Dear HP families,

It feels a long time since I last wrote to you on 19th June. I have been absent from HP on paternity leave following the birth of our third child. There is certainly lots to catch up on! I would like to thank Mr Park and Mr O'Gallagher, our two Deputy Headteachers, for everything they have led during my absence.

Firstly, I want to address our decision to close for two days during the extreme heat in June. To be clear, we took this decision, as did other secondary schools across Gloucester, following the Met Office issuing a Red Warning for Extreme Heat. Looking ahead, it is clear that UK summers are becoming warmer and that, as a society, we need to adapt to periods where temperatures exceed 30 degrees. Equally, our homes, schools and public buildings were largely designed at a time when these temperatures were far less common. We have therefore established an Extreme Heat Working Party to review our experiences from the past two summers and develop a comprehensive Extreme Heat Procedure for next year. I will write to families next spring with an update on the measures we intend to introduce.

Despite my absence, it has been wonderful to see so many positive events taking place across HP. Our Year 6 Transition Days were a great success and it was a pleasure to see our newest students making such a positive first impression. We have enjoyed our Oracy Week Finals, celebrated the achievements of students in Years 7, 8 and 10 through Celebration Assemblies, and today we welcomed Year 9 parents and carers into HP as part of our KS3 to KS4 Transition Celebration Assemblies. Thank you to everyone who attended.

I also want to recognise our Year 10 students for the outstanding attitude and attendance they demonstrated throughout their mock examination period. They have laid excellent foundations for Year 11 and we are excited to work alongside them during this crucial final year of main school.

It has also been wonderful to see our Year 11 students enjoying their Prom and returning for Sixth Form Induction Day as many prepare for the next stage of their education with us. Today, our Year 12 students are enjoying their reward trip to Drayton Manor following a successful year.

Finally, we are looking forward to Activities Week next week. Students will enjoy a fantastic range of experiences, including trips to Calella in Spain, Adventure Bristol, South Cerney Lakes and West Midlands Safari Park. These opportunities are an important part of life at HP and help create lasting memories alongside students' academic achievements.

KS3 Maths Student Reports and Fluency Fix Up Tasks

Following the recent Maths ROAs, KS3 students have been given a Sparx Student Report to bring home, highlighting the areas they performed well in and the topics where further practice would be beneficial. Students have also been assigned personalised Fluency Fix Up tasks on Sparx to strengthen any identified gaps in knowledge before the new academic year begins. Students will be awarded House Points in September based on the number of Fluency Fix Up questions they complete over the summer holiday. We encourage families to support students in completing these tasks between now and the end of August. If you have any questions, please contact s.stanton@hphigh.co.uk.

I wish you all a lovely weekend,

Mr Hudson
Headteacher