Parent Bulletin

Dear parents and carers,

Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming our future Year 7 students and their families to our school as part of our transition process. The Induction evening on Monday was a great opportunity to welcome new families to our school and they had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Daly, our Executive Headteacher, and Miss Powell, our new Head of Year 7. Additionally, families had the chance to meet and listen to their form tutor, while gaining valuable insights into life at Archbishop Holgate’s School. Despite the strike action, Wednesday proved to be a lovely day as we welcomed our next cohort of students for their transition day. Although it was different from usual, the Year 6 students spent the day getting to know their form tutors, participating in various lessons, and forging connections with their future friends.

This week begins with an extended form tutor session, which is part of our PSHCE provision, on Monday P1. Furthermore, our Year 12 students will be engaged in a series of enrichment events throughout the week leading up to their work experience, which is scheduled to begin the week commencing on July 17th. Additionally, we have a range of exciting Sixth Form evening events taking place. On Tuesday, we warmly invite Year 12 families to join us at the school to learn more about the UCAS process. On Wednesday, we extend a welcome to Year 10 families as part of the Year 10 introduction to Sixth Form. On Thursday, our highly anticipated Science lecture will take place, and we wrap up the week with an exhilarating Sports Day that promises to be unforgettable!

Sports Day: Friday 14th July

This Friday sees our annual school Sports Day. Students take part in a carousel of events to earn points for their house. It is a fantastic day for everyone filled with lots of cheering and teamwork. All pupils in years 7-10 will be off timetable and will be outside for the whole day. They will need to come to school in their normal AHS branded PE kit. The only change to this is if they would like to wear a t-shirt of the colour of their house, but this is definitely not compulsory.

Please make sure that your child has a water bottle, sun cream and a hat, as well as their school PE reversible/ hoodie, to cope with the changeable British weather. They will also need to make sure that they have their planner and pencil case with them, just in case we have to cancel due to rain. Hopefully the weather will be kind and we can enjoy another fantastic day of fun and competition.

Enrichment week

A reminder that as a school we are making preparations for our off timetable enrichment week which commences in the final week of term. Please keep a careful watch on parent pay for details regarding the rewards trips that take place in that week. Alongside this, your child will have received an enrichment week booklet highlighting all of the fantastic activities that are available during this week and in particular on the Friday. Please look at this booklet with your child at home as there are some notes on what equipment and clothing they might need for some of the activities (e.g. coming into school in sportswear if they are doing a sporting activity on one of the days).

The outline for the enrichment activities for each year group can be found below:

Wellbeing

Health and wellbeing is an important part of life at Archbishop Holgate’s School, in order to read the wellbeing newsletter for this week – please click here.

Head of Year Awards

Year team messages to parents and carers

Each week, the pastoral year teams will communicate any key messages, successes and upcoming dates to be aware of in this section of the parent bulletin.

A message from the Sixth Form pastoral team

Key Dates:

• Y12 Enrichment Week (off timetable) – wc 10th July
• Y12 UCAS Launch Evening for Students and Parents – 11th July 6pm Start
• Y12 Work Experience (not in school) – wc 17th July: All placements should now be on Grofar platform
  Thursday 17th August
  • Yr13 A Level & BTEC Results – from 9am
  • Yr12 Results – from 11am

Year 12 Enrichment Week
This week we have our Year 12 Enrichment Week where students will have the opportunity to learn about the UCAS process, apprenticeships, gap years and routes into employment.

Monday          UCAS, Apprenticeship, Employment, GAP Year
Tuesday          Personal Statements, EPQ, Summer Social
Wednesday    Philosophy and Ethics Day
Thursday        Study Skills
Friday             Sponsored Walk & Sports Day

Over summer we expect all students to write a first draft of a UCAS Personal Statement and the sessions in this week give students the tools to make an excellent start. We will also launch the Extended Project Qualification and challenge students to begin thinking about potential topics should they pick up EPQ in the Summer. We also have a day of study skill sessions in preparation for Year 13 and an Ethics and Philosophy day to investigate and consider theological questions. We have a Summer Social on Tuesday afternoon on the school field with sports, games and ice-creams provided for all students. The week finishes on Friday with a Sponsored Walk into Rowntrees Park for a picnic, before heading back to school to take part in the final races of Sports Day.

Year 12 Work Experience
All students should now have finalised their week of work experience from July 17th -21st. Please ensure contact has been made recently with the employer to confirm start times, shift patterns, appropriate clothing and break/lunch arrangements. If any student has been unable to secure a work placement, please come to sixth form as normal and we will assign you to support enrichment activities in the main school.

Medical Appointments
We understand that it is not easy to get a doctor or dentist appointment currently. However, we do ask that whenever possible these appointments are made outside the school day to minimise the impact on your childs’ learning. Due to the increasing number of missed lessons due to medical appointments, we are now asking for formal evidence of these appointments.

