The HighfieldNews www.highfield.herts.sch.uk

Issue: 3 Tel: 01462 620500 14th February 2020

Dear Parents/Carers, Encompass 2020 has got off to a very positive start at Highfield. One The school has been given the opportunity to take part of the highlights has been the whole school election in a project that will run jointly between schools and of the school’s Student Leadership Team. This team Constabulary. is made up of our two Head Student Leaders; Charlie Operation Encompass is the notification to schools, prior Stearn and Holly Brothers, and our three Deputy Head to the start of the next school day, of incidents where a Student Leaders; Amelia Burdett, Lucy Cook-Allen and child or young person has experienced or been exposed James Wheatley. All of these Year 12 Student Leaders to any domestic abuse. were actively involved in campaigning throughout the last two weeks around the school and in assembly. Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of Each student in every year group then voted for the two the school staff, (DSL) known as a Key Adult, is trained candidates that they wanted to be their Head Student to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the Leaders. It has been great to see democracy in action at information that has been shared in confidence. Whilst Highfield. also ensuring that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their A large part of this Year 12 team’s role is to work with the families, who have been experienced a domestic abuse current School Council, representing the student body incident. and working on school improvement priorities. We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our Watch this space for more news on what the School students and we believe this will be extremely beneficial Council are working on this year! for all those involved. Support can also be found at Safer Places (Domestic Abuse Support Services) – Tel. 0330 102 5811 or on the website https://www.saferplaces.co.uk Mrs J Clift Deputy Headteacher

A-Level Art, Photography And Textiles Exhibition and have their annual Art, Photography and Textiles Exhibition running throughout February. Staffing Updates The exhibition is open to the public throughout February from 10am - 2pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The At the end of this half term, we say goodbye to Mrs exhibition is next to Cultivo Lounge. Jennings, our Learning Development Administrator. Mrs Jennings has worked at Highfield for many years, most recently in her role supporting the work of the Learning Development team. We wish her all the very best. We welcome Traci Spires who will be joining the school as our Learning Development Administrator after half term. Enjoy the half term. Miss C Macrae Headteacher Students Of The Fortnight The students of the fortnight who have been rewarded for their positive attitude or engagement in or outside of school are:

W/C 6th January W/C 20th January W/C 3rd February Winners Winners Winners Year 7 • Remy Walker • Finley Bowes • Sasha Daniels • James Andrews • Jasmine Biriah • Keanu Foreman • Sienna Herd • Alice Turner Vincent • Emma Gangadeen • Juliette Simpson • Brodie Curry • Sibora Kuci • Emily Frost • Matthew Aquilina • Sunaina Flora • Jovan Mandair • Matilda Singleton • Olivia Harris • Sahil Mehta • Millie Oates. • Stanley Brown Year 8 • Joseph Newbery • Jason Peric • Ella Johnson • Leo Coulter • Joe Bell • Angel Moon • Kai Hartshorne • Emse Brothers • Alfie-May Currell • Nicholas Battarbee • Scott Vincent • Courtney Momplet • Madison Williams • Liliana Bullock • Marcus Thompson • Adelie Foard • Tom Aldridge • Jaiman Pal • Molly Kenlin • Molly Kenlin • Alex Cairncross

Well done to everyone who has received Student Of The Fortnight so far, this is a fantastic achievement. Students Of The Fortnight for Years 9, 10 and 11 will follow in the next issue. Mrs J Garthwaite Deputy Headteacher/Head of KS3 and KS4

NESSie PRESENTATION Aged 14 - 18? OVERVIEW ‘My World & Me’ A model to support children with communication and FREE 5 Week Course for emotional difficulties. creative ing to Parents A child, family and school joint th h approach. This training aims to e e provide parents with the tools to lp explore emotional literacy, triggers m and coping mechanisms with their o y

children who struggle to emotionally s o moderate. o u This course will include a joint meeting

