It has been a very busy week with lots of events taking place including the Subject Fair for Year 10, Prison Me No Way for Year 9, Year 11 Drop Down Day, Sixth Form Taster events and Non-Uniform Day for all students and staff today. The day also included events such as a cake sale. What has impressed me is not only how students conducted themselves but how lessons continued as normal.

On Monday I enjoyed the company of the maths department at to talk about school and how we can continue to improve. Such informal conversations are often really valuable. That evening there was a meeting of the Local Governing Body, some of whom reported back on the various Governor visits that have taken place. On Monday I met with potential Head Students in groups, just for an informal conversation, to try and put them at ease for the interviews first week back. There have been lots of other events taking place including lunchtime clubs and after school sessions. Of course, we also had a very successful Year 10 parents’ evening last night.

Although we are officially closed over the Easter break, over 80% of Year 11 students have signed up for revisions sessions, so school is still going to be busy. In addition, the ski trip to Austria left earlier today.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first term here and am grateful for the welcome I have received from staff, students, and parents. We have achieved a great deal in 11 weeks, and I am already looking forward to all the students returning on Monday 13 April.

Meanwhile have a fantastic Easter break and thank you again for your support this term. It has been really appreciated.

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

On Wednesday I was at the school production of “School of Rock.” It was good to see so many people there enjoying the show and the students giving 100% on stage. Having watched some of the rehearsals, I can vouch for the amount of time, effort and stress that went into the production, so it was great to see it go so well. It is really entertaining with some great songs so if you haven’t got a ticket, then tonight is your last chance. It is well worth the effort.  

On Thursday morning we had three Headteachers in school doing drop ins to lessons. They were Mr Kerby (Cottingham) Mrs Tester (Howden) and Mrs Davies (Oakfield). Next week we are spending some time in their schools. It is one of the many great benefits of being in The Consortium Academy Trust. Headteachers work collaboratively, sharing ideas and whilst that may be in meetings, there is nothing better than going into lessons of another school then discussing what has been seen. All commented, like many do, about how calm the school is and how mature our students are when in conversation with an adult.  

Next week there are a lot of different events going on including non-uniform day on Friday 27th. Just to reiterate that the guideline for clothing is for it to be appropriate. From what I have experienced so far, I would be very surprised if this did not happen but just in case, in the event of a student wearing inappropriate clothing, they will go into The Ark and parents will be contacted to bring different clothing to school. Other events will also be taking place including a bake sale, the usual wide range of lunchtime activities and in tutor time, students will be asked to guess the teacher from old photographs of them. As I have said, it is my way of thanking them and the staff for being so welcoming and giving me their support.  

Next week also sees two Sixth Form-related events taking place. On Tuesday, Yr 11 students offered a place to study with us will be visiting the Wolfreton campus to try out subjects they have selected to study there. On Wednesday, all of Yr 10 will have the opportunity to visit a Sixth Form Subject Fair in the Hall to find out from current students about over 30 different subjects available to them at the Consortium Sixth Form, as well as visiting Tranby House to see the facilities on offer. 

 Have a great weekend.  

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Next week you will receive a letter from our student leaders about Friday 27 March, which is the last day of term. It will give details about what we will be doing for Red Nose Day (which is the week before) including non-uniform. Student leaders managed to persuade me, and I see it as a personal thank you to all our students who have been so welcoming since I arrived.  

I briefly sat in one of the rehearsals for School of Rock Musical, so if you haven’t already bought your tickets then I would strongly recommend that you do so now. The show dates are:   

• Tuesday 17 March 

• Wednesday 18 March 

• Thursday 19 March 

• Friday 20 March 

It starts at 7pm with a runtime of around 2 hours and a 20-minute interval. Tickets are £7 each and all proceeds cover the cost of running the production. There have been numerous rehearsals - I believe over 90 hours worth - plus all the time students spend at home learning their lines and the music. It will be brilliant.  

Year 11 parents’ evening was a great success so thank you to all of those who turned up. It is such an important time now, being a matter of a few weeks from the exams. The difference between grade boundaries is 1% so every bit of extra work could be the difference between a grade.  

On Tuesday I sat with the Technology department at lunchtime talking about the school, the changes that have been made and school improvement in general. Friday saw the same thing but this time with a group of Year 10 students. I find these chats very enlightening as they are informal, so everyone feels able to speak their mind, and that has certainly been the case so far.  

Finally, the location of my new office, right in the centre of the school, has made such a difference. It now means that students drop in to see me, especially after school, as do staff at various times during the day. One example is on Wednesday evening after year 11 revisions when 3 students just came in and started chatting, so we sat down at the table and talked about how school was going for them. What a great way to end the day. 

