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 1
You can see our three-weekly menu here - we are on Week 1 of the new Autumn / Winter Menu.
SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good afternoon,
Unfortunately, some further technical issues prevented last week's newsletter from reaching many families so I will begin today's with a repeat of some of last week's edition.
After a hiatus due to some software updates our newsletter is back; since the last edition there have been many notable activities both in and out of school.
Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to our Jeans for Genes fundraising day - through non-uniform and a stunning cake sale, we were able to raise over £2000.
Over the past few weeks, we have also had an open-mic poetry competition, Talk The Talk workshops for Year 7, and the UK Maths Trust Senior Mathematics Challenge among other events.
Beyond the school gates, there have been a number of school trips: the Year 11 Geographers conducted field work in Sheringham; our Years 11 and 13 Classics students visited the British Museum; our Years 10 and 11 Textiles students went to the Knit + Stitch Show in London; and of course last week our Year 8s enjoyed their three-day residential trip to PGL Caythorpe Court.
On Wednesday this week, we welcomed Year 9 families into school for their GCSE Options evening. It was great to see so many families in school and to feel the genuine excitement about the subject choices that will be made over the coming months. You will receive updates on the process and key information in future communications from Mr Jones.
Yesterday, we had the honour of welcoming the Lord-Lieutenant and Vice- Lieutenant of Hertfordshire to join us in celebrating the achievements of our student mentors, who have recently completed their Peer Mentor training with Phase. You can read more about this special event below - once again I was left in awe of our students, who never fail to impress and make us all feel so proud of them.
Also this week, after many delays, the work on the school cottage has been completed. This renovation enables us to provide additional spaces for counselling, 1-1 and small-group interventions, and also spaces that meet the sensory needs of our students both inside and in its gardens. Mrs Cole and the Learning Support team are excited to 'move in', and we are all looking forward to seeing our students benefit from this new school facility.
Next week will give us all a much-needed rest after a busy half-term. For Year 11s, the week off will undoubtedly feature some revision as their mocks begin when we return, but it's equally important that they are supported in taking breaks and getting the rest and relaxation that they need.
It will not have gone unnoticed, but the weather has very quickly shifted into autumnal conditions, and it's therefore important that students come to school with a good winter coat. Breaks and lunches are spent predominantly outside and students will only be indoors when we have heavy rainfall, so a good coat is a must.
I wish you all a restful week.
James Crowther, Headteacher
The Year 7 House Prefects were announced this morning,
and they received their badges from the Year 13 Prefects.
It was also great to see so many pink accessories
for Breast Cancer Awareness.
We were very pleased to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant and Vice-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire into school this week, to present awards to our students who have completed the Peer Mentor training programme we run in partnership with Phase Hitchin, the local youth wellbeing charity.
Our Peer Mentors in Years 10 and 12 are trained to support younger students who are experiencing personal challenges, by being a buddy they meet up with and talk to on a regular basis. With the empathic and communication skills they develop and the support they offer, they are a valuable part of our school community.
It was a memorable occasion to have their service recognised by the Lord-Lieutenant Robert Voss CBE CStJ, who spoke about the importance of these qualities throughout life and the transformative impact that mentoring can have on a person at any stage.
Our heartfelt thanks to the Lord- and Vice- Lieutenants, the Phase team, and Lizzie in Year 13, who shared her very positive personal experiences, both as a Mentee when she was in Year 8 and later when she became a Mentor herself.
Kieran Murphy, Director of Phase, said: “One of the most powerful things we can give a young person is the knowledge that somebody cares, somebody notices and somebody is in their corner. These students have chosen to give their time and compassion to others, and that deserves celebrating. Many Peer Mentors were once supported by a mentor themselves and now want to give back. At Phase, we want to equip young people to support others, creating a lasting impact.”
Thank you to everyone who was able to support our Jeans for Genes fundraising day! All your donations plus the proceeds from the cake sale bring the total to a fantastic £2011. You can still donate via ParentPay if you'd like to.
Every year we work with the charity Talk The Talk, who come in to run their excellent spoken-communication workshops for our students, and this month we welcomed them for sessions with our Year 7s. Through group work and mini- presentations, our students focused on skills around transitioning to secondary school, meeting new people, introducing themselves and making new friends.
There was a good turnout for our first Poetry Open Mic event in our lovely Library. Well done to the more than 20 students who stood up and shared their poems - what a talented bunch!
Year 10 have made a fantastic start to their GCSE Art course. Having looked at the ancient Greek sculptures of the British Museum as part of their research into historic cultures, they have explored different ways of recording in pencil and inks to striking effect. Well done all!
Meanwhile our A Level artists made a trip down to the North Hertfordshire Museum to see the exhibition of Belgian artist Gerard Ceunis, who lived in Hitchin in the 1920s. His work was inspired by the Impressionist movement, which links well with the students' current project on landscapes and the environment. They were also lucky enough to be given art materials from the gallery on which they will produce their own responses to the exhibition, which will be displayed at the Museum in the new year.
Big congratulations to Sarena and Haysan, who achieved fabulous results at the National Autumn Road Relays in Birmingham recently.
Teaming up with some of the best athletes from around the country, they both ran the 4km leg, in the U18 and U16 categories respectively.
Sarena ran a strong race, finishing in 15:11, placing 31st out of 150 runners. Haysan sprinted to the finish to record 14:49, placing 19th out of 231 runners, and helping her team achieve an excellent 9th place out of 77.
With all their hard work and perseverance coming to fruition, both our runners have much to be proud of!
A message from our Head of Music:
At HGS we are very lucky to share our Music department building with North Herts Music School, where visiting teachers from Hertfordshire Music Service provide instrument and singing lessons during the day, after school and at weekends.
To book instrument or singing lessons please visit the Herts Music Service website and open an account with them.
This year we are delighted to welcome Rachael Moorhead who is joining the current woodwind and brass team of Jane Rose, Paul Woodin and Simon Router.
We are keen to promote woodwind and brass this year - these instruments are ideal for secondary-age students to take up. Group lessons are available as well at a reduced cost, so do ask around your friends to see if anyone else is interested in starting the same instrument at the same time. I recommend an orchestral or big-band instrument for students who have taken some early grades on the piano and would now like the opportunity to play more regularly with others. Do contact me if you would like to know more or if you have any questions.
I am aware that there are lots of parents in our school community who are active musicians; if you are able to offer your services as performers to support our ensembles and choirs then do get in touch. For obvious reasons we are sometimes in need of tenor and bass choral singers to join us for events - if that's you, or you play an instrument, please click on this link to let me know!
Best wishes,
Ms Jane Stott, Head of Music.
Calling creatives! If you may be able to help our students by talking about your work, we would love to hear from you.
Please email clare.townsend@hgs.herts.sch.uk - thank you!
Parents/carers, remember to create your Arbor login if you haven't already done so, as we are now using the Parent Portal and Arbor App.
You will have received all details via email on Friday 2 October. To log in for the first time, please go to https://login.arbor.sc and click 'Forgot your password?' to finish setting up your account.
Once again this year we are taking part in the Link to Hope Shoebox Appeal, to send much-needed basic items to families affected by poverty and conflict in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria and Romania.
Any students who are able to take part in this project are asked to bring their filled shoeboxes into school between 4 and 6 November. All information about how to fill and prepare a box can be found here.
NOTICEBOARD - LOCAL
NOTICEBOARD - WELLBEING & SEND
ADD-vance Workshops
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
