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Hessle High School

Head of Year 7 Blog

 

MRS J TODD

I am very proud to be the Head of Year 7.

If you wish to contact me, please email HOY7@hessleacademy.com

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Archive

  • WEEK 12 - Friday 1 December 2023

    Published 04/12/23

    Hello to all our year 7 students and their families, 

    I hope everyone is staying warm as the cold sets in. 

    The frosty mornings have arrived, and thankfully I am seeing more coats, bobble hats, scarves and gloves; however, bags are not as present as when the year started and more students are forgetting things in a morning.  Please can you encourage them to pack the night before and check what they need; this helps them start their day and stops us interrupting your day and asking for something to be dropped off. 

    Last week the Year 7s had a wonderful assembly about diversity. Mr Chapman, one of our Deputy Head teachers, opened with a brave confession that he ‘Loved Jellybeans!’ The faces of the year group showed total and utter confusion; they were baffled as to why they were being told this ‘Weird’ fact. The assembly went on to introduce the year group to ‘Jellybean families’, again bewilderment filled the air, and then came the moment where the connection to the topic of tolerance and diversity became clear.  We are like jellybeans- each one different, liked by some and not others, but ultimately this doesn’t matter. Students have since been talking about accepting others, checking on isolated students, and showing awareness that each one is fine to be who they are and that they will find their family. I have been so proud of how they have taken on board such an important message. The uniqueness has also been a focus of our school Christmas tree, which has two tops- as one student added ‘We could have an angel and a star’. 

    It then becomes clear that the buzz now is the build up towards Christmas; worryingly, some students have told me it is Christmas from today (1st December) and I can assure you that we are not ready for that just yet. There are some end of term assessments looming; our Carol Concert to be held; Competitions to take part in and a charity collection. The competition is running between tutor groups; they have been asked to create a festive display in their tutor rooms, showing their group traits and characteristics: please follow us on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to see these as I intend to share them. The charity collection is for P.A.U.L for Brain- we are collecting tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and biscuits for them to use when they host activity mornings and group support mornings.  Donations can be brought in and given to myself or their tutors. 

    In the past week or two, I have been overwhelmed with the support from families when I am speaking about the year group. The parental backing is such an imperative relationship when supporting learners. I have had several students come and open-up to me about various issues, all adding that somebody at home told them to come and talk to me. For all we are less than a term in, the trust in me to support them, and you, is greatly appreciated. Tutors are also now fully understanding of students in their groups and our team ethos is gaining strength week on week. 

    To support students, I am also reminding them about staying safe as they travel to and from school. Please encourage them to have location apps and trackers on devices, that they come to and from groups with friends, and the route travelled is known by family at home. There have also been conversations about being sensible in slippery conditions.  Nobody needs a trip to A&E at any time, let alone in the run up to Christmas. 

    I close my blog with a message of thanks to Mr Fielden. This week he has left us to venture on to pastures new. We all wish him good luck and success in his new role and thank him for the support he has given the Year 7s since they arrived in September. 

    Whilst we appoint a replacement, please be aware that the wider student service team are supporting me with the year group. If you cannot get hold of the year 7 office, please email us at HOY7@hessleacademy.com and we will contact you at the first availability. 

    Whatever you do this weekend: have fun, take care, and stay safe. 

    Mrs Todd

    Head of year

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  • WEEK 12 - Friday 1 December 2023

    Published 01/12/23

    I hope everyone is staying warm as the cold sets in. The frosty mornings have arrived, and thankfully I am seeing more coats, bobble hats, scarves and gloves; however, bags are not as present as when the year started and more students are forgetting things in a morning...

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  • WEEK 10 - Friday 17 November 2023

    Published 20/11/23

    Hello to all our year 7 students and their families, 

    Each morning I gaze towards the Humber bridge, as our site sits just beyond the North Tower and I feel proud to know the bridge means so much to the local community. I say this because this is where our Personal Development programme for students took its name, ‘The Bridge’ and I am excited to share with you how students are already accessing this curriculum alongside their subject based lessons. 

    As discussed, before half term the students had the ‘One Punch’ presentation from P.A.U.L and this was the start. Last Friday students had a presentation from ’RIOT ACT’ who came in to talk to them about the importance of road safety. This week then saw them have their first drop-down day and spend Wednesday in the ‘All about me’ sessions; the sessions were delivered by staff and external visitors and covered topics such as: Healthy Lifestyles, identity, Breasticles and Testicles, Cyber Bullying, aspiring to be part of the 6th form in the future, and Carers. Please speak to your children about these events as they will share some great information with you. ‘The Bridge’ is there to promote the personal development for our learners, and there will be more happening in the future. 