I hope you have a good weekend 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Lunchtime clubs continue to be a success with quite a range being very popular including table tennis - which is new - scrabble and chess. It is a real pleasure to see so many students engaged over social time. Alongside indoor activities, a large number play football and other activities outside. Some just sit and chat and enjoy the atmosphere. Aside from different classrooms and the canteen, we also use the hall, the activity studio, and the sports hall, allowing students to eat their food when taking part in clubs.  

A few days ago, a student commented that I smile a lot and she was right. I am thoroughly enjoying the role and see it as an incredible privilege. I also appreciate the support I am getting from staff, governors and yourselves as parents and carers. If things do not go as planned, we are keen to work out solutions with you, either through a phone call or a face-to-face meeting, and do so in a timely fashion. As always, we ask that conversations are done in a respectful manner as we are all in the same team.  

My thanks to all the year 9 parents who attended parents’ evening on Thursday evening. It was a busy evening with lots of praise going round. At present we have a group of 43 students on our French trip. They left early Thursday and return Sunday around 7.30pm.  

We have had some instances of parents contacting their child by text during the school day - my thanks to most of you who don’t. To the few, it puts your child in a very difficult situation and interrupts their day, sometimes making their day much worse. It is also likely to lead to a sanction so please do not, for the benefit of your child.  

On Wednesday I had lunch with a group of year 11 students, chatting about school and life in general. It was such a pleasure to be with them, lots of laughter and humour plus some ideas about how we can continue to improve the school. The time went very quickly and left me so grateful to be here.  

Have a great weekend 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

My first full half term has gone quickly which to my mind, is always a good sign. I thought it might be useful to highlight some of the changes that have been introduced so far.  

We have been trialling our planned changes to social time and as a result of the support from students and staff, and the changes we have made to the canteen, we will be going ahead with one break and lunchtime on our return. This will mean there will be around 20 different clubs and activities running at lunchtimes which is something we have not been able to provide for some time now. There will be additional areas for students to use during social time as well, including the hall which is right next to the canteen. In addition, activities will be taking place in various rooms in the school including the activity studio and when the weather is poor, we will also be using the sports hall. Amongst a number of other changes that have taken place, Head and Deputy Heads of Year now have their own offices which enables them to have confidential conversations with students and to be focused on their own year group. For year 9, there will be less restrictions on choice of subjects going into year 10. The various initiatives that are being introduced are to enhance the quality of education your child receives.  

My thanks to Governors for their time on Tuesday evening where they heard presentations from the leaders of maths and languages. Thursday saw a very successful sixth form parents’ evening where the level of discussions and advice was as high as I have experienced for some time. My thanks to those of you who came along, and to the staff for their time, not only on the evening itself but the preparation as well.  

Have a great half-term and look forward to seeing everyone back in school on Monday 23 February.  

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Thank you to all the parents and carers of year 7 students who came to the parents’ evening last night. Once again it was a very busy evening with lots of smiling faces and a real buzz. At every event we ask for parents and carers to complete a short questionnaire so that we can get feedback on what’s going well and where we can improve. Thank you to those parents who completed the questionnaire and your feedback which was very positive. 

Personally, I think one of the great pleasures in life is sitting down at a table with family or friends, eating a meal, and having a conversation. Our mobile phone policy has contributed to this experience as previously in schools, students would be on their phones throughout social time. Next week in assemblies, we will be reiterating the view that social time is to enjoy the company of those around you, in a calm and pleasant environment. Next week, year 9 students are joining years, 7, 8 and 11 in early break and lunchtime and we are opening the hall as an additional eating area at the same time. We also restructured the queuing system on Monday, and I was impressed by how quickly students got used to it so my thanks to them for being so supportive. 

The year 11 and year 10 mock exams have gone well. With year 11 there is now a real sense of urgency as we enter the last weeks of their GCSE years. We altered how we get students ready for going into exams with them now meeting in the hall as a year group for a short pep talk before walking to the sports hall. What this means is students will go through exactly the same process each exam so they have a clear routine every single time. Routine is important in preparing for exams so every little thing we can do to keep it the same helps.  

The polling stations were open this week for students to step up and vote in the East Riding Youth Parliamentary elections. Nine of the candidates were our own students, who did their own lobbying before the polling stations opened. It was great to hear students discussing the options, and some very strong views on some of the manifesto messages. Nearly 300 ballot papers have been collected, with some tutor groups smashing the turnout percentage at nearly 50%!!!!! We now need to wait till March before the results are announced, but good luck to all candidates

Have a great weekend 

Mr Nixon 

Headteacher

Firstly, a huge congratulations to Eli Ashbridge and Ewan White, both of whom received offer letters from Cambridge University this week. Ewan has been offered a place to study Maths, and Eli Computer Science. It is an incredible achievement to reach the offer stage. For Computer Science, less than 10% of applicants nationally are offered a place. This continues to build on our success from last year, when all four medical school applicants received places, and Joseph Pegg secured a place to study Law at Oxford. We realise that this is at the offer stage, but it does reflect how impressed I have been by the Sixth Form since joining Hessle. Crucially, our students are achieving because of the excellent support of their parents and carers.  

