Highfields School
Issue 36:
8 July 2022
Newsletter Message from the headteacher An English teacher was kind enough to approach me on Monday and point out a grammatical error in a recent newsletter bit. Firstly, I’d like to apologise for my slip - I write these bits quickly and late at night so typos and mistakes are always a possibility. Secondly, I’d like to thank the member of staff for giving me feedback and helping me improve. I will check my work more carefully this evening. This week was ‘all change’. On Monday we trained each other in sessions to improve next year our management of behaviour and attitudes in the classroom. We expect a very high standard of student conduct at Highfields in order that students feel safe, happy and included whilst at school. The training on Monday involved sessions on positive framing/reframing, choices and consequences, rehearsing routines amongst other things. Our aim to is make classroom practice ever fairer, clearer, more consistent. Also, as part of the training Rob McDonough (pictured), CEO of EMET, our family of schools, came to speak to staff. EMET is a high autonomy trust so they tend not get involved in the day to day running of the school, but it was useful to hear how the trust is supporting the school and what changes might occur at a national level. Governors were recently updated in detail on the work of EMET and were pleased to note that, alongside other supportive measures, EMET have committed £500k this year to school improvement projects which should be completed, or at least started, by the time students return in September. Also, on Monday SOME students started their work experience. As you will know if you are parent/ carer to some unlucky Y10s, our partner from whom we purchase H&S checks for placements experienced critical staffing problems which resulted in the very late cancellation of some placements. Thanks for your feedback on this - we are liaising closely with the partner involved. I am so sorry for the disappointment caused to the affected students. And on Wednesday Y8 students visited upper site for their transition day (image is of Anna’s ‘letter to her Y11 self’). Y8 have been affected perhaps more than any other year group by the disruption caused by Covid so as well as this transition day we will be offering further transition before the end of term and this will include a high support package for those who need it. Meanwhile on Wednesday at lower site we sent off Y7 on their sponsored walk and prepared to meet our new Y7 students in the afternoon (see left) and family in the evening (yes, feedback also received about Y6 into Y7 transition which will be reflected in changes next year). AND Y9 did an enterprise day which, in the lesson I visited, required them to plan a Y9 trip to the moon. I advised students that we may not have the budget or required risk assessment for this but they kindly explained that it is a theoretical exercise and not a planned educational visit. AND FINALLY…I am not quite as competitive as everyone assumes BUT…Mr Platts called me late this evening (Thursday) to let me know that BOTH Y8 and Y12 debating teams had triumphed over Lady Manners School. The debates were around artificial intelligence and second home ownership. Manners put up a very creditable effort, but Highfields students formed such strong and well communicated arguments that they prevailed in both cases. I keep telling people that future Prime
Be the best you can
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