    Last Friday also saw us hold our first celebration assembly for the year group. In the assembly I praised the students for demonstrating our values; some received Tutor awards for impressing their tutor daily; we recognised 100% attendance, achieved by an astonishing 187 students; and students who had all taken part in the Attendance and behaviour 3-week challenge (210 students).  

    The competition then hotted up as we discussed the students and tutor group with the highest house points. There was a lot of excitement generated by using ‘Spinning wheels’ to select winners and for lucky draws done, with all students being reminded that they all stand a chance of being in the draws for next half term. It was fabulous to see their faces as they realised, we are a school where positive praise is the norm. 

    Students have also had a message in this week's assembly about valuing themselves and not letting other people bring them down. I read a poem, which is also displayed in all tutor bases: 

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  • WEEK 8 - Thursday 26 October 2023

    Published 26/10/23

    Hello to all my year 7 Students and their families, 

    Whoosh... End of term 1A: The longest of the half terms! 

    Whilst I am not an avid follower of sport, I do look forward to watching Rugby Union. Under the leadership of Steve Borthwick, I have thoroughly ridden the emotional journey of the England Rugby team in their World Cup campaign and saw the team demonstrate many of the values that we as a school hope to instil in our learners. Their determination, reflection of behaviours and performance and resilience have been tremendous- and I have also seen this in the year group over the past 8 weeks too. 

    I will be looking to expand my sport spectatorship in the coming years, as whenever I can, I plan on being out to support our year 7 teams: They are on fire! The various teams are made up by such a diverse range of students and I am seeing friendships change, bonding develop and the camaraderie between then is inspiring: 

    Our year 7 girls football team have got through the first two rounds of the National Cup; they played Ormiston Academy (5-2 win) and Humberston Academy (2-1 win) and progressed to the third round that will be played after half-term.  

    Some of our Year 7 girls were also represented in a 5-a-side Tigers Trust Tournament on Wednesday and did amazingly well.  Two teams (of girls in Years 7 to 9) were entered and both teams managed to qualify from their groups comfortably.  In the next round, the A Team beat Sirius West 3-0, whilst the B Team triumphed 3-2 over Cottingham; both sides progressing to the semi-finals, where Hessle A won 4-1 against Driffield and Hessle B beat Wolfreton 1-0. 

    And so it was an all-Hessle final, with Hessle A victorious but all the girls showed fantastic skill and sportsmanship and are an absolute credit to the school. 

    Our Year 7 boys football team also recently won their first fixture at home to Driffield 5-3 in the first round of the East Riding Cup and will face South Holderness School in the next round.   

    Our Cross-Country team had their first outing this week and again came home with smiles in abundance. Some of the students will also have the chance to take part in the next event over in Scunthorpe once all the positions have been confirmed. 

    Finally, the girls’ Netball team played matches at South Hunsley and were deserving winners of their matches too. 

    A huge round of applause to all involved (especially as the temperatures are dropping!) 

    Beyond the great outdoors, many Year 7s are now fully immersed in Music lessons: Singing, Piano, Violin, Drum, Guitar, Clarinet... the list continues. Students have joined the choir and will be practicing for our annual Christmas concert and the Hessle Lights’ Switch on. Then, there are the aspiring ‘West End’ actors that have secured roles in the eagerly anticipated school production of Oliver Twist. 

    The Dungeons and Dragon club is filling the corridors with laughter and giggles on a Friday when the staff are vacating for the weekend, and many more clubs are starting up as well. 

    On the homework front, please keep your eyes on ‘X’ (Formerly Twitter) as staff are starting to share photos of work done by the students. In Geography, I have been around the world in various shoeboxes- looking at the Pyramids, Australian Islands, key landmarks in London and various miniature football stadiums. 

    Last week, the year group took part in the NHS’s ‘Restart a Heart’ workshop. Paramedics came in to show students how to give CPR if they ever find themselves in a situation that requires it. They looked at how to check for risks first, check breathing, and how to count- singing along to ‘Baby Shark’ which apparently has the necessary rhythm! 

