I cannot believe that I am writing my final correspondence at the end of the academic year. This year feels like it has moved at pace and so much has been done in that time.  When you tell people you are a teacher, or a headteacher for that matter, they either comment on the holidays or say something about how they couldn't do this job. My response is always the same - that I love working in a school because of the young people  It has been an absolute privilege this year to watch the many varied activities and work our students have undertaken. The sporting achievements, the musical and drama performances, the leadership experiences that showcase the talents of our students. All of the trips and experiences that students have taken advantage of, the clubs and charitable events in school that showcase the generosity of our community. All of these things create such a sense of belonging and help to develop those wider skills. Next week feels like a traditional end to the school year - the sponsored walk to raise money for the work we do with CRY, the sports day where the competitive tensions are already rising and then our celebration day on Wednesday where we come together within school to celebrate all that is wonderful about our young people.

I would like to thank you for the support you have given us over the year as we wouldn't be able to work with our young people in the way that we do without that support. I hope that you enjoy the time that you have with your young people over the coming weeks, and we are looking forward to welcoming them back in September ready to take on new challenges and experiences. 

What’s going on in school:

• The Humanities department took Y7 students for a visit to Castleton this week. The students undertook activities which incorporated Geography, History and Religious studies. The students enjoyed exploring St. Edmunds Church, learning about tourism in the Peak District and discovering what it was like to live in a medieval castle. We had a great day despite the drizzle! 

• Students in Y8 Spanish have been learning how to order food and drink, and this week they have written and performed their own roleplays set in a Spanish restaurant. 

• Congratulations to Junior Y7 who competed in 6 events at the swimming arena non-National Open meet in Manchester last weekend, winning silver medals in 3 of his races!!

• Some of our students have created a wonderful mural in our Learning Support Centre, inspired by a view of the Hope Valley.  The mural will feature in our sensory area, creating a safe and calming space for learning.

• Students have been attending Athletics Club over the last few weeks, training for Sports Day and practicing relay technique and fitness for the 800m and 100m, as well as improving their long jump distances. Well done to all involved!

• We are looking forward to our upcoming end of term events and wanted to re-share the programme with you:

Monday 21 July – Sponsored Walk for all year groups. Students do not need to wear school uniform, but will require appropriate clothing for walking, sturdy footwear, a waterproof coat, sun cream, hat, rucksack and a packed lunch. Any sponsorship raised will go towards our CRY heart screening in March next year. Donations can be made via ParentPay.

Tuesday 22 July - Interhouse Sports Day – students should wear sportswear in their house colours if possible (or normal PE kit): Mam Tor – Red, Lose Hill – Green, Win Hill – Purple, Kinder – Blue

Wednesday 23 July – Celebration Day – Non uniform day. Students may come to school in non-uniform, but clothing should be appropriate for the school environment. Pyjamas, cropped tops etc should not be worn. There is a suggested voluntary donation of £1 which can be made via ParentPay or cash can be handed in to tutors. All proceeds will be donated to Edale Mountain Rescue Team, as suggested by 3 of our Y9 students.

ParentPay Balances

Please can you ensure that any outstanding balances on your young person’s ParentPay account are cleared before school breaks for the summer holiday.

MFL Revision Guides

French, German and Spanish revision guides and vocabulary books are available to purchase on ParentPay at the moment for current Year 9 and Year 10 students.  Orders will be taken up until Wednesday 23 July 2025 and books will be distributed to the students in September.

English Revision Guides

All texts and revision guides studied at GCSE are available to purchase on ParentPay at the moment for current Year 9 and Year 10 students.  Year 9 will be studying A Christmas Carol when they return to school in Year 10 in September. Orders will be taken up until Wednesday 23 July 2025 and books will be distributed to the students in September.

Thank you to the PTFA

As we come to the end of the academic year, on behalf of the students & staff I would like to say a big thank you to our PTFA. They have had another successful year of fundraising, including events such as HVAFF and Music & Mayhem. This has allowed them to support the school with additional counselling services for students, our Post16 students now have a safe area to play outside, and they have supported departmental requests. This additional funding and the commitment to school is highly valued. If anyone wants any further information or is thinking about joining the PTFA, you can contact them here: ptfahv@hopevalley.chorustrust.org.

Volunteers for Outdoor Activities from September 2025-6

As part of our ongoing Outdoor Activities Programme for Year 9, HVC run four outdoor sessions for students during curriculum time. These sessions are:

• Mountain biking at Hope pump track
• Orienteering at Longshaw
• Weaselling at Higger Torr
• Outdoor climbing at Burbage North

Each activity block lasts 8 weeks before we rotate onto the next session. For most sessions we need 2 volunteers to ensure safety, contingency and supervision. We are looking for volunteers to help with these sessions on a regular basis. We would require you to come to school from around 12.15-3.30pm on either a Wednesday or a Friday for the session. During the activities you may want to help with organising equipment, supervising specific students who may need additional or further support, remote supervision, encouragement and any other hands-on outdoor job that will help the smooth running of the session!  If you feel you would like any more information, or could offer your support, please email  for more information. 

Dates for Your Diary

Thursday 4 September – INSET day – school closed to students

Friday 5 September - INSET day – school closed to students

Monday 8 September – All students return to school

 

Thank you for reading our communication. Here are some helpful email addresses, should you need to contact us:

• attendance@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to report a child’s absence
• enquiries@hopevalley.chorustrust.org for general enquiries
• pastoral@hopevalley.chorustrust.org for any issue with a child’s wellbeing
• headteacher@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to contact the Headteacher
• safeguarding@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to report safeguarding concerns. If a child or any young person is in imminent danger, then please report this to the police.
• ptfahv@hopevalley.chorustrust.org to contact the PTFA

Kind regards

 

	Debbie Petts Headteacher T: 01433 620555 W: www.hopevalley.chorustrust.org