Heathfield-Headlines-Issue-72-20-September-2019-

Heathfield Headlines Issue 72 20 September 2019 Welcome Back: 2019-20 We were delighted welcome students back to College over the last two weeks and to welcome Year to the start of their secondary career We were able to share with them the fantastic A Level Results, (the best the College has achieved) and the exceptional GCSE results from 2019 which ensured that Heathfield Community College was the highest performing school in East Sussex To keep up to date visit… www.heathfieldcc.co.uk for students gaining GCSEs Grade 4+ including English and Maths There is now an inspiring heritage of high achievement and attainment that our current students inherit and can learn from As you will see in this first edition of Headlines for 2019-20 the College is excited to start a new academic year genuinely steeped in Pride, Ambition and an inclusive sense of Community Welcome Back! Contact us… office@heathfieldcc.co.uk | 01435 866066 Follow us on Twitter… @heathfield_cc Heathfield Headlines Heathfield Headlines Message from the Headteacher, Caroline Barlow As I write this, we are approaching the end of our first fortnight of term We have welcomed all staff and students back to College, shared our recent examination achievements and the key messages for the start of a new academic year I would especially like to extend a warm welcome to Year and Year 12 as they start new stages of their educational journey with us; I very much look forward to celebrating their achievements over the coming year All students have started the year in a very positive way They look smart, are well equipped and clearly ready to learn Thank you for your support with that! With your help, we aim to provide the very best educational opportunities for our students and to enable them to thrive in a college environment where they can excel Students are rising to this challenge magnificently, starting the year with a focused and ambitious approach to learning Within this edition, and in our recent press releases, you will have seen our examination success We continue to maintain a year trend of achievement and attainment at A Level in the top 25% nationally Our GCSE attainment means we are, depending on the measure, either one of or indeed the highest performing school in the county We have also seen significant improvements to the fabric of the College over the summer This includes changes to the Link Hall, the Gym and PE changing rooms, the Library and Music department not to mention a vast amount of repair, refurbishment, repainting and display work that has taken place We are hugely grateful to our site team, and the contractors who worked with us, who have worked tirelessly over the summer to achieve this in short weeks The full range of clubs and activities is available on our website Our Library will be open until 4:15pm every evening which provides a quiet work environment for those who need it The College Calendar with upcoming events is on our website but for those who wish to be one step ahead you can also purchase a Heathfield Academic Calendar via School Gateway, which contains key College events as well as high quality student photography There is no doubt that the real magic day-to-day happens in the classroom We are very proud of the large number of skilled and talented expert teachers we have here at Heathfield I am particularly grateful for how well supported they are by parents We all know that the success our exam groups achieve is a product of good instruction and a lot of hard work On that front, our students have started the year exceptionally well We have seen students engaged and focused in lessons They are demonstrating clearly the Heathfield Habits that they develop in their time here: their determination and ambition to achieve well, their consideration and compassion for each other and their sheer enthusiasm to enjoy and participate in College life Staff are keen to recognise and reward these qualities when they see them As the level of challenge continues to increase, we will all be actively supporting students to build their confidence and skills so that they are able to achieve the outcomes of which they are more than capable I’m looking forward to what will undoubtedly be a busy but brilliant year, Heathfield Headlines Heathfield Headlines Lead Prefect Team Welcome back to a new school year! We hope that everyone had a spectacular summer holiday and are feeling engaged and motivated for another year of hard work Collectively, we would like to say a huge thank you to all the students who have taken part in events around the college in these first couple weeks There will also be many new and exciting opportunities that will arise in the upcoming year, that we hope a number of you can get involved in Don’t be afraid to get involved or to try new things out! Let this not be a year that is wasted, but a year of determination, motivation and above all, success! Alex, Tatiana, Elise, George Remember, “Excellence as standard and not a moment wasted.” YEAR 11 YOUNG LEADERS Thanks must go to the five wonderful Year 11 Young Leaders who also supported Ms Cobbold in