12th July2024
Our newsletter aims to keep parents and carers up to date with school news, activities and key information throughout the year.
If you have any feedback on or suggestions for the newsletter, please send your comments via email to newsletter@highfields.derbyshire.sch.uk
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
Thank you to all families who send lovely messages of thanks at this time of year which have included this particularly heart-warming message which came from the family of a Y8 student:
“I wanted to say thank you to you & your team for another amazing year before the end of year madness ramps up and I forget. Our daughter has continued to grow in confidence and her end of year marks show how well she's getting on.”
PLEASE record your views here: ParentView. It will take a minute or two but we really need some evidence recorded on this portal.
Another crazy fortnight of experiences for Highfields students: I don’t have time to outline them all but just as a snapshot…
Violet in Y10 joined Designate in Matlock on her work experience and created this gorgeous clock for a client.
Year 9 boys went out and took on Antony Gell School at cricket. We beat them with 4 overs to spare (and looked rather dashing in our cricket strip).
We sent our best mathematicians out to compete against 16 other schools, including our EMET cousins in the UKMT Maths Challenge (image L). An EMET school won the overall event and Highfields came in with a respectable mid table finish.
Our performing artists spent the weekend in Wheeldon Hall (see pic of me trying to rally the troops on Sunday morning) preparing for School of Rock. On Wednesday morning SoR premiered to local primary schools and at 5pm it was time to launch the show to the public. As some of you know I am a musician by training and have spent a long time involved in musical theatre and shows. The team at Highfields are, by a very long chalk, the best creatives I have ever seen working in schools. Unless you have produced a school show you cannot know the levels of stamina required, not least because the responsibilities associated with the production come on top of all the stress and strain of the day job. Emily Bonsall and her team shoulder these responsibilities and make it look easy but it is anything but.
Or maybe it was just really good fun.
The show itself was absolutely brilliant with principals, chorus, stage management and backline all functioning as a really tight team.
Weeks like this are what our wider curriculum (stuff that happens outside the classroom) is all about: students finding their THING. I always remember the day I decided to be a musician. Maybe this week will have been the occasion on which a future mathematician, cricket or theatre practitioner began their journey towards WORLD RENOWN!!
Have a wonderful weekend. We are (tired but happy) Highfields.
Sports Leaders
Tuesday 9 July
Year 7/8 Beyond the Baseline Tennis programme came to an end. GB tennis player Yasmin Clarke joined us in school again. The tennis leaders had their 2nd training session in the morning followed by their delivery to primary pupils from St Giles in the afternoon. A fantastic effort.
Thursday 11 July
The Year 9 Dance leaders went to Darley Hall Care Home for their second visit. The dance leaders supported delivering the balloon volley ball session to the residents taking part in movement activities.
Also, the Primary Combat Sports morning took place in the Lumsdale Sports hall. The schools that took part were St Josephs, Darley Dale, Elton, Winster and South Darley Primary. The combat staff that joined us were Trevor Hoskins for Wrestling, Sally Peat for Fencing, Paul from Snap Dragons Martial Arts and Kim Robinson for Zumba fitness. Our Highfields Sports leaders from Year 7/8/9 and 12 were as brilliant as ever.
This concluded the Primary events of 2023/24.
A huge thanks to all 191 of our Highfields Sports Leadership academy students who have attended 25 Highfields Cluster events this academic year. A huge well done to all Year 7/8/9 who were successful in the Leadership Skills Foundation awards and Year 10/11/12 who were successful in their level 1/2/3 Qualifications. Special mention to Callum in Year12 and Alex and Charlotte in Year 10 who have been fantastic on the National Leadership Skills Foundation student panel. These students have been in attendance on every zoom session throughout the year.
Dear Parents/Carers,
Did you know that as well as free school meals during term time, you are also entitled to access FREE holiday clubs this summer?
The Holiday Activity and Food Programme, known throughout Derbyshire as ‘It’s About Me’ is funded by the Department for Education and gives eligible young people access to FREE places at holiday clubs across the county.
If your child is aged between 4-16 and is eligible for benefits-related free school meals, then they are entitled to access It’s About Me holiday clubs for free! There are a huge range of activities available including sports and games, arts and crafts, cookery, dance and music. All clubs include a nutritious meal too! Programmes vary depending on the type and location of each club.
If your child is not eligible for the It’s About Me programme, many clubs also offer paid places where you can book with them directly.
To book your It’s About Me holiday club you will need your unique IAM code which will be distributed via your child’s school. If you have not received your code, but believe your child is eligible for the programme, please contact your school office.
To book your activities and to find out more information go to www.itsaboutmederbyshire.co.uk or speak to your school office. To receive programme information and updates directly to your inbox, Sign-Up for It’s About Me updates.
The Summer 2024 holiday clubs will take place from Wednesday 24th July-Tuesday 3rd September. Excluding bank holidays and weekends. Bookings open on Monday 1st July.
Kind regards, Highfields.
Key dates & Calendar
2024 exam resultsdays: A Level exam results: 15August2024 GCSE examresults: 22August2024
2024-25AcademicYear
Term1:4September2024to24October2024 (Holiday28October–1November)
Term2:4November2024to20December2024 (Holiday23December–3January2024)
Term3:6January2025–14February2025 (Holiday17February–21February)
Term4:24February2025to4April2025 (Holiday7April–21April)
Term5:22April2025to23May2025 (Holiday26May–30May)
Term6:2June2025to24July2025
2024-25
Sixth Form Iceland Trip
VocalRecital
SixthFormCranedaleTrip
Blood Brothers trip
London Theatre Trip
Flu Immunisa ons
Christmas Concert
Evening of Theatre
Spain Trip
Easter Concert & Juliet Trip
School Musical
Berlin Trip
INSETdays(nostudentsinschool)
Wednesday4th September2024
Thursday5th September2024
Friday25th October2024
Monday2nd December2024
th June2025
Thursday 21st November
Wednesday 27th November
Friday 13th December
Tuesday 17th December
Thursday 23rd January
Friday 14th February
Tuesday 1st April
Thursday 22nd May
Wednesday 9th July – 12th July Monday 21st July
