4th April 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.
Did you respond to our surveys this time? We regularly check how you feel about key issues and take your views into account when we are making plans. This time there were only 750 responses which is low for us but may be explained by the fact that it’s only a short time since you completed the Ofsted survey (thanks again for your positive responses to that!). We will publish a sensible and well considered commentary on the surveys once leaders have had a chance to read all of your comments but I just want to focus in this newsletter on some of the responses which jumped out at me.
Firstly: bouncy castles. SIX students suggested that we should invest our meagre financial resources in ‘more bouncy castles’. It is the use of the word ‘more’ which has most alarmed me about this. It implies that there exists a stock of bouncy castles at Highfields School which have been kept secret from me. I have now asked all senior team to look out for a) sounds of bouncing and b) student faces appearing at first or even second floor windows at regular intervals. I pledged when I came to this school to be tough on bouncy castles and tough on the causes of bouncy castles and I have no intention of breaking this pledge just so that some students can bounce around all day whilst I am reduced to just standing still on the normal floor which is not even slightly bouncy.
I was also surprised that a number of students in Y7 asked for more ‘squirrel proof bins’. These are also referred to in the survey as ‘squirrel prevention bins’ (although I think that any bin which claims to be able to prevent squirrels is overclaiming a bit).
Finally, I want to applaud the Y9 student who, when asked what the school should aim to improve further said, ‘I'd say more discipline for the younger years. They don't know manners and behaviour like the older years I don't think’. This student was obviously harking back to the good old days in 2023 when younger students knew their place and would salute older students whenever they came across them.
I am being light-hearted in my approach here but I am genuinely grateful for your taking the time to let us know how you feel: your voice is important.
As part of the survey respondents left around 550 comments generously recognising the contribution of staff members. My favourite of these was from a Y7 student: “I would like to thank Mr Rodgers and Mr Waller because every time I have not been feeling myself they have checked to make sure I were okay and I think that’s what teachers are also there for not just teaching but looking after you.”
That is, indeed, what we are here for. We are Highfields.
A Marsh, Headteacher
Monday 21st April
Tuesday 22nd April
Wednesday 23rd April
Thursday 24th April
Friday 25th April
Lunch Sittings
1
2
3
Published
Charlotte in Y10 won a poetry competition, resulting in her poem being published.
An amazing achievement embodying “Be the best you can”.
School Closed for Bank Holiday
Year 10 Mock Exams (All Week)
GCSE Oral Exams (All Week)
Year 11 Sports Leaders Verification
Year 9 DofE Practice
Matlock Music
Early lunch for Y10 due to Mock Exams.
The U14 Girls Football team have battled to make it to the Derbyshire Schools Cup Final!!
Thursday 27th March
On Thursday afternoon the Year 9 Dance students had a workshop with Centre of Advance training. A professional artist delivered a challenging Contemporary technique master class, stretching the student abilities. The students were exemplary in every way, showing Emily (the artist) just how talented Highfields students are. Twelve students have been invited to audition for the Centre for Advance training, which is a programme for young people with talents and potential for a career in the dance profession.
'I couldn’t have been prouder of the Dance students'. Mrs Hollinrake- Dance teacher.
Sleeping overnight at school on a concrete floor might seem an unappealing prospect, but a large group of sixth formers volunteered to do it, to raise money for the Centrepoint charity, which aims to stop youth homelessness. When Mrs Cruise raised the idea in an assembly we weren’t sure if it would catch on, but it generated a lot of interest.
On the day, we went down to the Jigsaw Foodbank in Matlock to find out more about the context for why this is an important issue. Although there is relatively little homelessness in Matlock, down the road in Chesterfield there is one of the highest ratio of homelessness to population in the whole country. We also learned more about how busy and necessary the food bank is. Steve Bagnall, the manager of the centre gave a really inspiring talk which gave us an important perspective about why we were raising money, and helped us to be thoughtful about the sleeping out experience we were about to have. Students then set to work creating food parcels before leaving to set up the evening sleeping space.
We scavenged as much cardboard as we could find to give some comfort for the evening. Before the night set in, we entertained ourselves with some old-fashioned games in the staff room, (no phones in sight). This time we were lucky with the weather and although everyone woke up at times during the night, feeling how cold it was at 3 am, in reality it was a relatively mild night compared to what some people go through night after night.
We have to thank Mrs Cruise for setting the evening up, making contacts and helping to create a great can-do spirit and happy atmosphere. It was the type of experience that all of us who were there, will never forget. The team managed to raise £1200 for the charity.
The foodbank helped us to broaden our understanding and knowledge of the statistics and homelessness in the local area, as well as the effects it has on people’s lives and how they are likely to feel. The sleep out helped us to feel empathy and know that the money donated is going to a very good cause to help eliminate youth homelessness and understand the dangers and difficulties that are faced over a long period of time.
For our food package we were asked to choose enough food to last one person two to three days. We decided to make a vegetarian package which included a range of balanced meals. For breakfast we added porridge oats as these provide a quick and simple meal that will fill you up and get you ready for the day. For the main meals we put in pasta and rice with complementary sauces and curries. For desert we added angel delight, rice pudding and canned fruit. We also added some tea bags, and sweet treats such as chocolates.
Matlock Town FC would like to offer the opportunity for pupils, parents and staff of the school to receive Free tickets to the upcoming Derby County U-21 game versus Southampton U-21s at Causeway Lane, Matlock on Friday 11th April, kick off 7pm. On the night, the tea bar and bar will both be open serving refreshments.
To request tickets, email tickets@matlocktownfc.co.uk saying how many you would like to receive.
Term 3: 6 January 2025 – 14 February 2025 (Holiday 17 February – 21 February)
Term 4: 24 February 2025 to 4 April 2025 (Holiday 7 April – 21 April)
Term 5: 22 April 2025 to 23 May 2025 (Holiday 26 May – 30 May)
Term 6: 2 June 2025 to 24 July 2025
Monday 30th June 2025
2024-25 provisional school events (TBC - further details will be issued prior to each event) & Juliet Trip
Y11 Prom
School Musical Berlin Trip
Work Experience
Thursday 22nd May
Thursday 19th June
Wednesday 9th July – 12th July
Monday 21st July
Year 10 Work Experience Monday 30th June – 4th July
Year 12 Work Experience
Exam sessions
External Exam Season Commences GCSE Exams A Level Exams
Monday 16th June- 20th June
5th May 2025 5th May – 27th June 2025 12th May – 27th June 2025 2025 exam results days: A Level exam results: 14 August 2025 TBC
Parents Evening
Year 9 Parents Evening
Year 11 Parents Evening
Year 12 Parents Evening
Year 10 Parents Evening
Year 7 Parents Evening
Year 8 Parents Evening
Monday 8th September 2025
Year 7, 9 and 12 will start/return to school
Tuesday 9th September School Opens for all year groups
GCSE exam results: 21 August 2025 TBC
Tuesday 14th January
Tuesday 28th January
Tuesday 11th February
Tuesday 4th March
Tuesday 18th March
Tuesday 1st April
Thursday 4th September 2025
Friday 5th September 2025 Friday 24th October 2025
Monday 1st December 2025 Friday 26th June 2026
