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Head of Year 10 Blog

MR M RICHES

I am very proud to be the Head of Year 10.

If you wish to contact me, please email HOY10@hessleacademy.com

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  • WEEK 24 - Friday 15 March 2024

    Published 18/03/24

    In this final blog before we break for Easter, it feels like a timely opportunity to look forward to the Summer and the light at the end of a long, dark winter. This weekend marks the Spring equinox. At this point, day and night will be around the same length which is evident in the word's origin derived from the Latin equi (meaning 'equal') and nox (meaning 'night'). Ultimately, it marks the beginning of spring and from this day forward the day is longer than the night meaning that on Monday our day will be 12 hours and 4 minutes. It doesn’t sound a lot, but it matters. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are (slowly, but surely) warming up and we are almost into the Summer Term. 

    As I was leaving school at the end of the day this week, I saw the carpet of crocuses and daffodils blooming again around Heads Lane and Jenny Brough Lane, as they do every spring. They reminded me – as they always do – that out of the cold and dark, brightness always returns. Working in schools, we are in the business of optimism. Every day, we work with young people who have the potential to go out and make the world better, to solve its problems, to make a positive difference. No matter how difficult things are, the positivity and potential of our students make the job worthwhile. 

    The Summer Term is where this potential can really grow. It will bring with it new challenges and opportunities including: 

    • Bridge Day on Thursday 6th June 

    • Careers Week starting on Monday 1st July 

    • Sports Day Tuesday 16th July 

    We’ll also encounter the shift in year groups as our Year 11 students complete their courses and sit their final exams and Year 10 move up into their place. This is where the positivity and potential mentioned earlier are really tested and where students are given that chance to mature and show what they are truly capable of. They’re no longer waiting for their time – their time is now. Over the last fortnight, some of our students have taken their chance to show what they are capable of and have demonstrated our values in the following ways: 

    Mr Penny has issued praise for the aspiration demonstrated by Ruby in 10P3: “Has shown an excellent attitude to learning in recent Physics lessons, answering questions and getting on with work despite the difficulty of the subject.” 

    and Mason in 10O2: “Always has done excellent work since the start of the year and is doing well due to the effort he puts in.” 

    Mrs Brennan has praised the responsibility shown by Libby in 10A1: “Libby always brings cooking ingredients to her practicals and is always willing to give everything a go. She works hard in theory lessons and contributes well to verbal discussions showing good understanding of the topics. Keep working hard Libby.” 

    and Cooper in 10O1: “Cooper always tries hard to bring cooking ingredients for his practicals and is always willing to give everything a go. He is enthusiastic and loves trying new things when we are experimenting. He is always engaged and listening which shows in his answers and he always contributes when having verbal discussions or questioning. Well done Cooper!” 

    I’ll finish by returning to the theme of light and looking forwards. As I write this blog, I am reliably informed that sunset tonight will occur at 6.07pm but by the time we return on the 8th of April, it will be almost 8pm by the time the sun goes down. A huge leap forwards. I hope that the Summer term also brings some big leaps for Year 10 students in their journey towards Year 11 and success.  

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey 

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 22 - Friday 1 March 2024

    Published 04/03/24

    Kindness and tolerance 

    This week, I have thought a lot about the school value of “Kindness”. In the quotation below, the aviator Amelia Earhart, offers an idea we can all use to frame our thinking about the subject. Kindness adds value because its impact is cumulative: the kinder we are, the kinder others become. The idea of “paying it forward” to create a positive community culture is a key part of this value. 

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  • WEEK 20 - Friday 9 February 2024

    Published 09/02/24

    How do we demonstrate our values? 

    In blogs earlier in the academic year, I have referred to the Hessle High School values on numerous occasions. As a school we often talk about the need to demonstrate Respect, Resilience, Aspiration, Responsibility, Integrity and Kindness but how do we actually do these things? How do we turn them from being a concept to a reality? Recently, I have spoken with a number of our students in Year 10 to highlight the steps they can take to demonstrate each of these values and asked them to reflect on how well they feel they embody each of them. To support these conversations, I’ve shared the graphic below as a way of highlighting the actions they can take and I am now sharing the same information with you so you are fully aware of our expectations in this area. 

