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Friday 23 September 2022 |
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Dear Parents, We have now completed three weeks of the new term and the feel of the school has been different: less high velocity and more practised patterns – of lessons, breaks and study, interspersed with conversations with peers and staff. I have enjoyed getting to know more students this week, and have been impressed by their excellent attitudes towards their learning as observed during my learning walks and the extent to which the four Houses permeate the daily life of the school, from rehearsals for the story-telling and Big Brag performances to the daily awards of House points for effort, achievements and behaviour. Although the excitement levels may not have been quite as high back at school, we have noticed that any initial nerves are thankfully fading and the majority of students, especially our Year 7 pupils, are settling into their new routine and establishing healthy habits. However, one new element that was added to school life was clubs. Students selected from a wide range (almost an A-Z) of extracurricular activities – from Lego Engineering to Senior String Quartet, and Debating to Zombie Apocalypse, to name just a few. We hope that new club members will make a note of where and when and enjoy the variety these clubs bring in terms of new friendships and new interests. Continuing with the theme of trying out lots of new things, I am currently reading Emma Raducanu: When Tennis Came Home by M. Dickson and was genuinely captivated to discover that this superstar tennis player tried all sorts of activities as a child: a glorious hodgepodge of golf, ballet, horse riding, basketball, table tennis and even go-karting. Anyway, is this a good thing? Scientists have found that acquiring lots of skills (not just sporting), often via unstructured play, helps develop creativity and equips people better to handle fresh challenges later in life. Most importantly what we learn from Raducanu, who became the first woman from Britain to win a Grand Slam Singles title since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977, is strength under pressure, maturity and humility. Her gratitude to those who helped her, her graciousness when she lost and modesty when she won, her resilience when she failed and her courage to pick herself up and try again are all quite humbling. Furthermore, we might learn that practice makes perfect. The 10,000-hour rule says that the key to achieving true expertise in any skill (whether it be cooking or tennis) is simply a matter of practice. One of the key messages that we try to deliver at Northampton High is the importance of being 10% braver (spearheaded by the organisation WomenEd) and knowing that the future is ours to seize if we can overcome our nerves and conquer fear. When we are suffering from a moment of self-doubt, we must remember to don our invisible cape and stride out with confidence, so that we are able to tackle things that scare us. The more we do this, the more skilled we get at facing our fears; not because the world becomes a less scary place, but because we have the confidence that we can do what we need to do to overcome fear that may be otherwise holding us back. On 1 October, we host our annual Open Morning where we showcase the very best of Northampton High to prospective families. I am looking forward to seeing our students here, smart and in full uniform, for a 10am start (ideally arriving at 9:45am to settle in). This is an excellent opportunity to give something back to the school. I shall leave you with a quote from Dr. Maya Angelou: “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practise any other virtue consistently. You can practise any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” Have a very good weekend. Dr Lee |
The Week Ahead |
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Monday 26 September Senior School Assembly We Can Explore & Grow and Splash & Grow Community Sessions GDST Select Trials for Hockey and Football Tuesday 27 September Wednesday 28 September Hockey Sevens vs Quinton House School |
Thursday 29 September Yr10&11 Drama Trip Leicester Curve Theatre: Othello Friday 30 September We Can Dance and Grow and Learn & Grow Community Sessions Please click here to view the Clubs & Activities timetable for the Autumn Term |
Honouring Her Majesty |
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It was with great sadness that we learnt of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing earlier this month. Following the news, Northampton High has spent the last two weeks commemorating the life of our noble Queen and her pioneering spirit. The period of mourning commenced with pupils from Junior School and Senior School coming together in a special assembly dedicated to Her Majesty, where staff and students participated in a two-minute silence. Queen Elizabeth II had a long relationship with the education sector, and the formal opening of our school serves as a key reminder of her dedication to public service. Many staff members and former Northampton High students have shared fond memories from the day Her Majesty opened our school buildings. Indeed, through her dignity and unswerving sense of duty, the Queen has set an extraordinary example to us all and we will forever be honoured by her visit. In her memory, books of condolence were placed in the Junior and Senior School foyers, giving our staff and students an opportunity to honour and remember Her Majesty with a personal message. The abundance of loving words that now fill these books are a reflection of how valued our gracious Queen was and how deeply saddened our school community is by her passing. Her dedication and legacy will continue to be a source of inspiration to our students and women around the world. Miss Price Digital Marketing Assistant |
