HGS Weekly Newsletter | Autumn Term, Week 9 | Date: 8 November 2024
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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).
You can see our three-weekly menu here - we are on Week 2.
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SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Good afternoon,
As always, it has been a pleasure to welcome the students back after the half- term break. Year 11 have made an impressive start to their mock examinations with exemplary attitudes and focus in evidence - thank you to all parents/carers for their ongoing support, as we all know how much of a joint effort it is to manage any exam season.
Today you will have all received a letter from me regarding the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection and also a copy of the inspection report. I am delighted with the outcome, with the school receiving an Outstanding judgement in every area reported on. This success is an absolute credit to all the students, staff, trustees, parents, carers and members of the wider community who contribute to life at Hitchin Girls' School - I couldn't be more proud. Thank you to everyone.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Whitehill Junior School where I was given a tour by Headteacher Mr Mills. It was great to see the students engaged in a wide variety of activities, and hear about the impact that our students and staff have through our continued partnership for Project Polyglot, Sports Leaders and science workshops. I would like to extend a special thank you to Sophie, Lottie, Harriet and Stanley who form Whitehill's Junior Leadership Team. These students joined me for lunch and spoke eloquently about their experience in school and their excitement for the transition to secondary school that lies ahead. I look forward to future visits. As part of the Y6-Y7 transition process, a group of our Year 7s took part in a conference held at HBS today - well done and thank you to them - I hear they did a great job!
In form time today, students had a special presentation ahead of Remembrance Day, where they reflected on the importance of this day and what it means to us as a community. On Monday the school will be marking the occasion with a two- minute silence and the playing of the Last Post.
Finally, all parents/carers will be receiving an email reminding them to complete this year's parent/carer survey. All students have completed their version of the survey during school time and it is really important that we capture the views of as many parents/carers as possible. Your feedback is vital in continuing to develop the quality of education at Hitchin Girls' School.
Have a good weekend.
James Crowther, Headteacher
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Following nominations from our Charity Prefects across the school, we have narrowed down the many superb charities and are very pleased to announce that this year HGS will be supporting Happy Days Children's Charity and Hitchin Pantry. All House fundraising events, which kick-started recently with Staff Dodgeball, will be in aid of these two charities, and we are looking forward to building a relationship with them and raising awareness.
Set up by three mums in 1992, Happy Days Children's Charity, based in Hitchin, organises and funds special days for children living with mental, physical and emotional difficulties across the UK. The special days include trips to the seaside, theatres, zoos, museums, outdoor activity centres, sporting events and other educational and cultural activities, with the aim of removing barriers to give children a chance to get out, make new friends, develop new skills and build confidence in the face of adversity.
Part of the national Your Local Pantry charity, Hitchin Pantry gives families access to both fresh and store-cupboard food to help with the cost-of-living crisis and personal financial challenges. For a weekly subscription fee of £5, members of the pantry are able to buy food, including fresh fruit and vegetables and store-cupboard favourites, up to the value of £15. Membership is open to the community surrounding the pantry.
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A photo album of this year's Year 8 residential trip to PGL Caythorpe is now on our website and can be found here!
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To support Year 11 students before their mock exams, in Learning for Life we welcomed Paul Chambers from mental health charity Poets IN, who offered expert guidance on how to manage anxiety and stress. The students were able to try 'free thought writing' and 'rage paging' as well as positive journaling. A huge thank you to Paul for the excellent workshops, and we wish Year 11 the best of luck over the coming weeks!
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Every year we take part in Link to Hope's Christmas Shoebox Appeal, and this year we have this big pile of boxes to donate to families in need in Eastern Europe, thanks to Years 7, 8, 9 and 13 students who filled the boxes and prepared them for dispatching.
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In Year 7 English, students have written 'What Am I?' riddle poems using similes and metaphors, and decorated them with their own designs and illustrations. These unique personal creations by 7R will make a wonderful display on their classroom wall!
This is part of the unit 'Pictures with Words' and paves the way for studying poetry in the second half of term. You can find out more about our English curriculum at https://www.hgs.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Curriculum&pid=185
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A group of Year 7 students took part in the North Hertfordshire Y6 - Y7 Transition Conference held at HBS this week, to help current Year 6 pupils get ready for the move to secondary school. Students from all three Hitchin secondaries were there to talk about different aspects of Year 7 life and to answer questions from local primary pupils. A big thank you to our group for taking part in this event and representing our school so well!
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Well done HGS trampolinists! The East Region round of the national schools' trampoline contest, held at HBS on Sunday, saw two team champions and one placed 2nd, plus two individual champions and four more in the top five. Twelve gymnasts will now be heading to the Zonal round in January!
 
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And well done, once again, to Jilystia, who won two more Golds at the British Taekwondo Poomsae National Championships, and in so doing became this year's National Champion and National Pairs Champion in her age group. Double congratulations!!
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We have a themed display for Remembrance Day at the moment, featuring a range of books on the subject, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry, so come and take a look this week.
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Revise with Educake and be entered into a prize draw! Educake is hosting a contest where five lucky students will receive a £50 One4all gift card. All they have to do is log in each week between now and the end of term and complete a quiz using the Revision Wizard.
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HOUSE NEWS - SPOTLIGHT ON BRONTE
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The first half term was an extremely busy one for the students in Bronte House! 8B had an amazing time at Caythorpe, trying new adventures and helping push each other out of their comfort zones. Back at school, Bronte House participated in Jeans for Genes day, rocking their best denim and buying lots of great cakes at the bake sale. This was 7B’s first charity day and they helped raise lots of money for an amazing charity, while also creating some of their first memories at Hitchin Girls’ School. This half term was also the beginning of 11B and 13B’s GCSE and A Level preparation and all of them have shown great levels of dedication in their studies. Also, the whole of Bronte were outstanding at representing the school for Ofsted, well done to everyone!
Furthermore, we have some amazing individual achievements from members of Bronte House. Firstly well done to Ella Davison and a few other brilliant Bronte students in 7B, who were awarded a Head Teacher’s Award. Clearly, 7B have all settled into HGS life amazingly and are working very hard. Bronte also had a couple of representatives for each year in the fun House boardgame competition, well done to all of those who played! Many Bronte students are also excelling in activities outside of school - these include sports such as football, netball and dance, you’re all exemplifying just how talented Bronte House is.
Looking ahead to the future, this half term all of Bronte’s forms will be packing shoeboxes for the Link to Hope foundation. This has been an ongoing tradition at Hitchin Girls’ School where students come together and give small Christmas presents such as shower gel and toys to families in need.
- Martha Wiseman, Year 13 Prefect
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NOTICEBOARD - SEND / WELLBEING
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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.
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Autism / ADHD workshops
Nessie in Education will be running My World and Me workshops after school. This is open to students from all local secondary schools in Years 10 and 11 who have an Autism and/or ADHD diagnosis, or are on the pathway to referral.
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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.
See all upcoming events
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