Most Sixth Form Rewards
All Year 12 students and parents are invited in to collect A-Level mock and BTEC results on August 17th. These will be accompanied by a Year 13 Progression Meeting with a senior member of staff to discuss potential timetable changes for Year 13. Letters have been sent home and we ask you to be in touch if you are unable to attend the meeting slot you have been assigned.

A message from the Year 11 pastoral team

We look forward to catching up with parents properly at prom and on results day in August, where I am sure we will all be celebrating the success of the students. However, in the meantime if there are any questions you have or require assistance in any way, then please feel free to get in touch.

As parents may be aware, we operate a uniform shop at school and would gladly appreciate any and all donations of uniform that is no longer needed. Equally, if your child has revision guides/resources that they no longer need we would also gratefully receive any of these. Any donations families want to make can be dropped off in reception.

A message from the Year 10 pastoral team

It is hard to believe I am writing this with two weeks to go until the end of term, it feels like two minutes ago I was writing the first bulletin of the year and doing the first Act of Collective Worship to the students at the start of the year, telling them about the year ahead and all the things we will experience, what a journey it has been. I am proud of Year 10 and all they have achieved.

I have just written our Act of Collective Worship for next week which will be our final one of the year and I am bursting with pride from the range of achievements we have had this year! (I am keeping all under my hat until next week’s bulletin after announcing in our Act of Collective Worship most merits, best independent revision etc. In particular, the form merits have become very competitive!) I look forward to revealing all to students the fantastic results and to parents next week!

Just a reminder enrichment week is the final week of term and includes for Year 10 as follows:

Monday – History enrichment day
Tuesday – Maths enrichment day
Wednesday – Sport enrichment day
Thursday – Alton Towers (polite reminder – please confirm consent on ParentPay if you haven’t already – please call school if any issues)
Friday – Activity day (students should of selected activities in form time already)

Sports day however is this Friday and I am looking forward to it as it is our final one (due to the fact they will have finished Year 11 by this point next year!) it is always a pleasure to be part of and the teacher tug of war always goes down a treat!

Just to confirm to parents I will continue to be Year 10s Head of Year next year in Year 11 (Miss Deacon) along with Mr McPaul & Mrs Robinson continuing with me also as Assistant Heads of Year. Year 11’s journey mantra is the next steps and it will certainly feel like that with mocks, real exams and prom. I am excited for what the next academic year will bring!

If you have any queries regarding your young person in Year 10, then please do get in touch by emailing myself (mdeacon@ahs.pmat.academy), Mr McPaul (cmcpaul@ahs.pmat.academy) and/or Mrs Robinson (jrobinson@ahs.pmat.academy) or calling main school reception and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you – Miss Deacon

A message from the Year 9 pastoral team

Despite the disruptions of this week, Year 9 students have been excellent. Even with the changes to our daily routine, they have shown exceptional adaptability and embraced the new one lunch, one break system fantastically. Well done, Year 9!

During the recent assembly, Mr. Hunt provided essential information about the upcoming Industry Day. Industry Day is an invaluable opportunity for our students to interact with professionals from various industries across the country. The presence of these industry representatives offers a unique chance for our students to gain insights, explore career options, and expand their knowledge about the world of work.

To participate fully in Industry Day, we kindly ask, if you haven’t already, that you promptly return the photograph consent forms to the school. Mr. Hunt emphasised the significance of making a positive impression on Industry Day. It is essential for students to dress smartly and exhibit an excellent attitude throughout the event. It would be excellent if you could encourage your child to wear appropriate attire that reflects professionalism and how people dress in the workplace environment.

We believe that Industry Day will provide a memorable and enlightening experience for our Year 9 students. By engaging with professionals from various fields, they will gain valuable insights into potential career paths and have the opportunity to ask questions and seek guidance.

If you have any questions or require further information regarding Industry Day, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to support you and ensure a successful event for all involved.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Year 9 team.

A message from the Year 8 pastoral team

The end is in sight as we enter the penultimate week of Year 8; this will be our last ‘normal week’ of the school year and the time has simply flown by!

In our Act of Collective Worship last week, we had a lovely Assembly put together by 8By to celebrate the highs and lows of Year 8 and look back at photos from across the year. We were able to relive the first lessons of Year 8, sporting opportunities, trips such as Flamingo Land and the Culture Trip, Christmas celebrations, the Y8 disco – as well as all the little day-to-day moments that have contributed to our tapestry of Year 8 memories.

Year 8 have also trialled moving to a later break/lunch and this has been hugely successful on the whole. Whilst having smaller groupings and ‘bubbles’ were important during post-Covid recovery, we are already seeing the benefits of students having a shorter afternoon and being more focused and productive in the period before lunch. Students have also shown great personal responsibility in navigating their way around their new social areas – which are more expansive – and in organising themselves to get their lunch in the 2nd sitting of lunchtime. We hope this will be the beginning of a very strong start for social times in Year 9. If your child is in any way struggling with navigating the break/lunch changes, please advise the Year 8 team who are out on duty every break and lunchtime with students ready to support.

