Nothampton High School
High News

Friday 3 December 2021

As far as Music at Northampton High School is concerned, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! We are currently preparing for the festive celebrations across Junior and Senior Schools. Several whole-school rehearsals are scheduled to run the Christmas Carol Concert, which will take place in the Theatre at 7.30pm on 15 December. 

Tuesday 14 December is the big night for the upper Junior School, with the Key Stage 2 production of ‘A Midwife Crisis’ being staged at 6.30pm. This production will feature performances from the Junior Choir and poetry read by students from Year 5. Key Stage 1 are excited to be showcasing their annual Nativity, entitled ‘A Miracle in Town’. The performances will take place on Wednesday 8 December at 10.30am and Thursday 9 December at 2.15pm in the Junior School Hall. We are particularly excited to be able to hold our annual final day of term’s ‘Festive Celebration’ in the Theatre on Friday 17 December. This provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year and to hear performances from the Senior String Quartet, Choir and Orchestra. The autumn term has included Scholarship auditions, which are always a pleasure to hear. These will continue in the new year. 

Looking ahead, the spring term will feature a Composition Recital and Piano Masterclass. Our Masterclass series was becoming a hardy perennial prior to the pandemic striking. We look forward to resuming this hugely enriching experience. The summer term is almost as busy as autumn, with the Senior Orchestra accompanying the stage cast for our highly anticipated, albeit delayed, staging of Stephen Flaherty’s ‘Seussical’.

We hope to see you at as many of our events as possible. Best wishes for the festive period!

Mr Nathan
Director of Music

The week ahead

Monday 6 December
Senior School Assembly
GDST Day of Dance
Clubs (click here for timetable)

Tuesday 7 December
Year 13 Charity Wreath Making
Hockey Sevens: U13 vs Akeley Wood
Nursery Nativity
Clubs (click here for timetable)

Wednesday 8 December
Christmas Concert Rehearsal
Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 Christmas Play
Clubs (click here for timetable)

Thursday 9 December
Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 Christmas Play
Chemistree Christmas Extravaganza, 4pm
Cross Country: U11, U13, U15, U17 @ District Championships
Hockey: 1st XI vs Wellingborough
Clubs (click here for timetable)

Friday 10 December
Senior School Assembly
Junior School Christmas Jumper Day
Year 12 Universities trip to Oxford
The Great Roman Christmas Bake Off
Clubs (click here for timetable)

Saturday 4 December
Hockey Sevens: U12, U13 vs Bablake

Head's Commendations

Congratulations to the below students who have been awarded this week’s Head’s commendation awards by Mrs O’Doherty. These students have been nominated by their teachers for the reasons below, and we congratulate them on their well deserved awards:

Adn 6H: Adn does not find Art easy but put a lot of effort into researching types of fish and sketching a design for the fish she is going to make in our clay project.

Anushka 10S and Caitlin 10H: Anushka and Caitlin have made a sustained commitment to Book Club over the last two years and have an unstinting enthusiasm for teenage literature. Both students are always ready to contribute to lively discussions about reading trends in an informed and thoughtful manner.

Lily 7N: Lily has made a really positive impact in PE and Games. Her motivation and commitment to sport, in particular Hockey, has been excellent. She never misses extracurricular clubs and gives 100% in all activities. Lily goes above and beyond: always the first one to offer to help with setting up and tidying away equipment. She has represented the school in both Hockey and Netball fixtures and is proving to be a valuable member of both teams.

Mo 13D: Mo is commended for their positive attitude and willingness to pull together our form assembly. Not only this, but Mo uses a lot of their own time to help down in Junior School with Art lessons as well as assisting Mrs Hill with Year 2 French. They have a wonderful manner about them when working with Key Stage 1 pupils.

Naisha 10H: Naisha was given the instruction to make a mnemonic to learn the reactivity series – Naisha decided to bake a cake and add it on there. Well done!

Tami 5N: We have just finished reading ‘Robot Girl’ by Malorie Blackman and the girls have written the start of a science fiction story inspired by the book. Tami’s story is stunning – beautifully written and incredibly frustrating that it ends!

Mr Nash
Marketing & Communications Officer

Head's Commendations - History project

In edition to this week’s Head’s commendation awards, Mrs O’Doherty is delighted to award a special commendation to four Year 9 students, Arna, Ella, Muzainah, and Tanishqa, for their excellent work on a recent History project, as nominated by Mrs Curtis:

“I have been doing some presentation work with Year 9 and the work completed by one group was outstanding. I was particularly impressed by how well they had all participated. They produced a very accurate and informative Powerpoint which was delivered professionally, and they also produced a glorious poster on Elizabethan education and, to top it all, a reconstruction of a classroom with canes/slates and quills all modelled. They were fabulous. Best work I have seen in ages”.