    With regards to testing and assessing students, we have completed CATs and Screening now, whilst baseline assessments are happening in subjects this week and just beyond the half term. Again, I am proud of how students are conducting themselves in these lessons. 

    After the half term I will be rewarding students for attendance and positive behaviours. Please keep your eye out for messages when your child is congratulated and check their bags for postcards from teachers. 

    It has been a busy and tiring half-term and I know so many of the students and staff are ready to take a breather and recharge their batteries next week. Please remember the clocks go back and that dark nights will be drawing in.  

    Please encourage your child to bring a coat, gloves, and a school bag (lots are not using them and filling pockets with their items). They need to be warm and keep dry in the cold and damp climate. Again, I ask that you discuss their trips to and from school to ensure you know which routes they will take and that they do so with others.  

    We return on Monday 6th November, and it will be Week A on the timetable. 

    Have a wonderful week off; enjoy any Halloween or Bonfire events and stay safe. 

    Take Care, 

    Mrs Todd

    Head of Year 7

    Mr Fielden 

    Assistant Head of Year 7

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  • WEEK 6 - Friday 13 October 2023

    Published 13/10/23

    Hello to all our year 7 students and their families, 

    The mornings are starting to feel damper, mist hovers across the school fields, and the leaves are starting to turn colour; it is my favourite season and a time of year where diaries are filling up for everybody. This week the promise of a trip to Hull Fair, if behaviour is good at school, has been hot on the lips of our 7s; with tales of visits to Hull Fair being heard each morning- along with how much sugar has been consumed! It has reminded me how important tradition is for our students and how much time with their friends and family is treasured. It has also set me up to track memories over the coming years that we can all reflect on in the future. 

    One of these early moments, future memories, is how well the students have listened to some very moving life experiences in the past 2 weeks; how they show sympathy and empathy towards others and discuss what they have heard with maturity. Last Friday the students listened to one of Humberside Police’s PCSOs, Dan, talk about how much the families on her patch become part of her life and how she supports them; the difficult tale was then of ‘The Left Behind’ as she opened about one young man making a poor choice that led to a tragic accident. Her bravery to talk about it and encourage the students to not give in to pressure was a powerful message.  

    On Wednesday of this week students then got to meet Paul Spence (From the charity P.A.U.L for Brain Recovery) Like Dawn, Paul spoke about how a single, unprovoked, punch destroyed the life he had built and how he has had to rebuild it- his physical/ mental self, relationships with family and friends, and work; Paul’s story is inspirational and the message to students was to make sure they were not putting themselves in situations where one punch from them could destroy the life of somebody else. Both speakers evoke our core values and I hope your child has learned that resilience, respect, responsibility, and kindness have helped these speakers and how they can develop these values within themselves. 

    We have also been celebrating successes with the year group this week. I started off adding 181 names to a spinning wheel for students who had had 100% attendance in the first 4 weeks. From this, 10 names were drawn, and spot prizes given. I then had a delivery of treats for students who are already hitting the first 3 levels of House Point Milestones. As a year group we have over 27,000 already: AM-AZ-ING! (Channelling my inner Craig Revel- Horwood). As I continue to work on positive rewards and praise, students are now in a 3-week window to embrace my latest challenge; I have three categories for the students to work towards: 100% Attendance and zero negative behaviour points, 100% Attendance, or zero negative points. The challenge started on Monday 9th October and runs until we finish for half-term on Thursday 26th October. 

    As I walk between classrooms each day, teachers are talking positively about how the students are developing confidence in subjects, how marking books reveals their individual characters, and some of the entertaining moments from lessons. One of my favourites was hearing a student read a description of a teacher- ‘Wears high heels and has high standards, without heels she is tiny. She loves a Shein dress and has a great fashion style; her nails are pretty; she is a little crazy; and her dark brown hair, has a silver sparkle near the roots...’, I went home and coloured my hair! They are certainly getting to know me well and understand that their staff care. I hope they continue to enjoy their lessons and develop relationships with so many teachers. 

    Attendance to clubs continues to increase and the latest to be added to the ever-increasing choices is our School Choir; This runs on a Monday lunchtime each week. The choir is a great part of the school and our extended community. They perform at The Hessle Christmas Lights Switch on; Christmas Carol Service; entertain staff at meetings and celebratory events; and any other opportunity that we can find. Beyond this, more clubs happen weekly, and new ones appear at various times throughout the year, so please encourage your child to give them a go; it is a great way to make friends with similar interests. 