    Respect 

    • We communicate with each other respectfully: we listen to each other, we are polite, we use appropriate language 

    • We respect that the school has rules, and we follow them 

    • We demonstrate self-respect by being the best version of ourselves 

     

    Resilience 

    • We attend school: at least 97% attendance (see the end of this blog for further details) 

    • We don’t give up on challenging subjects 

    • We work hard at relationships 

    Aspiration 

    • We don’t place a limit on our success 

    • We engage with our careers programme (a reminder to return placement forms as soon as possible) 

    • We engage with our work experience programme (appointments are currently taking place on a weekly rolling programme) 

    Responsibility 

    • We take ownership of our mistakes, including attending any detentions and engaging in the restorative process following any behaviour incidents 

    • We maximise our learning time 

    • We are prepared for learning: planners, equipment, uniform, and jewellery 

    • We arrive on time to our lessons 

    Integrity  

    • We are honest with ourselves about our effort, work and behaviours 

    • We know the difference between right and wrong and, when facing the choice, we do the right thing 

    Kindness 

    • We treat each other with kindness 

    • We allow ourselves and others to learn 

    • We carry out actions to support each other 

    In addition to our academic achievement, we expect our students to develop socially and by making the effort to demonstrate these values, we aim to develop the character needed for success in the wider world. As you will see, these aren’t unrealistic or unachievable expectations, and they serve to make the school a better place for all of us.  

    Attendance 

    Over the coming weeks, students will notice the poster below around the school. It highlights the importance of regular attendance and how, over time, absences can add up to a significant amount of lost learning time. As you will have seen above, an overall figure of 97% is the minimum needed to be considered as having a “good” level of attendance and will help to secure the best educational outcomes for our students. Thank you for your continued support with attendance and giving our students the best opportunity to succeed.  

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year

    Mrs Lacey 

    Assistant Head of Year

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  • WEEK 18 - Friday 26 January 2024

    Published 26/01/24

    I’ve always been a big believer in systems and routines. You can have the best intentions and work incredibly hard but without the structures to support your efforts, your chances of success will be limited. Schools are an excellent case in support of this and we are always working to develop systems to help us create the most of our time and resources. To those on the outside, it might not be immediately clear why we do things in the way we have decided but I hope that by explaining a little about the design of two key areas of our school day, it might help you to gain a better understanding of the “why” in relation to some of our systems and routines. 

    The Line-Up 

    The first part of our school day and a chance to ensure the day gets off to a successful start. Students arrive at school and all attend a designated area before being met by their form tutor. This initial meeting provides the opportunity for students to speak with their tutors and other staff about any concerns they have as well as simply having a conversation with them about their day/weekend/interests. They then line-up in alphabetical order and the tutor checks uniform and jewellery, providing students with an opportunity to rectify any issues before they enter the building. By providing this opportunity, the intention is to reduce the need to issue any consequences during the school day. This process has been designed specifically to ensure initial checks take place before we enter the tutor room and allows us to maximise time spent delivering our tutor programme in lessons. It also means that if we have an assembly or other activity planned, tutors can lead their forms directly to those areas rather than all having to come from different areas of the school.  

    Lunch/Break Times 

    We operate a split break and lunch system in order to manage the number of students around the building. For Year 10, they have break at 9.55-10.15 and lunch takes place between 12.15-12.50. All students use the one-way system to leave the building, before either visiting the Snack-Shack outside or re-entering via the doors to the canteen to queue up for food in a calm and orderly manner. Students can then either leave the building or remain inside, seated at one of the tables in the canteen. As I’m sure you’ll understand, this process needs to run as a well-oiled machine in order to serve the number of students we work with and staff are strategically positioned to ensure students are where they need to be and are safe. Due to the splitting of lunch and break across year groups, it means that when one group of students is on break/lunch, the other year groups are still in lessons. To minimise disruption to learning, students are not permitted to use the corridors around the building during this time (other than the canteen and the designated toilets at the end of the ground floor corridors). At the end of break, students then enter the building through their designated entrances and make their way to lessons, following the one-way system. 

