6 minute read
Parents/carers of current year 6 students
Dear Year 6 Students and Parents/Carers
Welcome to Highfields School! If you are reading this, then you must already be interested in our school and what we are doing.
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"School" is very strange for all of us at the moment. We understand for students in year 6 it will be particularly odd and you might be wondering how you will get on with secondary school at Highfields.
All we wanted to say here is don't worry. We have certainly not forgotten you! Over the coming weeks we will be deciding how we can best help you smoothly make the move to being a Highfields student. We will think through all those issues and concerns you might have - what is the school like, how will I find my way around, how do I buy the uniform, what will happen with the buses?
We will keep updating everyone through the newsletter, but really specific messages will come from Mrs Green. She is the 'Year Manager' for year 7 and your first point of contact. Mrs Green has already emailed some information and electronic forms to parents/carers of our year 6 students. So, if your family haven't received an email from Mrs Green, please email her with your name and primary school so she can add you to our communication list and you will receive all future updates: tgreen@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk
Take care and stay well. Mr Rodgers Associate Assistant Headteacher
Year 7 students will start their Highfields journey on Wednesday 2 September 2020
Highfields morning assemblies
You may already have heard about the assemblies Mr Marsh holds virtually each morning - we are aware that word has got out within the community and beyond! However, for those of you who have not seen them, please look out for the emails we are sending with the link on each morning. We hope they will make you feel a part of Highfields School, give you the opportunity to get to know some staff and found out what Highfields is like. In particular, Mr Rodgers, Associate Assistant Headteacher, features in them on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give updates for year 6 students who we are looking forward to meeting in September.
Year 6 Transition
We do not yet know how the next few weeks of school may change, but at the very least we wanted to make sure we have a basic transition plan that can proceed even if we cannot have any face-toface contact. We have put together a very basic timeline below that is subject to change and is just intended to provide you with a sense as to what might be possible over the coming weeks in an effort to begin to cover some of the key activities we would usually complete with students and families. We will keep you informed of any changes.
Red denotes “transition” activities for students. Underlined items require a return.
Week commencing:
1 June 2020
8 June 2020 15 June 2020
22 June 2020 26 June 2020
29 June 2020 From 1 July 2020
6 July 2020 13 July 2020
Information:
Virtual site tour sent out; bus information On-going – “friendship cards” (this helps determine form groups) “Subject” activities sent out and pastoral staff profiles Provisional – uniform information sent out (supplier dependent); pyramid “worries” activity Library / Accelerated reader activity; “Y7 Booklet” activity Social media / consents / GDPR forms sent out
“Hand” & “All About Me” activities (information about the children) “Meet the tutor” –staff profiles, including key worker contact for relevant students Map quiz / anagram activity
“Subject” activities Pastoral staff pre-summer messages
From September, the transition programme will continue with some very focused ‘year 7’ time and activities will depend on what has been possible throughout the summer term.
We will keep in touch to make sure students have the best possible transition experience in this climate. Our priority remains that students feel part of our community and to allay as many worries as possible whilst beginning to outline our expectations. In this way, together we will be able to ensure that every student begins their Highfields journey as smoothly as possible.
Reminder: return of electronic forms for year 7 admissions in September
Thank you to the parents/carers of year 6 students who have returned the recent electronic forms issued by Mrs Green. However, we still have a small number outstanding - if you have not already
done so, please can you complete these forms as a matter of urgency to ensure we can put everything in place to welcome your child in September.
The following forms have been issued:
Admissions forms – this is one of the most important documents for us as we need to ensure we have all the relevant contact details of each student.
Parent agreement - peanut free site – we have a student starting in September with a severe peanut allergy and 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 and require you to complete this form.
Home school agreement – we ask students, parents/carers and the school to work in partnership and would like you to sign to confirm your agreement to working together in the best interests of your children.
Cashless catering –please complete the consent for your child’s finger to be scanned. Please note the finger scan is only to enable your child to be recognised at the till point to purchase food and is not used for any other purpose. If students do not have consent for the scan they will need to input a six digit code to the pin machine at the till point. Please be assured there will be measures put in place when students return to school following lockdown regarding the way cashless catering will be managed.
If you are struggling to access the electronic documents, please contact Mrs Green by email (tgreen@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk).
Year 7 PowerPoints
Some of our year 7 students have put together PowerPoints for students they know in primary schools moving up to Highfields in September and these are being emailed out separately. We hope year 6 students will find it useful to know there will be familiar faces of students who were previously at their primaries to help them when they join us in the new academic year.
Year 7 student magazine
Our current year 7 students have been working hard and put together a magazine for year 6 students. It has been compiled by them to give a little insight into what it is like at Highfields in advance of students starting with us in September – see link below: http://www.highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk/news/269.html
September 2020 – Transport to school for year 6 parents/carers
The link below is to the Derbyshire County Council website that aims to answer any questions you may have on school transport in September 2020: https://derbyshire.gov.uk/education/schools/your-child-at-school/travel/school-transport.aspx
The site provides information on the options available for travelling between school and home, including details on free bus travel, timetables and DCC plans and policies for school transport.