This week, we have our final Act of Collective Worship which will be a formal celebration and thank you assembly from the Year 8 team. Miss Chambers, Miss Waines and Mrs Reeder will be moving with Year 8 into Year 9, continuing to support and invest in students in our respective roles. The majority of students will also keep their Form tutors, so it is very much a consolidation of the year and then looking forward to next year as a collective.

This week, we have the whole school Sports Day on Friday. Both staff and students are feeling very excited for this one as one of the most enjoyable events in the school calendar! On the day, students will move around in their Houses and Year Groups to complete different group and individual activities. This usually includes Cricket/Rounders, a variety of field/athletic events, track races and Tug of War. Students will begin the day in an Extended Form time so that everyone is clear on the movements for the day, and the Year 8 team will move around with students during the day to supervise and cheer everyone on too. Students will be required to wear their PE kits on Friday, and then may accessorise for the weather as needed (a hat, drink and suncream usually being the most important additions!) We are hoping the weather forecast will pick up; as always, students will be advised to bring their normal equipment in case of adverse weather.

Parents should now have received your child’s end of year report and we hope it has offered a pleasing consolidation to the academic year. Some of the Year 8 reports this time around were looking absolutely fantastic! If you have any concerns – or if you have not seen your child’s report yet – please do get in touch and let us know.

For students embarking on the Languages trips in the final week, this will likely feel like their final week of Year 8. We hope that it can be a week of positivity, consolidating relationships and laying strong foundations for next year. We would really appreciate your support in ensuring your child continues to arrive equipped for school and respectful of all our usual school expectations this week so we can achieve the strong end to the year that everyone deserves.

Thank you for your continued support. The Year 8 team are on hand throughout the school day to support students and address any concerns. We try to encourage students to seek us out before school, break, lunch or after school if they have an issue they would like to discuss. If you have any queries or concerns about your child in Year 8, please call school reception to speak to someone in the Year 8 team, or you can email reception@ahs.pmat.academy.

A message from the Year 7 pastoral team

We have had another fantastic week with year 7. The year group continues to impress us with their amazing achievements and their seamless adjustment to our one break and one lunch timetable. They have shown their capabilities to follow routines brilliantly at lunch and throughout the school day.

There are some special mentions this week for some of our students. Firstly, a huge thank you to all of our buddies who supported the Year 6 transition events this week. You were outstanding and excellent ambassadors of our school. We are very proud of you all and the year 6 pupils are lucky to have you supporting them in September. Thank you and well done!

Secondly, on Friday we enjoyed a celebration event with some of our year 7s who had exceptional school reports. It was fantastic to celebrate with those students.

Next week is our final week on timetabled lessons and on Friday we will enjoy our whole school sports day. Students are encouraged to wear their house colours for the day. Please ensure your child is suitably prepared for the weather.

Well done to our Students of the week this Week:
7ASU – George Payne – for being a firm but fair news presenter!
7CMM – Penny McDermott, Isla Hudson, and Eloise Niven- did themselves and the form proud; next year’s Year 7’s are lucky to have you as role models.
7PI – Molly I’Anson, Grace Buch and Lissia Horwell – making a brilliant start to the buddy role. Well done!
7HV – Evie Rycraft, Florence Kitney and Esme Robson for being excellent buddies
7MPE – Tess Arundel – For having an exceptional year. Flawless. Well done.
7CST – Finlay Price, Leyla Traboulsi and Aurelia Smy for being excellent buddies on both Monday and Wednesday, you were great. Well Done!
7MLN – Abbie Preece, Della Collins, Maisie Smart and Leila Gell for being amazing buddies and representing our form so positively on Tuesday.
7ZBL – Iris Oswald – For outstanding resilience and positivity. Well done and thank you!
7BL – Kacey Mills – for joining 7Bl and settling in form well. I hope you will be successful for the rest of Year 7 and then continue into Year 8.
7JHE –
7CY – Thamires Galvao for having a great first year at AHS, well done

Well Done to our Head of Year awards:
Dora Escombe 7JHE – For an amazing speech at open evening – well done!
Amelia Hanks 7ASU – For being a fantastic buddy and going the extra mile. Well Done!

Word of the week

The word of the week for week commencing 10 July is:

Perseverance

Noun: persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success

“His perseverance with the technique showed his dedication to his work”.

Collective Worship

Theme
This week our form tutor collective worship is entitled Slow Down. It asks us to consider whether our lives are too busy and whether we need to pause and reflect more often than we do. Our daily quotes are all on the theme of rest and stillness.

Quotes
Monday – “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” – Walter Hagen, professional golfer

Tuesday – “God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” – Mother Teresa, Catholic nun and charity worker

Wednesday – “Are you tired? Worn out? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.” – The Bible. Jesus in Matthew ch11, v28

Thursday – “Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?” – The Bible. Jeremiah ch 2, v25

Friday – “Be still, and know that I am God.” – The Bible. Psalm 46, verse 10