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,
Welcome to the first newsletter of the academic year 2026-27!
All students have now been back for a week and it has been a pleasure to see them return full of enthusiasm and positivity for the year ahead. I would like to extend a special welcome to our new Year 7 families and also the families of our new Sixth Formers who have joined Year 12.
The students have jumped straight back into school life and have returned fully equipped with their uniforms looking smart. Years 7-11 have been issued with lockable pouches for their phones, and this is now a compulsory item of equipment to have with them and use every day. Many students seemed really excited about getting their pouches and, even though we are only one week in, they already seem to be a part of our normal school routines.
Our new Year 7s have been brilliant - I've spoken with many and, with their understandable combination of nerves and excitement, they have approached their first week with an attitude and enthusiasm to be proud of. Today they will have seen the wealth of extracurricular clubs on offer at our Freshers' Fair - we encourage all Year 7s to join at least two clubs, so please discuss this at home and explore what new activities and opportunities they can give a try. Their induction programme has been really successful in helping them settle in and I look forward to meeting families again tonight at the Information Evening.
Year 13s have started their final year by taking part in Talk The Talk spoken communication workshops. These are great preparation for future interviews and environments where presentation skills are important. They are always well received by our students and we are grateful to the Talk The Talk team for the skills, strategies and insights they shared.
Next week we have Information Evenings for Year 12 (Tuesday) and Year 11 (Thursday) - an important event ahead of the final year of GCSEs. We look forward to seeing as many families as possible at these evenings.
Have a good weekend,
James Crowther, Headteacher
Just some of the many extracurricular clubs at today's Freshers' Fair
Our new Year 7s have had a busy programme in the first week of their HGS journey, to help them learn all about their new school and get to know one another.
As well as icebreaker and team-building activities, they have taken part in sessions on wellbeing, diversity, sustainability, online safety and our school values. They also had the chance to get creative with making house mascots and gave their first presentations in front of the whole year group.
As the full timetable of subject lessons gets underway, we hope they are starting to feel more settled and more a part of the HGS family!
We have a great deal to celebrate in terms of GCSE and A Level results this year, as our students have outdone themselves with arguably some of the best ever grades for Hitchin Girls' School.
Out of all the grades awarded across all our GCSE candidates, 91% were grade 4 or above, compared with the national average of 67%. Over a quarter were grades 8 or 9, the highest grades possible.
At A level, numerous students achieved straight As or A*s. Impressively, 82% of the grades achieved by our candidates were an A, B or C.
All these results represent a lot of sustained motivation and effort, as well as our school values of Aspiration, Perseverance and Positivity in abundance. Congratulations and a huge well done to all of our students, and good luck for your next steps - you have excellent foundations to build on whatever path you choose to follow.
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 ageing 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
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:
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 carers, including:
• Understanding Anxiety
• Applying for an EHCP
• Supporting the transition to secondary school
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.
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 a rolling 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.
Tuesdays at 7-8pm
Online via Zoom