being able to field teams at the Netball Tournament through umpiring and managing one of the Heathfield sides each The oppositions teachers commented on how fantastic they were as the umpires Heathfield Headlines Heathfield Headlines Heathfield Headlines Ambitious & Confident STUNNING GCSE OUTCOMES: HIGHEST ATTAINING SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY The Heathfield GCSE class of 2019 excelled themselves with 62% gaining the “Good Pass” of 9-5 and 82% achieving the new “pass” of 9-4 in both English & Maths Amidst what seems to be excellent progress, there are also some fantastic examples of achievement in the face of challenging circumstances for individual students Indications also show attainment at the very highest levels, including the elusive Grade 9, is very strong There are exceptional outcomes to celebrate with 18% of grades at 9/8 and over 10% gaining Grade 27% gained or more GCSEs at Grade and above On results day, ITV Meridian came in to film students opening their results and spoke to a number of happy Year 11s – all of whom were eloquent in their conviction that it was sheer hard work over time that had led to the outcomes with which they were so delighted Heathfield Headlines Ambitious & Confident HIGHEST EVER A LEVEL OUTCOMES FOR THE COLLEGE A Level outcomes this year continue a consistent trend of high performance at the College and is another step on from previous very good outcomes, particularly for those students achieving the higher grades: 58% of students reached the gold standard of A* - B grades, 34% achieved the top grades of A*-A with 9% gaining A* 78% students gained A - C At this stage, provisional results show the overall pass rate at A* - E of 98% This year’s students are now off to Oxbridge, Russell Group University, University abroad, Medicine, Advanced Apprenticeships, Art Foundation courses or amazing Gap Year adventures among others Both the College and many parents are very proud! Heathfield Headlines Ambitious & Confident ALUMNUS NATHAN LAWSON SUMMER UPDATE Nathan Lawson completed A Levels at Heathfield Community College in 2018 He secured a coveted place at Oxford University to complete a Foundation Year prior to being awarded a place on a degree course He was offered a fabulous opportunity this summer and has kindly shared his experiences with us: “I was invited to undertake a teaching internship abroad in Japan this summer It was my first experience teaching abroad and I embraced it fully It’s not every day that you get an offer to teach in Japanese schools and to spend time with a host family, let alone for free! Teaching abroad taught me so much about Japanese culture and the Japanese education system It has opened my eyes to the myriad of teaching styles and techniques used in different schools Moreover, the experience increased my confidence in public speaking and communicating difficult concepts to people with a range of English speaking abilities I was invited to speak about climate justice at one particular state school, a topic that is close to my heart It is the idea that those poorest in society will often experience the worst effects of climate change despite having contributed to the issue the least The brilliant thing about traveling and stepping out of your comfort zone is you grow in so many different ways At the end of my speech a small group of students came up to me and said: “Nathan, you have inspired us to take action on climate change in our local area and school; we are going to start a project to reduce this school’s food waste so that our impact on the environment is less.” Heathfield Headlines Ambitious & Confident NATHAN LAWSON (CONT.) OXFORD UNIVERSITY AWAITS On reflection, I felt empowered and realised that I could use my voice for positive change As such, upon returning to the UK, I will continue to visit schools and inspire the next generation to 'think global and act local' I now return to Oxford University, having completed a Foundation year with a Distinction, to read biological sciences I will continue to pursue my passion in climate change by attending talks and participating in the Oxford climate society But perhaps most importantly, I will continue to use my voice to encourage positive environmental change.’ CALLING ALL ALUMNI… We thank Nathan for sharing his adventures with us and would love to hear from more of our alumni If you have a story to share about your own summer escapades or first days at University, please send them to alumni@heathfieldcc.co.uk Heathfield Headlines YEAR 12 STUDY SKILLS DAY AT SUSSEX UNIVERSITY Year 12 students participated in a the second annual Study Skills Day at the University of Sussex Heathfield joined other local Sixth Form Colleges for a day that included information on University and progression along with developing the right strategies to approach A Level Study During the sessions, students were taught strategies for effective reading techniques, note taking and time management to allow them to make all of their independent learning time as effective as possible Thanks goes to the East Sussex Post 16 EIP for organising and partially funding the event and to