As we come to the end of a busy term, we’d like to celebrate the hard work of all our classes, and especially KS4 and KS5 students as they prepare for external and internal assessments.

Our Year 11s and 13s have been busy working on individual projects inspired by the exam board starting points. We can’t wait to see how they conclude this work in April and May, and look forward to sharing outcomes in our July exhibition.

Years 10 and 12 are concluding mocks this week, with personal interpretations of department projects.

In KS3, our Year 7 students have been busy learning about print and pattern, creating beautiful digital designs inspired by the work of fashion designer Alexander McQeen.

They have also been exploring digital art and have learnt how to make their own repeat patterns in Photoshop, developing skills in using layers as well as shape and line tools.

Year 8 have been delving into the history of the plaiting and weaving industry in Hitchin, and are starting to plan their own woven vessels inspired by contemporary craftspeople.

We started with introductory weaving techniques, where the students explored different methods of weaving using paper straws. They also developed their understanding of how to use colour to show a sense of three dimensions in a drawing.

Year 9 have been introduced to the wonderful work of the Haida Nation in North West Canada and created some beautiful research sheets, looking closely at their artwork. They will then go on to design their own masks inspired by the Haida people.

In Art Club, students have been working hard learning embroidery techniques, and have been developing a Pop Art project based on an inspirational woman of their choice.

Elsewhere, many thanks to Mrs Cooper and her set team who did such brilliant work for the Addams Family production. Our Years 11 and 10 photographers also worked hard to capture the action, producing a comprehensive set of show photographs.

The Business department took 33 A Level students to New York for an unforgettable five days. Thank you to Mr Jones and Mrs Robertson who accompanied Mrs Symeou and gave their time to ensure a successful trip. 

Our students started by attending a seminar by digital marketing/PR expert Beth Nunnington, in which they were encouraged to think about how brands can make themselves ‘relevant’ through newsjacking existing stories or even creating their own news through imaginative campaigns - such as sending a diamond into space and sparking a country-wide treasure hunt for the prize! Students tried their hand at this form of marketing when they were tasked with creating a campaign for makeup brand Charlotte Tilbury. 

   

It was then onto the Federal Reserve for a workshop where we were challenged to think like an economist and consider the impact that monetary policy has on US brands, as well as how psychology plays a role in the economy through factors such as opportunity cost. Although we didn't get to see the vaults due to a delivery of gold coming in, we were able to tour the bank and learn how currency is managed in the US, noting key differences from the UK, and discussing the role of inflation and the influence of politicians.

Our students also learned a great deal from Wall Street economist Onel, who took us on a walking tour of Lower Manhattan and explained the workings of one of the world's most important financial districts through fascinating anecdotes. Onel was in downtown Manhattan during the 9/11 attacks - having seen the memorial museum in the morning, it was extremely moving to hear his personal stories and how the city has recovered since. He pointed out that large amounts of office space built after 9/11 still sit empty due to how the economy has changed in the past 20 years, as well as the decline in demand post-pandemic. 

Our earlier visit to Chelsea Market, which gave an insight into the city’s trading in the past, was a nice point of contrast to what trade on Wall Street is about today. Chelsea Market was a warehouse where traders would bring their goods to market, much like the old markets in London, but today it is surrounded by skyscrapers. Fortunately now filled with small bespoke food businesses, it is one of the best places in the city to eat and explore unheard-of brands.

We were also able to fit in a visit to Madison Square Garden, where we learned something of the big business of sport - and how the venue is able to turn an ice hockey rink into a basketball court in 2.5 hours, an incredible feat of engineering and a wonderful example of operational management. Home to the NY Knicks and the NY Rangers, ‘the Garden’ generates $5m of revenue from just one of its 40+ suites each year, before other ticket sales, sponsorship, merchandise or other marketing deals are even accounted for.

And last but not least - an ascent to the top of the Rockefeller Center rewarded us with stunning views of all the skyscrapers illuminated at night, accompanied by the life story of Rockefeller, an American Dream tale of one man who founded a business empire during the Great Depression. We enjoyed the incredible skyline taking in the views of the sites we had explored earlier in the week, such as Times Square, Central Park and 5th Avenue. 

On top of such an enriching and educational trip, it was even more rewarding that our students left an impression of their own on the other side of the pond, with their curiosity, conduct and embodiment of our values. From complete strangers to the professionals we spent time with, several people had compliments for our students. 