Congratulations to Arna, Ella, Muzainah, and Tanishqa for their fantastic work and well-deserved Commendation!

Mr Nash
Marketing & Communications Officer

Inktober 2021

It was a pleasure to share a presentation in assembly this week on the drawings that students and Art staff create in lessons and at home. The assembly was of course a brief snapshot of what some of our artists achieve, but during the ten minutes, it became clear to me how lucky I am to teach such creative students and work in such an inspirational environment.

The range of tools and techniques shown in the slides was rich, including digital drawing and tactile, mixed media responses. This year also saw the launch of our new ‘Inktober’ challenge, and I have now invited all staff and students to ready their fineliners,

fill up their ink pens and select their digital tools, in preparation for ‘Inktober’ 2022! If you would like to join us in the ‘Inktober’ challenge, please do.

Drawing is something we can all enjoy and for many great reasons. Everybody can carry a small sketchbook around – it can help us to relax, get to know our subject and the practice also focuses the mind, unlocking ideas and inspiration. I hope you enjoy the presentation and I look forward to compiling more slides across different classes and year groups.

In the meantime, please do follow us on Twitter @ArtsNHS and our Creative Arts Instagram account @nhscreativearts.

Mrs Beacroft
Head of Creative Arts Faculty

Arna commended for the Stephen Spender Prize

My name is Arna and I have been commended for my Bengali translation for the Stephen Spender Prize 2021.

This competition aims to celebrate multilingualism and encourages young writers as well as adults to explore the world of international literature and embrace other languages and cultures. I translated a well-known Bengali poem to English, which was written by Rabindranath Tagore, a famous Bengali musician, poet, writer and receiver of the Nobel Prize for Literature 1913. I have enjoyed this competition very much and am greatly honoured to be a commendee.

I would highly recommend others to enter, as it is a wonderful experience

Arna 
Stephen Spender Prize Winner

Creative Arts Spotlight

This week, the Creative Arts Spotlight shines on the Year 11 Drama class; India, Erin, Georgia, Hannah, Ogohgoh, Simran, Eleanor, and Harriet.

This is because they are tirelessly working on their devised performance exam. Each group has written and are rehearsing with great enthusiasm, and they have overcome any challenges of devising with positivity.

Mrs Marriott
Subject Leader Drama

Year 10 and 11 participate in live screening of ‘I Think We Are Alone’

On Thursday 2 December, the Year 10 and 11 students participated in a Live Performance stream of ‘I Think We Are Alone’, performed by Frantic Assembly.

The students came away from the viewing informed and inspired, and they have already started using ideas into their own work!

Mrs Marriott

Subject Leader Drama

Clive Fretwell delivers Cooking Masterclass to students

Last Friday we had a very exciting guest in our Food lesson. Clive Fretwell, Executive Chef of Raymond Blanc, hosted two Masterclasses: one on mother sauces and emulsions, and the other on presentation, balance, and colour on the plate. It was an amazing experience and inspired many of the Year 10 and 11 students.

As Clive cooked, we were allowed to taste each sauce and variation he made. We also got to taste each stage of the cooking process of the eggs in hollandaise sauce. In the presentation Masterclass, we were shown many photos of beautiful plates of food from his kitchen. He went through in detail, explaining what each element was, how it was made and its purpose in the dish. At the end we got to play around with the presentation of a dish on our own; Clive had made a chocolate delice beforehand and brought different garnishes and elements to add to the dish. We were each given a slice and a plate and allowed to present the dish however we wanted. We were also allowed to eat it in the end.

He was very warm, cheerful, and friendly and it was amazing to have him in school. We got to ask him questions about his career and anything generally at the end. It was awesome!

Fleur
Year 10

GDST's Chrystall Carter Public Speaking Competition

On Friday 26 November, the first round of the GDST’s Chrystall Carter Public Speaking Competition took place. The competition is open to all Year 11 students at GDST schools and we were delighted to have eleven students enter.

The speakers addressed a wide range of topics, from technology and the natural world to the dangers of patriotism, by way of ‘walk-me-home’ apps and the responsibilities of stand-up comedians. The quality of the speeches was fabulous: students were well-prepared, articulate, and confident, with some notably powerful and emotive performances. The three stand-out speakers were Katie M on “the search for the perfect body”, Ogohgoh O on “The HALO Code”, and Rebecca R on “the romanticisation of mental health”.

The judges were confronted by a difficult choice, with only one student able to progress to the next round. The winner was Katie M and we wish her the best of luck as she takes on Bath, Cardiff, Oxford, and Shrewsbury next term.

Mr Viesel
Director of Sixth Form

Book of the Week

The Supreme Lie by Geraldine McCaughrean

Fifteen-year-old Gloria is a maid to Afalia’s tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema’s shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives – including her own…

Miss Buxton
School Librarian

'High Boutique' launch party is a huge success!

