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.ukwith the student's name and tutor group, reason for absence and expected return date (if known).
WEEKLY LUNCH MENU - Week 2
You can see our three-weekly menu here - we are on Week 2.
SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good afternoon,
Firstly, huge congratulations to all Year 11s and Year 13s who concluded their GCSE and A Level exams this week. The exam season can seem brutally long and they have done brilliantly. Special thanks must also go to the Exams team for organising the papers and providing such a great level of care and support for the students. Here's to a long summer for the students and fingers crossed for a great set of results in August.
This week, the entire Year 7 cohort visited the Tower of London with trips taking place on Wednesday and today. From speaking with students and staff on Wednesday's trip I know they had a great time. It is no mean feat to take a whole year group on a trip and thanks go to all of the staff who took part in organising and leading the visits.
With a trip to Shuttleworth agricultural college for Year 10s and our Geographers delivering lessons at St Andrew's Primary school, the HGS experience goes well beyond our school gates. I spoke with some of the students involved in the Geography outreach visit and they exuded confidence - well done to all who took part.
As this academic year zips by, next week sees a raft of traditions taking place in school: Sports Week culminating in Sports Day, Leavers' Supper, Enterprise activities and Founders' Day will certainly make for a busy week, but as ever, it will be one where we celebrate life at HGS. Look out for photos from the week on our social media feeds and in future newsletters.
Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed to our fundraising drive, HGSAmplify. We have received a number of generous donations to date and I thank everyone for all they have contributed. We still have a very long way to go to reach our £70,00 target so if you haven't got around to donating yet and would like to, then you can find out more about the project and make a donationhere.
Have a lovely weekend.
James Crowther, Headteacher
Year 7 exploring the Tower of London as part of their History studies
Our Extracurricular timetable has been updated with the latest details of our clubs and societies, and where and when they run.
With temperatures forecast to rise significantly, we want to ensure all our students remain safe, comfortable and ready to learn.
Next week sees our wonderful traditions of Sports Week culminating in Sports Day and Founders’ Day activities including the Enterprise stalls. Students will therefore be outside more than usual.
Please ensure your child comes to school each day with:
-A refillable water bottle
-Sunscreen (also applied before school)
-A sun hat or cap
Students are welcome to leave their jumpers/blazers at home.
We will be monitoring temperatures closely, ensuring classrooms are well ventilated and encouraging students to stay in the shade. Thank you for your support.
Congratulations to Amber, one of our A Level Fashion and Textiles students, whose work has made it through to the final of the Young Fashion Designer UK competition. She has been invited to attend the live finals this weekend - we're wishing her the best of luck!
Year 10 students exploring their post-16 options visited Shuttleworth, the specialist college for agricultural and environmental studies near Biggleswade, on a day trip organised by our Careers team, meeting several of the estate's residents on their detailed tour of the zoological centre.
We desperately need to upgrade our historic Main Hall and its audiovisual equipment to support our students’ learning better and honour our school traditions better.
Currently, our aging audiovisual equipment limits the quality of our performances, and doesn't adequately prepare students with the digital and communication skills needed for the modern professional world.
To provide students with meaningful opportunities to develop their public-speaking and technical skills as well as their creative expression, we must raise £70,000 to make these upgrades.
We need your support to help us achieve this goal.
Any donation you can make will get us one step closer to our target and will directly contribute to equipment that students can start using straight away. Thank you for your support! DONATE NOW
The Year 9 Chromebooks purchased via the school scheme are coming to the end of their warranty period. After August, current Year 9 students will no longer be able to have their Chromebooks repaired by the school.
If your Chromebook is damaged and requires maintenance please hand it in to IT as soon as possible so that any repairs can be carried out while it's still under warranty.
Did you know you can hire our spaces and facilities, including our Halls, Dance Studio, Gymnasium, Drama Room, Netball/Tennis courts, classrooms with screens, and more?
