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Hessle High School

Headteacher Blog

MR V GROAK

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On this page you will find weekly informative blogs. 

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Archive

  • WEEK 34 Friday 6 June 2025

    Published 06/06/25

    This week we have published a new edition of The Eagle – our occasional year-group newsletter.  This has had an uneven start in terms of publication dates but next year will become a half-termly regular. 

    The aim of this is to showcase the great work that is taking place in our school every day, and the successes and achievements of our students away from school.   

    Our mission is that ‘everyone can achieve the extraordinary’ and we believe it to be true.  Each one of our young people is good at something or driven and motivated by something else.  It is our job to find this, to nurture and to celebrate this. 

    If you haven’t yet, please make sure you read The Eagle Newsletters and take a glimpse if you can at all the year groups to gain a sense of what older or younger students might be studying or the experiences, they will have available to them. 

    We want to showcase as much of our talent as we can so please encourage your child to let us know of any of their out-of-school successes (or tell us yourselves) and also ensure that you have given us permission (via the Arbor App) to use their images for publicity if you wish us to. 

    Reading The Eagle this week, I found out about the number of students that are successful in dance, drama and The Arts away from school.  It is terrific that so many of our students are active in these areas and hope that our Performing Arts curriculum has helped to instil that passion within them. 

    ***  

    Thank you all for your engagement with the changes to the uniform policy which is now in line with our Trust partner schools.  After the communication this week, I have also sent out further clarification in in the form of this letter.  The key to remember is that we always default to the highest standards.  If you are in any doubt about whether an item of uniform is appropriate, it is always best to assume that it won’t be!  And then contact the school to check. 

    I know from my own children the pester power that children can yield, when they say, ‘but all my friends are doing it,’ or similar.  Invariably, this is not the case, so we urge you to keep in contact with the pastoral team and help us to maintain the highest standards of uniform and appearance at all times. 

    I also wrote to you to highlight the changes to the pastoral leadership teams from September.  These have been kept to a minimum to allow for continuity but also to ensure that students in all year groups can benefit from the most appropriate levels of pastoral experience.  This information can be found here 

    ***  

    And so to Anfield.  Tomorrow I am heading to Liverpool for my fourth and final Bruce Springsteen concert of this latest tour.  I’ve survived the barbs from colleagues and friends - “you’ve turned into a stalker now” - and am looking forward to one final magical show.  This may be the last time that Springsteen undertakes a full tour with The E Street Band so I will try to savour every minute of it and reflect on how fortunate I am to be able to see him still, 37 years after my first concert. 

    We all have our passions.  After family, friends and Hessle High School, mine are Bruce Springsteen and Hull FC.  Whilst I am on the way to Liverpool, I will be listening to the Challenge Cup Final and cheering for a Warrington win over Hull KR.  I apologise how partisan that makes me but I just can’t help it.  I know that many of our staff and students will be going to London for the game this weekend and I wish them all well and a safe trip.   

    *** 

    The weather is a mixed bag this weekend but I hope you can find some sunshine and enjoy time with family and loved ones. 

    Thank you for your ongoing support. 

    Mr Groak

    Head Teacher 

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  • WEEK 32 Friday 23 May 2025

    Published 06/06/25

    On Wednesday, I had the privilege to take part in the Year 9 Enterprise Day.  Careers Leader, Mrs Lawes, and Personal Development Co-ordinator, Mrs Edwards, organise this event annually to give students the chance to create a business subscription idea and develop it throughout the day. 

    At 2pm, ten groups had been selected (from around 50) to pitch their ideas in The Dragon’s Den.  The Dragons were ex-student and local businessman, Kallum Nicholson, Kerrie Jaquest, a stalwart of the local Business Education community, Mr Jarman (Head of Hessle Sixth Form) and myself. 

    Each group had five minutes to pitch their ideas, give an overview of the product idea, how it would be marketed, its price and projected revenues and profits.  We then took turns to ask them questions to probe their ideas.   

    At the end, we had the very difficult task of choosing the best three teams, and an ultimate winner.  Eventually, in third place, we chose ‘Trending Treats’, who were offering a box of beauty items for a very competitive price.  They stood out for their teamwork and the equal contributions that they all brought to the task. 

    In second place, we opted for ‘Mystery Cryptic’ who offered a very original idea of a subscription ‘Escape Room’ type puzzle which they believed would hook new customers with the intention of solving new problems. 

    And in first place, we selected ‘T-Club’ and their idea of selling a ‘night out in a box’ - a set of accessories, discount vouchers and venue ticket for a choice of venues which would offer a safe socialising space for young people aged 13-17.  This group had really thought through their idea and their focus on safety and providing youngsters with a place to meet new people in the real world, rather than online, really impressed us.  Congratulations to Jess, Megan, Tilly and Grace for their creativity and teamwork. 

    It was a real pleasure to see such entrepreneurial skills in action and I look forward to seeing some of them on the real Dragon’s Den in the future. 

    ***  

    Also this week we discovered that some of our Year 8 students had been successful in another enterprise competition sponsored by local company, Cranswick Foods. 

