Sixth Form Weekly Newsletter | Summer Term, Week 6 | Date: 26 May 2023

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HALF TERM
All Day
From 29 May until 02 Jun
29
May
Public Exams
All Day
From 15 May until 23 Jun
15
May
BANK HOLIDAY
All Day
29
May
A week
All Day
From 05 Jun until 09 Jun
05
June

REPORTING STUDENT ABSENCE

 

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.uk with the student's name and tutor group, reason for absence and expected return date (if known). 

WEEKLY MENU

 

[Every Day - Pasta / Jacket Potatoes & Toppings, Panini of the Day]

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** GLUTEN-FREE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST **

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SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS


Good afternoon,

Another end of half-term is quickly upon us, giving the Year 11s and Year 13s a welcome break from exams. I must say it has been fantastic to see the Year 11s in the exam breakfasts prior to their morning exams - it is amazing what a pastry and some last-minute hints and tips from a teacher can do to settle the nerves.

Yesterday we hosted the primary schools' Sports Festival, which was organised and run by our Year 12 and Year 10 Sports Leaders. The event involved 230 pupils from eight primary schools - our Sports Leaders did an absolutely fantastic job so well done to all involved, and thank you to Ms Jacobs and Ms Murch who oversaw the event.

It has been a busy half-term with much to celebrate, and you will read below of the amazing success of our Junior Mathematicians - well done to all who took part and thanks to Ms Chowdhury and the Maths team for organising the competition!!

One of the last things I got to do this half-term was to meet with Farah Gullo from Year 8, to award her a Headteacher's Award for her Headstrong takeover focused on EDS and HSD awareness. Farah presented the topic with incredible confidence, maturity and a level of understanding and knowledge that truly deserved recognition. Well done Farah.  

I hope you all have a restful half-term and I thank you for your ongoing support of the school.  I look forward to welcoming the students back into school on June 5th.

Take care

James Crowther, Headteacher


Half-term week: Monday 29 May - Friday 2 June

We look forward to welcoming students back on Monday 5 June. Have a restful and enjoyable break.


Music School car park

Over the past few months we have seen an increasing number of cars dropping off and picking up students in the Music department car park on Highbury Road. For the safety and security of students, only staff and authorised visitor cars are permitted in our car parks, and they should not be used for drop-offs or pickups. 


Junior Maths Challenge

HGS students have achieved remarkable success in this year's Junior Maths Challenge. With 17 students earning Bronze, 18 earning Silver and 11 earning Gold, their exceptional abilities are evident.

Notably, 9 of the top scorers have secured their place in the next round. Congratulations to these talented individuals!

Additionally, Anna Poliakoff (Y7) and Lena McGuffie (Y8) have performed outstandingly well and have been invited to the prestigious Junior Olympiad.

Well done to all participants for their accomplishments!


Sports Leaders Festival

As their final project, our Year 12 Sports Leaders designed and organised a Sports Festival for more than 200 local primary school pupils, with a Disney theme! Run by our Year 10 Sports Leaders, there were ten different activities set up around the main pitch, with plenty of fun challenges, friendly competition and Encanto songs! Congratulations to all the Sports Leaders for such a successful event. 


Food Club

From cheese scones and chive butter with strawberry lemonade to stir-fried yum yum noodles, Food Club have applied a wide range of skills and cooked up a storm this half term!

 


Fundraising for Phase Hitchin

Phase is a charity that does amazing work with young lives across Hitchin, with a focus on building wellbeing and resilience so that they can thrive. Phase has worked with our students both in lessons and through Pastoral for a number of years, providing invaluable support for our school community.

Now the Phase team are completing an Everest climb challenge to raise vital funds for continuing their work with Hitchin's young people. Mrs Cole has been inspired to join the challenge and will be scaling (via a treadmill at an angle) as much of the height of Everest as she can on the night of 9 June. Having seen firsthand the positive impact that Phase has in our school, she felt she had to try and help their fundraising efforts.

If you would like to sponsor the climbing team please go to their Just Giving page. It's difficult being a teenager today, so please support this epic challenge to fund Phase's amazing work!