“It was a pleasure to work with Hitchin Girls’ School… They were a lovely group of smart young women who were very engaged and asked insightful questions. Every group really considered the target audience I gave them and I was impressed by their thoughtful answers.” - Beth Nunnington

"The New York trip was such a unique experience which I enjoyed immensely. During our time there we saw many famous sights, such as Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, etc. We also got to go to the Federal Bank and a business seminar which was incredibly interesting."

Izzy, Year 12

 

This has been a very exciting term for the Classics department, with two trips to the theatre in London, two wonderful performances of our student-led Senior Classics Play, and preparations for our trip to Greece reaching the final stages.        

At Easter some of our Classics students from Years 10-13 will be embarking on a four-centre tour of Greece, taking in a range of ancient sites, including cape Sounion, the Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, Epidaurus, Tiryns, Mycenae, Corinth and, new for this year, the sanctuary site at Eleusis. Staff and students are all very excited for what should be an enriching and rewarding trip. These photos from Greece 2023 give a flavour of what students can look forward to.

  

Years 12 and 13 thoroughly enjoyed the student production of The Frogs at UCL as well as Oedipus at The Old Vic, also in London.

Having stunned audiences with last year’s ‘Pandora’, which was written and produced by our Year 13 students, the Senior Classics Society returned on 6 and 7 March with another self-written and produced production, ‘Cleopatra’. It was a huge success and large audiences of staff, parents and students (some returning from uni to watch) were blown away by the high quality of the show and the hard work that went into it.  The play raised a staggering £948.51 for the period poverty charity ‘Bloody Good Period’.  Thank you to everyone who attended and made generous donations.

  

We welcomed one Classics trainee teacher from Cambridge University into the department this term - Mr Jarvis. The students have appreciated his enthusiasm, knowledge and interesting activities.

Mrs Rowe, Head of Classics

Here is a round-up of just some of the excellent work done by our students across the year groups this term.

Year 12 Product Design Storage Project - some high quality and creative outcomes:

Year 9 Product Design Jewellery Project - some amazing design work!

Year 10 Graphic Design Addams Family School Production Visual Merchandise Project:

Year 7 Textiles - students have designed and made fantastic lanterns, learning about heat transfer painting and hand stitching:

Year 8 Textiles - high-quality design work and final tie-dye drawstring bags with excellent decorative stencil work:

Year 9 Textiles - students have produced fantastic creative outcomes for their Puggly Plushie, all made with upcycled materials:

KS3 Food - students have been making a range of tasty treats, such as these cheese straws!

 

Back in the summer when we decided that we would do a whole-school production again, and that our chosen show would be The Addams Family - School Edition, we had high hopes for how it would all turn out. Over the coming months we enjoyed auditioning 100s of students, watching them dance, hearing them sing and seeing them act. The decision of who would be in our cast was very hard to make with so many amazing students in our HGS community. 

Rehearsals started and we quickly knew that we had a wonderfully talented, enthusiastic and excited group of young people who shared our commitment to putting together the very best show we could. 

Fast forward through hours of lunchtime, after-school and weekend rehearsals that saw our 40+-strong cast, phenomenal band and 30-strong backstage crew work tirelessly to perfect their various roles in our show. Together we learned lines; choreography; songs; how to operate sound and lighting desks; how to use radio mics; how to create amazing theatrical hair and make-up and fantastic costumes - and always with a smile on our faces (students and staff alike) despite the tiredness. 

And so it was finally show week and what a week we had! Four packed- out performances to 600 people, including a wonderful matinee audience of 200 pupils from our brilliant feeder primary schools, saw our amazing cast, band and crew deliver a show that would give the West End or Broadway a run for their money! 

Seeing how these amazing young people came together, supported each other, and celebrated each other's achievements and performances was a privilege. It was no surprise, therefore, as the curtain fell on the final night, that many a tear was shed (again both by students and staff) - we were bursting with pride for what, as a true Addams Family family, we had achieved. 

Wearing our Addams Family t-shirts with pride, we celebrated with our cast party and signed our company posters that will hang on walls as a memento for a long time to come. 

What an utter joy it has been to work with these amazing young people and see them shine. 

Mrs Cooper - Producer

See the photo album

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Working with the lighting and sound team on the Addams Family was an absolute pleasure. Thanks to Delilah, Martha, Scarlett and Isaac for pulling together an amazing show in such a short space of time. It would not have looked as good without them!