the University of Sussex for the free use of their facilities Heathfield Headlines Engaged & Enthusiastic A WONDERFUL ADAPTATION OF PETER SHAFFER’S EQUUS; THE PERFECT TRIP TO KICK OFF THE 2019-2020 DRAMA A-LEVEL On 4th of September, nine Year 12 A-level drama students, as well as our three Drama teachers, attended one of the final performances of Peter Shaffer’s Equus directed by Ned Bennet The stage was occupied by an outstanding cast with Zubin Varla and Ethan Kai (Martin Dysart and Alan Strang) creating one of the most outstanding theatrical duos I was mesmerised by the way the abstract horses were played as the choreographer Shelly Maxwell had worked tirelessly with them using physical theatre to create these entirely believable, yet abstract and mythical, “human” horses The movement of these actors was simply beautiful and compelling to watch Bennet’s interpretation of this classic play, which questions what is “normal” behaviour in society, was a stark contrast to previous productions with literally no set and everything stripped bare except for a thin veiled curtain and a mottled grey floor His cast and his crew achieved the unthinkable and performed the play in a way that it had never been seen before The atmosphere created was cold and austere and the acting stark and minimalist which forced the audience to focus on the spoken word The heavy contrast between the main characters’ stiffer, rooted movements and the energy and freedom of Alan and the Horses magnified the idea that Dysart had “shrunk” his own life For me, Ira Mandela Siobhan was the outstanding actor who took on the incredibly physically demanding role of the main horse character, Nugget He performed the horse roles with a shocking, whimsical, and somewhat disturbing accuracy that I can say for certain blew me away With graceful, almost contemporary, dance-like movements, Siobhan conveyed the essential essence of a horse through his rippling shoulders and contorted back muscles which he constantly tensed and untensed He affectionately and tenderly craned his head round Alan and demonstrated the most incredible display of physical control I have ever seen in a theatre production, making Ned Bennet’s Equus for me, a play worth seeing, and the perfect trip to kick off the 2019-2020 school year Molly Goddard: Year 12 A-level Drama student Heathfield Headlines Engaged & Enthusiastic CREST AWARDS The final few students due their CREST awards have received them for completing projects last academic year Emma Dear, Katherine Hills and Isla McNay received their Bronze award for their research project entitled ‘World Wide Washing’ looking at the spread of disease and its prevention Zach Fulwell and Rachel Sparrow received their Silver CREST award for their research into the perfect Pizza Box design, which I believe included eating a lot of pizza (for research purposes of course!) Also achieving their Bronze CREST awards last year were: Gemma Adams, Finley Jones, Dora Lewis, Martha Marsden, Blake Nunn, Matthew Prus, Jessica Seymour, Kristian Skilton and Alfie Taylor CREST is a nationally recognised scheme for student-led project work in the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering And Maths) CREST awards for this Academic Year will be launched later this term ECO REPS UPDATE Term for the Eco Reps saw six new Year 7s and new Year join our team, which is fantastic! All the Reps signed up for watering duties to make sure the new herb garden stayed in good shape through the drier weather Our new recycling bins will be ready for Term 1, so watch out for these in the Snack Shack and Quad areas – they will have the Eco Rep logo on them, being made by Mr Stidder - along with a reminder as to what can go in them The Eco Reps will now be working on more developments including an Eco-Conference hosted by Heathfield Community College in conjunction with our local primary colleagues – so watch this space! Heathfield Headlines Determined & Reflective SWIMMING NATIONALS British Summer Age Group Nationals returned again this year for Maisie Thornton After a very successful qualifying window, she managed to place herself in the top 25 in the country for events Her best events were first, starting with the 400 Individual Medley on day In the heats she smashed it with a time of 4.58.90, a sec PB, making her the first girl in Sussex ever to go under minutes and qualifying her for the final She did not quite match her time in the final but still managed a PB on her entry time with a 5.01 placing her 7th Following a day’s rest, came her next best event the 200 Fly In the heats she finally managed to break a huge milestone for her of going under 2.20 She did this with a 2.18 placing her in 2nd place going into the final She knew the final was going to be tough and even with another PB and another Sussex county record with a time of 2.16.47 she just missed out on Bronze coming 4th but a race she could be proud of These two events were going to be a hard act to follow In the 200 Back and 200 Individual Medley on day and day she was just off her PB On the last day she came back fighting with another great PB in the 100 Fly of 1.04.94 which saw