Cheryl Giovannoni opens our new wellbeing area |
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At the beginning of term, we were delighted to welcome Cheryl Giovannoni, GDST Chief Executive, to open our wellbeing area. The day was one of celebration, with this dedicated space reflecting Northampton High’s devotion to student welfare and our enthusiasm to continue the conversation surrounding mental health and emotional wellbeing. Our hope is that this area provides a safe space for our students to learn more about the importance of their mental health and build foundations and key tools for their future. I think what excites me most about this project is its potential to evolve over time. We identified a need for a wellbeing space during the pandemic, but were restricted at the time with what we could do as a result of government guidelines on social interaction. Now that we have returned to some semblance of normality, it seemed like the right time to set up a space to help support a growing need for additional care around mental health in our community. We are thrilled with how the space is already developing, from a white box to a biophilic sanctuary with multiple uses. We still have a way to go, but the journey to get there is proving to be very rewarding and we look forward to seeing how our pupils will make the space their own and make it work for them. Miss Kneen |
Lucy S creates fabulous furniture piece for her EPQ project! |
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The beginning of the Autumn Term sees the end of their EPQ journey for 62 of our students. Lucy S delivered her EPQ presentation to an audience of students and staff on Monday 12 September, having chosen to “Investigate the style and influences on Mid-Century Modern furniture, in order to build and design a console table’. She began by telling her audience the reasoning behind her choice of topic, then continued to explain how she planned, researched and developed this project. Lucy didn’t want to copy a design, but instead use the aesthetics of the period to produce her own original piece of furniture. She spoke in detail about the influences she combined in her |
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design, showing the audience two prototypes she produced before making the final design decision. Lucy went on to explain the logistics of making the console table, including choices of material and tools amongst other things. The process highlighted Lucy’s problem-solving abilities and she perceptively evaluated her EPQ journey and outcomes. Many of the skills Lucy used to produce her piece of furniture were self-taught and she should be hugely proud of her achievement. Miss Buxton |
High Sports |
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It’s been great to see a lively start to term with many fixtures these last two weeks. Our U12A and U12B Hockey teams began their season at Bedford Modern School where we played in a friendly tournament. With some new faces to the teams our aim of the tournament was simply to develop our teamwork. We certainly did this throughout the morning and our progress in every game was evident. We all had great fun and are very excited for the season ahead. A special mention must go to Lucy T for stepping into goal at the last minute and playing amazingly for her debut as a goalkeeper. We also hosted the GDST netball and cricket trials on Thursday, welcoming our friends from across the GDST. The standard was amazing in both sports. We are proud of Isabel, Jasmine and Prachi for their hard work and determination throughout the grueling day and we wish them luck as we wait to hear. |
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U15 Hockey Kimbolton 13th Sept: It was a great start to the hockey season for the U15 team by winning our first match of the season against Kimbolton 4-0. There were some new faces to the team but we managed to work together to perform great hockey. Well done to Abi, Ella, Lucy-Mae and Gracie for scoring our goals. Another ‘well done’ to Gracie for winning our player of the match. Great work everyone, let’s hope we can keep it up for the Northern Rally next week! Year 7 & 8 Tennis: The Year 7 and 8 team played against King High School Warwickshire. They were tough matches and all rose to the occasion. Particular mention goes to Frankie Beale who won her singles convincingly – Hattie Kendrick Mrs Blake |
Hardingstone Mural Project |