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Recognition, Effective Management & Early Intervention nessieined.com What To Read After... Highfield School Careers We know that children can get hooked on a favourite It has been a busy term already with lots of fantastic book series or author and struggle to find something they careers events taking place. love as much, but the Book Trust are here to help. A few weeks ago the Year 10 students took part in a It’s great when young people discover a book, writer or Young Enterprise - Enterprise Day. This was organised illustrator they adore, but how can you keep that love of by Mr Clark and Young Enterprise and the day was reading going? How can they find something else they’ll supported by business volunteers. The programme of enjoy as much – something that will encourage them to activities were designed to get students thinking about keep seeking out great stories? employment when they leave school and identify the skills and attributes potential employers will be looking The Book Trust have put together top recommendations for in the recruitment process. This was perfectly and suggestions – from librarians, teachers, parents/ timed to take place ahead of their work experience carers, authors and children themselves – for fans of week. Currently the Year 10 students are out on work some of the biggest book series and authors. So whether experience, giving them an opportunity to try out an it’s Harry Potter, Rainbow Magic or Jacqueline Wilson, industry they are interested in and give them an insight they’ve got ideas about where to turn next. Please visit: into a working environment. https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/our- We have also just had National Apprenticeship Week with recommendations/what-to-read-after/ some themed activities taking place during Tutor Time Please also encourage your child to speak to their and in March it is National Careers Week (NCW). As English teacher or Miss Turner, the Library Manager, if part of NCW, Year Reps have been tasked with a project they would like ideas about different genres or authors. to research a number of careers and put on their own Careers Fair in the Hall. The Priory School have organised an Apprenticeship Samba Workshops Fair in March and Highfield School students from Years In January 60 students from Key Stage 3 were involved 10-13 are invited to attend. Please email gillianjemetta@ in the Challenge and Excellence Rewards day to highfield.herts.sch.uk if you would like to attend so we recognise outstanding effort and impressive Challenge can give an idea of numbers. Passport work. The students worked on a Samba workshop all day and gave an impressive performance at the end. It was a great if noisy day! If your child would like to be involved in next year’s celebration day please collect a Challenge Passport from Miss Brown on a Wednesday lunchtime from H206.

T P S

FIND YOUR FUTURE

11TH MARCH 2020 7 - 9PM T H E P R I O R Y S C H O O L B E D F O R D R O A D , H I T C H I N

During the remainder of the term lunchtime careers Ms R Brown talks will continue to take place. If you would like to be involved please contact [email protected]. Challenge Coordinator/Teacher of English sch.uk

The Highfield News Issue 3 Fabios Gelato

Here are some of the Spring mood boards created by Year 7 for our Fabio’s Gelato Ice cream challenge. In English we are working with Fabio’s ice cream parlour to create a new spring time ice cream flavour. The students are creating unusual and exciting flavour ideas, working on persuasive speeches and will pitch their ideas. The Indoor athletics winning flavour will be sold in the shops for you to try. Year 7 and 8 students performed exceptionally well at the Watch this space... district championships hosted at Highfield. The Year 7 and 8 boys finished in 3rd place, Year 8 girls finished 2nd and Year 7 girls in 1st place.

The Year 7 girls will now go on to represent North Herts at the County Championships on the 17th March. Well done to all involved, and thank you to our Year 9 sports leaders for helping to run the event.

Ms R Brown Teacher of English

Young Minds Young Minds is an organisation working to support young people’s mental health. We have shared the County Championships #OwnYourFeed initiative with students in school and On Saturday the 1st February Sonny Coughlin-Brown would like to make you aware of resources that may Year 9 and Grace Hart in Year 7 represented the help you to talk to your child about social media and Highfield school in the County Championships. Both the internet. Young Minds’ Mission Statement is: We’re students did extremily well and just missed out on the leading the fight for a future where all young minds are opportunity to represent the County at the English supported and empowered, whatever the challenges. Schools Championships. There is lots of advice, including ten guidelines on how to Swimming Gala talk to your child about social media and the internet on On 30th January 8 students represented The Highfield their website. Please visit: School at a swimming gala. Lucy King in Year 11 won her https://youngminds.org.uk/take20/how-to-talk-to-your- event, Hannah McCabe in Year 10 came 2nd and Alex child-about-social-media-and-the-internet/ Cairncross in Year 8 came 2nd in his event. We hope that you will find these resources useful.