     

    The contest had challenged our students to design a new meat product that could be produced and marketed during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.  The company have now invited our students to visit their factory where their product will actually be made, and they will have the opportunity to taste some of it for their lunch.  Congratulations to Jessica, Georgia, Lora, George, Patryk, Oakley, Harvey and Stella – great work. 

     

    ***  

    Students in Year 11 and 13 continue to impress with the attitudes that they are showing to their exams.  Many are emerging from the exam hall, looking confident and pleased – a sure sign they had prepared well and they are being supported fabulously by our staff, who are offering nightly revision sessions, as well as on weekends and next week’s half term.  These sessions are targeted, high-quality and free – please urge your child (if they are in these year groups) to make full use of this resource to make their exam day as stress free as possible. 

     

    Half term arrives at a nice time for exam students but also everyone else.  The last half term is always at least as busy as any other, filled with transition and celebration events as well as end of year exams and Work Experience for Year 10.   

     

    However, you are spending the Bank Holiday Weekend, and half term, I hope it is enjoyable and relaxing.  Thank you for your support.   

    Mr Groak

    Head Teacher 

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  • WEEK 31 Friday 16 May 2025

    Published 06/06/25

    There was a time when secondary schools shut their doors to Year 11 students after Whit Week, sent them all onto study leave and just welcomed them back for exams. 

    I sat my ‘O’ Levels in the mid-1980s and can remember what seemed like endless days sitting on a playing field in North Hull half-reading a textbook whilst dozens just like me tried to do the same.  Eventually, we’d give up and have a game of football.  It would have been June because there never used to be any exams in May. 

    Nowadays, exams start in Mid-May and there is no such thing as ‘study leave’.  This week alone, there have been seven GCSE exams and they continue all the way up until late June for some students.  And students are legally obliged to stay in school until the exams end.  That’s fine because that is where we want them to be. 

    Enormous effort goes into producing a school timetable.  We have 1380 students, around 90 teaching staff and 25 hours per week of teaching.  Putting that together so that all students get the right number of lessons in front of their specialist teachers is a complex operation.  The margin for ‘error’ is tiny - we use around 99.4% of our teaching capacity to make that work.   

    And then, as Year 11s work their way through their exams, we reschedule their timetable on a weekly basis so that the subjects in which they have completed exams are replaced with lessons in the subjects that are still to come.  It takes many many hours of work for Mr Willson and his team.  But it means that students get maximum support from school staff right up until their final exam.  Whilst I was abandoned to that playing field and left to my own devices, now our students get an unbelievably good deal. 

    The overwhelming majority appreciate it, as do their parents.   It is intensely frustrating when a small number of students (sadly supported by a few parents) decide not to cooperate with this and to demand that their child should be able to ‘pick and choose’ the sessions that they attend and, if there is something they don’t wish to do, that they should be able to go home.  Of course, we are not allowed to just let a student go home and so this has become an unnecessary distraction from our work. 

    We simply do not have the time and capacity to deal with these requests and so will not allow it (see my letter sent yesterday).   

    *** 

    Sorry, frustrated rant over, and I thank the overwhelming majority of students and parents for their ongoing and enduring support of the work that our staff are doing to support the students. And thank you to those that sent messages of support which were shared with the students last week.  That landed really well with the Year 11 students, many of whom were left in tears as they read the ‘good luck’ messages from parents, grandparents and other family.   

    And thank you to Mr Willson again, who was in school at 6am setting that up so that the students could benefit from your messages of support. 

    Staff at the school are pulling out all the stops to give the students the absolute best chance of success.  Thank you for supporting them. 

    Apologies that this blog leans so heavily towards Year 11 students and families but I hope that all parents will be reassured that we have great plans in place for when your child reaches the end of Key Stage 4. 

    ***  

    In recent weeks, I have also been in regular contact with our newest intake of students who will join us in Year 7 in September.  I am delighted again that we will be full in Year 7 and sorry that we cannot take more students from the waiting list.  It is great credit not only to my staff, but also to you as parents, that our school remains so popular.  We do so, because of the work we all do as a school community to serve our young people, which includes the positive comments you share with each other and future, prospective parents.  Thank you. 

    ***  

    Next week is a huge one for me.  On Tuesday, for the first time, I am taking one of my children to see a Bruce Springsteen concert.  My daughter, who is ten, is a big music fan but Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter are more her preference.  Nevertheless, she has been brought up with Bruce Springsteen music in our house and has grown to recognise, and enjoy, much of his music.   

    At first she was not over-keen on going with me but gradually she has warmed to the idea of a late-night, Post SATs, we-can-get-McDonalds-on-the-way treat.  And when I showed her a clip of Bruce’s opening night of this latest tour on YouTube on Wednesday night, she said, ‘that’s pretty cool, dad’.  

    I’m definitely not cool at a Springsteen gig.  I have already apologised to her for singing too loud, dancing too much and possibly even shedding a tear when I (hopefully) see her singing along too.   

    That’s on Tuesday; I’ll let you know how it goes next week. 

    In the meantime, have a terrific weekend and thank you all for your support. 

