Nothampton High School
High News

Friday 22 May 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Communication is a major part of my job, but never more so than this week it seems, as I appear to have been writing one letter or communication after another. I apologise if some of you – and especially those with more than one daughter in the school – have felt rather bombarded, but with so much going on and so little of it familiar, it is important that we are as clear and transparent as we can be at every juncture.

Whilst girls have enjoyed lessons and enrichment, today’s GDST-wide Song Contest and yesterday’s Inspiring Change Makers Conference, we have been busy with our preparations for a possible partial reopening of the school after half term. Whilst this only affects a small number of year groups at present, the strategic and practical planning lays the grounds for a wider opening in due course.

Over the past few days the site team has been busy measuring and preparing classrooms, dividing playgrounds, laying down social distancing markers and ordering additional signage and PPE equipment for staff. A final deep clean is underway and a site safety inspection will take place at the start of next week, prior to an information and Q&A session with parents on Thursday evening. We are also doing final checks on our comprehensive risk assessment, which will be available to all parents next week.

There are still many unknowns on the political front, but we are as ready as we can be at this stage and are really looking forward to welcoming more of our parents and girls back to the school if the reopening is given the go-ahead next week.

In the meantime, we all need a break – and, not least, the staff who have worked tirelessly this half term to provide educational and emotional support to the students. I thank them wholeheartedly and wish them, you and all our students a wonderful bank holiday weekend and a restful week.

Very best wishes,

Caroline Petryszak
Headmistress

Junior School

The quality and quantity of work submitted to our teachers from our Guided Home Learning programme has been absolutely remarkable.  Our girls have shown incredible independence, resilience and positivity, supported on their learning journey by our brilliant class teachers and our wonderful parent community.

It has been a real team effort.  We have all been amazed to see how our girls have responded directly to the range of tasks on offer, but also how they have been innovative in finding other learning opportunities in the most unexpected places.  This time in lockdown has certainly developed our girls’ creativity.  Below you will see a very small snapshot of the work we have seen.

Further examples can be found on our Twitter feeds @ChrisBaileyNorthampton and @NHSJuniorSchool.


Chris Bailey
Head of Junior School

GDST Summer Debating Competition

On Saturday 13 June, Putney High School is hosting a virtual GDST Summer Debating Tournament for Years 7-9. The competition will take place via Teams, with a start time of 10am and finish time of 5pm. A programme for the day and further details will be circulated the week beginning Monday 8 June.

Northampton High School can enter up to three teams of two students each. We also have an opportunity for two Sixth Formers willing to judge.

If you would like to enter the competition, please complete this form by Thursday 4 June. Entrants will be chosen at random from those who complete the form.

This GDST-wide competition will be a fantastic opportunity to hone your debating skills in a spirit of friendly rivalry (go Northampton High!).

Mr Viesel
Deputy Director of Sixth Form and Teacher of English

Online Careers Workshop - Business Networking

As we move towards the half term break, many of you will be thinking about having a late morning and perhaps avoiding your computer screens for the week. However, if you can bear it, CWR are continuing their installments of careers guidance and, in partnership with our own in house Inspiring Futures programme, we would highly recommend these online seminars as excellent and highly professional careers advice.

The theme of next week’s session is Networking in Business. This promises to be really valuable to all and even some parents might pick up some helpful tips!

Miss Kneen
Head of Years 10 and 11 and Head of Careers

New Extracurricular Opportunity in Textiles

As part of Fashion and Textiles subject enhancement, Miss Lycett will be delivering a weekly Sew Along simple garment making workshop beginning on Monday 1 June from 4pm until 5 pm.

This session is aimed at students who have access to a sewing machine and are interested in learning how to make their own clothes. The sessions will run for 6 weeks and during this time we will all make a summer play suit – together, you can choose to make this as a full length trouser or as shorts.

In order to take part, students will need to purchase and print the PDF pattern, the cost of which is £9.00.

Please click on the link https://www.fabricgodmother.co.uk/our-lady-of-leisure-collins-overalls-pdf-beginner/ and purchase /recycle 1.5 – 2 meters of lightweight woven cotton fabric, sewing thread and a zip. (You will not need the fabric / thread / zip for the first session).

If you are interested in taking part please email Miss Lycett at k.lycett@nhs.gdst.net.

Looking forward to sewing with you soon!

Miss Lycett
Teacher of Fashion and Textiles

Inspiring Change Makers 2020

Yesterday, Northampton High girls in Years Upper Fourth to 6.2 (and many parents and staff) were part of the 25,000 girls participating in the Inspiring Change Makers Online 2020, organised by Norwich High School, featuring over 40 amazing women who shared their insights and advice with students.

We even had the wonderful Prue Leith host an early morning breakfast session on how to make potato pancakes. The 25,000 students, from over 75 GDST and partner schools, logged in and enjoyed a variety and breadth of programme second to none.

If you would like to see some of the talks and panels, please click the link here.

Creative Arts Gallery

What a week of wonderful work in the Art Department! I marvel at how quickly the girls grasp new techniques and the quality of work is excellent.

We have some super examples of Upper Third work here, as the girls explore their interests and try out their skills.

Tess in Upper Third has produced the lovely Kingfishers in the first image.

Here are lovely pieces from Sonia with her collage and demonstrating some good shading techniques in the tree and flower. Alice, Grace H, Deeya and Isla experiment with pencil shading and Deeya has also used light water colours, achieving great results.

Our Lower Fourth students are producing some super examples of texture, tone and use of lines to capture their subjects. Here is Varnikaa’s Leo star sign piece, Naisha’s ‘Through the Keyhole’, Lizzie’s fox and beautiful lady on a beach and Hattie’s pepper and keys.

Ariana’s (Lower Fourth) characterful Tarantula demonstrates excellent use of rich, dark tones and Eva (Lower Fourth) has produced an exquisitely detailed hen of an incredible quality. Yinuo (Upper Fourth) has captured her cat beautifully. Saesha’s (Lower Fifth) biro work and etching are very impressive and Ellie’s (6.1) portrait is just stunning.

A huge well done to all of our girls, and thank you for your submissions.  Please keep them coming – we are so proud of you.

Mrs Beacroft
Head of Arts Faculty

And the winner is...GDST Song Contest!

We have loved GDST Song Contest today. So many amazing performances from the talented girls at the 25 GDST schools.

Northampton High’s submission was a pop song entitled ‘Every Day’, composed by Olivia S who is currently in Upper Fifth. To see our entry, click here.

The results are in. See here for the final results! Well done to all of the schools and girls who took part and enjoyed the virtual event.

Mr Nathan
Director of Music

'Backchat' submissions welcomed

Backchat, the student-run magazine, would love to share with everyone what is inspiring you. Therefore, we are welcoming submissions from students of all ages for our upcoming edition.

Anyone, from Reception to 6.2, can submit something via this Firefly link, and we would love to hear about what is inspiring you during lockdown.

Mr Viesel & Jess U5H
Backchat Team

Northampton High School
Newport Pagnell Road, Hardingstone Northampton NN4 6UU
T: 01604 765765 nhsadmin@nhs.Gdst.Net