Issue

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

You will have noticed repeated messages about traffic safety from Highfields in which we appeal to parents/ carers to help reduce traffic by dropping children away from school sites. Despite a slight reduction in congestion recently, we again had a student involved on Tuesday in a traffic accident. She was taken to Chesterfield A&E with a head injury and, after frightening the life out of me, staff and her parents, she is recovering well.

We have written to Sarah Dines MP and continue to campaign for greater crossing safety measures at both sites. We have been doing so for 5 years and have seen no change so far in arrangements.

To improve safety please consider dropping children 2-5 minutes’ walk from school sites. Advise your child to take the safest route in (the crossing near Wolds Road is the safest way to cross Chesterfield Rd to access upper site). Where your child is unable to do this due to special needs please contact our SENCO to make other arrangements. The walk will have additional health benefits for children. Thank you TO EVERY FAMILY WHO IS ALREADY DOING THIS.

Please also stress to children that crossing a road whilst looking at a mobile phone vastly increases their chances of being hit (near miss on Tuesday evening in addition to the incident above).

If you hear from a child that we have turned the water off periodically at Lumsdale it is because we have no choice. We have now been forced to contract leak management experts (see picture) because if the leak remains unfixed we may have our water supply turned off by Severn Trent. In order to detect the leak using gas, they need to turn off all water at the risers. They are working through the night and weekends to minimise disruption.

The women on my corridor continue to make fun of me. Yesterday I got some grit in my eye and Ms Slater very kindly provided a saline-eye-wash-thingy. I was in a rush and attempted to administer the eyedrops to my eye whilst wearing glasses which meant the water ran off the lenses and into my ear. Ms Slater laughed in a very unkind way and this caused Mrs Leverton to come and start laughing as well. It seems wrong to pick on someone like me just because I don’t have much common sense but when I checked the legislation it turns out that stupidity is not a protected characteristic. For anybody interested in my wellbeing, after a number of attempts I did manage to squirt the solution into my eye (as well as my nose, mouth and top pocket) and the grit was successfully washed out. I understand that the laughing stopped earlier this morning.

This (image R) is members of the senior team watching Y8 play Quarrydale at football. Y8 were brilliant and lost narrowly 0-1. It was a masterclass in out-of-shape mainly middle aged men shouting advice at young boys who, apart from smiling politely at us, took absolutely no notice.And in lessons this week I saw a brilliant dance teacher leading students through yoga infused stretch warm up. When I asked a male student why this was useful he pointed out that, ‘it makes you more stretchy’ which I think we all need to be occasionally.

Have a wonderful weekend. We are (highly flexible) Highfields.

A Marsh, Headteacher

Unbeaten September

What a start to the year our competitive teams have had. We have entered National Cups for both the Girls and boys football teams and 3 of our boys' team are through to the second round. The Girls under 14's (Y8 and 9) beat Wilsthorpe 3 - 0 in a hard-fought victory which means they are also through to the next round, this was even more impressive as we had a mainly year 8 team representing Highfields.

Our Netballers have also been in action in September, having several train from year 7 and 8. We played Lady Manners year 8 and year 7 teams, Lady Manners played well but both our teams played some excellent netball and gelled from the first minute. Year 8 won convincingly and the year 7 team also won in a tight affair.

More Sports News

On Thursday Night our year 10 Male Footballers travelled to Dronfield in the National Cup with a depleted squad due to illness and injury. This meant that there were 3 or 4 players stepping out to represent Highfields for the first time, needless to say they all gave it their all-in true Highfields spirit and grew into the game. The first half saw us go 2 goals down as we tried to gel together against a strong Dronfield side. After a few changes derived from Cameron we played extremely well creating several chances and were by far the most likely to score. 15 mins into the second half we did just that, a great powerful run from Maxwell with an excellent finish. Unfortunately, we were unable to score the equaliser, but what an amazing team spirit and focus. Cameron, Harvey and Tyler all made excellent contributions as did the whole team. Great work, we will take this confidence into the County cup.

Sports Leaders News

We have been successful again in acquiring the status as a lead school for the Youth Sport Trust in the area of leadership, coaching and volunteering. This year the project will focus on inclusivity and student voice in getting more students in leadership roles.

I can report that this academic year we currently have the following numbers signed up on the Leadership Skills Foundation for awards and qualifications 2023/24

Year 7 ..... 37 Young leaders

Year 8 ...... 53 Young leaders

Year 9 ....... 43 Sports leaders and 64 Dance leaders level 1

Year 10 ...... 17 Sports leaders level 1

Year 11 ....... 13 Sports leaders level 2 and 1 Dance leader level 2

Year 12 ....... 14 Sports leaders level 3 and 3 Dance leaders level 3

Year 13 ….. 17 qualified level 3 leaders who gained their qualifications in July.

These 262 students will be engaged in lunchtime clubs and timetabled lessons in the 6th form. They will be leading sessions in our own school and delivering activities and sessions for our local feeder

Primary schools. The level 3 students will be out leading community sessions for Busy Bees nursey and SEN adults from Golding House, as well as the numerous clubs the students support throughout our local community. Some of the Year 9 Dance leaders will be engaged in a project with Darley Hall Care Home too, inspiring the residents in music and movement.

Our Highfields Sports Leadership academy is held in high esteem across the country and we currently have Eleanor H in Year 13 who is the current National leader of the Year and both her and Callum C in Year 12 sit on the National forum for leadership. Mrs Allen is a staff member on the National forum group. The academy is still recognised as a centre delivering excellence and still holds the Queens (now Kings) award for volunteering which was awarded in 2010.

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Angelique Foster, wants to hear your views on crime and community safety.

The link tp the survery is below

https://www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk/taking-part/listening-to-you/

Key dates & Calendar

2023-24academic year

Term1: 4September2023to27October2023

Term2: 6November2023to22December

Term3: 8January2024to16February2024

Term4: 26February2024to28March2024

Term5: 15April2024to24May2024

Term6: 3June2024to23July2024

2023-24parentconsultationevenings

INSETdays(nostudentsin school)

virtual

2023-24provisionalschoolevents (TBC - further details will be issued prior to each event)