Y7 - 11 Weekly Newsletter | Autumn Term, Week 11| Date: 16 Nov 2023
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REPORTING STUDENT ABSENCE
We have an online absence reporting form for all absences (whole day or part of the day). If you are unable to use the form you will need to email absence@hgs.herts.sch.uk with the student's name and tutor group, reason for absence and expected return date (if known).
[Every day - Pasta / Jacket Potatoes & Toppings, Panini of the Day]
** MENU SUBJECT TO CHANGE **
** GLUTEN-FREE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST **
Monday: SCHOOL CLOSED FOR INSET DAY
Tuesday: SAUSAGE HOTPOT (gf), VEGETABLE LASAGNE (v), CHEESE QUICHE (v), ICED SPONGE
Wednesday: BEEF CHILLI (gf), PASTA BAKE (v), SPICY BEAN BURGERS TOPPED WITH SALSA & CHEESE (v), APPLE & RED CHERRY CRUMBLE (free from eggs, milk)
Thursday: CHICKEN HOTPOT (gf), SWEET & SOUR NOODLES (v), CHEESE QUICHE (v), TOFFEE APPLE TART (free from eggs, milk)
Friday: PASTA BOLOGNAISE, LEEK & MUSHROOM CROWNS (v), FISHCAKES, FLAPJACK (free from wheat, eggs, milk)
(V) = Vegetarian (GF) = Gluten Free
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SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Good afternoon,
I'm writing this as I take a break from supporting the Futures Fair taking place in school today. It has been a great event so far with a huge number of employers and representatives from further education here, offering guidance and inspiration to our students. I'd like to thank all the staff involved in supporting the event, particularly Mrs Townsend and Ms Stojko, and I'd also like to express my huge thanks to all the volunteers who have come into school today to offer such a fantastic experience to our students. Thank you!
Earlier today I had the pleasure of issuing Headteacher's Awards to three Sixth Form students, Emerald, Annabel and Prerika. Their awards were for undertaking student-led research, focussed primarily on analysing data relating to CERN and the Large Hadron Collider - they truly embody our values of Aspiration, Perseverance and Positivity.
They spoke passionately about their work and I'd like to thank Mr Derrett for supporting them with this initiative. As a result of their efforts the school has been recognised for its commitment to student-led research by the Institute for Research in Schools.
On Tuesday evening we held an incredibly successful Y11 Options evening. It was great to see so many of our Year 11s in attendance and I look forward to welcoming them into our Sixth Form next year. The evening followed the conclusion of the Year 11 mock examinations and I must say how impressed I was with the manner in which the year group approached them. The outcomes of these exams will help the students focus their efforts for the remaining part of the academic year, and with lots of hard work I am certain they will be very successful in the summer.
Non-uniform was a theme this week, with odd socks on Monday and full non-uniform for Children in Need on Wednesday. I was impressed to see the number of students in odd socks showing their support for our message of anti-bullying - we are a strong and supportive community, and it is crucial that our message of 'be an upstander, not a bystander' is shared and followed by all.
Monday evening saw the Year 13 Drama students perform their devised pieces for the practical component of their A Level examination. The performances were a real success, so well done to all involved.
And last but not least, congratulations are also due to our Year 13s who won the inter-school Rotary Technology Challenge last week, and to our netball players in Years 11, 12 and 13, who came back with Gold and Silver medals from the district tournament this week.
Have a good long weekend.
James Crowther, Headteacher
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Parking
Following our notice last week about students being dropped off at hazardous spots on the roads adjacent to the school, we also have to reiterate that there is no access to school premises available to those dropping off or picking up students. For the safety of students, and to enable staff and school visitors to use our car parks, we cannot accommodate parent vehicles entering and turning around on school grounds, especially at busy times. This includes the Music School car park and the overflow car park on Wymondley Road. Thank you to the large majority of parents who park/drop off considerately and in such a manner that they pose no risk to pedestrians or other road users. We appreciate your support in this matter.
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Parent Trustee election
Thank you to everyone who voted in the recent Parent Trustee election.
The results of the ballot are shown below. Seanna Eisenhandler has been elected as a Parent Trustee for a four-year term.
Rachael Aggarwal - 8
Gavin Bidgood - 27
Seanna Eisenhandler - 37
Kevin Jenkins - 4
Lucy Richardson - 23
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It was wonderful to see so many feet making a stand against bullying on Monday for Odd Socks Day (no prizes for spotting Mr Crowther's!).
 
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Futures Fair
We welcomed a wide variety of local and national employers plus several Further and Higher Education institutions into school for our Futures Fair today. All students in Years 9 - 13 had the opportunity to talk directly with their representatives and gather information to help them think about their future options. It was nice to see HGS and HBS alumni Amy and Jamie on the PWC stand!
