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 - Week 3
You can see our three-weekly menu here - we are on Week 3.
SCHOOL NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Good afternoon
It is starting to feel very Christmassy in school, with the tree in the main reception (thank you to Bibi and Leyla for decorating it) and also with the Carol Concert just around the corner; I am really looking forward to us having the concert in St Mary's Church for the second year - see you there on Tuesday evening.
December is always a month filled with activities and celebrations, and I have a message from Mrs Foster, our Diversity lead in school:
"There are lots of exciting events happening in December: we have been celebrating Disability History Month and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We have also run our annual Christmas Food Drive and will be raising money for Save the Children on our Christmas Jumper days. Finally, as we approach the holidays we are going to have a wonderful student takeover assembly to explain the history of various December traditions, including Yule and the Winter Solstice. We hope you have a wonderful month and enjoy the holiday season, however you may be celebrating!"
Last week was a short week in school, yet it still involved the wonderfully successful 'Futures Fair'. Thank you to Ms Stojko and Mrs Townsend for organising the event and to all of the volunteers from industry and further education who gave their time to share ideas and opportunities with our students. It was particularly pleasing to see former HGS students return and share their experiences of their new and exciting careers - we are so proud of all of your successes, well done!
This morning, our community once again showed their generosity with their fantastic support of the HGS Food Drive - as ever, thanks to Mrs Reynolds for organising this important charity event.
As well as the Carol Concert we have the Year 11 Parents' Evening next week, an important opportunity for students and families to reflect on the recent mock results and plan some next steps for success in the summer. One key message for all students is to maximise their attendance - every year our school data shows that those students with the best attendance perform the best and achieve their personal goals, so please support the school and your child by reinforcing this message.
Have a great weekend.
James Crowther, Headteacher
December Diversity Display
A reminder to all students - the Uniform Policy states that socks should only be plain white, black or dark navy, and either ankle or knee-length with no logos/brands visible. Tights should be dark navy, black or flesh coloured and must not be worn with socks or rips.
We are now on Instagram - please follow us if you would like to! Hitchin_Girls_School
We're definitely feeling festive now with our Christmas tree up in the main foyer, decorated by the Head Girl team as is the tradition!
Thank you, once again, to everyone who was able to donate to our Food Drive and brought in a great variety of contributions. These will be making their way to the local food bank shortly.
As part of our Careers programme we hosted our annual Futures Fair last week, when all students from Years 9 to 13 had the chance to meet local and national employers plus Further & Higher Education institutions and find out about possible career paths.
We had more than 70 visitors in the school from about 45 different organisations, representing everything from STEM careers to the creative sector, public services and the professional services.
It was especially great to see some of our own alumni, including Imogen from Kier, Amy from PWC and Martha from CHQ Architects. We had some really positive feedback from the exhibitors about our students and how well prepared and polite they were.
Thank you to all the representatives, including parents/carers, who took time out of their working week to offer free information and guidance to our students. Without them this event wouldn't have been at all possible, so thanks again!
In History, Year 8 students have been studying Charles II, also known as the Merry Monarch. They were set the challenge of creating a social media page for the king and they came up with some great ideas! Find out more about our History curriculum tinyurl.com/HGSCurriculum
In Design & Technology, Year 8 have been doing some beautiful Textiles work, creating these tie-dye drawstring bags featuring stencilling they designed and hand-cut themselves.
We were fortunate to be able to welcome Vicki Barton, who is the Scene of Crime Officer Training Co-ordinator for the Beds, Cambs and Herts Constabularies, for an interesting lunchtime talk. Science and Criminology students had the opportunity to hear about forensic investigation methods and career paths. Our thanks to Vicki for a very insightful introduction to the field.
Spotlight on the Learning Support Hub! This is a quiet space for students to regulate and study if they need time outside the classroom setting. At break and lunchtime it offers creative, relaxing and sociable activities, including making Christmas decorations together recently. These are now up and adding to the welcoming feel of the Hub.
...And last but not least, well played Year 8 netballers, who won their league match this week!
Read with Friends: we encourage students to borrow and read the same book as their friend(s) so they can talk about what they're reading together.
NOTICEBOARD - SEND / WELLBEING
Nature and Wellbeing - SAD
‘Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)’, sometimes known as 'winter depression', is often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days. It's common to be affected by changing seasons and weather. For example, people might find that their mood or energy levels drop when it gets colder or notice changes in their sleeping or eating patterns. Even though the temperature may have dropped, spending more time outdoors in natural daylight can add a significant boost to mood. It's recommended that you bring nature into your everyday life: growing food, flowers or being around animals are great examples of how nature can have a positive effect on your emotional wellbeing. Click here to watch a self-help video which explains how nature can help people to feel better.
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.
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.
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.
