Dear all,

This week has flown by, and in this letter I'd like to focus on Year 11 and Year 13 and their exam preparations.

First however, some of you might be aware that one of our Year 7 students, Harley, is currently undergoing chemotherapy. A number of his friends (along with Mr Caffull, Mr Addis, and Mr Stokes!) have very bravely volunteered to shave their heads in solidarity and to raise money for Harley (if you'd like to donate, you can do so here). They all braved the clippers at lunch time today, cheered on by hundreds of students in the Sports Hall. Everyone at HP is thinking of Harley and sending him our best wishes for a speedy recovery. 

Next week will see Year 11 and Year 13 begin their final exams. They are both absolutely wonderful year groups, who've worked hard all year, and we're all incredibly proud of them - regardless of how the next few weeks go.

That said, I'm feeling confident. They've put a huge amount of effort in over the year, and I know they'll continue to do so. 

Our staff will be matching that effort too. You might be aware that many other schools send their students on study leave at around this time. I'm very proud that we don't do this at Holmleigh Park, and that we continue to offer lessons to students throughout the exam season. This means that students get the maximum amount of time with their teachers, who can help structure their revision, take them through exam questions, give feedback, and so on - as well as being on hand to support and guide students through what we know is a stressful time. 

In fact, we go one further; our leadership team rewrite the Year 11 and Year 13 timetables on an almost daily basis, so that we're not just running our usual timetable, but personalising each student's timetable so that they have the right lessons at the right time - for example, as many English lessons as possible before the English exams etc. This needs a huge effort from our whole staff body each summer, but we do it enthusiastically knowing it's helping to give students the best possible chance of support. We will also be running warm ups before every Year 11 and Year 13 exam - last minute booster classes starting at 08:00 on the day of each exam, with a free breakfast included. Please do encourage your children to make the most of this opportunity!

With best wishes for the weekend - even if it is only two days this time!

Mr Farmbrough

Headteacher