Issue 10 by Highfields School

16th May 2025

Our newsletter aims to keep parents and carers up to date with school news, activities and key information throughout the year.

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

Do you like to stew your rhubarb? This sounds like a euphemism for doing something unhealthy but I’m meaning it literally. Well…do you? I do. Which is good because a lovely member of staff gave me loads of rhubarb and now I’m going to stew it and there’s not a thing anyone can do to stop me. Here is a picture of the rhubarb in my office just minding its own business and bothering no-one.

Food is very much on my mind at the moment. Readers who have been bored enough to read numerous issues of this newsletter will remember me banging on about food at various points in time. One of the very many things about looking after young people which keeps me awake at night is their diet and the potential consequences of this moving forward.

In December 2024 a BBC news story revealed that “rates of bowel cancer are rising among younger adults, with no clear reason why, experts are warning”. Apparently, England is one the countries with the biggest rise, averaging a 3.6% increase per year. The report concluded: “Poor diet and obesity may be among the risk factors involved, the researchers say eating too much processed meat and not enough fibre can increase the risk.”

With this in mind we at Highfields have been working closely with our caterer (Derbyshire County Council) to try and offer attractive healthier options with reduced amounts of processed food. This is a surprisingly difficult feat to achieve because a) the meals have to be cheap (which is a challenge given rises in wages, agency and ingredients) b) the caterers have to sell enough of it to break even and c) some students will routinely choose the least healthy option available.

In the spirit of openness, I’m going to reveal that this is an ongoing conversation between me and my daughter (son now at university and therefore totally out of my control). Exhibit A below shows that I have to remind her regularly that I’m paying for healthy options only. Luckily, she is a brilliant daughter and usually takes the main meal (often the healthiest option on offer) but still occasionally reverts to pizza and jam.

I want to reassure you that there ARE healthy options available every day. On the day of writing I took a trip to the canteen and found (and ate) these lovely, freshly prepared salads with just a few naughty crisps thrown in to tempt diners into choosing that option. Please do all you can to get your kids to seek out healthier options at lunchtime.

Finally, lots of warm feelings to students going through public examinations at the moment. Keep going: all of the hard work will be worth it!

A Marsh, Headteacher

Monday 19th May

Tuesday 20th May

Wednesday 21st May

Thursday 22nd May

Friday 23rd May

Lunch Sittings

Y11 GCSE Exams (All Week)

Y13 A Level Exams (All Week)

DofE Silver/Gold

Y10 Dance Exam

Y12 Fieldwork Geography- Ainsdale

Y12 Human Geography fieldwork- Sheffield

Last day of term

Y12 Ecology Class- Adding to the Sensory Garden

at Starkholmes.

Ecology is the study or organisms, the environment and how the organisms interact with each other and their environment. It is studied at various levels, such as organism, population, community, biosphere and ecosystem.

Our 6th formers bought and planted at our sensory Garden at the Starkholmes site for the lower site pupils to enjoy focusing on sight, sound, taste, touch and smells.