Mr Gregory - Technical Director and General Tech Wizard! 

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It was an absolute privilege and a joy to work with such hard-working, talented and passionate students, and to help bring the Addams Family to life. I will treasure the memories always!

Ms Romain - Choreography 

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And here is what some of the students have said...

This has been a busy and exciting term in the English and Media department. We have had many excellent events taking place and, as usual, lots of excellent work and effort from our students.

Early in the term, on a very brisk January day, Year 12 Media students headed to the BFI on Southbank in London. After a beautiful winter walk from Blackfriars station to the venue, we settled into a cinema for a tutorial on one of our set media texts, followed by a film screening. It was wonderful to come together with different schools to discuss and analyse the film industry, and watching a Marvel movie on the big screen gave us all a renewed appreciation of how spectacular the superhero genre can be. Thank you to Ms Pateman for organising this trip. 

This month, Year 12 Media students had another great afternoon at Sky Studios in Elstree. They had a chance to make their own short films and go on an enlightening tour of the studios. We were all hoping to see some stars - no luck this time, but the students were certainly the stars of their own films! It was a lovely afternoon - thank you to Mrs Bunker for organising it.

In English, we were delighted to welcome Box Clever Theatre Group into school on two days to perform Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet for Year 11, complete with workshops. The performances were amazing: vibrant, engaging and definitely dramatic! Our students were fantastic and fully embraced the interactive nature of the sessions. They have been working incredibly hard in the run-up to their exams, and I hope they all found this a rewarding and fun addition to their studies.

We have more theatre waiting in the wings next term for Year 12 English students, who are going to London’s Coliseum to see the new musical of The Great Gatsby, their set text. We are really looking forward to this ahead of their mock exams.

Year 10 students have been studying their Shakespeare set texts and are beginning their revision for their upcoming mocks on An Inspector Calls and creative writing. We wish them and Year 10 Media students the best of luck for their first set of mocks, and also Years 11 and 13 as they move towards the public exams. A lot of hard work is going into their revision, and it has been a pleasure to welcome Year 11 to our lunchtime revision sessions, which continue next term on Fridays for English and on Thursdays for Media.

Finally, this term has been a whirlwind of literary exploration for KS3! Year 7 embarked on epic quests, dissecting the hero's journey in novels like Wolf Brother and Rooftoppers. Year 8 have transported us to the future, crafting imaginative science fiction stories and honing their writing prowess. Meanwhile, Year 9 have been working on their People and Places scheme of work, exploring cultural perspectives through the poetry of writers such as Imtiaz Darker and Maya Angelou, and are now working on their speechcraft, studying a variety of sources, including Emma Watson and Michelle Obama.

We wish you all a restful and well-deserved holiday!

Mrs Batchelor, Head of English

Two of the biggest events in the Library calendar took place this term. First up was World Book Day, which we celebrated with an all-day book fair courtesy of David's Bookshop. Every form in Years 7 to 10 visited the fair, and all students were given a £1 World Book Day voucher. 

  

As part of the WBD celebrations we held our annual cake sale at break and lunchtime. Members of the Reading Group, the Library Goblins, helped to bake the cakes, set up the stall and sell goodies to the crowds of hungry students. We raised more than £300 for World Book Day and would like to thank all the staff and students who contributed.

The Reading Group also marked the day with a Lit Spud competition, which saw them take home a potato to dress up as a literary character. Judges Mr Crowther and Mr Gregory had their work cut out choosing between them but eventually awarded Harry Potter 1st place, with runners-up Paddington Bear and Winnie the Pooh in joint 2nd place. Well done to all who took part, your potatoes were spud-tacular!

Next up was the North Herts Schools Book Awards, which took place at Hitchin Boys' School. A group of Library Goblins made the trip down the hill, along with Mrs Goose and Mrs Woods, to discuss the shortlisted books with students from eight other local schools.

After a lively discussion and an inspiring talk from the guest speaker, the comedian, author and broadcaster Robin Ince, the votes were counted and the winners announced. This year's awards went to Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell in the younger category and Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald for older readers. Our thanks to the librarians of Hitchin Boys' School for organising this wonderful event.

Our Library has been busy all term with students visiting at break and lunchtime to browse, borrow and read books or play games. The after- school Homework Club remains popular with students looking for somewhere quiet to read or do homework until 4.30pm.

