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Principal's update 17 February 2023

Published on 17/02/23

Dear Parents and Carers

We hope you have a lovely half term. We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday 27th February.

Thank you for all your donations for non-uniform day. As a school, we raised an amazing £1166.45!!! All monies raised will go to help those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

We have been approached by the Football Association and others about the possibility of an all-weather pitch at HVC for the community. The initial site feasibility study shows that this is possible but to make this happen we would need to raise funds to support the application and to be able to demonstrate the need for the pitch.  The High Peak Borough Council are on board, the FA is on-board, but we need help to organise the fund raising.  There is a six-month window to raise the funds – do you or anyone you know have the capacity/expertise to help us?  Please contact Mrs Jones the Principal for an informal chat if you think you may be able to help. Thank you.

What’s going on in school:

  • Starting Monday 27th March, Marvel Mondays will be running in Humanities at lunchtime from 12:40 onwards for any Y7 and Y8 students. We will be watching films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe whilst looking at and discussing the different ethical and philosophical themes and questions that these films raise. We will be starting where it all began, with Captain America the First Avenger - is it right to create super soldiers? Hope to see you there.
  • Love was in the Library on Tuesday with a display of romantic books to read and Love Hearts for sale!

  • Our outdoor sessions with Y9 and Y10 students have continued this term, with students learning essential survival skills, like using emergency shelters and survival blankets.

  • Upcoming football fixtures:

Tuesday 28th February KS4 & Y8 away v. Chapel

Thursday 2nd March Y8 & 9 away v. Buxton

Tuesday 7th March Y7 and kS4 home v. Buxton

Tuesday 21st March Y7 & 9 home v. Chapel

Tuesday 28th March KS4 away v. Glossopdale

Tuesday 18th April Y7, 8 & 9 home v. Glossopdale

For away matches, students will usually leave school at 14.30 and arrive back around 17.30.

  • Buxton Opera House - Work Experience

We are proud to share that some of our students have been accepted to do work experience at Buxton Opera House. 10 students auditioned last week, and we congratulate all of them for taking part. Four students have been selected to work as actors for a school's project. They will create and perform a production of Hamlet and then tour around local primary schools with the production. They will also then lead training sessions for the primary students. This is a wonderful opportunity, and we are thankful to Buxton Opera house for supporting our students. 

  • Our DJ classes have got off to a great start with our peripatetic teacher, Ian Stanley. He has been working with some of our Y11 GCSE music students, helping with their performance coursework, with really positive results.

 

Y10 Subject Evening - Thursday 2 March 2023, 4.30 - 7.00 pm

This will be held face-to-face.  To book appointments please click on the link below.   Once bookings are made you will get an email with the times booked:

SchoolCloud - Hope Valley College

Please note: if the subject you are wanting to book is fully booked, please add yourself to the waiting list, the teacher for that subject will get in touch with you after the event.

Strike Action – Wednesday 1st March 2023 – school closed to students

Given our experience of the first day of industrial action and the number of staff in school, we have taken the decision to close school on Wednesday 1st March due to staffing levels. Students in Year 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and Post-16 should stay at home and should access remote learning.

When remote learning, students should:

We have a small availability for supervised access to independent learning in school.  This will be prioritised for those in Y7 to Y11 who may be unduly disadvantaged by the circumstances, such as:

  • my young person has no internet at home and/or
  • my young person is eligible for Free School Meals or other hardship
  • my Y11 student would like a quiet, supervised study space for the day with access to the internet

Please complete the following online form by 3.30pm on Monday 27th February:  https://forms.office.com/e/AcjxMp3tNL

We will have to prioritise access to this provision according to need and the availability of supervision. Safeguarding, pastoral and reception staff are working as normal and will be available for any urgent concerns or queries. We will notify parents and carers directly if their young person is able to attend school, however please understand that we may not be able to meet all requests.

Post 16 staff will be in touch with parents and carers to confirm individual arrangements for their students.

PE next half term

KS3 girls will be playing hockey and netball/basketball. Please remind your young person to bring shin pads and gum shields for hockey.   Y7 boys will play netball during the first lesson of the week and hockey (outside) in the second lesson of the week. Y8 & 9 boys will play basketball the first lesson of the week and hockey the second lesson of the week. Y10 & 11 boys will do a combination of basketball and hockey.

Y10 music students

Y10 GCSE music students need to complete a recording for their mock performance. These recordings will take place during the weeks commencing 17th and 24th April. Some will record during their instrumental lessons; others will record with Mrs Machan.

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

Kind regards

Gaynor Jones, Principal
Hope Valley College

T: 01433 620555