Message from the Headteacher 

Good afternoon,

With INSET day tomorrow we have only had four teaching days this week, but there has still been a huge amount going on in and out of school. 

Tuesday saw the Main School Hall full of our senior students engaging in the Senior Mathematics Challenge - well done to all those who took part; I look forward to seeing the results when they come in.

Over the last two days our Year 11 Geographers have been in Sheringham carrying out fieldwork, and we look forward to hearing about their trip after they return this evening. 

Last night we welcomed our Year 8 families for their Information Evening; as well as finding out about the year ahead and the upcomIng Caythorpe trip, the families also had the opportunity to visit different areas of the school and see the facilities our students enjoy.

Today we have welcomed Paul Crooks into school to support the work we are doing for Black History Month.  Paul is an author and genealogist, and he has given an excellent presentation to every year group today with a focus on his ancestors and their journey from Africa to Jamaica.  We are very fortunate to have Paul visit us, and I would like to thank him for his time and the rich experience he has provided for us.   

On Wednesday evening a number of our Sixth Form students attended a conference on diversity - Herts Voices - and I know these two activities have had a very positive impact. One of our students, Kylie (Year 12), summed up her learning from the conference:

"To create our own version of ourselves. To not limit ourselves, and remember that someone else has already done it. Focus on what you can do."


 

Finally, I would like to express my thanks to Isabel in Year 9 who, following our recent work on the values that are important to us, wrote to me detailing what it means to her to be a student at Hitchin Girls’ School.  I will share elements of this in the future as it was a truly inspiring and heartwarming account.

Have a good weekend,

James Crowther

Black History Month talk with Paul Crooks

We were very pleased to welcome speaker Paul Crooks into our school for Black History Month this week. 

Paul spent 13 years tracing his family history back six generations, from London to the West African coast, gaining national recognition for his work. He is the author of the 2002 novel Ancestors (based on the true story of his own ancestors) and he appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? (Moira Stuart) as an expert in African-Caribbean genealogy. His second book, A Tree Without Roots, is the seminal guide to tracing African, British and Asian-Caribbean ancestry.

Many thanks to Paul for giving a very informative and engaging talk to each of our year groups.

The Great HGS Bake Off - the results!

What an amazing amount of effort on display today for the Great HGS Bake Off! There were so many creative and yummy-looking bakes it was difficult to choose the winners!

Here are the winning entries:

More smashing results from Leona!

Our badminton star Leona Lee (Year 12) won all seven of her matches at the All- Women's 2022 IBERDROLA Cup in Oviedo, Spain. Her team stormed through the tournament and were crowned overall winners after beating host team Oviedo 3-1 in the final. Many congratulations Leona!

Library news

Black History Month

Come and take a look at our display of books especially selected to celebrate Black History Month.

Wanted - Library parent volunteers

The Library is incredibly busy at lunchtime, 12.30pm-1.30pm, with students reading, playing games, working, choosing books and much more.

We would really appreciate some help with shelving books and just being another adult presence. Full training will be provided.

If you are interested please ring the school on 01462 621300 and ask for the Library, or email library@hgs.herts.sch.uk. Please consider which day of the week you would like to help.

Thank you so much,

Mrs Mary Goose, School Librarian, and Mrs Jenny Woods, Library Assistant

Monday 10 October, 9.30am
Zoltan Lipp, Arm Ltd
Field of Expertise: Lasers, medical devices, IoT, renewable energy, SW

My career path from scientist to Engineering Manager
I graduated (a long time ago) as an Engineering Physicist. After 3 years of being a scientist, I started working as an engineer in a big multinational company. I have worked in several different industries and currently I am an Engineering Manager at one of the UK's most prestigious engineering companies. I will talk about the
different industries I have worked in and the important skills needed to be a scientist/engineer.
For KS3 & KS4

REGISTRATION

Wednesday 12 October, 11am
Bharath Srinivasan, AstraZeneca PLC
Field of Expertise: Biochemistry; enzymology and drug discovery

A globetrotter's guide to scientific research: my research journey
I will give a brief overview of my research into biochemistry and the biophysics of enzyme action, exemplifying fascinating aspects of enzymes. The talk will be interlaced with my journey as a researcher traversing varied geographies across different continents. 
For KS4

REGISTRATION

Wednesday 12 October, 10am
Sarah Hughes, Kier Places
Field of Expertise: Social value

I am a woman in construction, and I love it!
In this talk, I will discuss how I never expected to work in construction, how I got to my current role and what skills are sought after, as well as how school leavers can get involved. Construction really can be for anyone and everyone, there are so many avenues that can help individuals grow and progress professionally - so stay open-minded!
For KS5

REGISTRATION

Thursday 13 October, 11.30am
Tim Newbold, University College London
Field of Expertise: Biodiversity

How and why is biodiversity changing?
Which areas of the world are seeing the most changes, and why it matters for human societies. I will also talk about my path into science, from an interest in wildlife as a child, through field sampling of biodiversity in Egypt, to now analysing big data on tens of thousands of animal and plant species all over the world.

