Message from the headteacher

Extra-curricular clubs and activities

The great thing about knowing how to wait on tables is that you can pick up a job in pretty much any city in the world. The other thing it allows you to do is help serve Christmas lunch to hundreds of hungry students. On Wednesday I joined sixth form students and reported for a service shift under the watchful eye of restaurant manager Mrs Cruise. One of the students looked mildly impressed at my ability to carry two plates in one hand but I was quickly brought back down to earth by another who works weekend shifts in a pub and seems to serve 300 covers an hour whilst simultaneously completing a Philosophy A level essays to a very high standard. Before heading off to teach I set a world record by inhaling a child sized portion of Christmas lunch in under 3.8 seconds only panicking when I briefly felt that I may have got a sausage stuck in an artery.

On Monday we were training hard (forgot to take pictures). An interesting segment of the morning came from Dr Atkins who explained the importance in his classroom of silent independent study, especially for older students. This activity involves students trying, for a fixed period of time, to answer a question without the additional stimulus of a text book, resource or other students. Usually this activity requires that students develop an ability to focus hard and reach back into their own learning to bring to mind the knowledge needed to answer the question. And in lessons this week I saw a brilliant example of teacher and students co-constructing a response to a question in history as the teacher typed up the model answer in real time.

We managed to collect a number of goodies for children in the two Kiev schools who appealed for our help last Friday so I would like to thank everyone who contributed. In addition to responding to the appeal for help in Kiev, we have also provided support to families in our local community in a variety of ways, for example Highfields School commits around £310,000 per year to ensuring that our most socio-economically disadvantaged learners are supported in their education. The children of these families receive free school meals and a number of other benefits such as free music lessons and free uniform. We have ensured that second hand uniform is sold in Matlock and have worked closely with Friends of Hurst Farm to spread the word about their work, including reduced price pantry food packages. During the pandemic we distributed food packages, but also promoted links to local foodbanks which are still in operation. We also provide access to free feminine hygiene products. We are willing to support further projects within the community but do not have the capacity ourselves to target and deliver food, gifts and toiletries to families who need them. Please contact us if you are running such a scheme and would like us to contribute.

Finally, may I just thank the gentleman (I’m assuming he’s a parent) who saw me freezing to death early this morning on Starkholmes Road, rolled down his window and shouted, ‘Thank you, Mr Marsh!’ with a big smile. It was very much appreciated.

дякуємо батькам, які долучилися до звернення для шкіл Києва!