Newsletter September 2020
Keep up-to-date with what's been going on at Highgate Hill House School! Headteacher updateMy time here so far is flying by, and I'm glad to say that I've been made to feel very welcome by both pupils and staff during my first few weeks at Highgate. The nurturing, family feel at the school has been very evident, and is certainly something that I wish to build on in the coming months. The wellbeing of both pupils and staff is a key focus area for me, particularly when I'm aware that everyone is trying to balance home, school and work life during these challenging times. For those parents and carers that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, please don't hesitate to pick up the phone if there's anything you need. As the weather starts to cool down, the usual coughs and colds are starting to make themselves known, so understandably we are having to be very cautious with any pupils or staff who are displaying Covid-19 symptoms, namely: * A high temperature, or * A new, continuous cough, or * A loss or change of taste or smell When you have a minute, please do take a look at the symptom checker on the link in the article below, and familiarise yourself with the symptoms of Covid-19, and what to do if someone in your household falls ill. Warm wishes, Gina Wagland Headteacher Chair updateHello everyone, Welcome Back to school! We have been blessed with some lovely autumn weather, with the trees a riot of colours and I hope that the beginning of the school year is going well for you all. Gina Wagland, our new Headteacher, has been extremely busy getting to know everyone in the Highgate Hill House School community; parents and carers and school staff alike and I trust that you have all had the opportunity to meet Gina by now, by one means or another. Once again, I should like to thank you, the parents and carers, for the massive support that you continue to give the staff and school during this pandemic period – this is really appreciated by us all. I wish you all the very best for a happy and successful school year! Kind regards, Dr Julie Smith Chair of the Board Offsite activitiesThe children are very much enjoying their offsite activities again - we've been very lucky with the weather so far this term so it's been great to get out and about where possible. As well as crabbing, fishing, horse-riding and visits to Pottery Box and Beau Nidol, some of our children have started 'Surf Club' at Outdoor Adventure at Widemouth Bay! School works updateWe made the very most of the summer holidays here at Highgate, using the quiet period to get on top of some much-needed high-level external maintenance jobs. Scaffolding was erected, and the fascia boards and upright beams at the newer end of the school building were sanded and painted, making for a much fresher appearance on arrival to the school. Various internal painting jobs have also taken place throughout the building, plus the staff room has been opened up to create some additional meeting rooms and work stations. The large window in Secondary 3 (what was known previously as the Art room), is also due to be replaced during October half term. I'm pleased to say that our new car park system is working well, with staff radioing through when children arrive so that they can be collected and escorted to the building, and back again at the end of the day when their taxi/parent arrives to collect. Kind regards, Andrew German School Business Manager What to do if your child is feeling unwellWe understand that at this time of year, there are lots of coughs and colds going around, and that you are likely to feel more nervous when your child or anyone at home is displaying symptoms that could be Covid-19 related. If your child is displaying Covid-19 symptoms at school (high temperature, new persistent cough or a loss of taste or smell), we will ask for them to be collected from school as soon as possible. You should then keep your child at home and self-isolate your whole household whilst the child with symptoms gets tested and waits for the results. Please inform the school as soon as you receive the result. If your child’s test result is negative and they feel completely well, they can return to school once they have been without a high temperature for at least 24 hours. Devon have posted some really useful information about what you should do if your child or anyone in your household is feeling unwell, including a link to the NHS 111 online symptom checker. Please click the link below for more information. New Teacher welcomeLast of all, some of you may remember Teacher James Hopper who worked with us on a temporary basis last year? James was a real hit with the children, bursting with ideas, so we are very pleased to say that James (along with his jazzy shirts!) has now joined us on a permanent basis as our Primary 2 class Teacher. Best of luck in your new role James! Welcome back from our School FounderDear Parents/Carers, A very warm welcome back to school. These are strange times for us all and I hope that the transition from “old” to “new” has been as smooth as we could have made it for you. I am pleased that despite the pandemic our new 80 vehicle carpark is finished, hopefully this has made dropping and collecting of our children a much more pleasant experience. Also, our newly created sports field is maturing well and will be ready for use by the children soon. When next in the carpark, please take a look at the views over the bank to the pitch – they are truly magnificent. In addition to the carpark and sports field we have continued to invest in facilities and the school estate to support learning and create a more stimulating learning and working environment for all. Earlier this year we learned that we had made it through to the final for the ‘Employer of the Year’ and ‘Best Newcomer’ categories in the 2020 Investors in People Awards. The awards ceremony has unfortunately been cancelled, however the winner will still be announced on 24th November as planned, so fingers crossed for Highgate. To new carers and parents I would encourage you join the parents closed Facebook group (HHH Family) – it really is a useful way to introduce yourself to existing parents and share ideas etc. For further information please email charlotte.kelly@hhhschool.com Finally, I would like to thank our new Headteacher Gina Wagland for her hard work so far this term – starting as a new Headteacher is tricky enough under normal circumstances never mind where we find ourselves right now. I know Gina is really looking forward to meeting with you all. My kind regards, Sir Peter Birkett School Founder |