A Message from Ms Heppenstall...
Friday, 24th January 2025
We have had a really positive start to 2025, I have been exceptionally proud of how our young people navigated the adaptations to the start of their day during the cold snap in our first week back. Our focus this half term is on our HARPER values of engagement and resilience and they definitely showed this in abundance.
Our Year 10 students are in the middle of preparing for their mid year in lesson assessments; and our Year 11's are approaching their second set of PPEs. You can support your child in KS4 at home by testing them on their flashcards. The Leitner system is one we would recommend you use with them. There is an article on this here: https://www.pocketprep.com/posts/how-to-use-the-leitner-system-for-studying/. In summary though here are the simple steps to both set it up and test your child:
Step 1: Create physical flashcards that feature the topics and material you are studying. These cards should have the name of a term or concept on one side and the explanation on the other.
Step 2: Compile 3-5 physical boxes or storage bins that can house the flashcards and place them side-by-side on your desk or study area.
Step 3: Label each box with a designated study time period. For example: Box 1 – every day; Box 2 – every other day; Box 3 – once per week.
All your flashcards should begin in Box 1. Begin reviewing each flashcard, quizzing yourself on if you can recall or explain the information on each side. If you answer a flashcard correctly, move the card into Box 2. If you miss it, place the card back into Box 1. Once you’ve gone through all your flashcards, you’ll see a distinction between the cards you are more familiar with are sitting in Box 2, while concepts you still need to work on remain in Box 1.
Our penultimate week of term, commencing Monday, 3rd February is Children’s Mental Health Week. Assembly themes this week will be resilience, and an art house competition has already been launched to be completed by Friday, 7th February. We will have events running throughout the whole week. On Monday KS3 students will have a performance and talk from Boy Band “Absnt Mind”; Tuesday will be random act of kindness day; Wednesday will be our ‘savour the moment’ challenge and Thursday and Friday ‘Traitor’ style house competitions will take place after school in E5.
This term is an important one for Year 9. On Thursday, 23rd January, we launched our Year 9 Options process and held Progress Evening to discuss how students are progressing in each of their subjects . Students will also engage in a Careers Fair to support with their options choices in school on Thursday, 6th February. Further information will be available alongside their mid year reports at Parents Evening and will sent home and our Year 9 Options Evening will run on Thursday, 13th February 2025. Parents and children should attend both in full school uniform to ensure their child makes appropriate options choices.
Other key events happening this term are:
- SEND students took part in their 3rd Penathlon event on Thursday, 23rd January and will take part in their 4th event on Thursday, 13th Feburary;
- 24th January we will make pledges for International Day of Education
- World Puzzle Day will run through maths on the 30th January
- Author Tom Palmer is in school working with our KS3 students on the 31st January
- Year 10 Geographers will engage in a compulsory fieldtrip to Manchester, their Urban Case Study on the 5/6/7th February (please ensure you have completed their consent)
I look forward to hearing how our young people find these experiences.
I’m committed to working collaboratively with parents and welcome your feedback. Should you wish to share your thoughts, please email me at head@harpergreen.net.