    Mr Groak

    Head  Teacher 

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  • WEEK 30 Friday 6 May 2025

    Published 06/06/25

    Last Saturday, I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to watch Hull City play Portsmouth.  I wouldn’t class myself as a diehard Hull City fan by any stretch of the imagination and so I did not feel the tension as much as most of the other 2000+ fans occupying the away stand at Fratton Park.  Perhaps for that reason, I really enjoyed the game, and the whole day. 

    I travelled with my son, who is becoming more and more fanatical for Hull City as he gradually loses interest in Manchester City (a development I am pleased about), and my father in law, who is a Fulham FC fan.  Both know much more about football than I do. 

    As it turned out, the result was a draw which meant that Hull City stay in the Championship and it was also nice to see so many of our students, and their families, that had made the trek down to the south coast, some leaving at 3.30am. 

     Staying with sport, we have a long track record of producing talented rugby league players at Hessle High School with several currently playing professionally in Super League.  On Wednesday, four of our boys were in action with their respective scholarship teams showing that the production line of talent continues. 

    Harrison Turner and James Tann played for the Hull FC Scholarship team while Riley Dunn and Harry Moore represented Hull KR.  Hull FC were the winners by 32-16, with James Tann also getting on the score sheet.  Well done to those boys for the hard work and dedication that has got them this far in their careers and best wishes for a successful future. 

    At a younger age, our Year 10 team were in action on Thursday afternoon playing Cottingham in a cup game.  They ran out comfortable winners by 24-0, with Will Jordan catching the eye as Man of the Match for a terrific defensive performance.  Well done to those boys, and to coach Mr Compton, and good luck in the next round against Wolfreton School. And then, on Thursday evening, I switched to the BBC to see the VE Day Celebration concert from London and found ex-Hessle student Calum Scott closing the show with his version of ‘White Cliffs of Dover’.   

    Calum has achieved global success over the past ten years since appearing on Britain’s Got Talent.  Recently, we were contacted by Radio 2 producers who were hoping to find one of his ex-music teachers still working at the school so that they could arrange a visit and reunion.  Sadly, those staff moved on a long time ago and so this wasn’t possible.  I did ask if he could come anyway and perform for our students but that wasn’t on the agenda sadly.   

    In Lucy Beaumont (comedian), Michael Jibson (actor), and Calum, we have three ex-students all achieving success at the very top of their chosen professions which, along with our professional rugby league players and footballers, shows that the opportunities are there for those that are prepared to dedicate themselves to any talent they may have. 

    For most of our students, their chosen careers may not be so visible or public, but these are helpful examples of the potential reward for hard work and effort. 

    I wrote to all parents this week with the news that we will continue with a single lunch next school year but without the need to split a year group.  This was necessary for the past few years as we sought to increase capacity in our dining room and in our social areas.  I fully appreciate that – for some students in Year 9 – this has meant that they cannot share lunch and break with their friends and am pleased that we no longer have this constraint. 

    For once, we have a ‘normal’ two-day weekend ahead of us but I can see that the weather forecast is for a warm and sunny few days.  I hope you enjoy the sunshine and thank you all again for your support. 

    Mr Groak

    Head Teacher 

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  • WEEK 28 - Friday 25 April 2025

    Published 25/04/25

    “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin 

    Like everyone in any position of responsibility, I have frequently suffered from imposter syndrome.  I felt it when I first started teaching in my early thirties, and stood for the first time in front of a class of expectant students.  I have since experienced it at various stages in my life as I have taken on responsibility for leading staff meetings, holding assemblies and speaking to parents. 

    As a Headteacher, I have become more confident in doing the above, but I don’t think I will ever feel fully comfortable when I find myself rubbing shoulders with other more experienced Headteachers and especially with uber-confident CEOs.  At a recent conference, I found myself in a group of leaders feeling particularly ill at ease until I realised that I was the only one without a knighthood!   

    So, I occasionally wonder ‘how the hell did I get here?’.  Certainly, a great deal of good fortune.  I joined my first school, Waltham Tollbar, just as they were attaining specialist college status in Business & Enterprise.  This was perfect for a Business and Economics teacher and so I quickly became Head of Department with numerous courses and responsibilities under my remit.  I cringe at some of the clumsy mistakes I made as a new leader and so I soon learned to adapt the ways in which I handled and dealt with staff, parents and other leaders in the school.  

    When I left to join Hessle, it coincided with the arrival of a new Headteacher, Sarah Young, who rebuilt the school, literally and figuratively.  Working with her, and other leaders, came at the perfect time for my career and, when others moved on, I was in the prime position to become the Head.  It sometimes feels like very good fortune but I am not too modest to recognise that I must have done something right to put myself in the right place to take advantage of the opportunities that have come my way. 

    More than anything, on reflection, I feel that my ability to adapt to new settings and challenges has probably been most responsible for opening doors for me. 

    I am nothing like the individual that started out teaching in 2001; I’ve learned how to conduct myself professionally in different audiences, when to speak, and when not to.   

    As a leader, I’ve learned to adapt my leadership style so that I take the lead when I need to, but I also know when to support and facilitate the work of others when that is the right thing to do.  I used to get that balance wrong lots of times, but I’ve learned and adapted. 

