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Friday 21 October 2022 |
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Half term! And what a remarkable first half of the term it has been. The last seven weeks have rocketed by, reminding us all of the intensity of ‘proper’ school for the first time in 18 months. The school has been truly alive again, with our extracurricular activities running and the school buzzing with the sounds of learning, collaboration and fun. The students have engaged with varied and lively lessons and impressed us with their energy, enthusiasm and commitment. I have so enjoyed the chance to meet parents in every year group in the school, as well as welcoming prospective families to both the Junior and Senior School. However, I think it is fair to say that the pace has taken its toll on all of us and we are ready for a good rest. Last week, our 1st XI hockey team represented Northampton High at the GDST Sports Rally with skill, bravery, and conviction and their hard work and dedication were keenly felt by all those rooting for them. Unfortunately, the team did not make it out of the pool rounds but they did draw 0-0 with the eventual winners and so the competition was fierce, and first place could have gone to any team. We are proud of their impressive performance and many thanks to the PE Department, especially Mrs Blake and Miss Fraser, for their coaching and guidance derived from many years of extensive sporting experience. It was also a great pleasure to see our House Leaders guiding and supporting the younger students, especially the Year 7 pupils, with the Storytelling assemblies this week. The students organised extra time for more rehearsals and there were some extraordinary costumes and props as well as creative backdrops and music. Their leadership reminded us of the power and meaning of role models and highlighted the importance of driving to make something happen, rather than waiting for other people to offer you opportunities. As a theatre lover, I was delighted to join the Year 10 GCSE Drama students for a workshop of ‘Metamorphosis’ by the theatre company Kat Mary Productions. Our students enjoyed the immersive experience and participated actively in the interactive style of the workshop. They embraced the rare and unique opportunity to perform in a professional setting, whilst gaining a thorough insight in multi-rolling, audience interaction, soundscaping, narration and characterisation. Well done to all involved and particular thanks to Mrs Marriott. To read the full piece, please click here. Dr Lee |
The Week Ahead |
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Monday 7 November Tuesday 8 November Thursday 10 November |
Friday 11 November Saturday 12 November Please click here to view the Clubs & Activities timetable for the Autumn Term |
Black History Month at Northampton High |
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During October, we joined in the Black History Month celebrations here at Northampton High, educating our students on black history, black culture and black role models. Our informative assemblies continued, this time in the form of collaboration with the Science faculty, as Mrs Vizor spoke to the students about black women in space. Incorporating important topics from Black History Month and World Space Week, pupils learned about Mary Jackson, the first black female engineer at NASA who fought for her right to education, and Mae Jemison, the first black woman to visit space. These women are true inspirations to our students, with their stories showcasing what incredible things black women can achieve, even in the face of discrimination. Celebrations continued throughout school, with various opportunities to learn more about black role models, as well as appreciate the work of black artists. Every Friday, pupils and staff have had the pleasure of listening to music of black origin in the dining hall, which has been a fantastic way to appreciate the talent of these musicians. Miss Price |
Junior School pupils at Northampton High visit Tilia Homes’ Landimore Park |
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Northampton High has collaborated with Tilia Homes on an exciting time capsule project to show future generations what living in Northampton was like in 2022! Earlier this term, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 were given the challenge of creating posters, expressing their favourite things about living in Northampton and the surrounding areas. From spending time in local parks and kayaking in nearby rivers, to visiting independent cafes and attending cake sales, the students wrote all about the special memories they have in the places they live. Tilia Homes selected the winning entries, which were full of detail and colour and contained some fantastic drawings of the pupils’ favourite parts of Northampton. On Friday 14 October, the selected winners were invited to Landimore Park to help bury the time capsule and visit the development. The location of the capsule will be marked with a personalised plaque to commemorate the occasion, with the girls receiving an extended invitation to bring family and friends to view their contribution to the site. At Northampton High School, we are enthusiastic about joining in on community affairs and collaborating with local developers, as a way of welcoming newcomers into the area that we already know and love. Our Junior School pupils loved being involved in this project and they are excited at the prospect of the time capsule being excavated and explored in 70 years’ time! Miss Price |
The value of values – changing minds |