During lunchtime today, our Senior School foyer was transformed by our ‘High Boutique’ enterprise company who held their fabulous launch party!

There were lots of lovely items on sale for people to purchase, and the team have already raised a fantastic sum of money for brilliant causes. We look forward to keeping you informed of how their fundraising efforts continue to evolve, and of any future High Boutique events that are to come in the future. Well done to the entire team for an amazing launch!

Mr Nash
Marketing & Communications Officer

High Sports

On Tuesday 31 November, the 1XI Hockey team played Akeley Wood school at home. With the assistance of two-year 10s, Ruby and Grace M, we were ready to take on our opponents.

In the first half, we were very dominate in their half of the pitch, however their goalkeeper was good at stopping the first shot, so we needed to go around the goalie, which Eloise was able to do by slipping the ball past the goalie with our first goal in the game. Following this, Ruby, working alongside the other forwards, was able to pass the ball around the defence and score by moving the goalie. This ended the first half, with a positive team talk we were all set for the second period.

Straight from the whistle, Ruby and Grace M worked together to score a great goal which kept the morale high in the team. With the whole team putting pressure on their goalie, Suzannah was able to find the space in the corner of the goal, where she was able to place the ball and score. Throughout the game, many short corners were given to us; with our strategic short corner routine, Molly was able to deflect the ball into the goal from Maddie’s hit.

Everyone played really well which led to an emphatic 5-0 win, and the team is now set for our final game of the season next week. Well done to everyone that played with a special mention to Jodie for being awarded Player of the Match. Also, a big thank you to all the supporters who came to watch us in the cold. The team appreciated the cheering and encouraging words.

Molly
Team Captain

Christmas comes early in the form of an impromptu Dance Off!

Due to the adverse weather and a frozen sports pitch earlier this week, Year 9s were unable to take part in their scheduled Hockey lessons. However, determined to not let this stop the festivities, the action moved inside to the Sports Hall where an impromptu ‘Mariah Carey Christmas Dance Off’ was held!

A big well done to all students for their energy and creativity, and an even bigger congratulations to 9H who were crowned victorious.

Mrs Littlewood
Director of Sport

See all photos

World Challenge Christmas Market - Tuesday 14 December

We are excited to be holding a Christmas Market in school on Tuesday 14 December, to help raise funds for the upcoming World Challenge expedition!

We have many exciting stalls already confirmed, including baked goods, clothes, books, raffles, tombola, scavenger hunts, and with more to be confirmed in the coming days, this is an event not to be missed!

Stay tuned for more details next week!

Mr Nash
Marketing & Communications Officer

Sixth Form students take part in vegan food taster session

Earlier this week, the school’s Catering Team was delighted to host a special vegan food taster session with our Sixth Form students.

During the tasting, the team offered students the chance to try a host of different vegan foods, including delicious vegan cheese paninis, and we look forward to hearing their feedback and thoughts on these tasty treats!

Mrs Wilmot
Director of Marketing & Admissions

Raise Her Up - Creativity and Curriculum

This week on Raise Her Up, we are talking about creativity. Covid showed us how to do many things differently, and one example has been fresh and creative approaches to learning. In the midst of lockdown, free from the confines of the exam specification, the GDST launched Guided Home Learning, and teachers across the GDST Family were asked to contribute to a Masterclasses Programme not tied to exam syllabi. We got creative at home too, incorporating learning into our daily statutory hour of exercise, baking banana bread, and developing new skills from not being bound to SATs, GCSEs and A Levels. So, should we be prioritising creativity over exams when it comes to learning?

Episode 8’s expert guest is Dr Cathy Rogers. The breadth and success of her career may make it impossible to categorise her, but certainly embodies her creative and diverse approach. Channel 4 presenter, TV executive, food entrepreneur, writer, and most recently, neuroscientist. Cathy’s research is concerned with children’s creativity – what can get in its way and what can really make it fly? And why should we even care about it? How can we as educators, parents and carers help to nurture our children’s creativity at home and in school – and how can this help them to learn and develop?

Listen to the discussion here or search ‘Raise Her Up’ on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Mrs Wilmot
Director of Marketing & Admissions

Christmas Chemistree Lecture - Thursday 9 December - please join us!

Christmas Concert - Wednesday 15 December

Join Our Team - Minibus Drivers Wanted

At Northampton High, we are proud to have a pristine fleet of school minibuses, and we are very excited that this will be expanding in 2022. We are therefore looking to appoint several drivers for transporting pupils on morning and afternoon school runs, Monday to Friday.

If you are interested in joining our team we would love to hear from you.

For more information and to apply please click here.

Mr Nash
Marketing & Communications Officer

Term Dates 21/22

Term Dates 22/23

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