REGISTRATION

Friday 14 October, 9.30am
Peter Samain, Consultant
Field of Expertise: Construction, construction engineering, thermal systems

A career In engineering & construction
A brief look at my journey from school to international construction project leadership around the world, and how you might do it too. Believe it not - engineering is a blast!
For KS3

REGISTRATION

Digdata are thrilled to announce their upcoming live virtual work experience and live online career panels for the Autumn term with Experian and Lloyds Banking Group.

Sessions are aimed at First Step (KS3) students and Next Step (KS4 & 5) students.

Wednesday 19 October, 4.30 - Lloyds Banking Group "First Step" live online career challenge - Can you help Lloyds Bank decide who can borrow £1,200 to buy the new iPhone 14?

Wednesday 2 November, 5.00 - Lloyds Banking Group "Next Step" live online career challenge - Can you assess our customers’ financial situation and make some recommendations on how different groups of customers should approach their upcoming purchases?

Thursday 3 November, 6.30 - Lloyds Banking Group live online career panel - We invite students, parents, teachers and career leaders to discover more about their career opportunities in data!

About Skills Gap

Skills Gap is a career accelerator that runs insightful workshops for young people aged 15-19 ­– because it’s never too soon to think about building your skills for a competitive edge in your future studies and career.

We're offering a range of intensive workshops this autumn, all designed specifically for 15-19 year olds and delivered to small groups by experienced industry experts:

AI in Astrophysics
Saturday 8 October

With new telescopes powerful enough to see galaxies formed in the wake of the big bang, our online workshop introduces the AI helping scientists to interpret this data to identify stars and plot the shape of the universe. Taught by Joe Sims, an AI PhD student at Leeds University, you’ll step into the inspiring world of AI in astrophysics and get first-hand experience of using a neural network to classify stars.

AI in Medicine
Saturday 8 October

Medicine is on the verge of an Artificial Intelligence revolution – from pioneering surgeries to algorithms that predict future health issues. Our workshop is delivered online by med-tech experts, and will introduce you to key AI trends in medicine, its influence on global healthcare, and the tech skills you need to get ahead. You’ll also take part in an exciting hands-on diagnostic exercise using AI modelling tools.

Blockchain & Cyrptocurrencies
Saturday 15 October

Blockchain is revolutionary. It powers the cryptocurrencies that are changing the face of finance and offers safer ways to store sensitive data. But what’s next? Our online workshop, delivered by a blockchain expert, provides a fascinating insight into the world of cryptocurrencies, how they are analysed and traded, and blockchain’s ongoing potential. During the workshop you will get first-hand experience of coding in Python to build a systematic trading strategy for cryptocurrencies.

Coding for Game Design
Saturday 22 October

With one third of the world’s population already estimated to be gamers, the gaming industry offers one of the hottest career tickets today. Our online workshop gives you a unique insight into the latest trends from multiplayer games to game streaming. Led by Josh Hills, a programmer on some of the world’s largest multi-player games, including Runescape and Horizon, you’ll get first-hand experience of developing and enhancing a physics-based game prototype and discover the skills you’ll need to succeed.

AI in Engineering
Saturday 5 November

Finding new and optimal ways of doing things is at the very core of engineering. Which makes it the perfect partner for AI and machine learning, from smart production lines to image processing technology that allows machines to see. Our online workshop is led by civil engineer and data scientist, Johan Hagstrom, who will introduce you to key AI algorithms and trends. You’ll also get hands-on experience with Python, being guided through a computer vision algorithm that can detect cars on the road – a peek into the world of self-driving vehicles.

AI in Finance
Saturday 12 November

The world of finance has been an early adopter of machine learning, from fraud detection to finance chat bots, yet it’s still just touching the surface of AI’s potential. Our workshop is led by Chelsea Murray, a data scientist at ING with a Masters in Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence from University of Cambridge. Chelsea will introduce you to the vast range of financial AI applications and give you practical experience training a machine learning algorithm to predict credit card fraud.

NHS Allied Healthcare Work Experience

For students interested in

• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Paramedicine
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Dietetics
• Radiography
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Pharmacy

Applications are now open and will remain open throughout this academic year, with the first programme taking place on 2 October.

During the work experience day, students will follow two patients from their initial presentation to recovery. Students will observe the healthcare professionals as they interact with the patients and with each other. They will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain knowledge through teaching.

This will help students to make an informed decision about their career and give them the opportunity to learn how healthcare professionals work together as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Each work experience day is completely different and students will be able to build up their knowledge of NHS careers as they see different patient cases and healthcare professionals work in a variety of settings, such as in a hospital and in the community.

Students will also receive certificates as evidence of participation. Those who complete the entire five-month programme will be awarded a Highly Commended Reference from the Presidents of Medic Mentor.

 Places are £10 a day to cover administrative costs and run the tech on the day. 

Find out more and register

Law | Investment Banking | Politics | Entrepreneurship | International Development

InvestIN are delighted to offer opportunities in five Law & Finance-related industries at UCL this term. The programmes provide a chance for students to learn from top professionals, including barristers, MPs, corporate lawyers, investment bankers and hedge fund managers. Highlights include:

- Participate in a mock murder trial
- Public speaking coaching by barristers
- Negotiate in an M&A deal
- Learn how to value stocks & shares

Plus, Q&A time with all the professionals and guidance on university choices, interviews and applications.