Newsletter July 2020
Keep up-to-date with what's been going on at Highgate Hill House School! Chair updateHello everyone, It is with mixed feelings that I write for the final newsletter of this academic year. As you will be aware our founding Headteacher Vicky Percival is retiring at the end of August after 4 highly successful years in school. I am sure you will agree that Vicky has done a sterling job. I am also sure that, like me, you will want to wish her all the best for the future and we look forward to continuing to work with Vicky on other projects. On the other hand I am delighted to be saying ‘Hello and Welcome’ to Gina Wagland, our new Headteacher, who starts in September and Andrew German, who has already started as our new bursar. I am confident that together with the other Governance and leadership team members, including Chris Wright, our other Deputy Head, we will build on the existing foundations, taking the school to the next stage of our journey. I should also like to say thank you and goodbye to Robbie and Daisy who are leaving us after 4 years in school, they are two of our very first pupils. I should like to thank you, the parents and carers for the massive support that you have given the staff and school during the pandemic period – this was greatly appreciated by us all. Finally, I hope that you are able to enjoy the summer and look forward to welcoming you all back to school in September. Kind regards, Dr Julie Smith Chair of the Board HHHS Named as a Top 20 EmployerI am delighted to inform you that following on from us securing IIP (Investors in People) accreditation in 2019, Highgate Hill House School has now been named as a Top 20 Employer by Investors in People. As a Top 20 Employer, we have been asked to submit an award application to be named overall 'Employer of the Year' at the Investors in People Awards in November 2020, where the winner will be announced. Being named in the top 20 is testament to everyone involved with the school including our children, carers, parents and all our hardworking and highly committed staff. I am grateful and would like to thank you all for your continued support of the school. Over the summer period there are a number of school improvements planned that includes refurbishments of classroom spaces, additional learning aids, new sports field and car park facilities. I should also like to thank Vicky Percival for all the sterling work that she has done over the last 4 years for the school and I wish her well with her future plans. I am also excited to offer a warm welcome to Gina Wagland as the new Headteacher who starts officially with us late August ready for a new year. I am sure you will agree that 2020 has been a very unusual and challenging year for us all, however we learn and grow and look forward to the new academic year ahead with optimism. My kind regards, Sir Peter Birkett School Founder Parental feedback surveyParents will have recently received a link via email asking them to complete a Parental Feedback Survey about their experiences during the summer term. We would be very grateful if you would take the time to complete it - there are only 5 questions so should only take a couple of minutes to do and can be completed anonymously if you wish. If you would like a paper copy of the survey, or would like the link re-sent, please don't hesitate to contact the school office. I cannot quite believe how quickly this year has gone, it's been a tricky last few months in post that's for sure! The Coronavirus pandemic has really put us all to the test, and I am so thankful for the way that everyone pulled together to minimise disruption for the children. It has been an absolute pleasure to be the founding Headteacher of Highgate Hill House School, I wish the new Headteacher Gina Wagland all the very best from September and I have no doubt that the children will continue to flourish in this exceptional setting. I am sure it will take me a little while to adjust to retirement, but I am looking forward to getting stuck into projects around my smallholding that should keep me busy for a while! Farewell from VickyGoodbye to Daisy and Robbie!Our first year 11 leavers have finished with us this year, and we'd like to wish both Daisy and Robbie well for the future. We held a BBQ in the garden to celebrate their last day with us, sharing this delicious cake! Robbie has completed a range of Functional Skills qualifications, plus a BTEC and AQA Basic Vehicle Maintenance, and is now going into full-time employment. Daisy has also completed Functional Skills qualifications plus a Hair & Beauty BTEC and will be continuing her education at Lakefield Equetrian Centre. Goodbye and good luck to you both! School from September onwardsWe are looking forward to welcoming all pupils back to school in September, and hope to be able to deliver our full curriculum from the Autumn 2020 term onwards as things hopefully return to some sort of 'normal'. We do know however that some of our external providers (for example Wings in Bideford who deliver our TRAX mechanics and Digital Media courses), are not planning on being open in September. We will of course keep you updated as we find out more. New Car Park and Sports FieldWe are very pleased to announce that when we return to school in September after the summer holidays, we will have a new staff and visitor car park. This will be sited in the top end of the field adjacent to the school. It will give us up to 50 spaces which will provide sufficient room for all staff and visitors on a daily basis avoiding all the current double parking and associated time loss that we currently experience – a great new asset. Hand in hand with the new car park, we will become the proud owners of a new sports field which will be located next to the new car park and replaces our original field which is being developed. Our new facility will provide a great area for all of our children to use throughout the day on their various sporting activities - thank you to the Medland's for making this happen. Kind regards, Andrew German School Business Manager |