Go4Schools App

Did you know you can now use the Go4Schools app to access your child's attendance, rewards and behaviour notifications? From early October you'll also be able to see their progress in each subject. 

Kindness, Respect, Positivity

Lottie Whelan in Year 7 took part in the ‘Take Her Lead’ Sunset Smash cricket event at the London Stadium (Olympics 2012) at the weekend. She was chosen by the umpires and organisers to receive an award for being kind, supportive, respectful and encouraging of everyone - exemplifying our school values! Well done Lottie and congratulations!

National LSA of the Year!

For National TA Day today and to round off Inclusion Week, we are absolutely delighted to announce that our very own Miss Mills has won National Secondary Learning Support Assistant of the Year! 

Miss Mills has been pivotal in delivering alternative provision for a range of our students, listening to their needs, creating bespoke resources and advocating for them, boosting their confidence and helping them to access the curriculum better - and in turn the wider school life.

Among many other things, she has been transforming the way Maths resources are developed for SEND students, helping to make the classroom an inspiring and useful space for them to learn.

Miss Mills also leads a club for students who struggle with social interaction, which has become very popular and has encouraged friendships to grow where students had previously found them hard to sustain.

She is an invaluable member of our Learning Support team who works tirelessly to make students feel comfortable, supported and inspired. We could not be more thrilled for her that all her hard work and dedication have been recognised on a national level!

A Level Technology

It wasn't easy but they did it! Some beautiful examples of eight-strand plaited bread loaves from Year 12 Food Science & Nutrition students, as part of their investigation into starch and carbohydrates.

And elsewhere in the Tech department, Year 12 Fashion & Textiles students trialled these pleating and gathering techniques this week.

Lots of technical skill shown by our A Level students already - keep up the great work, Mrs East is very proud of you!

Exam stress management for our GCSE students 

We are excited to be welcoming Paul Chambers, co-founder of the brilliant mental health charity PoetsIN. Paul will be running workshops on managing exam stress and anxiety for our Year 11s ahead of their mock exams.

Students can also access plenty of free resources and tools for managing stress via the PoetsIN website: https://www.poetsin.com/

Library news

Some members of the Library Reading Group headed out for an author event this week. A group of Years 8, 9 and 10 students visited St Francis' School in Letchworth to hear Frances Hardinge talk about her new book, Island of Whispers. The author spoke about writing the book and what it was like working with an illustrator for the first time. She then read an excerpt to the students and answered their questions. There was an opportunity for students to get their books signed and we also got some signed copies for the Library, which will soon be available to borrow.

Herts Parent Carer Involvement exists to represent the views of the parents and carers of children and young people with SEND in Hertfordshire.

They are an independent parent-led organisation who work alongside Hertfordshire health, education and social care services, to help improve services and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Their 2023 annual survey is now live, to find out more about what families in Hertfordshire are experiencing. They want to know what works and what doesn’t, so that they can concentrate on the areas that matter most to local families. The survey is open until 15 October 2023.

Last year’s survey helped secure an additional £5m investment into the statutory SEND service and was also used during the Ofsted / CQC Area SEND inspection.

The more families who fill out the survey from different stages of the system the more powerful their voice - you don't need to have an EHCP or a formal diagnosis yet to take part.

Calling Year 7s - try out rugby
with a female professional player!

Sunday 1 October, 12.45 - 14.00 (plus time for food afterwards)

This Sunday, Hitchin Rugby Club has an exciting opportunity for Year 7 girls to meet and be coached by a professional female rugby player, Sydney Gregson, who plays for Saracens and has been capped by England.

There will also be the chance to have some food together after the session and chat with Sydney. 

The event will take place at Hitchin Rugby Club, Old Hale Way, SG5 1XL - look for "U12" flag on the pitches.

Equipment: Sports clothes, and if you have them, studded boots and/or gum shields, but don't worry if you don't.

Contact: MYVicechair@hitchinrugbyclub.co.uk with any dietary requirements and so they know how many participants to expect.

Features include 'The Fire Service'; 'What would you tell your 15-year-old self?'; 'Eight unusual courses to study'; and 'Engineering - a great career'.  There is also an article on Studying Esports, where there are now a lot of opportunities for young people.

Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal
Opportunities of the Week

• IT Hardware and Gaming Apprentice
• Digital Marketing Assistant Apprentice
• Advanced and Creative Hair Professional Apprentice

Sunday 1 October, 09.00 - 17.00
https://alliedhealthmentor.org/nhs-healthcare-careers-virtual-work-experience/

This immersive experience is suitable for students of all year groups, and is designed to help them make informed decisions about their future healthcare careers.

What to Expect:

- Session Focus: "Communication and Fractures"
- Patient Journey: Students will follow two patients from presentation to recovery.
- Interactions: They will engage with a variety of NHS healthcare professionals, including nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and more.

Places are £10 a session to cover administrative and technological costs.

Find out more & register

Migrant Leaders - mentoring and work experience with FTSE100 companies

Migrant Leaders, a charity that supports young migrants to develop skills and capture opportunities, is running a free professional development programme for first- and second-generation migrants (as well as young people from other disadvantaged backgrounds).

Successful candidates will be invited to workshops, work experience, and mentoring from leaders in companies such as Meta, Kantar, and KPMG.

Free GCSE and A Level revision masterclasses

Years 10 - 13

Covering Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics, especially suitable for those students interested in studying Medicine. 

Find out more at: https://i-medics.co.uk/

Register 

Fully funded airline pilot training
for school leavers

The creation of the British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy sees the cost barrier of training to become a pilot removed, making the profession much more accessible. Successful candidates will be offered a place at an approved flight training school and, on passing the course, a position as a British Airways pilot. This will help the airline to ensure it has the right levels of future flying talent for years to come.

With initial training that can cost tens of thousands of pounds, the price of becoming a pilot has made the profession prohibitive for many. This cost will now be funded by British Airways – with a multi-million-pound investment from the airline into its next generation of pilots – making it a genuine career path for all aspiring pilots.

The airline remains committed to further increasing diversity in the aviation industry. It is determined to increase awareness and visibility of this new cadet programme, with the aim of encouraging applications from all backgrounds and not just those who can afford the initial training costs.

Next Step (Years 10-13)
Wednesday 4 October, 17:00

Unilever live online career challenge - Help Magnum ice cream get to know their customers - Register to attend

For further information please contact Jenny Agar at jennydallimore@hotmail.co.uk

Mental health support for
Hertfordshire's young people