Message from the headteacher

How do you stay positive when things are difficult? I bet you do it really well: it’s something I sometimes have to work hard at. As you would imagine as the leader of a medium sized organisation I end up dealing with a lot of conflict. If you are going to ‘hold the line’ on standards then, inevitably I find, it puts you in the firing line of anyone who doesn’t want those standards to be upheld. Conflict is a part of every day life and is usually taken in good grace. It’s only at the end of a long year, following a pandemic on a day when some classrooms are approaching temperatures of 30 degrees that you start to lose your sense of perspective a bit.

I’m not sure how you deal with similar challenges but I FORCE myself to register the positives. The photo below was taken on Wednesday as a bunch of Y7 lads were making their way back to lessons. Completely unconsciously they grabbed each other by the shoulders and JUST LOOKED SO HAPPY WITH THEIR LOT. Blue sky, amongst mates, safe and sound in school. This alone was enough to push me on towards the challenges held by the remains of the day. I know you didn’t do it for me, but if you are in this picture: THANK YOU.

Huge amounts going on this week to be happy about. Y8 graduated onto upper site to become Y9s. Mr Hodkin and I personally led a week of activities for some students who needed more support before graduating (I was thrilled to see two of these students address peers from 10 other schools at a seminar in Nottinghamshire on anti-bullying). Elsewhere, sports leaders coached primary school students in combat sports at the Arc and the cast of Sister Act launched their mini season with a performance for primary school students.

In my Y8 PSHE lesson my certainty that a Highfields graduate would one day be prime minister was further fuelled by a brilliant response from Florence on the subject of disability and discrimination. I made her promise that, unlike my other famous ex-students, she would remember me when she achieved the top. She wrote me this note to reassure me.

And on Thursday night I went to the second evening performance of the show and wrote this fevered late night note to the cast and crew…

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW. I’m not in the habit (see what I did there) of going over the top but I am just completely and utterly in awe of the cast and crew of Sister Act. When talk started of doing a musical coming out of the pandemic I didn’t think we had a prayer. But boy was I wrong. This was arguably the best thing I have ever seen on a school stage (and I’ve seen a lot). I loved every single aspect of the production. I loved the way the company worked together with (apparently) no egos and no tantrums (although that bed was a bit temperamental). I loved the precision and sensitivity of the band. I LOVED the commitment and character of the ensemble and I ADORED the way that the principles led from the front.

The tech was great and whoever was cueing the lighting changes has GOT IT GOING ONNNN! Your story telling was brilliant and I got a real sense of character development- you absolutely brought out the best in this piece. The direction was creative and big (when it needed to be) and sensitive (when it needed to be). Every time I thought you’d be struggling to take it up a semitone you managed it with style!!! I could go on all night.

Thank you, thank you thank you for a marvellous evening and for TAKING ME TO HEEAAAAAAAVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNN! Your biggest fan, Mr Marsh

So that should be my last newsletter bit of the year. If you miss my little missives during the summer holiday please seek help because, clearly, your life has become unbearably dull. Take care of those around you - we cannot wait to begin our learning journey together all over again when you return from your summer break.

Сподіваюся, у вас буде спокійне свято, і я з нетерпінням чекаю зустрічі з усіма вами у вересні.

We are Highfields.

A Marsh Headteacher