    There are of course many other systems and routines in operation and the vast majority of students follow them every day without issue. Where they choose not to do this, the relevant sanctions are used. Hopefully, after reading about the logic behind these structures you understand a little bit more about why this is necessary and how our systems and procedures support your children outside of lesson time. 

    Around the classrooms 

    During the last week, I’ve spent quite a lot of time in and out of Year 10 lessons, gaining a deeper understanding about the work students are completing. This week alone, I have witnessed: 

    Music – Students working on their own compositions inspired by “Killer Queen” by Queen.  

    Maths – Work on Venn diagrams and set notation, including intersection and union. 

    Science – Some of our classes receiving feedback on recent tests and working on how to improve their answers in the future. 

    English – Classes preparing for their upcoming English Language mock exam. 

    Textiles – Students planning their designs for their practical pieces. 

    It’s been a real pleasure to witness the scope of knowledge and skills being acquired by our learners over the course of the week and I would encourage you to ask them about some of these lessons and the work they’ve been completing recently. 

    Work experience 

    Finally, a reminder about work experience deadlines: Friday 23rd February is the deadline for placement forms to be returned to the school. If you have any questions or need any additional support, please contact Miss Lawes prior to this date. 

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 16 - Friday 12 January 2024

    Published 12/01/24

    Aiming High 

    Firstly, welcome back. The run-up to the Christmas break was a long and tiring one for everyone involved so I hope that you were able to find an opportunity to relax and spend some time with those closest to you. As we often do at this time of the year, we now look to the future and, in Year 10, we do so with an eye on Year 11 and next year’s examinations. 

    In our assembly this week, Mrs Meir spoke to the year group about their target grades for the end of Year 11 and our ambition for all students to maximise their potential. The target setting process provides each student with personalised target grades across the range of subjects of subjects they study. These targets are ambitious but, importantly, attainable. They will require work but are within the capabilities of every individual if they attend and engage during the remainder of Year 10 and Year 11. 

    We often have conversations with students about fulfilling their potential, particularly in relation to exam grades. Too often these conversations include students’ desire to follow the “path of least resistance” whereby they are happy to achieve the minimum they need to move to the next step. As a school, we work to challenge this thought process and to encourage students to aim higher. This makes a difference for a number of reasons. Firstly, a higher grade can open the door to courses and careers you may want to follow or maybe haven’t even considered yet (and, according to DfE research, higher lifetime earnings). The greater the range of academic success, the more options you have to choose from when you move on to the next step. Furthermore, not only do you achieve a higher grade but by aiming high, you will acquire a greater wealth of knowledge and master a wider range of skills. Ultimately, this is the purpose of an academic education: to be able to know and do more than we otherwise would. This is why simply settling for the minimum is never enough when the opportunity to achieve so much more is in front of us.  

    Of course, academic achievement on its own is not our only goal - without the personal and social skills required to succeed it will only take you so far. With this in mind, we continue to promote and develop a rounded sense of character through our Bridge programme and the pastoral support available within the school, equipping students with the skills they need to reach their aspirations. 

    Careers update 

    As you’ll be aware, this year has seen the return of the work experience programme for Year 10 and over 80% of parental consent forms were returned to school before the Christmas deadline. The next stage of this process is to secure placements and return the completed placement forms to school. The deadline for completion of this is Friday 26th February which then allows the relevant visits and checks to be completed. If you are struggling to find a suitable placement or have any questions about the process, please contact Miss Lawes for additional support and guidance. 

    We have also recently started the initial round of Careers Guidance Interviews with Year 10 students, conducted by our external advisor Graeme Peart. These initial interviews will then be followed in Year 11 with additional support to help students identify suitable pathways for their post-16 education and beyond, as we continue to raise aspirations. 

