Dear HP families,

Update From The Headteacher, Mr Hudson

At HP, we want every student to become a confident, fluent writer capable of expressing their best ideas. While writing looks different in a Science lab or a Maths lesson than it does in an English classroom, it remains the primary way our students practice and master their learning. To support this, we are implementing a few key strategies across different KS4 and KS5 year groups:

• The Purple Zone (Year 10): A daily 10 minute window of silent, independent writing in every lesson. Using their purple pens, students focus on building the stamina needed for academic success.

• The Big Write (Year 10): These are scheduled milestones where students tackle 30 minute high quality tasks to apply what they have learnt in depth.

• Every Mark Matters (Years 11 & 13): To prepare for upcoming exams, our oldest students participate in timed practice sessions. These are supported by live feedback and peer analysis to help them sharpen their technique and maximise their marks.

KS3 Maths Homework Update This half term, students in Years 7 to 9 will continue to use Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) for their homework. All students must complete 30 minutes in garage mode. They will also have a gig test set with this week’s homework which must be completed in addition. Memorising times tables benefits students significantly as they progress through the mathematics course, which is why we are prioritising it this Spring term. Well done to those who have already gone green. Do look out for certificates coming home with them. For those students who have gone green and are secure in their times tables, we will be offering an additional optional problem solving booklet to be completed on top of TTRS. This booklet provides opportunities for students to stretch their mathematical thinking. It can be self marked via the student hub, but please do bring it in to show your teacher and gain house points. We are aware that a very small number of students are using the internet to automatically answer the questions on TTRS. We detect this as answer times come in below what is humanly possible. Students who do this will be set prep. Please contact s.stanton@hphigh.co.uk with any questions.

Year Group Trips Thank you to all Year 8 families who have signed up for the upcoming trip to Cotswold Farm Park. A detailed email with all the key information will be sent shortly. Year 9 will be heading out on their trip in April. We are still awaiting consent from a small number of families, so please take a moment this weekend to check and complete this if needed. Trips can be found on MCAS via the available trips section. Please contact a.sharples@hphigh.co.uk with any questions.

Activities Week We are already looking ahead to the summer and the return of HP’s Activities Week. Each year group from Year 7 to Year 10 has the opportunity to take part in a fun day out with their peers. These trips are heavily subsidised by HP to ensure they remain accessible to all pupils. Deposits are due by 7 March. As always, we are aiming for every student to attend and enjoy a memorable day together as a year group. Please contact a.sharples@hphigh.co.uk with any questions.

Talent Show Auditions for HP’s Got Talent begin next week. If your child has signed up to take part, please remind them to check their school email for confirmation of their audition time. The message will be sent by Mrs Sharples. Good luck to all those auditioning. Please contact a.sharples@hphigh.co.uk with any questions.

To stay up to date with everything HP, follow our Instagram account on @holmleighpark

I wish you all a lovely weekend,

Mr Hudson
Headteacher