her just missing out on the finals In addition to this, and because of her success this year, she has been invited on an Aquatic Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DISE) Course This is an external government funded course that runs alongside her A’ Levels, including PE INTERNATIONAL EQUITATION COMPETITION IN SLOVENIA Rosie Moon was invited to compete at a friendly international equitation competition in Slovenia She flew to Lubljana on 4th September and got back hours before the new school term started! Her team did fantastically and came home with lots of team rosettes for dressage and show-jumping Rosie also achieved an individual 4th place in the dressage, 7th place overall and the award for the best British Rider Well done Rosie! Heathfield Headlines Determined & Reflective NETBALL NEWS The Year & netball teams got their matches off to a flying start with both ‘A’ teams winning the local, start of season, North Wealden netball tournament Both teams secured maximum points and the Year 9s did not concede a single goal With the tournament being hosted at Heathfield, the College were able to have ‘B’ & ‘C’ teams playing for both age groups Ms Cobbold is thrilled that there seems to have been a rise in interest and enthusiasm from the girls to play competitive netball, with many playing for the College for the first time They seemed to have been either inspired by the higher profile of top netball screened live on our TVs or because they are studying GCSE PE and want to ensure they achieve the best practical coursework grade possible Well done to all that took part! Ms Cobbold was extremely proud of you all, keep up your excellent effort and determination Remember to continue to commit to the training night on a Thursday evening until 4.15pm Heathfield Headlines Compassionate & Considerate Events & Notices SKI TRIP – PLACES STILL AVAILABLE Friday 14 February to Friday 21 February 2020 £899 to ski £929 to snowboard More information available from Mr Pedley at the College on 01435 866066 Ext 1252 or email ppedley@heathfieldcc.co.uk Heathfield Headlines Events & Notices DID YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, SIT GCSE OR A-LEVEL EXAMS AT HEATHFIELD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN 2018 OR BEFORE? Did you sit your exams at Heathfield in 2018 or before? Did you collect your certificates? The Exams team need to make room for the 2019 certificates if you did not collect your GCSE or ALevel certificates please email examinations@heathfieldcc.co.uk with your full name and date of birth You will need these certificates to apply for any future training, and possibly for employment, so please contact us as soon as possible! We will then arrange for you to come and collect them PARENT GOVERNOR VACANCY We are now seeking interest for an upcoming vacancy on the College Governing Board A parent governor position will be available in November 2019 If you are interested in supporting the College and would like to find out more about what being a parent governor entails, please contact Emma Neil, Clerk to Governors on eneil@heathfieldcc.co.uk ARE MY CHILDREN ENTITLED TO FREE SCHOOL MEALS? Free School Meals, Pupil Premium funding and registering for Free School Meals can not only save you money but help support the College for all pupils Please click on the following link to find out if your child is entitled: http://www.heathfieldcc.co.uk/parents/letters&information Heathfield Headlines Events & Notices Heathfield Headlines Events & Notices Heathfield Headlines Events and Notices ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES If your son or daughter needs to take any medication during the College day you should inform Mrs Millis in the Student Support Office at jmillis@heathfieldcc.co.uk or telephone 01435 866066 Ext 1203 Students should not keep the medicine with them during the school day You will also need to complete the parental consent form that can be found on the College website at http://www.heathfieldcc.co.uk/parents/letters&information/administrationofmedicine If you require any further information, please not hesitate to contact Mrs Millis TOP UP EQUIPMENT AND HELP THE COLLEGE Thank you to everyone who has signed up to easyfundraising to support Heathfield Community College We have now raised £1,219.82 If you have not yet signed up, please help us raise even more free donations by signing up today using the link below! It is very easy to set up and we receive a free donation every time you shop online using the easyfundraising website or APP For each item that you purchase the College will receive a donation from the company – at no cost to yourself but a considerable bonus to the students Easyfundraising.org.uk Website PARENTAL VOLUNTARY DONATIONS As we finish work completed during the summer holidays, refurbishment and painting has ensured the College looks smart We are also able to plan expenditure that adds to the students experiences For this we rely on the voluntary donations This year we have added the following: Additional resources for the growing numbers of student leaders Extra benches for around the school site for social