    Well done 

    Finally, a huge “Well done” to students in 10cd/En4 for how well you are currently working. After I dropped into your lesson earlier this week, Mr Burnett visited me to sing your praises. He couldn’t speak highly enough of the attitudes and atmosphere in your lessons and how much he enjoys teaching the class. Keep up the good work.  

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 14 - Friday 15 December 2023

    Published 18/12/23

    Rewards 

    It’s been my great pleasure this week to read the words of praise from the staff who teach your children as part of our ongoing rewards programme. Through the Year 10 “Student Shout-Outs” platform, each member of teaching staff has been asked to nominate students they feel have demonstrated our school values of Respect, Resilience, Aspiration, Responsibility, Integrity, and Kindness. Each nomination has then been printed, alongside a message from the teacher, ready to be distributed through form tutors in the final week of term. Keep an eye out for any blue postcards and make sure they take pride of place somewhere at home (not in the bottom of a school bag!). 

    A special mention must also go to the students in Year 10 who have recently been taken on by our local rugby league teams: two at Hull FC and two at Hull KR, ensuring both sides of the city are equally represented. This is an outstanding achievement and one that these students should feel extremely proud of. Well done. 

    Festive Reflections 

    As we approach the end of term, it feels appropriate to reflect on some of the “bigger” questions and ideas we encounter in schools. This train of thought is perhaps linked to the current conflicts and uncertainties taking place around the world and the impact they have on the lives of people not only in other countries but also here on our doorstep, within our community. Although this blog is not the place for political discourse, the current situation has certainly sharpened my own focus on the need for tolerance and kindness within our lives. 

    As human beings, acts of kindness are fundamental to our happiness. Religions around the world are built on these principles. When we are in a difficult situation, an act of kindness can lift us out of it. As a father, when my daughter brings home a “kindness leaf” from her primary school, complete with a description of her actions that day, it makes me proud beyond words. Kindness matters. 

    At Christmas, we are often reminded of the need for benevolence and warmth towards others. It’s a message famously demonstrated in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in which the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge isolates himself from the outside word, living “as solitary as an oyster”. Through the visit of three spirits, he is forced to reflect on his cruel and callous attitudes towards others and, ultimately, learn the value of family, friendship and compassion.  

    Although it was written nearly two-hundred years ago, Dickens’ story still holds moments of significant relevance for us within our school community today. Early in the story, accompanied by the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge visits his former workplace to see a Christmas party thrown by his old boss, Mr Fezziwig. Although the party isn’t a glamourous or expensive one, Scrooge realises that “the happiness [Fezziwig] gives is as great as if it had cost a fortune”, simply through the act of kindness towards others. These seemingly small acts can all add up and don’t go unnoticed: a kind smile or word for each other in a morning, keeping an eye on someone in lessons when you know something’s not quite right. It all makes a difference and contributes to the kind of school we all want to be a part of. 

    Dickens also teaches us that by reflecting on our past actions and attitudes, we are able to make positive changes for our futures. Fortunately for Year 10, we don’t require the ghostly interventions needed by Scrooge, but we can all make time to think about the version of ourselves we have been in the past, to open our eyes to the world around us in the present and to make changes going forward to improve our lives in the future.  

    With this in mind, I will end by thanking you for your continued support in reminding our students of the need for kindness, tolerance and understanding within our community, not just at this time of year but through our daily actions. 

    I hope you are all able to enjoy some time with loved ones during the coming weeks and I look forward to seeing Year 10 back in school in January, rested and ready for the Spring Term. 

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 8 - Thursday 26 October 2023

    Published 06/11/23

    As we reach the end of our first term as Year 10, it is an opportune moment to focus on some of the positive contributions students have made to the school. 