    School leadership throws up different challenges all the time.  Next year will be my twenty-fifth working in schools, and twenty-fourth as a leader of some description.  I don’t intend it to be my last, so I know that I need to continue to adapt to the changing nature of students, of parents and of staff in order to do the best job that I can.   

    ***  

    This is the shortest term of the year, at just 23 school days, but it certainly seems to be the busiest.  A four-day week can be a blessing but often means that there is just less time in which to do a week’s work!  

    Nevertheless, it has been a nice and calm week in school.  There have been multiple exams taking place in practical subjects and most days extended for Year 11 students who are staying after the normal school day to take advantage of revision being offered by their teachers.  During the day, the change to lunchtime has gone well and students in all year groups are taking advantage of the fine weather to enjoy the field and spend more time outside.  A number of trips have taken place and the staff meeting yesterday afternoon saw a real buzz and sense of purpose in the hall as I outlined where we are on our school improvement journey.   

    All told, a positive week but I am looking forward to the weekend. 

    It starts tonight when we celebrate our son’s birthday, continues into the weekend with some gardening and relaxing, before a night out tomorrow night with some colleagues, and the Hull v Wigan game on Sunday.  Throw in some time watching my son refereeing football matches (his latest way of spending 24/7 involved in sport) and a bit of running myself and the weekend is no slower than the weekdays. 

    However you are choosing to spend your time, I wish you a nice weekend and thank you once again for your support. 

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 27 - Friday 4 April 2025

    Published 04/04/25

    Firstly, my apologies for not sending out a Headteacher Blog last week.  I had one of those days where best laid plans are turned inside out, of which more later. 

    Like everyone in the world it seems, my wife and I have been watching the Netflix drama, Adolescence, in recent weeks.  Given the theme and content, we made the conscious decision to watch it with our fourteen-year-old son.  It was a compelling, if not enjoyable, experience and I found myself thinking hard about the content and what it means for me as a dad but also a Headteacher.   

    The scene which I found the most ingenious and memorable was the one in which the mum and dad reminisced about an event from their childhood where the dad, dancing to impress the girls, split his trousers causing hilarity to those present at a school disco.  This depiction of a much more innocent time, where humiliation meant being laughed at by a small number of mates, contrasted sharply with the kind of online humiliation that can be so devastating for young people today.  When I meet up with my mates we still reminisce in similar ways, laughing at daft things that we did growing up.  When we felt okay to be vulnerable and to make mistakes because we were in a safe space, amongst mates.  Now, the audience is much bigger, the stakes greater.  It is unsettling and, as parents, we all share the burden of looking after young people as they navigate this world. 

    I found some of the school-based scenes quite shocking, however, and I can assure all parents that I have never come across a school in which safety and wellbeing standards are as weak as those depicted in Adolescence.  Just as police officers are always appalled at the way their profession is depicted in TV dramas, we are the same in education.  Schools are much more professional, standards are much higher and students are safer than they are often portrayed on TV.   

    ***  

    It has been a lovely week in school and the opening of the school field has enabled students to use the full extent of the site, especially at lunchtime when the field has been full of footballers and friends sitting and chatting in groups on the field.  It has been great to see. 

    I wrote to all parents this week outlining our changes to the lunch period from 22 April.  These will operate until the end of term and I hope to confirm arrangements for 2025-26 very soon as a few parents have queried this.  The letter can be found here. 

    ***  

    We go into the Easter break with plans well advanced for our Year 11 students. Most of them are now staying in school late each day, taking advantage of revision sessions being offered by staff.  There are also similar numbers signed up for free Easter revision classes, which start on Monday and run until Thursday, each week of the Easter break.  If you have not signed your child up for these yet, there are still some spaces available for some sessions, which you can access via the Arbor app.   

    ***  

    It is a busy start to the Easter break in the Groak household.  Tomorrow, our son is heading off on his first real adventure without us, travelling to Italy on Wolfreton’s school skiing trip.  He is hugely excited, and we are equally proud of how confident he is about it all. As he heads down the motorway, I will be going to the MKM Stadium to watch the Challenge Cup Quarter Final between Hull and Hull KR.  As much as I really want Hull to win, I hope that my team continues to improve and show as much pride in their performance as they have done in recent weeks.  Seeing twenty thousand plus watching a game which is also on live TV is great for both clubs and the city, so I am looking forward to it and only wish that my son would be there too to watch it with me. 

    *** 

    So last Friday was one of those days where I woke up to blue skies and a neatly planned day ahead of me; there were no real issues on the horizon, and I had every reason to look forward to the weekend.  

    And then our daughter woke up with stomach cramps.  A doctor’s appointment was hastily made which only I could get out of school to take her to.  A nurse and a doctor agreed that it ‘probably’ wasn’t appendicitis; but ‘it might be best to take her in and get it checked’.  Which meant seven hours in Hull Royal Infirmary as we were passed from room to room, and she was inspected by multiple people before they concluded that it was ‘probably something viral’.  All of which was a relief but had turned my day inside out and meant most of Saturday was spent clearing emails and catching up.  Such is life as a parent – I am sure you have all experienced days like that. 