time Refurbishment of the library, including extra books Extra bins and labelling for re-cycling which will provide the strategies that students want to improve • New resources and furniture in rooms which have struggled with old or mismatched equipment for a long time • • • • This is in addition to the motivational speakers we have been able to secure this year and the top ups of existing resources that we use at social time THANK YOU so much for the donations, we only ask for £25 per family each year but collectively it makes a BIG difference! Heathfield Headlines ON-LINE SAFETY ON-LINE SAFETY As we return for the new academic year, it is worth reminding you about some of the things that the College does to support all the young (and not so young!) people in its community Every week there is an Online Safety related item on the staff and student noticeboard pages of the College website There is an entry of every edition of the College newsletter, Headlines, on an online Safety issue Advice and guidance on Online Safety issues can be found on the dedicate page of the college website – here At the beginning of each academic year we hold an Online Safety related parent’s information evening This year this will be on Thursday 19th September from 5pm until 6.30pm A separate letter will be sent home to all new Year families but families from any year group are welcome to attend If you have a child in another year group and would like to attend, please respond to the google form, linked here All students should be aware of the Online Safety Code of Conduct, which is on display in every classroom and attached DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that a 14 year old boy, who lives in the North of England has had his name added to a Police database He broke the law because he sent a picture of himself naked to a girl on Snapchat The police found out because his girlfriend saved the picture and sent it around the school He is not being taken to court but he will now have difficulties in applying for jobs that require you to have a records check eg working with children The boy said "everyone’s doing it in their own time" Remember, using apps like Snapchat means you are on the internet Once a picture is on the internet it’s always there and, depending on what the picture is, you could be breaking the law Data Protection Privacy Notice The college has an annual obligation under the Data Protection Act to communicate with parents/carers about the data that we hold about them and their children and how you can gain access to that data should you wish to so This Privacy Notice can be found on the college website on the policies page The version of this that is for parents can be found by following the link HERE Heathfield Headlines ON-LINE SAFETY ON-LINE SAFETY: CODE OF CONTACT Heathfield Headlines Events & Notices Teen Triple P Group What? Are you struggling with your Teen’s everyday behaviour? Would you like to meet other parents and gain some useful strategies to deal with common parenting issues? If so this free group for parents/carers of children aged 1218 could be perfect for you Where? Heathfield Youth Centre, High Street, Heathfield, TN21 0UP When? 6.30-9pm - Tues 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd of October 2019 then telephone calls for weeks Final session 12th November 2019 To book your free place Call 01424 725800 or email info@openforparents.org.uk or visit us at www.openforparents.org.uk Any questions contact: Beata.Drury@eastsussex.gov.uk /07748146905 Disclaimer: Although paid advertisements may appear in Heathfield Community College Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, Heathfield Community College does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement Heathfield Headlines Classified Advertising Dates for your Diary Thursday 26 September Main School Open Evening 5:30pm to 8:00pm Tuesday October Year Pedestrian Safety Performance Year 11 Collapsed Curriculum Day Year 11 Future Choice Evening Year & 12 Tutor Evening Non Uniform Day supporting Mental Health Day 2:00pm to 3:00pm Wednesday October Thursday October Thursday 10 October Friday 11 October Time to be confirmed Time to be confirmed Further information to follow OPPORTUNTIES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS Quick Links Clubs & After School Sessions Click for current information & times ACRES Adult Education Click to view the latest news from ACRES If you have a business locally and have opportunities for school leavers please let us know by emailing office@heathfieldcc.co.uk as we may be able to promote to students TWITTER Governors’ page Information about our Governors Parent Feedback Feedback from forums and questionnaires Sussex PPC Newsletter Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner News To keep up to date visit… www.heathfieldcc.co.uk Important information about the College including bus delays and college closures as well as news and events, are also sent out via Twitter It is a great way of keeping up to date with what’s going on and sharing news Contact us… office@heathfieldcc.co.uk | 01435 866066 Follow us on Twitter… @heathfield_cc