In their Library lessons, Years 7 and 8 students have been working towards their reading awards as well as learning some valuable research skills. One lesson saw Year 8 pupils creating found poems out of book titles. The Book Spine Poetry lesson really put their imaginative talents to the test and we were impressed by the creative results. 

Finally, as the Easter holidays approach, we are looking forward to a Reading Group end-of-term party in the Library, complete with chocolate mini eggs and hot cross buns. 

We hope you all have a relaxing break with plenty of time to read, and we look forward to seeing you in the Library next term.

Mrs Goose and Mrs Woods

The Year 10 French and Spanish Project Polyglot students have been out in local primary schools again this term, teaching their second lessons to pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.  

We would like to congratulate our students on their hard work putting together the lessons, which were very creative, and well thought-out and delivered. All participants - primary and secondary students alike - have thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

Elsewhere in the MFL department, one of the topics in Spanish has been holidays, and Year 9s got stuck into creating these fabulous leaflets to advertise hotels in Spain. 

Whether going on holiday or not, we wish all our students a lovely Easter break - joyeuses Pâques / felices Pascuas!

Mr Dellar, Head of Modern Foreign Languages

 

Thank you to everyone who has attended clubs this term and worked really hard to learn new skills and tactics, which has resulted in great performances in matches, competitions and tournaments. We have lots of success to celebrate, as you will see in the below round-up of the term.

Miss Shaw, Head of PE

See the PE department Spring Term round-up

Physics lessons have continued in earnest this term. Most Year 7 students have recently completed the 'fruit battery' challenge, where many of them successfully lit a lightbulb with just potatoes, lemons and limes. Year 8s have been learning about magnetic fields, while Year 9s have been on a journey through the electromagnetic spectrum. This included writing an imaginary letter to persuade or dissuade the trustees of HGS to allow a phone mast to be built on the Science block. 

Year 10s are heading towards their mock exams, and Year 11s and Year 13s are busy preparing for their final public exams. We wish them all the very best of luck. 

We have continued to visit local primary schools, with heart dissections aplenty. These visits have been enhanced by the fantastic Year 12 students who volunteered to come along and help, and we are very grateful for this. 

The main event on the horizon is our annual Science Fair, which will take place on Thursday 3 April, 6 - 8pm - we have about 50 groups of Year 7s & 8s signed up for this!

Mr Derrett, Head of Physics

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In Biology, this half-term kicked off with Year 13s making use of some cutting-edge lab equipment, loaned to us by multinational biopharmaceutical company Amgen. Students were able to manipulate DNA using micropipettes, getting hands-on experience of how enzymes are used to 'cut' genes out of one bacterial plasmid before inserting it into another. They then used PCR to amplify the recombinant DNA before visualising it using electrophoresis. Thanks go to our lab technicians Mrs Wilson and Mrs Whittaker, who worked hard behind the scenes to make this happen. Year 7 Biology club were also able to make use of the micropipettes in a fun session, making pictures by pipetting coloured dye as well as exploring how the technology could be used to establish the parenthood of orangutans!

In Eco Club, the addition of some fantastic Year 12 volunteers has really helped kick spring off, with the wildflower patch cleared and new seeds sown. Unlike previous years, we're hoping to encourage perennial flowers this year, with the addition in particular of yellow rattle. Finally, thanks to the site team, our 'Green Flag' is now flying high in school and can be seen fluttering in the breeze.

Mr Buckridge, Head of Biology

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As another busy and exciting term comes to a close, we are thrilled to share some of the fantastic experiences and achievements of our students in the Chemistry department.

This term, we had the privilege of taking two separate Year 12 groups to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Stevenage. These visits provided students with an invaluable insight into the world of pharmaceutical research and the applications of chemistry beyond the classroom. The students engaged with professionals, explored state-of-the-art laboratories, and gained a deeper understanding of the industry’s cutting-edge advancements.

One of these groups was part of the ‘Leaders in STEM’ programme, which has been an incredible opportunity for students to develop their scientific communication and leadership skills. Over the past term, they have worked diligently on their presentations, showcasing their ability to research, analyse, and present complex scientific topics with clarity and confidence. Their hard work culminated in a Symposium on 31 March, where they delivered superb presentations that truly highlighted their passion for STEM. Each student demonstrated a strong grasp of the science behind their projects, impressing both their peers and industry professionals with their knowledge and professionalism.