    Firstly, house points: 

    • This term has seen a huge number of points issued to students in Year 10 with 32,359 points being awarded since September 

    • Five students have achieved over 250 points each  

    • One student has achieved 300 points already (an outstanding achievement) 

    By looking in the student planner you will be able to see where these points are being awarded and how many your child is achieving each week. Having spoken to a number of you in recent weeks, I know you are monitoring this at home using the Arbor parent app and this is a great way to keep up to date with the achievements and rewards being issued. If you haven’t already downloaded it, I would encourage you to do so to help students to hit the next benchmark and continue earning rewards. 

    In previous blogs, I’ve mentioned some of the values of the school. Over the last fortnight, I have asked the teachers and tutors of Year 10 to send me their “Student Shout-Outs”, highlighting where these values have been demonstrated by our year group. I’ve been exceptionally proud to read some of the words from staff and will share these with students individually and during our celebration assembly next term. To give you a sample of the comments I’ve received, I’ve included some anonymised feedback highlighting what staff have been saying about our learners. 

    Aspiration: 

    • “A great start to maths in Year 10, always attempting the most challenging questions and going above and beyond with homework tasks.” -  Mr Fox 

    • “Brilliant effort and dedication in completing a whole term’s homework before the deadline for the first task!” – Miss Hughes 

    Respect 

    • “Always asks me how I am each morning – I really appreciate that” – Mrs Groak 

    • “This student has shown the utmost respect in the classroom for her learning. She works hard, listens to instructions and shows her understanding in the work produced – well done!” – Miss Lewis 

    Responsibility 

    • “Deciding to focus on work and move himself to concentrate better. It’s paid off – super work in class” – Mrs Groak 

    Resilience 

    • “This student has been very dedicated to improving her singing. She has stayed after school a number of times to rehearse, and also contributed to the open evening.” – Mrs Webb 

    • “This student has smashed every maths problem I have thrown at her. She is respectful and strives to do her best every time. Well done!” – Mrs Phetla 

    Integrity 

    • “This student shows real integrity and responsibility in his BTEC IT lessons. He completes all his work to the best of his ability. He also provides support to his peers if he sees they are struggling with certain IT concepts. He is a pleasure to have in the group, always greeting me with a polite and mature comment when he enters my room.” – Mr Leckenby 

    This is just a sample of a much more extensive list of positive comments from teaching staff which exemplifies what it means to be in Year 10. I’m incredibly proud of their achievements and am looking forward to sharing more of these comments with them in the future. 

    Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone involved for their continued hard work and efforts during this first term. I wish all students a safe and restful break and look forward to seeing them all again next half-term, refreshed and ready to go. 

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey 

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 6 - Friday 13 October 2023

    Published 13/10/23

    Recognition and reward 

    Week Six has brought with it the opportunity to acknowledge a number of successes for students in Year 10.  Earlier in the week, the boys’ football team was successful in the cup with a 7-0 victory, including a four-goal haul from one in-form individual. The team all arrived back into school on the morning after the game full of excitement about their performance and it was a pleasure to see this level of enthusiasm and pride. This week has also seen the first wave of our whole-school rewards package being rolled out to students. On Wednesday morning, I had the pleasure of being able to deliver rewards to nearly 100 of our Year 10 students for reaching milestones for the number of House Points they’ve received this year. This is a part of the job I particularly enjoy and I look forward to many other opportunities to acknowledge the achievements of our students. 

    It’s also important to recognise when our expectations aren’t being met. Unfortunately, this week there have been examples of student behaviour in the year group that fall below the standard that both the school and I expect. Success, as we know, isn’t a linear journey: there are ups and downs along the way but we must make sure that the dips don’t become valleys and that we learn from mistakes rather than accepting below-par standards. As a year team, we closely monitor all students and, where possible, pre-empt any support they may need. Our logic is a simple one: if you can catch an issue upstream it prevents it from gathering pace and becoming something more serious further downstream. It’s through this work that our wrap-around pastoral care is at its most effective, when we can be proactive rather than simply reactive.  