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Most schools and many institutions lay claim to a set of values. At their worst, these can be absurd: well-meaning or virtue-signalling boasts that bear no apparent relation to the actual business in which the organisation is engaged. Even the most ambitious of schools might feel it a little superficial and specious to include ambition among the terms that define them. And yet values do matter: in part because the choice of them is revealing in itself; but mostly insofar as they are lived qualities, rather than empty words – principles that guide choices, inform thoughts, and govern actions; by which all of us in school may judge ourselves and be held accountable. At Northampton High School, we embody the four GDST values: We always put girls first. We are forward-thinking. We are fearless. And we are a family of schools. What makes the combination powerful is the tension between them. To be forward-thinking and to be fearless may be separate imperatives and reconciling them may indeed require us to unite as a family and put girls first. As a set of principles, they are active, not passive. What I admire in the values of the GDST is that they present a harsher dilemma. The choice between them is seldom clear-cut, and the balance is for each individual to strike and to filter in and filter out choices based on values. A prime example is the challenge we have set ourselves to improve in the area of diversity, inclusion, and real change through the GDST’s Undivided Charter for Action. The discussions this involves are tough and sensitive. If we are to be forward-thinking and fearless, we must address squarely those times we have excluded others and failed to live up to the standards we set ourselves. If we are to be undivided in our commitment to putting our girls first and in our sense of family, where every individual is valued, respected, and included, we must do that with generosity and consideration, both require us to be brave. To read the full blog entry, please click here. Dr Lee |
Head's Commendations |
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This afternoon in school, we were delighted to honour a group of pupils for their efforts this term with the Head’s Commendation award. Nominated by their teachers, pupils joined Dr Lee for a celebratory tea party ahead of receiving their certificates in recognition of their achievements. Congratulations to the following students who were awarded Commendations this time: Tami S Y6 – Nominated for displaying courage by performing a piano solo in assembly and at the Open Day to prospective families. |
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Olivia W Y7 – Nominated for her beautifully crafted creative writing that captivates her readers. Sophie HW Y9 – Nominated for her fantastic start to life at Northampton High. Sophie is fantastic at leading discussions and supporting her peers, and her work was used for demonstration at Open Day. Mia L Y11 – Nominated for contributions to Badminton. Mia has been instrumental in introducing a Badminton Ladder to the club, volunteering to use their organisational and computing skills to set up a programme to manage the ladder. Vivien L Y11 – Nominated for contributions to Badminton. Vivien has been instrumental in introducing a Badminton Ladder to the club, volunteering to use her organisational and computing skills to set up a programme to manage the ladder. Dipsy A Y13 – Nominated for her fantastic attitude upon her start to life at Northampton High. She should be very proud of the interpersonal skills that she has demonstrated and that these skills will be of great use to her in the future. Keira S Y13 – Nominated for being a fabulous role model. Keira is currently mentoring a Year 9 pupil and assists in the Junior School supporting pupils and we are utterly proud of her, particularly her mature and positive outlook. Mr Nash |
'Wellbeing HQ' - Wellbeing updates from Northampton High |
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Earlier this term, we were delighted to run a pupil competition for naming our new wellbeing space in the Senior School. The space forms a hub for wellbeing and positive mental health for our students and it is a fantastic addition to the school. We are keen for our students to gain tools to manage their own mental health and wellbeing; we want it to be as easy for a student to talk about their mental wellbeing as it is to talk about their physical health and to remove any stigma around talking about it. With 5 student-submitted suggestions to choose from, the voting competition to name the room was fierce and we are delighted to announce that ‘Wellbeing HQ’ came out on top with 41% of the vote! The breakdown of the voting can be seen below:
With half term beginning this afternoon, our Wellbeing Team would also like to share with you a few autumnal wellbeing tips for you and your families to enjoy over the two week break: Junior School: Looking at the colour of leaves, amazing sunsets, fire-side cuddles/movies, long family walks, hot chocs with marshmallows. Senior School: Periods of connection (however that may look), looking at the beautiful colours of nature, watching sunsets, family time, screen-free time, new music artist. Have a wonderful half term! Mrs Giordano |
Mr Evans and Mrs Dadge celebrate 30 years at Northampton High! |
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During this term, two members of staff are celebrating 30 years of working at Northampton High School! On Thursday afternoon, we marked one of these milestones with a slice of cake and stories from years gone by. A huge thank you to Mr Evans, our site supervisor, for everything he continues to do at Northampton High! We also congratulate Mrs Dadge for her 30 years of excellent service, and we look forward to celebrating this in due course! Miss Price |
High Sports |
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Year 9 and 10 Team Tennis Competition: The competition from last year runs into this term and saw the U16 team play against Twycross School. We were very fortunate to find an indoor facility as the weather proved to be horrendous for tennis! Solid performances from all resulted in a clean sweep with all winning their singles and doubles,12 rubbers to 0. The team now qualify for the regional finals in November.