Make a donation

Managing exam stress - video

Take a look at this video for parents from Phase, about helping your child to manage exam stress.


Library news

Here are the Top 10 most borrowed books from our Library this school year - we're encouraging students to try something from the list and read for pleasure more.



Surveys about Autism / ADHD provision

Please see below for a message from Hertfordshire County Council about a survey to improve provision for young people with Autism / ADHD. 

Hertfordshire would like to be able to offer some more support to children and young people to help them understand their Autism and / or ADHD. In order for us to fully understand the needs of families and what they would like the support to look like, we would like to seek the views of parents / carers and young people. 

We have developed two online surveys, one for parents / carers and one for young people. The young people’s survey is for those aged 9 -16 with a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD or both.  The other one is for parents / carers of young people who are aged 9-16 and who have suspected or confirmed Autism and / or ADHD.

The surveys shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes and need to be completed by Tuesday 6 June.

Young People - https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/VJCZQW/

Parents / Carers - https://surveys.hertfordshire.gov.uk/s/8ZYSM8/


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CAREERS SPOTLIGHT



NOTICEBOARD - EDUCATION / CAREERS 








Graduate Careers Live! is essential viewing for all Year 12 students and their parents, just before they begin considering their post-Sixth Form options, visiting universities and researching degree apprenticeships.

Broadcast earlier this term from a TV studio in central London, the 90-minute programme features:

• the very latest research on today’s graduate job market, and the universities and degree courses that are most likely to lead to successful graduate employment in the future

• studio guest Zoe Thomas, author of The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide

• specially recorded interviews with recent graduates and degree apprentices from Dyson, Rolls-Royce and the Royal Navy, describing their career path since leaving the Sixth Form

• an in-depth introduction to degree apprenticeships â€“ the alternative, debt-free route to the graduate job market – and a showcase of employers now offering degree apprenticeships to Sixth Form school-leavers

• expert advice and guidance from senior graduate recruiters – from banking &

finance, law, accounting & professional services, and the public sector – on how to make the most of university and to get ready for the graduate job market

The programme is presented by Martin Birchall, Editor of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, and Levi Jouavel, a BBC presenter and former apprentice. It is produced in partnership with the Department for Education.

Watch the show




Find out more and book

 

Fnd out more

NOTICEBOARD - WELLBEING / SEND / SUPPORT




Webinar - Managing Study Stress

Tuesday 30 May, 1 - 2pm

This webinar is to support the wellbeing of students who are aged 16+ and are currently studying.

The webinar explores why we worry about the future, how uncertainty makes things worse, and what to do about study stress. It provides guidance on cognitive and behavioural techniques which students can learn themselves to manage their own symptoms, stay in the present and prepare calmly for the future. 

Exams, studying and academia are a source of stress for many, be that day-to-day study or preparing for an exam. This webinar will support you in techniques to manage this. 

Worry is not an inevitable consequence of stress; rather, it is a mental process we can choose to engage in, or not. By writing worries down, learning the difference between worry and other forms of challenge, and introducing balance to our daily lives, we stand a good chance of limiting our worry.

The webinar also includes information about the free talking therapies on offer for anyone interested in accessing additional support for their wellbeing.

Key topics covered:

  • All about worry: what it is, why we do it and how we can do it less often.
  • Study stress: how it begins and how we keep it going; what to do and what not to do when preparing for assessments.
  • The CBT Study Stress Toolkit: SMART goals, behavioural tools and cognitive tools. 
  • Cognitive tools: spotting unhelpful thinking habits, challenging unhelpful thoughts and choosing new, more flexible and realistic ways of thinking.

Please note to access this webinar programme you must be aged 16+ and be registered, or be intending to register, with a GP in Hertfordshire or Mid Essex.

If you require any additional support registering for any of the webinars, please email: hpft.iaptwebinars@nhs.net.

Self-help videos:

There is also a variety of self-help videos available that focus on a range of topics, including stress, sleep, nature, wellbeing and mindfulness. Click here for more information about the self-help videos.


 







Mental health support for
Hertfordshire's young people