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