    Finally, as we reach the Easter break, I would like to thank you all for your continued support of our school.  It is greatly appreciated and makes our job infinitely easier. 

    Enjoy the Easter weekend when it arrives. 

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 25 - Friday 21 March 2025

    Published 21/03/25

    It was five years ago this week that we closed the school at the start of the Covid pandemic.  

    Knowing that this milestone was on the horizon, I have gone back into my emails to get a sense of what that time was like for everyone associated with the school.  It was a strange experience to recall some of the decisions that we had to make and the impact that it had on us as a staff team. 

    One of my priorities at that time was to ensure that the school communicated clearly and frequently with our students, parents/carers and staff.  I spent many hours writing updates to be emailed to all our stakeholders.  For every one that I sent, I received dozens of replies, mostly just acknowledging the message and offering support for what we were doing.   Our entire school community had never felt closer and more in tune with each other. 

    What also comes through – as you will see – is the practicality and pragmatism of our decision making.  Whilst a global pandemic raged, we were meticulously organising work for students to do at home, sourcing laptops for students, organising meal vouchers for those on Free School Meals, scheduling staffing rotas, identifying children of ‘key workers’ and much else besides. We were supported by our Trust colleagues and other colleagues working in Public Health and the Local Authority who were regularly in touch and constantly on hand to help us.  Whilst the national response was often chaotic, at local level, our community was well served. 

    To give you a flavour of what we were doing at the time, let me share an email that I sent to parents in that fateful week before schools closed. 

    On Thursday 19 March 2020, I wrote: 

    Good morning parents/carers 

    I am sure by now you have all heard the news that schools across the country will close for the foreseeable future, after Friday afternoon.  There are some exceptions to this but, as yet, we do not have any further details from the Government.   

    Until the end of the week, The Hessle Academy remains open for all year groups and I urge you to send your child to school until then, unless they are ill or are part of a family that is self-isolating. 

    We will have a lot of information to share with you and your child in the coming days so please keep checking our website and any further emails that we send you. 

    This is unprecedented and the implications of this announcement will have a significant impact on all of us; parents, school staff but most of all, the young people.  This is not an extended holiday and we will continue to provide your child with regular school work and as much structure as we possibly can in the coming weeks.  I know that this will be an extremely difficult time for you and we will do everything that we can to support you.   

    Once we have further information from the Government around the key groups whose children will continue to come to school, I will contact you again.   

    In the meantime, take care, and thank you for your ongoing support. 

    On that same Thursday, we held an Assembly with our Year 11 students and had to pass on the news that they would not be sitting their GCSE exams and that they would be leaving school the very next day.  I still recall the emotion in the room (students and staff) at the enormity of what was happening.  

    The following day, we gave them the opportunity to sign each other’s shirts – a ritual that all students look forward to when they leave school.  I remember feeling desperately sorry for this group of students in particular and, the following week, I wrote them the following letter: 

    Last week was extremely difficult for everyone but the thing of which I am most proud as headteacher is that we managed to give all of our wonderful Year 11 students an appropriate send-off on Friday afternoon.  It was great to see you signing your shirts, taking photographs and sharing stories with the staff that have supported you along the way.  Thank you for sharing in those moments. 

    I reiterate my promise that you will have a prom.  We have not cancelled the date in June; however, if we have to do so, we will rearrange it to a time that enables as many of you as possible to come back and enjoy it.   

    In the meantime, keep yourselves safe and do everything that you can to support your families and those vulnerable people in your community.  If I could wish one final thing for you it is this: when you look back, in years to come, at the unprecedented events of 2020, be proud of yourself for how you behaved, how you responded and what you did to help others.  

    Take care and best wishes 

    Sadly, I never fulfilled that promise to give them a Prom.  By the time it became feasible, they had all moved on to pastures new.  Nevertheless, I believe that the Class of 2020 really did live up to my hopes for them and I know have gone on to great things. 

    Schools have not been the same since the pandemic.  Things have changed - in some ways for the better, in others not.  With five years travelled since the start of lockdown, I prefer to remember the positives and the way in which everyone supported each other will leave a lasting memory. 

    Enjoy the weekend and thank you for your support. 

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 24 - Friday 14 March 2025

    Published 14/03/25

    I have spent a good deal of time thinking about Parents Evenings in recent weeks.   

    The Spring term brings a succession of these, and we believe that this is the best time of the year for teachers to be feeding back progress to parents and carers.  It was a few years ago when we changed the title of these events to Progress evenings, firstly to make clear that academic progress is the key focus for the meetings, but also to recognise that not all students are supported in their schooling by their parents.  It may be step-parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts or carers.  That would be too long to fit on the booking form so, instead, we opted for Progress Evening. 

    Any of you that have attended these know that there are inherent logistical challenges with scheduling and sticking to appointments.  We – and you – do our very best to make it work and mostly it does.  The feedback is good, and you provide us with helpful ideas on how to continue to improve it. 

