This week in school we have worked with students to discuss some difficult issues, including nuclear weapons and the current conflicts around the world (see below). The news can sometimes cause anxiety for young people. Through our oracy strategy, we are working to help our students find ways to talk about difficult subjects. Our 'Word Wise Wednesday' sessions promote discussion skills and help students to find their voice. This week, we checked in with students to find out how they are benefitting from the oracy activities they are doing. They were really positive, telling us that speaking out in the class is 'scary at first' but ok once you get used to it!

By taking part in class discussions and in the extracurricular opportunities you can read about in this update, many of our students are making the most of the time they have at school. However, we remain concerned about the attendance of some students. Attendance this week remains below 90% which means too many young people are missing out. Please continue to support us by ensuring that your young people are in school every day that they can be. 

Looking ahead, we have a series of summer assessments planned for students in years 7-10. These will take place in the weeks listed below. For those in years 7-9, the assessments will take place in class during normal lessons. Class teachers will let students know what to expect in their assessments and give them advice about how to prepare. However, for those in year 10, the assessments will take place in the exam hall and be a more formal preparation for their GCSE year. In assemblies next week, we will talk to students about how to revise. For the families of year 10 students, we will share more information about revision in the upcoming information evening on 7 May. 

Assessment weeks: 

• Years 7 and 8: w/c 4 and 11 May
• Year 9: w/c 1 June
• Year 10: w/c 22 June

We look forward to seeing some of you in school tomorrow for our Adventure Film Festival. Tickets are still available online and can be bought on the door tomorrow. Thank you to all our volunteers, organisers and contributors for helping to make this day a success.

What’s going on in school?

• Students in KS3 took part in Bikeability sessions this week with an external instructor, Andy. Bikeability is the Department for Transport’s national award provider for cycle training in England. After an initial assessment on the school courts, students then practiced their skills on the roads of the Hope Valley, tackling busier roads, roundabouts and complex junctions.   

• 50 Drama and Music students travelled to the Palace Theatre in Manchester on Tuesday evening to see a performance of Matilda! The show was spectacular, from the lighting, sound, special effects, acting, singing, dance and choreography. Our young people did HVC proud. Their attitude and behaviour were exceptional, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thank you to Mrs Machan and Mrs Starbuck-Ahmed for organising this.

• Our Interhouse Basketball tournament started this week, with students from Y10 taking part. The winners were Win Hill. Well done to all involved.

• Sports Leaders helped to facilitate a hockey tournament for local primary schools on Thursday afternoon. They were all very organised and encouraged the younger children to take part.

• On Wednesday we welcomed a guest speaker from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Hugh Hubbard, who delivered an assembly to Year 9 students. This was an interactive talk which gave the students an overview of nuclear weapons, including their history, the situation in the world today, and the arguments given for and against them. This topic ties in with our History curriculum as well as crossing into other subjects such as Science and World Views. We hope to welcome more speakers from the CND in the future. 

 

• Following on from their recent strong performance at the national finals in London, Gil in Y9 and his robotics team, High Peak Robotics, have now qualified for the European finals in Eindhoven in June!

• Well done to Y11 French and German students who did their speaking tests this week! As they didn't do SATS in Y6, this was the first external exam for many of them. They coped brilliantly and we are very proud of them.

Year 8 PGL Trip to Caythorpe Court – 13 – 15 July

Early this year, we shared information with parents and carers of Y8 students regarding a trip to Caythorpe Court PGL Centre in Lincolnshire in July/ If your young person has not yet signed up for this trip, they have until midnight on Monday 27 April to do so. Mrs Machan will be leading this trip and any questions can be sent directly to her. If your young person has already signed up for the trip, then please check the payment schedule on ParentPay. Thank you.

       

Y10 Information Evening – Thursday 7 May

On Thursday 7 May, we would like to invite all Year 10 students along with parents and carers into school for a GCSE information evening, with a focus on how to support students with revision and study skills. The evening starts at 5.30pm and will end around 6.30pm. There will be a talk in the hall about what to expect in Year 11 and this will be followed by a revision workshop sharing the most effective approaches to revision and study skills. Students are encouraged to come along to this evening, so that you can try out some of the approaches together. Please let us know whether you can attend by completing this response form: Year 10 Information Evening - Thursday 7 May – Fill in form

Year 8 Subject Evening – Tuesday 19 May

The Year 8 Subject Evening will take place in school on Tuesday 19 May. This is an opportunity to talk to teachers about progress, attainment and attitudes to learning. Details about how to book appointments will be shared with parents and carers in due course. Bookings open at 5pm on Friday 1 May.

Dates for Your Diary

Saturday 25 April – HVAFF – Adventure Film Festival

Monday 4 May – Bank holiday – school closed

Wednesday 6 May – Y8 HPV vaccinations

Thursday 7 May – Y10 Information Evening

Tuesday 19 May – Y8 Subject Evening

Friday 22 May – Break for half term

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
• headteacher@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to contact the Headteacher
• 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.
• ptfahv@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to contact the PTFA

Kind regards

 

Debbie Petts

Headteacher