Year 7 Hockey: I think that the defenders, especially Lily, held their positions well and were great at intercepting in passes and tackling, and Ezme was amazing at going out wide too! Beth was really good in goal; she was always ready. I saw her stepping out a little when the other team was getting closer which was great! In future games, we will try to get better at putting our stick down to get the ball after a pass, but overall I think we played well because we marked and made space for others to pass to. Emily as centre mid worked well as she also held her position and made an effort to stay for an open player to pass to. During the game we communicated more than usual which helped a lot and we should keep doing that in every match. Overall I am proud that we played so well and I think that we are improving every time we play a match or just in our hockey practice. We all enjoyed it especially the winning part and I hope we get to play again soon because the more experience we get with matches the better we get. Olivia W U15 Hockey: The team played against Thornton and made their dominance felt from the start. Great movement and passing from the team saw numerous goal scoring opportunities. Abi W scored one of the highlight goals of the year. Great captaincy from Hattie and the team are looking a serious contender in the lead up to the GDST Hockey Rally in November. Mrs Littlewood |
Drama workshop with KatMary Productions wows staff and parents |
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On Tuesday 18 October, the Drama department were joined by Weavers Academy and KatMary Productions for a workshop on Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis’. Working alongside the other school, all students explored the play using the concepts of Berkoff, Brecht and Artaud. They worked incredibly hard and at a fast pace to prepare ensemble pieces that were incorporated into an adaptation of the play. Parents were invited to watch this immersive performance where the students were included both on stage and as an active audience, creating the soundscape that added to the performance’s atmosphere. A fantastic and challenging day! Mrs Marriott |
Book of the Week |
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Unraveller by Frances Hardinge If you must travel to the country of Raddith, then be prepared. Bring a mosquito net for the lowlands, and a warm coat for the hills or mountains. If you mean to visit the misty marsh-woods known as the Wilds, you will need stout, waterproof boots. (You will also needs wits, courage and luck, but some things cannot be packed.)You have of course heard that some people in Raddith are able to curse their enemies. It sounded so picturesque when you were reading about it at home, like a fairytale. |
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Perhaps you will decide that all the stories of the Wilds and the Raddith cursers were invented to entertain tourists. And at night, when you see a many-legged shape scuttle across the ceiling of your bedchamber, you will tell yourself that it is a spider, and only a spider – it is not.In a world where anyone can create life-destroying curses, only one person has the power to unravel them. Kellen does not fully understand his talent, but uses it to help those who have been cursed, including his ally and closest friend, Nettle. But Kellen himself is cursed, and unless he and Nettle can release him, he is in danger of unravelling everything – and everyone – around him. Miss Buxton |
Rehome Pudsey Bear for Children in Need! |
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With Children In Need around the corner, we are excited to help raise money for this wonderful cause. This year, as part of our fundraising efforts, we have a special guest in school who we would like to rehome! Pudsey Bear, pictured above helping Dr Lee with her work this week, is looking for a new home – and that could be with you! By clicking this link you can help our fundraising cause by donating the sum of £2 for a raffle ticket, and if your number is pulled out on the 18 November Pudsey will be yours! We love doing what we can to support this wonderful cause. Together we can help support children and young people across the UK to rebuild their lives. Thank you for your continued support – and good luck if you choose to enter! Mr Nash |
Students achieve Distinction in recent Maths Olympiad! |
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We would like to send a huge congratulations to our students Annika D and Mia L, after their recent success at the Maths Olympiad for Girls. Both students performed exceptionally and each achieved a Distinction, and we are incredibly proud of them. Well done! Mr Ball |
Raise Her Up: The lowdown on breasts |
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For Breast Cancer Awareness month, we are delighted to bring you a special edition of the Raise Her Up podcast. Series 2 continues with the brilliant Dr Liz O’Riordan, a former breast surgeon who has herself had and recovered from breast cancer, who gives us the lowdown on breasts. She talks us through what’s normal and healthy, and what to expect from breasts at various times of our lives and cycles. She’ll also share her insights into the cultural side of breasts, taking in identity, women’s’ relationships with their bodies, and how breasts are treated in our society and media. To listen to this brilliant edition, please click here, or download from wherever you get your podcasts. Mr Nash |
Christmas at Northampton High: Save the Dates! |
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Junior School Taster Events - Saturday 12 November |
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Halloween Safety |
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Please find above some helpful information regarding keeping safe this Halloween. To read the document in full, please click here. Mrs Dunkley |
Medical Advice |
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Need advice on what to do if your child is unwell? The NHS Healthier Together website has practical advice on dealing with childhood illnesses and advises parents and carers when they should seek help. For more information, please click here. Mrs Dunkley |
Festive Wreath Workshops - Adults Only |
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We have arranged for an excellent florist (Bouquet Chic) to deliver wreath-making workshops for any interested staff, parents, friends and family members. Why not book a place to enjoy making a festive creation along with friendly people and a supportive and talented instructor? Spaces are £65 per person which includes everything you’ll need to make a fantastic, impressive wreath for your door and refreshments during the workshop. Join us on Tuesday 5 December 5:30-7.00 on Wednesday 6 December 12:15-1:45. To book a space for yourself and/or friends and family members please contact junioradmin@nhs.GDST.net Miss Hair |
Community Nursery Sessions |
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Term Dates |
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Northampton High School |
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