    If attendance is anything to go by, you certainly value them.  Last night's Year 10 event attracted 80% of the year group, up from 65% at the same time last year (Y9).  This shows a remarkable level of support for our teachers and is crucial to improving their chances of success in the summer of 2026.   

    At the same time, after starting the night at Hessle, I travelled over to Wolfreton for my own son’s Parents Evening.  Here I experienced the event from your perspective – hearing from teachers and asking questions about his effort and potential.   Afterwards my wife and I tried to instigate a conversation about it – with little success.  He had done well with only minor things for him to work on but, rather than tell him how to fix those things, we hoped he would have his own ideas.  He didn’t.  He’s fourteen now and has become monosyllabic unless he is talking about food or football!   We persevered and eventually got a promise to spend a bit more time looking at books and less time on his phone.  If any of that resonates with you - believe me - I empathise. 

    The attendance last night has been a continuation of a wider trend of engagement with our school, which manifests in parent events as well as student attendance, both of which continue to rise.  Current school attendance is now 2.3% ahead of last year at the same time and whole-school attendance now outstrips both the regional and national average.  This is crucial to achieving success for our students and we thank you for your support in driving this up.  Nationally, and at school level, we are still around 2% below pre-Covid levels and there remain genuine challenges for young people, families and schools but we will persevere and keep striving for our goal of 96% attendance across the school. 

    And so, after a chilly and wet week, we look forward to another dry spell coming up next week.  During the week, we will also be able to update you on our lunch plans which will change after Easter to enable Year 11 students to move to an early lunch period as they approach their exams. 

    In the meantime, enjoy the weekend and thanks again for your support.  

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 23 - Friday 7 March 2025

    Published 07/03/25

    It has been a splendid week.  Most weeks leading a school are a pleasure and a joy; but this week has been especially enjoyable. 

    The weather has helped but so has the general positivity of everyone in our school.  To give you a flavour of the privileges I have enjoyed this week: 

    On Monday, I addressed our Year 11 students in their assembly.  I spoke to them about the team that they have around them – teachers, leaders, pastoral staff.  Indeed every adult in the school is rooting for them as they enter the final eight weeks of schooling before their external exams begin.  I love speaking to groups of students in assemblies; I try not to do it too often so that – hopefully – when I do, the message sounds fresh and has meaning.  Our students are super-respectful in assemblies – we have total silence and perfect conduct.  One or two thanked me as they left.  That’s all I needed. 

    Later on Monday, I showed Mark Brown (our Trust Director of Education) around the school.  We visited a handful of lessons which happened to be some of our most creative subjects – we heard a year 10 student play the keyboard and watched a dance lesson.  Then we saw some students working on their photography portfolios.  All of them utterly absorbed in what they were doing and enjoying their chosen KS4 curriculum. 

    Break and lunch duties have been a pleasure this week with so many students enjoying socialising outdoors.  We have introduced a number of table games to our site, starting with some table football games. These have gone down a storm, with students loving the challenge of playing each other – and staff.  Miss Pinkney (HOY9) has shown herself to be quite an adept ‘striker’. 

    On Monday night, Mrs Groak and Miss Oddell returned from Barcelona where they had taken a groups of Sixth Form students on a weekend trip.  The feedback has been tremendous and – since I teach some of the students myself – I had the opportunity to ask them what they thought of the trip.  “Loved it”, they said, “we just want to go back there”.  You could see that – in a weekend – horizons had been expanded, life opportunities recalibrated. 

    On Tuesday, I visited Year 11 Maths lessons where students have received their mock exam papers back.  There were lots of happy students but also some disappointment.  Their teachers were skilfully managing both sets of emotions whilst presenting students with their bespoke plans for improvement.  Being a teacher of a Year 11 class at this time of the school year is akin to being a parent, delivering encouragement and support with a firm hand.   

    Elsewhere this week, I have met with three colleagues that have been seconded to our Senior Leadership Team for the year.  Already effective middle leaders, they have taken on the opportunity to develop themselves professionally by attending our meetings and bringing different perspectives and voices to our discussions.  This is something that we have done for four years at Hessle and it has definitely strengthened our overall leadership across the school as well as developing colleagues for their own progression.  Three people have moved on to other roles elsewhere in our Trust due, in part, to the experience of senior leadership.  Whilst we do not want to lose good people, I am pragmatic in knowing that we cannot hold onto everyone who is ambitious and would much rather help them on their way to success. 

    Finally, I have also dropped into rehearsals for our upcoming school production of Grease; this takes place between 18 and 21 March and will feature a cast and crew from right across the school, including students of all ages.  The students, and staff, have taken their rehearsals very seriously and are keen to put on a high quality production.  They always do and I am looking forward to seeing it later this Month. 

    And finally, on Thursday afternoon, we hosted our Year 9 Progress Evening and were delighted to have two hundred plus families in attendance.  This time marks the mid-point of a secondary school education and you can see the increasing educational maturity emerging in our young people.  It was great to see them and to chat to parents. 