    My last note is a safety note. As the days get shorter and darker, please encourage your child to ensure they are walking to and from school with others, use well-lit routes, and that they keep their location turned on on their phones. It is also getting colder, so please encourage them to wear a coat and stay warm when they are outside. 

    As I now end, please remember we are here to support you and your child. You can contact us via the phone, using option 7 and then option 1, or email us at hoy7@hessleacademy.com. 

    Take care and stay safe. 

    Mrs Todd

    Head of Year 7

    Mr Fielden

    Assistant Head of Year 7

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  • WEEK 4 - Friday 29 September 2023

    Published 02/10/23

    Hello to all our year 7 students and your families, 

    Blink once, blink twice, and we are halfway through our first half term; 4 weeks of secondary school for the year group... and I already love being their Head of Year and getting to know them each as individuals. It makes me so excited for what is ahead and so proud to write these blogs letting you know what is happening. 

    It was lovely to meet those of you able to attend our Parent’s Information evening this week. People are asking how I am getting on with my new year 7s and I say things are going well, but I am also getting to know 250 families (Thankfully some old familiar faces from years gone by, so not quite 250.) The relationship between home and school is imperative; this is the greatest way to ensure we support our students through their journey at school and beyond. Additionally, I am developing these relationships through meetings, phone calls, and emails, so thank you for having the trust in me to work together; buckle up as the next five years will be quite a ride. 

    One of the first peaks we are climbing is navigating Microsoft and the various platforms we use for home learning. Hopefully you have received the PowerPoint which was emailed recently, explaining how to find access to our Microsoft Hub and then on to Teams, alongside others. The main cause of worry is passwords; I spent time this week speaking to our Head of Department and think we may have finally made it simple. On Educake, Sparks, and Seneca there are boxes for login details; however, there is also an option to ‘Log in with Microsoft’- Click there and students should then reach the site for their homework. I am forever an optimist and hopefully it will be this simple; on the other hand, I understand glitches may occur, so please let us know if there is an issue. (It is sometime worth trying on a different device if all else fails.) We are going through this with students again next week in tutor. 

    The second of our three peaks are ‘After School clubs’. There were lots of questions on Tuesday, and in the last week over phone/ emails about what is on when. Firstly, all clubs run between 3 and 4pm. The range of clubs available has something for everyone, with new clubs starting all the time. Each week students are shown a PowerPoint slide that lists any clubs that week. Please encourage them to note any of interest in their planners, so that you know their after-school movements. We are looking to build our year 7 Rugby team (Monday night training) and the Arts department are buzzing with excitement as they begin to set up auditions for our school production, ‘Oliver Twist’, which is also the text being studied in our year 7 English Lessons. 

    We must then prepare to climb our last peak; Preparing for what is yet to happen this half term. Next week’s year 7 assembly is with our local PCSOs and our School Nurse; the relationship we have in the local community means we work closely with the Police, and they are often in and around school to give our students the confidence to speak to them and get help, support and advice. It is for this same reason our school nurse, Jacki Scott, will introduce herself to the year group; she is with us once a week and students can see her for a full range of help and advice. On Wednesday 11th October, I have arranged for the year group to meet Paul Spence, from P.A.U.L 4 Brain Recovery; he will be in to deliver his ‘One Punch’ seminar, where he openly talks about brain injury and the implications following an assault.  This helps our students to appreciate risk and the fact that one decision can have lifelong consequences. 

    As we settle back into our daily routines: 

    • Biometric images for use in the canteen- I will be finishing these with students next week. If your child is yet to have theirs done, can you please ensure that you have consented to GDPR Biometric consent on our Arbor app. 

    • The weather- It is starting to become colder, darker and wetter. This week a few children have asked why they cannot bring coats to school which shocked me. Coats are allowed and encouraged. If they won’t fit in their bags, they can carry them and place them on chair backs. Additionally, please encourage your child to walk home with people or plan a route and have a location tacker on their phones as their safety is important for all of us. 

    As I now reach the end, remove my hiking heels, and look towards the weekend, please remember we are always here if you need anything (apart from the winning lottery numbers - I am not that good.) 

    Take care and stay safe. 

    Mrs Todd

    Head of Year 7

    Mr Fielden

    Assistant Head of Year 7

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  • WEEK 2 - Friday 15 September 2023

    Published 15/09/23

    Hello to all our year 7 students and their families, 

    Welcome to my first blog as Head of Year 7. The year leader blog is a place where I can share news about what our year group is up to and any necessary information and published fortnightly (Week B) on a Friday.  

