We are delighted to have been able to share our Ofsted with you individually. It is also available on the school website. We continue to work to improve our school for the young people and children we serve. Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support.

Last week we welcomed back our outgoing Y11 students to celebrate their success at our annual Presentation Evening. It was wonderful to see them all again, hear what they are up to and how much they are enjoying their ongoing studies and chosen pathways. Students and their families were invited to a buffet reception before the presentation, during which they had the opportunity to collect their GCSE certificates. Thank you to all our awards providers, Governors and staff who attended the evening.

What’s going on in school:

• Congratulations to Jonty in Y8, who is taking part in the Official Snowman Tour for the 3^rd year in a row. He will be singing solo with members of the Halle and BBC Philharmonic orchestra in front of a live audience.

• Well done to our in-school 500 words writing competition joint winners – Imogen and Tom in Y8! They produced beautifully crafted sinister short stories. Congratulations also to our runners up – Lewis, Verity, Alfie & Sarah.

• As the rattle of the departing Scholastic Book Fair trolleys fades and the dust settles gently back on our shelves, we are taking stock of sales and rewards after a week of excitement in the library. Run and managed by a crack team of library helpers, the Book Fair has been a huge success and has earned us a great selection of brand new books to add to our stock, as well as a generous fund to dip into whenever we have book requests. Thanks to everyone, parents, students and staff, who supported our pop-up bookshop. It’s been a real pleasure to see so much excitement about books and reading! 

• This week we welcomed over 100 KS1 children from our local primary schools to HVC for a primary dance festival led by Sarah Catlow from Sunflower Dance. Thank you to our fabulous Sports Leaders who helped to run and organise these sessions. Special mention goes to Frankie who led one of the dances. These events are a great opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills.

• Students have had lots of muddy fun in PE lessons this term, getting stuck into rugby practice whatever the weather!

• The total amount raised by our school community for Children in Need was £288.52. Thank you again for your kind donations.

• This week in Drama, Y10 have been learning about the theatre company ‘Frantic Assembly’. We have been experimenting with different techniques, which they call the 'building blocks' and exploring physical theatre in a fun and exciting way. This is all in preparation for beginning component one of GCSE drama after Christmas, worth 40% of their overall GCSE. Y7 were challenged to work on their film studies skills and develop an advert for a new trainer. They have been learning about different camera angles, techniques and theatre lighting during this. Miss Starbuck has been blown away with the creativity and commitment students are putting into the project. She cannot wait to see the final videos next week. 

• Y10 took part in the Interhouse Table Tennis tournament this week. A huge well done to Kinder who won 9 out of 15 matches!

• Students in Key Stage 4 might enjoy watching this new series on Shakespeare which is available for free on iPlayer. It will help to build their understanding of the context linked ‘Macbeth’ as part of their GCSE in English Literature. 

Y11 Subject Evening

Our Subject Evening for parents and carers of Y11 students will be held on Monday 11^th December. Further information will follow in due course.

Job Vacancies

We are currently recruiting for Exams Invigilators (casual contract) and a Higher Level Teaching Assistant / Inclusion Manager - this is a maternity cover and would start in February 2024. For more information, please see our website: Vacancies - Hope Valley College (chorustrust.org)

Thank you for reading our communication. Here are some helpful email addresses, should you need to contact us: attendance@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to report a child’s absence enquiries@hopevalley.chorustrust.org for general enquiries pastoral@hopevalley.chorustrust.org for any issue with a child’s wellbeing principal@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to contact the Principal safeguarding@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to report safeguarding concerns. If a child or any young person is in imminent danger, then please report this to the police. Kind regards

Gaynor Jones, Principal
Hope Valley College
T: 01433 620555