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Rotary Technology Challenge
Well done to the 11 students who represented the school last week in the annual Rotary Technology Challenge at The Priory School. They were given a challenging problem to solve with limited materials and limited time, and came up with some very creative solutions.
Special mention to Pip, Tania, Daisy and Lily in Year 13 who won in their category for the second year in a row, beating the other five schools in the competition.
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Gold and Silver in senior netball!
The Y11&12 and Y13 netball teams played brilliantly throughout the Senior District Tournament this week. They both won all of their 7 round matches, scoring lots of goals, and conceding very few. The crunch match against each other was fantastic, with the Y11&12s winning by 2 goals to achieve Gold, and Y13 Silver overall out of 9 teams. Congratulations to all who played.
 
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Parent volunteers needed -
Year 9 and Year 11 careers days
We are looking for parent volunteers to help out at our careers days in the new year, either by talking about their work role and career path (Year 9 day) or by conducting mock interviews (Year 11 day).
Year 11 – Get Work Ready, Thursday 25 January 2024
Year 9 – Discover, Believe, Become, Thursday 8 February 2024
ELSA Next Generation, which will be running both days, is a Community Interest Company run by Jane Shipley. We have worked with Jane for many years to support students as they think about their next steps and future careers.
If you may be able to help on one or both of these days, please fill in this volunteer form and Jane will contact you directly to discuss arrangements and what your input will be on that day.
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Eco Club appeal
Please also remember to vote for our Eco Club next time you shop at Tesco!: Hitchin Girls' School - Vote for Eco Club at Tesco! (hgs.herts.sch.uk)
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NOTICEBOARD - CAREERS / HIGHER EDUCATION
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Next dates:
Saturday 25 November
Sunday 26 November
Suitable for Years 10 - 12
Free registration (Zoom)
These conferences offer tailored advice for medicine, covering:
- Tactically choosing universities
- Personal statements
- UCAT
- Medical interview skills
- Medical leadership programmes
- Awards programmes
- Extracurricular activities
- Work experience
- Building a CV
- Applying for scholarships
Both students and parents are encouraged to attend.
Here’s how the day will run:
9.30-10.00 Registration
10.00-11:00 Quick introduction to Medic Mentor, overview of the day, competition ratios, application timeline, awards and scholarships
11:00-11:15 Break
11.15-11.45 Introduction to the UCAS application form and entry requirements
11.45-12.15 Interactive CV building exercise and exclusive access to leadership, research, presentation, publication, prizes and scholarship opportunities
12.15-12.30 Top tips from a successful applicant (medical student)
12:30-12:45 Break
12.45-13.30 How to write the perfect personal statement
13.30-13.45 Break
13.45-14.10 Entrance exams - how to ace the UCAT
14.10-14.30 How to prepare for medical school interviews
14.30-15.00 Top tips from a successful applicant (medical student) and next steps
Spaces are limited so please only book for one of the dates.
Register
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NHS Careers Untapped webinars
The NHS Careers Untapped team are pleased to announce upcoming virtual webinars showcasing some of the great jobs available in the NHS. The webinars will cover careers in Nursing & Midwifery, Primary Care, Allied Health Professions, Healthcare Science, Mental Health with many more. The webinars are free to attend and run from 4.30pm to 6pm.
For more information and to register click here
Work experience
Work experience is a fantastic way of gaining insight into a career, especially what a typical day is like in that job. It can be a valuable way for students to develop confidence and experience caring for people. We have a range of work experience placements across health and care for students aged 14+ , including in pathology, healthcare science, admin, midwifery, physiotherapy, pharmacy, finance, theatres, estates and facilities, digital, HR and many more.
For more information and to apply click here
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Monthly virtual work experience days
for students interested in careers within the NHS
Suitable for Years 10 - 13
Next session: Sunday 3 December
This is a rolling programme with applications open throughout this academic year.
Careers covered include:
Nursing
Midwifery
Paramedicine
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Dietetics
Radiography
Prosthetics and Orthotics
Speech and Language Therapy
Pharmacy
During the work experience day, students will follow two patients from their initial presentation to recovery. They will observe healthcare professionals as they interact with the patients and each other, and will have an opportunity to ask questions.
This will help students make an informed career decision as well as learn about how healthcare professionals work together as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Each session is completely different, and students will be able to build on their knowledge of NHS careers as they see different patient cases and professionals work in a variety of settings, from the hospital to the community.
Students will also receive certificates as evidence of participation in the programme. The fee is £10 per session to cover administrative costs.
Find out more and register
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NOTICEBOARD - WELLBEING / SEND / SUPPORT
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Bereavement peer support group
Stand by Me, a local charity for children's bereavement support, will be holding weekly Peer Support Group meetings during Thursday lunchtimes (12.45pm - 1.30pm) in the Conference Room starting on 23 November.
The aim is to provide a safe, supportive space for students to share their experiences and emotions with other young people who understand how it feels when someone close to them passes away, and to enable them to see that they are not alone.
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