Dear HP families,

Welcome back. I hope everyone enjoyed a restful August and is ready for the year ahead. It has been fantastic to see the whole community return this week with such positivity and focus. Year 7 have made an excellent start. They have shown themselves to be polite and respectful and have engaged in positive interactions with staff. Crucially they have quickly embraced HP learning routines in lessons which sets them up for future success. A warm welcome also goes to Year 12 who have hit the ground running and whose approach to their new courses has been excellent. Year 11 attendance at Period 6 has been excellent so far. Yesterday we recorded 100% Year 11 Period 6 attendance which is very pleasing and the standard we expect going forward. More broadly it has been a real pleasure to visit lessons and see how quickly students and staff have settled back into learning.

Over the summer we celebrated the outcomes of our public examinations. Our Sixth Form results were a source of real pride. Half of all A Level grades were at A* to B and in vocational courses 81% of grades were Distinctions or Distinction*. Every single student who applied to university was successful in gaining a place. These results once again show that high standards and clear expectations give our students the best possible chance of success. We also congratulate our GCSE students whose hard work produced pleasing results. Their achievements are a reminder of what can be reached when students commit fully to their studies. We now look forward to supporting our new exam cohorts to achieve the same.

I want to take this opportunity to underline the importance of your child being a HP Hero. HERO stands for being Here, Every Day, Ready and On time. The link between attendance of 95% or higher and the best outcomes is undeniable. All students who achieve this level of attendance are enrolled into the HP Hero Club which is our main rewards system. Attendance at 90% which is too often considered to be good actually means missing one day of learning every fortnight. This places students at a disadvantage as they are constantly having to catch up on work they have missed.

Parents Evening timings are now 4:15pm to 6:15pm. Please check the calendar on our website for the dates relevant to your child. Term dates for 2025 to 2026 are also available online. These include INSET days and early finishes so please ensure you have noted any changes to the normal day.

Our Open Evening for prospective Year 7 families takes place next Wednesday between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. We are looking for student helpers to support us with tours. Students who would like to help can be signed up for the evening through the MCAS app.

Applications for the Holmleigh Park Scholars Programme are now open to students in Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10. Eligible students will have received an email from Mrs Roberts with a link to the online application form. The deadline for applications is Friday 12th September. Please encourage your child to apply if they would like one of the limited places. Further details are available on our website or by contacting Mrs Roberts directly.

I wish you all a lovely weekend,

Mr Hudson
Headteacher