put to good use it would be much appreciated.