Across the year groups, students have been engaged in a variety of exciting topics:

• Year 7 has been busy looking at the particle model.

• Year 8 has been completing lots of different types of chemical reactions.

• Year 9 have finished studying separation techniques and are now starting a structure and bonding topic.

• Year 10 are getting ready for their mock examinations and have just about finished topics on electrolysis, acids and pH.

• Year 11 are now revising for their forthcoming examinations.

• Year 12 have been working on enthalpy changes and alkenes/alcohol topics.

• Year 13 has now finished almost all of the Chemistry course and students have a paper 3 mock after Easter.

Chemistry Cafe has been very popular with our Year 11 and Year 13 students, providing them with extra support and a collaborative environment to refine their understanding of key topics. Year 12 students have also been busy in 'MEDROC' -  a society aimed at supporting students move into medical-related careers beyond their time at school. We had an online visit from a doctor in acute medicine and a face-to-face visit from a psychiatrist - both proved very interesting and informative. 

We are immensely proud of all the students who participated in these events. Their enthusiasm and dedication continue to inspire us, and we look forward to seeing them build on these experiences as they progress in their studies.

Wishing everyone a restful break and looking forward to another exciting term ahead!

Mr Horner, Head of Chemistry and the Science department

Year 12 have completed their driver safety programme with an in-person assembly delivered by the driver safety team at Herts county council. This is part of a pilot scheme that we signed up to last year, and has involved five online and one in-person sessions, covering a huge range of driver safety issues.

Year 12 students also had the opportunity to sign up for a trip to Computacenter in Hatfield as part of celebrating International Women’s Day. The trip included the chance to hear people speak about their career journeys, what they do to support and promote women in industry, and top tips for careers further down the line. Students undertook a tour of the site and a team-building activity, where they worked together to consider technology for the future and gave short presentations.

Year 12 also took part in a workshop led by Peter Radford from Beyond This. The session focussed on ‘Politics and Me’, which was very informative. 

A key focus for Year 13 this term has been finance - in their lessons, from time and assemblies. They have been working collectively across the forms on a budget cookery book. Sheffield University gave a presentation on finance and budgeting, and Herts Young Homeless ran an assembly focussing on cost, and also key things you need to consider when moving out of home.

Meanwhile the apprenticeship breakfasts have continued to run this term to support students with their applications, and UCAS offers are now coming in - students are starting to make their first and insurance choices. 

And last but not least, during form time students have been taking part in meditation to support their wellbeing in the run-up to exams. We wish our Year 13s the very best of luck with their final exams when we return in the Summer term. 

Ms Stojko, Director of Sixth Form

This term in Social Sciences has been another really busy one. In Psychology we welcomed back Dr Guy Sutton, for his latest Brain Day with Year 12 students, where they learned all about brain anatomy, including taking part in a brain dissection. They also learned about cutting-edge research into end-of-life neuroscience, neuroplasticity, the effects of smartphones, vaping and diet on the brain. They also heard from Dr Sutton about recent published research into lockdown and the brain, particularly the impact on adolescent girls, and the future of neuroscience, including brain-computer interfacing. The day was a magnificent window onto university lecture life and students came away incredibly inspired. 

In Sociology we welcomed Senior Examiner Keith Trobe to deliver a seminar on revision and exam technique to Year 13 students ahead of their final A Level exam. Students found the workshops and advice extremely useful in helping them plan and prepare for the next steps to secure success in the summer. 

In Criminology, Year 12 students took part in mock scrutiny panels, working with members of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to recreate the scrutiny process in a realistic and interesting way.  The aim was to increase awareness of the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner in holding the Constabulary to account in their use of police powers, as well as to increase the diversity of scrutiny panels by involving young people. They reviewed real examples of Stop and Search and Use of Force records as well as body-worn camera footage from news coverage to consider how the law was applied. 

In Health and Social Care, as part of the assessed GCSE coursework, students have learned about the multiple benefits of creative activities for different age groups. Each student planned their own creative activity for adolescents, considering methodology, safety, timings and the resources needed. They then delivered it to the rest of their class and received feedback from the participants. Our students devised the most amazing activities, ranging from crafting to biscuit-decorating, ballet and even karaoke. It was an absolute pleasure to watch them lead their sessions and experience the benefits of these therapeutic activities first-hand. See the creative activities slide show

Mrs Edwards, Head of Social Sciences