Mrs K Hutton Hertfordshire Childcare Sufficiency Head of English and SLT Associate, Wellbeing Lead Survey Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) wants parents/ carers views on childcare options available to them and Finance Notice their familities. This is an advance notice regarding payments to school The results which come from the childcare sufficiency towards the end of term. report supports the council in understanding the current Wisepay catering top-ups will continue without disruption position across hertfordshire. Please take time to but all other Wisepay facilities will be temporarily complete the survey below: withdrawn towards the end of March in preparation for the financial year end. https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/1P730/ Mrs P Ferraro Finance Manager

The Highfield News Issue 3

2019/2020 Term Dates

Spring Term 2020 • 17th February 2020 - 21st February 2020 – Half Term Week • 3rd April 2020 - Last Day Of Term - Early Close

Summer Term 2020 • 20th April 2020 - INSET Day – No Students Please • 21st April 2020 – Term Starts For All Year Groups • 8th May 2020 - Early May Bank Holiday • 25th May 2020 – 29th May 2020 – Half Term Week • 9th July 2020 - Year 6 Transition Day • 17th July 2020 – Last Day Of Term - Early Close

Please take note of the revised date for the May Bank Holiday. This is now on Friday 8th May 2020

Autumn Term 2020 • 1st September 2020 - INSET Day - No Students Please • 2nd September 2020 - Year 7 and 10 students only. Year 12 students in for Periods 1 and 2 • 3rd September 2020 - Term starts for the rest of the school • 26th October 2020 – 30th October 2020 – Half Term Week • 4th December 2020 - Occasional Day • 18th December 2020 - Last Day Of Term - Early Close

Spring Term 2021 • 4th January – 5th January 2021 - INSET Days – No Students Please • 6th January 2021 - Term Starts For All Year Groups • 15th February 2021 – 19th February 2021 – Half Term Week • 25th March 2021 - Last Day Of Term - Early Close

Summer Term 2021 • 12th April 2021 – Term Starts For All Year Groups • 3rd May 2021 – Early May Bank Holiday • 31st May 2021 – 4th June 2021 – Half Term Week • 8th July 2021 - Year 6 Transition Day • 21st July 2021 – Last Day Of Term - Early Close

A full calendar of events can be found on the school website: http://www.highfield.herts.sch.uk/Calendar

The Highfield News Issue 3 CORONAVIRUS: PUBLIC INFORMATION

The Government and NHS are well prepared to deal with this virus. You can help too. Germs can live on some surfaces for hours. To protect yourself and others:

• Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze.

• Bin the tissue, and to kill the germs, wash your hands with soap and water, or use a sanitiser gel.

• If you have arrived back from China within 14 days follow the specific advice for returning travellers. This is the best way to slow the spread of almost any germs, including Coronavirus.

Find out more at gov.uk/coronavirus

FAMILY LIVES SPRING 2020 PARENTING GROUP PROGRAMME

Bringing Up Confident Children for Parents of Children with SEN (8 weeks)  East Herts – Asda, Watton Rd, Ware, SG12 0AD Wednesday 22 January – 18 March 2020, 7pm – 9pm

Bringing Up Confident Children for Parents of Children with ADHD (6 weeks)  North Herts – Hitchin Youth Trust, 111 Walsworth Rd, Hitchin, SG4 9SP Tuesday 25 February – 31 March 2020, 9.30-11.30

Bringing Up Confident Children for Parents of Children with ASD & ADHD (6 weeks)  Stevenage – Peartree Primary School, Hydean Way, Stevenage, SG2 9GG Wednesday 29 January –11 March 2020, 12.45-2.45

Bringing Up Confident Children for Parents of Children with ADHD (6 weeks)  Watford – venue tbc Thursday 27 February – 2 April 2020, Times tbc

Getting on with Your Pre/Teens at risk or showing signs of concern (6 weeks)  Broxbourne – Tesco, Brookfield Centre, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, EN8 0TA Tuesdays 25 February – 31 March 2020, 9.30-11.30

 East Herts – Bengeo Cricket Club, Boundary Drive, Hertford, SG14 3JG, Tuesdays 25 February - 31 March 2020, 12.45 – 2.45

 Hertsmere – Borehamwood venue tbc Mondays 24 February – 30 March 2020, times tbc

 Hitchin – Hitchin Youth Trust, 111 Walsworth Rd, Hitchin, SG4 9SP Thursdays 27 February to 2 April 2020, 9.30-11.30

 Watford – Asda, Odhams Trading Estate, St Albans Rd, Watford, WD24 7RT Thursdays 27 February to 2 April 2020, 6pm – 8pm

 Welwyn & Hatfield – Christchurch Baptist, 20 Tewin Rd, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1BW Thursdays 27 February to 2 April 2020, 12.45 – 2.45

Contact Louise on 01707 247032 / 01163 666087 for information/book a place or send completed referral form via HertsFX to [email protected]

VAT No. 751882411. Family Lives is a company limited by guarantee. Reg Company No. 3817762. Reg Charity No. 1077722. Registered in and Wales.