If you run a local community group, sports classes or holiday camps and are looking for a top-quality venue in beautiful surroundings - or if you just require an ad-hoc meeting room - we have numerous spaces available with a range of capacities and equipment.
Please contact our lettings partner Edu Lettings for ALL hire enquiries:
Ahead of the summer break we would like to share an important message from our Director of Public Health Sarah Perman:
Dear Parent/Carer
The number of children with measles has increased since the start of the year, with most cases in unvaccinated children aged 10 years and under. Measles is a very infectious illness which can make children very unwell and sometimes leads to serious complications. Sadly, two children in England have died from measles in 2026.
In Hertfordshire we have had outbreaks of measles in some of our schools and cases of measles are increasing. I am therefore asking that parents take the following actions:
• Check your child’s Red Book or the NHS App to make sure your child is up to date with their vaccinations. • If your child has missed one or both doses of MMR, please contact your GP practice to arrange an appointment. • You can also contact your local Community & School Aged Immunisation Service who run vaccination sessions for all ages. Details can be found here:
• If your child is ill and you are worried it might be measles, check symptoms of measles here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles. If you need help, please phone your GP or 111 and follow their advice.
An alternative vaccine is available for those who want to avoid pork products. You can find out about this when booking an appointment. The MMR vaccination is safe and free on the NHS, and highly effective in protecting children from three serious diseases, Measles, Mumps and Rubella.
Yours faithfully
Sarah Perman Director of Public Health Hertfordshire County Council
NOTICEBOARD - LOCAL
NOTICEBOARD - WELLBEING & SEND
Help for Families
Across Hertfordshire, the Herts County Council are working in partnerships to support families. Through these partnerships and the services funded, every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive environment and there is support for families most in need.
ADD-vance is a dedicated group of professionals, who also happen to be parents of autistic and/or ADHD children. Their mission is to support the families of neurodivergent children and the professionals involved in their care.
ADD-vance offers online workshops for parents and professionals, including: • Understanding Anxiety • Applying for an EHCP • Supporting the transition to secondary school
A central hub for SEND services, support, events, things to do and guidance in Hertfordshire which can be filtered by location, date and age range: SEND Local Offer | Hertfordshire County Council
There will be various support services in attendance such as ADDvance, Family Centre, Messy Minds and Step2Skills.
Herts Hub is a new website that's intended to be a one-stop portal for Children and Young People's Mental Health Services, accessible to both parents and young people. Take a look at https://www.hertshub.co.uk/
Living with Anxiety
For 14 - 18-year-olds
This is an 8-week online group designed to help those who may be experiencing anxiety or finding it difficult to manage their emotions day to day. It's a friendly and supportive space where young people can:
Better understand their anxiety and what triggers it
Learn practical tools and coping strategies
Build confidence through shared experiences and guided activities
Each week, they will focus on a different theme, such as challenging anxious thoughts, managing social anxiety, and developing healthy coping habits. Participants also receive a workbook to help them reflect and practise between sessions.
Group Details:
Tuesdays at 7-8pm
Online via Zoom
Families can access the group by referral (parents, teachers or professionals can refer).
Or call:0208 189 8400 to speak to one of their support workers directly if you have any questions. Alternatively, chat with them on their instant messaging between 2pm and 10pm every day by clicking the blue 'chat with us' button.
What is offered by Services for Young People?
Hertfordshire Services for Young People deliver a range of youth work projects for young people aged 11-17 (up to 25 for care leavers and those with SEND), in young people’s centres and other community venues in all districts of Herts.
They are committed to giving young people high-quality opportunities to learn life skills and excel in their personal and social development. They also aim to address issues at the earliest opportunity to give young people the best chance to thrive, have a voice in their community, reach their potential and make a successful transition to adulthood.
A partnership of local agencies, DSPL publishes a weekly round-up of courses, workshops and events related to young people's wellbeing and additional needs in the North Herts area.
With temperatures forecast to rise significantly, we want to ensure all our students remain safe, comfortable and ready to learn.
Tuesdays at 7-8pm
Online via Zoom