    On a related note, our students are being given the opportunity to demonstrate their own proactive attitudes by taking part in the Work Experience programme we offer through our Careers Team. Next week sees the launch of the programme with a student assembly on Wednesday followed by a presentation for parents on Thursday 19th October. The event will give you the opportunity to learn more about the importance of students getting out into the world of work and developing skills they can take forward for the future. Our careers team will be available to take any questions and advise you about the steps you need to take to help your child to secure their placement. We look forward to seeing you there. 

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • WEEK 4 - Friday 29 September 2023

    Published 29/09/23

    As I write this blog, we are now nearly four weeks into the school year and are settled into our timetables and routines. At this point it feels appropriate to think ahead towards what we hope to achieve during the coming year. For me, a successful Year 10 means happy and motivated students who have approached their first year of GCSE study with maturity and purpose, developing a strength of character along the way. For the vast majority of our students, they have started the year in line with this ambition and should feel proud of their efforts to-date. This is merely a foundation however and there are still many days ahead in which to build upon this start and achieve success this year. This leads me nicely on to my focussed school value for this blog: Aspiration, defined simply as our ambition to achieve something high or great. 

    For me, aspiration links intrinsically to a desire to improve. In order to aim high, we need to always be looking for how we can take what we do and make it even better: we must want the best for ourselves. Working in education, this is part of our annual cycle of school improvement. With the changing contexts of our learners and their lives, to stand still can mean to go backwards and, consequently, we use this time of year to set targets and to refine our daily practice. In any walk of life, it’s important that in our conversations around aspiration we understand that to strive for improvement may result in looking inwards and facing up to some difficult truths about where we currently are. This is true in sporting fields, at home, in the workplace and as students in school. Over the coming weeks and months, our students will have numerous conversations with staff about their own aspirations and what they need to improve in order to achieve them. We will always frame these discussions positively, with a focus on helping students to be the best that they can be but there also needs to be an understanding from our learners to accept the guidance provided and to work towards improvements where necessary.  

    On a daily basis, one of the most important people in your child’s improvement journey is their form tutor. They are the most constant presence a student will experience throughout their school year, meeting and greeting them each and every morning during our morning line-ups before heading to their form rooms or the assembly hall to start their day. As the Head of Year 10, I’m privileged to work with a dedicated team of tutors who know their students well and want the best for them. 

    This puts them at a distinct advantage when it comes to identifying any signs of worry or anxiety shown by an individual. They are tuned into what is “the norm” for their students and, consequently, are able to spot when a conversation or any additional support is needed. Over the last week, I’ve shared a lot of information with the tutor team and discussed the current strengths of students in their groups as well as areas to improve. They are working hard to ensure that students’ efforts are being noticed and that those who are meeting or exceeding expectations are acknowledged and rewarded. They are also holding conversations around attendance, punctuality, behaviour and attainment to help students who need support in these areas to set targets for the coming weeks. 

    To support the tutor team with this work and to ensure we can spend as much time as possible focusing on our aspirations for students, I ask for your continued support in ensuring students are adhering to our school policies on punctuality, uniform and jewellery. As always, the vast majority of our students are arriving to lessons on time and in line with expectations and I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for helping to ensure your children make the most of their time in school. 

    Upcoming events: 

    On a related note, the Year 10 Information Evening takes place on Thursday 5th October and will provide an opportunity for us to share our ambitions for Year 10 students with you in a face-to-face context. I hope that you can attend the event and I look forward to meeting you. 

    As always, both Mrs Lacey and I are on hand to support students on a daily basis and you can contact either of us in the Student Services office by phone or email. 

    Mr Riches

    Head of Year 10

    Mrs Lacey

    Assistant Head of Year 10

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  • Head of Year 10 Blogs 2022/2023

    Published 04/09/23

    To view Year 10 Blogs from 2022/2023 please click here.

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  • Head of Year 10 Blogs 2021/2022

    Published 07/09/22

    To view Year 10 Blogs from 2021/2022 please click here

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  • Head of Year 10 Blogs 2020/2021

    Published 17/09/21

    To view Year 10 Blogs from 2020/2021 please click here

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