    And then I left and went to the MKM stadium to watch Hull FC take on Leigh Leopards.  I was joined by Jim Nixon, Headteacher of Howden School, who had told me that he really wanted to see a Super League game in the flesh if I ever had a spare ticket.  What we witnessed was one of the most dramatic, and longest, games I’ve ever seen, which ultimately ended in a 22-22 draw.  It was full of controversy and action and, after Jim had left us, I stayed up late with my son watching the flashpoints and action on SKY.  Jim was very lucky to see such an epic game as his first taste of the sport and we were left proud of the effort of the Hull team.  It was also nice to see ex-Hessle students, Brad Fash and Jordan Lane, still regularly representing the club. 

    The weather forecast for the weekend is very pleasant so I wish you an enjoyable weekend and thank you for your support.  

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 22 - Friday 28 February 2025

    Published 28/02/25

    It was the writer and football fan, Nick Hornby, who wrote that ‘the natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment’.  And it was the comedian Jack Dee who admitted that his own ‘natural state’ was grumpy. 

    Others, with maybe more intellectual insight than those two, have agreed that the natural state of the human mind is to be dissatisfied or, at best, to be as happy as the human condition allows us to be. 

    As I get older, I do find myself more inclined to be grumpy, like most people of my age and generation, I guess.  But I have also identified a trait which may be more in tune with my job role, that of being ‘restlessly dissatisfied’.  I run a terrific school, with marvellous people working in it, fantastic students and great parents.  And yet, it is never enough. 

    As I walk the school site, I always come across something that isn’t quite as it should be - a student who isn’t where they’re meant to be, a display that has become tatty or unsightly, a poster on a wall with a spelling mistake.  I carry my phone with me (it ought to be a note pad) and will quickly note it down, or take a picture of it, so I can address it later.  As I do this, I sometimes wonder whether other people notice what I have seen.  I ask them but invariably they haven’t - they’re simply too busy, or they’re doing something else and don’t have the luxury that I have perhaps to walk the site without singular purpose, with my head up.  Basically, looking for things that aren’t as they should be. 

    The challenge for me – in grumpy middle age – is not to overreact to what I have seen.  I must put right whatever the problem is and try, as far as we can, to prevent it from happening again.  But not to blame, not to show too much dissatisfaction.  My leadership philosophy has always been to communicate my expectations, based on our Trust and school values and vision, and then to empower my staff to deliver to the best of their ability.  This carries an inherent risk that they will make mistakes.  But the pay off in terms of their motivation and creativity and discretionary effort is more than worth it.  Which is why, when mistakes are made, I mustn’t overreact or attach too much blame. 

    But it does getter harder as I get older.  Being aware of it, I suppose, is part of the remedy.  As is having other senior leaders who will point it out when I get things wrong, as they do.  

    ***  

    This week we have been putting our finishing touches to the Third Edition of The Eagle, which will be emailed to you shortly.  Reading these before they go out definitely moves the dial in the positive direction on the ‘grumpometer’.  Seeing the range of activities that our students are engaged in, across sports, arts, charity work, as well as in their classrooms, fills me with pride.  Whilst we send out The Eagle edition which corresponds with the year group your child is in, you can read all five of them on our website.  It will give you a strong sense of the full breadth of activity taking place in our school. 

    Thank you also to everyone that has completed the Edurio Parent Survey.  This is still open until the 10 March and can be found here if you have not yet completed it. 

    ***  

    There are now just 38 school days until our Year 11 students sit down in the hall for their first external GCSE exam.  They have acquitted themselves admirably this year, especially during recent mock exam weeks, which they have mostly taken in their stride. 

    There is a huge amount of activity taking place to support our Year 11 student, with lots of information being communicated to them, and home.  To help organise this, next week we are launching a dedicated area on our website which will enable students and parents/carers to find things such as exam timetables, revision schedules, tips on studying at home and so on.  We will share more information with you next week on this. 

    ***  

    On the subject of Nick Hornby’s ‘bitter disappointment’, Hull FC have begun their season in typical fashion – a good win which promises hope, followed by crushing defeat.   By the time you read this, they may well be back in action again on Friday night against Huddersfield.  My son and I will be watching on TV, prepared for whatever happens, knowing that the downsides, just make the upsides even better.  Just like life really. 

    However you are spending the weekend, I hope you can spend some time outdoors enjoying the spring sunshine.  Thank you for your support. 

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 21 - Friday 14 February 2025

    Published 14/02/25

    It was great to see so many parents and family members in attendance for our Year 7 Progress Evening this week.  It is no secret that we have had some technical issues with our booking systems this term which we hope has not caused too much inconvenience.  We have learned lots from each event and hope that these are resolved as we approach the Year 9 Progress Evening after half term (March 6).  As ever your patience is appreciated, as is your support. 

    Year 9 Information (Options) Evening is also on the horizon (February 25th).  On that evening (starting at 6pm), you will hear a presentation from school leaders outlining the options pathways available to students in Year 9 as well as having the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.  This event is part of the transition process for Year 9 which steers them towards Key Stage 4 and their GCSE studies.  We would love to see as many parents/carers as possible at this event, as well as the Progress Evening which follows.  Your support at this stage in your child’s education is imperative. 

