18th July 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.
This is the second in a series of two newsletters in which I offer grovelling thanks to those who staged Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, our smash hit musical production. Last week I focused on Emily Bonsall who directed the musical but, had I had time and space, I would have outlined the work of the key team working with her. Sian Scattergood was the choreographer who, amongst other things, created the beautiful scene in which younger versions of Jamie’s mum pass her necklace from dancer to dancer. Ms Scattergood is leaving us at the end of this year and I am still sulking about this because she is utterly brilliant and we and our students will miss her.
The other member of the central team of three who put this production together is musical director, Kris Rowley. I have sung Mr Rowley’s praises in previous newsletters in the wake of one or other of his amazing concerts but I just feel that I need to tell you again what an amazing professional he is. I spent a long time as head of music or musical theatre in various settings and so I know exactly what is involved in rehearsing and directing a pit band. Not only do you have to be able to play the keyboard part with ease, but you also need to be able to monitor the action on stage with one eye and cue and monitor the musicians in the band with the other. Rowley does this with ease, partly because he is a very, very good keyboard player and partly because his students have complete respect for him and learn the parts to such an extent that they can play relatively independently.
When Mr Rowley eventually decides to take his baton to another school/place of employment, I am going to be BEREFT as musicians like him tend not to come into education and, instead, make a good living in the profession. In an effort to delay his departure from the school I have diverted some funds to improve the quality of music hardware on upper site. I figure this may buy me another year of brilliant musical leadership from a brilliant musician.
Whilst we’re on the musical, I thought it might be timely for my to explain why I insisted that ticket prices went up this year to £13 and £10. Some key costs in staging Everyone’s Talking About Jamie included £2,200 for the rights to perform and film the work in public, £3,000 to hire lights, £3,000 to hire sound, £600 for posters and programmes, £1300 for scaffolding, £250 musicians’ fees (most worked for free) along with a variety of other costs for costume, set etc. I’m indebted to staff for the hundreds of hours that they worked for free over their directed time and to families of cast members who paid for costumes and bought programmes and ‘merch’. At the close of accounts, however, we barely broke even on this production despite selling every ticket. This means there is not even a small sum to go towards future productions. I may reproduce this paragraph next year should anyone raise the issue of increased ticket prices…
This is the last newsletter of the year and, given that we are moving to video diary from September, possibly my last written newsletter ever. Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to write it by offering funny and generous responses to my, let’s face it, meandering and half-baked nonsense.
Have a wonderful weekend.
A Marsh, Headteacher
Monday 21st July
Tuesday 22nd July
Wednesday 23rd July
Thursday 24th July
Thursday 14th August
Thursday 21st August
Thursday 4th September
Friday 5th September
Monday 8th September
Tuesday 9th September
Munich Trip
DofE Gold Qualifier (19th-23rd July)
Last Day of Term 2pm Finish
A Level Exam Results
GCSE Exam Results
INSET DAY
INSET DAY
School Opens for Y7, Y9 and Y12
School Opens for All
Friday 11th July several of our students represented Highfields in the Athletic Championships at Moorways.
We are incredibly proud of all students that took part, Highfields ended the day with many wins in very hot conditions.
Special mentions to;
Lily Z Year7 200m
Henry W Year7 200m and High Jump
Sebastian k Year7 800m
Sam D Year 8 800m
Solomon B Year 10
Kyra W Year 9 Discus
## Brother-Hub Movie Night - is BACK, YOU Choose the Film!
Get ready for our next **Brother-Hub Movie Night** on **Friday, August 1st!**
We're bringing back the big screen experience, and this time, we want YOU to help us pick the movies! We'll be showing two films: one for our **under 15s** and another for our **over 15s**.
**Tell us in the comments what film you'd love to see!**
* **Under 15s suggestions:**
* **Over 15s suggestions:**
**Khril's Food Truck is BACK!**
That's right! Khril's fantastic food truck will be joining us again, serving up a delicious selection of **hot and cold meals, tempting sweet treats, and those amazing Shmoo milkshakes!**
We'd love for the local community to come down and enjoy something different for your Friday night tea. Every purchase helps support our **free youth evenings** – so you're not just getting great food, you're helping us continue to provide these vital opportunities for young people! You can even help by choosing to **'pay forward'** a meal or snack for a young person.
This movie night, like all Brother-Hub activities, is designed to be a fun, safe, and free space for our youth. Your support, whether by grabbing some food, donating, or volunteering, makes a huge difference!
Want to get involved, volunteer your time, or donate to help fund our courses and future events? Please **contact us directly via the Brother Hub Darley Dale Derbyshire Facebook page!**
Let's make this the best movie night yet! See you there!
\#BrotherHub \#MovieNight \#DarleyDale \#CommunityEvent \#YouthSupport \#KhrilsFoodTruck \#LocalBusiness \#Derbyshire \#FreeActivities \#FilmSuggestion
2025 exam results days:
A Level exam results: 14 August 2025
Term 1: Monday 8th September 2025
Year 7, 9 and 12 will start/return to school Tuesday 9th September School Opens for all year groups (Holiday 27 October – 31 October)
Term 2: 3 November – 19 December (Holiday 22 December – 2 January)
Term 3: 5 January – 13 February (Holiday 16 February – 20 February)
Term 4: 23 February – 27 March (Holiday 30 March – 10 April)
Term 5 - Monday 13 April - Friday 22 May (Holiday: Monday 25 May - Friday 29 May)
Term 6 - Monday 1 June 2026 - Thursday 23 July
GCSE exam results: 21 August 2025
Thursday 4th September 2025
Friday 5th September 2025 Friday 24th October 2025
Monday 1st December 2025
Friday 26th June 2026