    I want to start with an enormous ‘Thank you’ for ensuring your child was ready to join us on Tuesday 5 September. The students arrived and we were blown away by their smiling faces, wonderful manners, and how smart they all looked. Their first week was filled with so many positives. The staff across the school frequently stopped me to tell me how great their first lessons had been, how polite and respectful students were, and the high hopes they have for their classes. Students have since embraced the behaviour curriculum and the rewards system and this second week has also had several highs, including: the kindness students are showing towards others, the quest to get to know myself and their year 7 team, ways to increase their house points and their commitment to learning both in and outside the classroom. I am an immensely proud Head of Year. 

    At this point I would now like to introduce myself; I am Mrs Jenn Todd and have just begun my 14th year at Hessle High School. I am a former Hessle student and grew up in the local area. I teach English and Personal, Social and Health Education, and began developing a pastoral pathway in the second year of my career. When the house system was reintroduced, I became the Assistant Head of Ariel House, before being seconded to Head of House when my colleague went on Maternity leave. I continued in the roll until we changed to the year group system following the pandemic. After leading our 2018 intake through Years 9, 10, and 11, I was lucky enough to move back to the very start and to welcome your children into our 2023 intake.  

    As the Head of Year 7, I will wear many hats and ride the rollercoaster of life with them in the coming years. I take a broad, holistic approach to supporting students and their families, seeing that a close relationship between home and school reaps enormous benefits as your child moves through the school. I am supported by Mr Stuart Fielden, Assistant Head of Year 7, who has a number of years' experience supporting children in a range of educational settings; we are both available on phone, email HOY7@hessleacademy.com or face to face, to help in any way we can. Alongside this we have 14 fabulous tutors working as part of the team; my tutors teach a range of subjects, have a many years' experience, and see your child every day. Together we will strive to help your child settle at Hessle High School and enjoy the coming years, building key values and great memories. 

    Beyond the timetabled lessons, your child will have some fabulous opportunities to meet new teachers and make new friends in our school clubs. In the coming weeks we will start sharing the after-school club timetable with our students; accessing the extracurricular studies is a wonderful way for our students to build new and transferable skills. The girls football team is already sounding a popular choice, as are the other sporting activities, with Rugby and Netball trials taking place already.  There is already a buzz for joining the ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ club, and plenty of students excited about our Reading Room being available at the end of the day. The range of clubs at the school is vast and varied and has something for everyone, be they sporting, dramatic, or a critical thinker. 

    As I near the end of this blog I would like to highlight a few things:  

    • On Wednesday 13 September, students should have brought home their first high school photograph proof (please check their bags and under beds if they haven’t passed it on). The photography company, Tempest, have a website which is easy to navigate if you wish to view the photo online or place any orders. Their customer service team are on hand if you need support when ordering. You have a 14-day window in which to order photos of your child, this means the photos are delivered to the school and will come home with your child (if you order before 27 September). Any orders after this date will be sent to your home and there will be a delivery charge for this from Tempest.  Any students who missed the photos will have theirs taken on 26 October. 

    • We use a biometric print for our cashless catering till system. We wrote to you about this last term, but if you require information please contact us. Any student with permission from parents to have the biometric image, who are yet to have this taken will be caught up next week. Consent can be given on the Arbor Parent Portal. 

    • On Tuesday 26 September we are holding a Year 7 Parent/ Carer information evening. It will be a chance to see how your child has settled and for us to share key information with you. It is also a chance to meet Mr Fielden and me, along with our school leadership team. 

    Please praise your child on their fantastic start to life at Hessle High School and know that we will be there at any time to help you and your child. 

    Until next time, take care and stay safe. 

    Mrs Todd

    Head of Year 7

    Mr Fielden 

    Assistant Head of Year 7

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  • Head of Year 7 Blogs 2022/2023

    Published 04/09/23

    To view Year 7 Blogs from 2022/2023 please click here.

    Read More

  • Head of Year 7 Blogs 2021/2022

    Published 09/09/22

    To view Year 7 Blogs from 2021/2022 please click here

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  • Head of Year 7 Blogs 2020/2021

    Published 17/09/21

    To view Year 7 Blogs from 2020/2021 please click here

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