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 MENU
[Every day - Pasta / Jacket Potatoes & Toppings, Panini of the Day]
** MENU SUBJECT TO CHANGE **
** GLUTEN-FREE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST **
Friday: PASTA BOLOGNAISE, MACARONI CHEESE (v), BATTERED FISH, APPLE CRUNCH (free from wheat eggs, milk)
(V) = Vegetarian (GF) = Gluten Free
SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good afternoon,
It has been an amazing week in school with so many opportunities for students and celebrations of their work.
It was wonderful to visit our Art show last night and, as ever, the standard of work created by our GCSE and A Level artists was simply stunning. Congratulations to all students for their achievements and a huge thank you to Ms Wallace and the Art department for all the support they give.
On Thursday, the team from ELSA, supported by a huge cast of representatives from a variety of fields, delivered our careers day for Year 9s. We are really fortunate to be helped by so many volunteers and I would like to thank each and every one of them for giving their time this week.
With Tuesday 6th being Safer Internet Day it was fantastic to be able to welcome the team from 'Be Internet Citizens' and Bim Afolami, our MP, into school today to work with our Year 8s on digital safety. The day started with a talk from Mr Afolami followed by an energising presentation from Be Internet Citizens, before students were divided into workshop groups for the rest of the day.
Congratulations to all in Teresa and Austen Houses for their work on organising Tuesday’s thrifting event. From what I saw it seems our students certainly have a keen eye for a bargain.
It was a pleasure for me to start the week by issuing Head's Awards to the Year 7s who represented the school so well at a recent secondary transition event. Lucy in Year 10 also received an Award for her ongoing commitment to Cadets and St John's Ambulance.
You will see below the Library team have been asking 'What book changed your life?'. For me it would have to be 'My Family and Other Animals' by Gerald Durrell. I still remember the feeling I had reading this as a child; I remember almost feeling the warmth of the sun and the cooling sea of Corfu, a place I had never been to, but one I felt I knew well through reading the book.
Saturday marks the start of the Chinese new year, with this being the year of the Dragon. To all of our community celebrating, "San nin faai lok”.
Also to tie in with Safer Internet Day, we welcomed Bim Afolami MP and Be Internet Citizens for some very interactive and lively workshops for our students. Each session focused on fostering positive ways of navigating the internet to expand knowledge and connect with others while avoiding the pitfalls. mis/disinformation and negative influences.
County cross country championships
Our long-distance runners from Years 7 through to 12 ran exceptionally well and did themselves proud at the Herts Schools Championships at Verulamium Park, St Albans last Saturday.
Charity thrift sale
We had long queues on Tuesday for Austen & Teresa Houses' Thrift Sale at lunchtime, to pick up a bargain gem in aid of Herts Young Homeless. All your donations helped fill the stalls and made this event possible - thank you!
Rainbow Lunch!
Our dining hall was extra colourful last week in support of LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Cole Swinbourne Cup - Bake Off Round!
The Cole Swinbourne Cup is a friendly annual competition between HGS, HBS and The Priory School Sixth Forms, with a series of rounds to determine who takes the trophy for that year. Here are the results of the Bake Off Round!
What book changed your life?
We've been asking this question to students and staff who visit the Library and here are the responses. From famous classics to childhood favourites, an amazing range of titles have made a real impact on readers. If you'd like to know what books have been chosen or want to add your own life-changing read, head up to the Library and check out the display.
Think Cambridge is a three-week-long series of webinars to inspire Years 11 and 12 students to apply to Cambridge. Running from January to February 2024, each session is hosted virtually and consists of a presentation, comment from student ambassadors and additional visual elements.
Week One: Learn about student life at Cambridge
Week Two: Hear from lecturers and admissions tutors about courses and learning at Cambridge
Week Three: Receive advice about next steps and the application process
Medic Mentor's virtual work experiences provide students with valuable insights and opportunities that may be otherwise difficult to access. Developed in collaboration with Birmingham University Hospitals Trust, this virtual work experience has proven to be transformative for thousands of secondary school students over the past year. It goes beyond being just an alternative to in-person shadowing; it is a crucial step in preparing students for their upcoming physical placements.
Medic Mentor have designed a 6-month medical e-learning work experience programme, focusing on one specialism each month, allowing students to set their own pace of learning. From structured teaching to direct interaction with doctors and healthcare professionals, the programme ensures students not only observe procedures but also gain a broader understanding of roles within the medical field.
Covering everything from ethics to procedures and broader team roles, this virtual work experience provides an overview of students' desired career paths and the skills that medical professionals are looking for, thereby enhancing their UCAS applications.
Over 330,000 young people started an apprenticeship last year, with 6% more higher apprenticeships than the year before.
Unifrog's Apprenticeship tool is the most comprehensive database of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships in the UK.
Students and parents are invited to join Unifrog's virtual Apprenticeship Fair (7 Feb) to learn about apprenticeships and network with top employers including the BBC, NHS, Lloyds Banking Group, and British Army.
This 2- hour workshop is for parents and carers who suspect or have received a recent diagnosis that their child has ADHD. The workshop helps parents/carers understand what ADHD is, why it makes sense for a child to be anxious if they have ADHD, strategies to help support you and your child, plus signposting to other support that is available.
Reducing Conflict online workshops
Thursday 14 March 9.30am – 11.30am AND Wednesday 20 March 7pm – 9pm via MS Teams
Conflicts are a regular occurrence within families. It’s often a normal part of everyday life. However, conflict that is frequent, intense and poorly resolved has a significant negative impact on children’s mental health and long-term life chances. This 2-hour workshop explores different types of conflict between couples and families. It will provide support in understanding the causes and impact of parental and family conflict on children and gives practical steps and strategies that parents can take to help improve their family relationships.
DSPL is a Hertfordshire-wide partnership approach in which parents/carers, school staff, local authority officers and other agency staff work together as part of an Area Group, to ensure that there is a range of provision and support services available in their local community that:
Meets the needs of children and young people (aged 0-25) with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), as close to home as possible.