    ***  

    Many thanks to those of you that have already completed the Edusurvey which was sent out last week.  This is a set of standardised questions that are being sent out to parents/carers across our trust and which will inform strategic planning.  If you haven’t yet completed it, please do so here 

    And, on the subject of feedback, thank you to those of you that have completed our own Parent survey, which is sent out around the time of each and every Progress Evening.  This information is then transferred into the Ofsted Parent View site which enables anyone to view the responses given either via the school or directly onto the site.  It can be found here.  Last year, we had 613 responses logged – lots of which came around the time of our Ofsted visit.  This year, we currently have 48 which is growing all the time.  I am delighted that 96% of respondents would recommend our school to another parent. This is great testament to the work we do and we appreciate the support you give us. 

    **** 

    Next week, myself and the family are spending some time in Berlin.  This is a city that I have visited several times and have a fascination with.  For this break, we faced a choice between somewhere further south with a chance of some sunshine (my wife’s choice) or Berlin, which will be cold and has a tendency towards bleak.  Nevertheless, my son is studying the Cold War and is intrigued by the story of the Berlin Wall.  My daughter, meanwhile, is hoping to see some stars on the red carpet as it is the annual Berlin Film Festival whilst we are there.  So, the timing seemed ideal for a trip to Germany.  And it is cheap at this time of the year, which helps! 

    As well as the history and culture, my son and I have also bagged tickets to see Hertha Berlin playing at the Olympiastadion, home of the 1936 Olympics, with all that entails.  It should be a fascinating trip.  The only problem being how to get all our cold weather clothes into a Ryanair-compliant 10kg suitcase! 

    Aside from that, I am looking forward to some relaxation and a chance to catch up on some reading.  I have a stack of books which I am trying to wade through but never really find the time to do so and am guilty of buying more books than I ever read.  School holidays give me some of that time and I intend to use it next week. 

    I hope that you enjoy the weekend and that half term enables you to spend more time together as a family.  Thanks as ever for your support.   

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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  • WEEK 20 - Friday 7 February 2025

    Published 07/02/25

    You would think it would be impossible to make Ofsted's system for reporting on schools any worse than the single phrase judgement system. And yet, according to Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of ASCL, that is precisely what they have done. The proposed report cards, he said, were “worse than single-word judgements”. 

    These were introduced on Monday at the start of a twelve-week consultation period which, in theory, should lead to them being used in inspections from November. This is a timeframe which is extremely short and has already led to whistleblowers from within Ofsted reporting that the whole process has been too quick and lacking proper scrutiny.  Alongside the report card is a proposed monitoring system, the detail of which I have read three times, and still don't quite understand.  

    Schools will be placed in ‘special measures’ if any area (except leadership) or safeguarding is a concern, and leadership is also a concern. Those schools will get six monitoring inspections over 24 months. A school will ‘require significant improvement’ if any area (except leadership) or safeguarding is a concern, but leadership is not. These schools will get five over 18 months. Clear?  

    It remains to be seen how 'high stakes' this becomes and what the consequences will be if a school gets an 'attention needed' judgement. That will depend on the perception of parents, local media and the rest of the system as to how they respond and whether schools will also get support from inspectors before, during and after each inspection. We can only hope that this will not be the 'cliff edge' judgement that has led to such perverse incentives in our schools for the past few decades.  

    The consultation is open now and runs until end of April.  It is open to parents to please consider taking part.   

    ***  

    This week’s lunch trial has been a qualified success.  Successful in the sense that the plans we had in place were effective; but this was qualified by the fact that it didn’t rain or snow! 

    When choosing early February to run a trial, we anticipated that we would get some wet weather which would enable us to see how our plans would cope with high numbers of students wanting to remain indoors.  That didn’t happen and, for most of the week, students have preferred to socialise outside once they had grabbed their food.  Nevertheless, the queues were managed well, adapted space was used well and, as ever, our students coped admirably with the change.  We will have another attempt at trialling this further later in the term. 

    On Monday, Year 11 students begin their last round of Mock Exams before the real ones take place in the summer.  The importance of mocks cannot be overstated.  They are useful for teachers in determining what a student still needs to work on and can also influence the tier of entry that a student goes.  For students, they have a big influence on confidence, good or bad.  We urge all students, and families, to treat these as if they were the real thing and prepare accordingly, which means getting plenty of sleep and exercise, but also doing independent revision at home, as well as in school.  This ‘balanced’ approach is always more effective than relying on revision sessions with teachers, or last-minute cramming.  If there is still any doubt about the pitfalls of ‘cramming’ then please look up the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve to see what I mean. 

    ***  

    I always think (optimistically) that February half term marks the beginning of the end of winter and the start of Spring.  That may not be meteorologically correct but it often feels that way as nights grow longer and the chances of snow and slush recede.  Tomorrow the rugby league season starts and we are just one week from half term.  I hope you have nice plans over the next couple of weeks to spend more time outdoors and with family over the half term break. 

    It has been another calm and purposeful week at school and we know that cannot happen without your support so thank you.  And have a lovely weekend. 

    Mr Groak

    Headteacher

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