Newsletters

HGSS Newsletter - May 2024

Dear Parent or Carer

Welcome to our end of half-term five newsletter. A huge congratulations must go to our GCSE and A-Level students who are part-way through their exam timetables. They have conducted themselves incredibly well to-date and are keen to do well. We wish them all the best with their ongoing revision and encourage them to use the exams to show themselves what they can achieve.

We will be having a renewed focus on our non-negotiables, routines and behaviour upon returning after the holiday. Students will need to have all the correct equipment with them, uniform and PE kit must be correctly worn. Mobile phones need to be turned off and be in bags or blazer pockets whilst on school-site. Students need to move directly to their next lesson and bring a water bottle which they can fill up at break and lunch. This will support Year 10 as they begin their mock exams on 17 June and all other year groups who will be taking end of year assessments shortly. Our endeavour as always is to maximise the use of learning time and to ensure all students give back to the school community by ensuring the learning environment is the best it can be.

We strongly encourage students to bus, cycle or walk to school to reduce traffic and pollution and to support their own physical wellness. If you need to bring your child to school by car, please do not drive along Parish Piece to drop off OR pick up. Please do this away from the school, parking safely, legally and respectfully. Please do not park in private local car parks; on yellow zig zag lines; or anywhere that could be dangerous. Please encourage your child to walk, cycle or catch the bus to school, as the great majority do, as it is also a great way of them developing independence.

Our new Reception area will be open for the new half-term, which will give visitors a better welcome and has enabled us to further improve our medical and attendance functions.

As a reminder, Monday 3 June is a staff training day, with the exception of students who have GCSE or A-Level exams on this date, otherwise and all students begin timetabled lessons on Tuesday 4 June.

I will finish with two quotes.

For all of those revising hard:

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible”

St Francis of Assisi

 

For everyone else looking forward to family time:

Do not ask your children

to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may seem admirable,

but it is the way of foolishness.

Help them instead to find the wonder

and the marvel of an ordinary life.

Show them the joy of tasting

tomatoes, apples and pears.

Show them how to cry

when pets and people die.

Show them the infinite pleasure

in the touch of a hand.

And make the ordinary come alive for them.

The extraordinary, will take care of itself.

By William Martin

We wish everyone a great holiday.

Ed Hillyard

Headteacher

 

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ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE COULD WE REMIND PARENTS AND CARERS ABOUT ROAD SAFETY AT DROP OFF AND PICK UP TIME.

WE ARE TOTALLY DEDICATED TO KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFE ON THE ROADS AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO DO THIS.

PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE ALONG PARISH PIECE BUT ARRANGE TO MEET YOUR CHILDREN AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL, ALLOWING THEM TO WALK INDEPENDENTLY TO MEET YOU.  

PLEASE PARK LEGALLY, SAFELY AND RESPECTFULLY OF RESIDENTS AND OTHER ROAD USERS.

TO REDUCE THE TRAFFIC LEVELS AROUND SCHOOL WE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO WALK, BUS OR CYCLE TO SCHOOL WHICH WILL ALSO HELP PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

PLEASE WORK WITH US TO KEEP YOURS AND OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN SAFE.

THANK YOU

Goodbyes and hellos!

This term we say goodbye to:

Mrs Walden, Head of Photography

Mr Buchmann, History Teacher

Mr Creffield, Head of Performing Arts

Miss Caesar, Second in Art Department

and wish them all the very best of luck for the future

We say hello to:

Ms Sood, Geography Teacher

Ms Gifford, Science Teacher

Mr Melrose, Science Technician

Mrs Sadler, LSA/The Bridge Manager

We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to HGSS

SCHOOL UNIFORM CODE

click here

 

Please can we remind you of our School Uniform requirements. 

All information (including a link for name labels) can be found by following this link below:

School Uniform and Equipment

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION

Our Parents' Association work hard to raise funds for your children in school and to promote the school in the local community.

Please support them were possible and if you wish to become involved with the Team, please contact office@holmer.org.uk

More information is available on the website:

Parents' Association

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL OR HAS MEDICAL NEEDS

The school has Medical and Attendance Officers.  They are available during school hours to discuss matters relating to the health of your child.   It is essential that you notify them of any health problems that your child may have (e.g. medical details, particular problems or needs).  We can store spare asthma inhalers and epipens and diabetes monitors.

If your child is taken ill or is involved in an accident during the day, he or she will be looked after in the Medical Room until we can contact a parent or carer.  Students should tell their teacher or report to the Medical Room if they feel unwell and not make direct contact with you by mobile phone.

If your child needs to take medication during the day, it should be clearly labelled with the child’s name and passed to the Medical Officer with a letter from the parent or carer. Students who have a medical or a dental appointment should take the appointment card to the Medical Room first thing in the morning.  These appointments should be arranged outside school hours where possible.  We do not expect a student to take a whole day off for a medical appointment.

LATE ARRIVAL AND ABSENCE

The school gates lock at 8.45am, so students must be on site by this time.  Students should be at line up by 8.50am.   If your child arrives after 8.45am they will be marked as late. They are required to sign in at the Attendance/Medical Room.

In the first instance the student will be warned to be punctual in the future.  If a student is consistently late there will be sanctions.  Persistent poor punctuality or attendance will be referred to the Education Welfare Officer.

Email the Attendance Officer if your child is absent or late

attendance@holmer.org.uk

When you know in advance that your son or daughter will have to miss school for any reason, we ask that you inform us in writing beforehand.

However, we reiterate that it is important for your child to attend all lessons, every day.  If your needs to attend an appointment, please try to arrange these in the school holidays or after school.

When absence is due to illness, we ask that you telephone the Medical Room as soon as possible on 01494 719901 or email attendance@holmer.org.uk. PLEASE NOTE THAT ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS OR MEDICAL REASONS WILL BE RECORDED AS ABSENCE ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE AUTHORISED.

Further information on attendance and Medical concerns can be found here: Medical

AUTHORISED AND UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE

Failure to notify the school will result in your child’s absence being classed as unauthorised which may result in school referring to the Education Welfare Service.  Only absences perceived by the school to be genuine will be classed as authorised.  Holidays during term time will not be authorised.  We will authorise one day for Eid celebrations.

At Holmer Green Senior School we expect an attendance of 96% or more for all students—Every Day Matters.

 

 

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FREE PORRIDGE AVAILABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS

IN THE DINING HALL EVERY MORNING FROM 8.15AM TO 8.45AM

Parents' Association

Please visit our Parents' Association page on the link below for information on how you can support the school.  Thank you

Parents' Association