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The Hardingstone community collectively decided to create a mural in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in April 2022. Our school has been involved with this in a variety of ways. Firstly, Junior School drew up some amazing designs contributing their own ideas on what should be included in the mural, with some girls also forming part of a focus group to discuss what the Queen’s Jubilee meant to them. Following this, at the end of the last academic year, Year 6 were accompanied by some Year 12 students to begin painting the background for the mural. They were also involved in creative activities inspired by the mood board provided by professional muralist, Nicki Deux. Year 6 did a fantastic job painting colourful stripes and working together to ensure the task was completed to a great standard. Thank you to Rebecca J, Eeman Y, Asha N, Katie H, Hollie J and Lilli T from Sixth Form for accompanying the students! Painting sessions continued throughout summer and the progress made was extremely impressive. The previous breezeblock wall was transformed into a vibrant and colourful celebration of the last 70 years. Nicki’s design managed to incorporate a variety of suggestions, including Sonic the Hedgehog and the Harry Potter books! Some of our sixth formers have continued attending these sessions helping to add the finer details to the mural. Everyone involved with the painting has also been able to sign their names along the bottom of the wall. Abhisri C Year 13 |
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Northampton High's Annual Clubs Fair |
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Earlier this term, students attended our annual Clubs Fair. With an extensive range of activities to get involved in, this event ensures every pupil can sign up for clubs that spark an interest and challenge their skills. Commitment to clubs allows students to truly excel in their chosen activities, receiving specialist teaching to encourage progress and confidence, broadening their range of skills and igniting different passions. We believe the opportunity to thrive and enjoy extracurricular activities is both enriching and fulfilling for our pupils. Additionally, the girls are able to bond with each other over their shared interests and aid one another’s learning. |
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Students are able to join multiple clubs, including our enthusiastic Eco-Team, our ‘FemSock’ feminists, and our Fashion Sessions and ‘Sewing Bee’ groups, to name just a few. The Clubs Fair was a wonderful success this year and it was great to see the girls inspired by the many possibilities on offer. We look forward to seeing what new skills our pupils learn this year and where their new hobbies may take them! Miss Price |
Travelling on the School Site |
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We would like to kindly remind parents/guardians to keep their speed to a minimum when travelling on the school site. The safety of our school community is our top priority and we are grateful for your cooperation in ensuring the school grounds remain a safe area for all. Alain Stubbs Operations Manager |
Open Morning - Saturday 1 October 2022 |
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We look forward to welcoming so many lovely families to our upcoming Open Morning on Saturday 1 October, from 10am to 1pm. The day promises to be a superb showcase of life at Northampton High School. If you would like to come along, please do feel most welcome, and should you have family, friends, or neighbours keen to visit us, please encourage them to book their place here and join us! Mr Nash |
Budding Cross Country Stars |
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There is an exciting opportunity for any budding cross country runners to take part in a 5 week course starting on Saturday 1 October. From Year 3 upwards! Mrs Littlewood
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Book of the Week |
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Lesson in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – recommended for Year 10 and above Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans, the lonely, brilliant, Nobel-prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with – of all things – her mind. True chemistry results.
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Like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later, Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (‘combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride’) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. A story that manages to be both joyful and heart breaking with a fantastic feminist icon at its centre, plus the amazing Six Thirty, a dog like no other. Highly recommended. Miss Buxton |
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 Head of Junior School |
Raise Her Up - Self-Belief, Growth… and the importance of Male Allyship |
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The ‘Raise Her Up’ podcast from the GDST is back for Season 2, and we have an incredible guest to kick this year off! Our guest for Episode 1 of Season 2 is Sunday Times bestselling author, presenter, journalist, fashionista and all round role model Candice Brathwaite. Her first book, ‘I Am Not Your Baby Mother’, addressed the issue she found when she became a mother herself: that the media landscape was absolutely not representative of her own experience as a woman of colour. Her follow-up, ‘Sista Sister’, was a series of essays setting out for a younger generation what she would have liked to know herself about things like money, friendship, love and self-respect, when she was growing up. She is back with her first work of fiction: ‘a YA book, Cuts Both Ways’, a love story – and she joins us on Raise Her Up to talk about all this and more. To listen for yourself, click here or search ‘Raise Her Up’ wherever you get your podcasts! Mr Nash |
Parent Information and Coffee Sessions |
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Community Nursery Sessions |
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Term Dates 22/23 |
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Northampton High School |
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