Year 10 mock exams have gone well so far with students taking them very seriously. Thursday was a busy day with Lizann Lowson (CEO) and Amanda Bridgeman (Head of People Services) visiting the school and walking around seeing lessons and chatting with students. We also had year 11 mock interviews taking place both Thursday and Friday then next week sees the start of Year 11 mock exams, a crucial period for them. If your child is in year 11 then please encourage them to revise.  

I continue to be impressed by our students who are such great company. Thank you for your support as parents and carers.  

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

This morning, it was a real pleasure to present offer letters to the year 11 students who had expressed an interest in staying on in the Sixth Form. The atmosphere in Tranby House was fantastic with everyone clapping and cheering as fellow students came up to get their letters. Two very brief speeches focused on the benefits of Sixth Form, especially staying on at Hessle because the Hessle students are known, of the great culture we have here, and. The room was packed so it bodes extremely well for the future. What a great way to start the day.    

I did a walk round going into lessons with Mark Brown (Executive Director of Education) on Wednesday morning. The standard of books we saw were very good, with some exemplar cases of high-quality work and presentation. Students were attentive and on task and we witnessed some very effective question and answer techniques. We were particularly impressed at how attentive students were and I am really pleased to say that every student I asked said that they were proud of their work - and they were quite right to be proud.  

One of the many privileges of being a headteacher is working with young people, and our students are great. I am a great believer in regular rewards for those students who attend and work hard, so I have just increased our rewards budget. Research shows that lots of small, short-term rewards are really appreciated and have a greater impact. We continue to see a dip on Fridays so please encourage your child to attend, even if they are not feeling 100%. My thanks to the vast majority who do.  

Last night’s Year 8 parents’ evening was well attended. It was a pleasure to be able to walk around chatting with students and parents and hear how their child is doing at school. The format for parents’ evening hasn’t really changed over the decades - except for Covid - and there is a reason in that a face-to-face discussion with a teacher is extremely valuable.  

We are also delighted to inform you that Mrs Kelsey, our current Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, will be stepping up to take on the role of Interim Designated Safeguarding Lead to support Mr Chapman as he leads the Leap team. 

Finally, I have presented to staff a number of planned changes going forward, some of which are being introduced on our return after half-term. I will be sending out a letter to all parents next week giving more detail.  

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Some of our year 11 students went to Hull University this week where they attended lectures in maths and English along with students from all the other secondary schools in the trust. The sessions were focused on those who are close to getting a grade 5 (Tuesday) and the second day (Wednesday) was those who are close to grade 7. I went to see our students in action on the Tuesday and am pleased to see that they were working very hard. The sessions were both intense and ambitious; you could see how much thinking was taking place by the looks on all the students’ faces. The programme has run for a couple of years now and has proven to be extremely valuable.      

I would like to encourage students to bring their own refillable water bottles to schools. At present I see a large number of students buying flavoured water from the canteen yet right next to the serving area there are two water stations. I am looking at the viability of installing more water stations, meanwhile whilst we do recycle the plastic, there is a financial saving to be made by investing in a personal water bottle.  

We have a number of students who come to school on a bike which is a healthy form of transport and to be encouraged, especially as we move towards Spring. For clarification, along with other schools in the trust, students are not allowed to come into school on an ebike for safety reasons.  

On Monday I am presenting some changes that have been in planning stages over the past few weeks and so in next week’s communication I will outline what they are with proposed implementation dates.  

I am thoroughly enjoying my time at Hessle and see it as a real privilege to work with our brilliant students and staff. And on that note, also a big thank you for this week for your support as parents and carers. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

To start on a personal note, it is great to be able to be at Hessle full time to continue the school’s improvement journey. It’s great to be back.  

At the end of last term, I wrote about the importance of exercise books and that they would be a focus, not only now but throughout my tenure. This week I have dropped into a number of lessons to look at the quality of work our students are completing and I am pleased to say that the picture is a very positive one. There were some exceptional examples where I saw work that was nothing short of exemplary. On the few occasions where books were not quite as I would want, the teacher was aware and was addressing it with the student. As previously mentioned, we will also be providing support for those students who may find it challenging. On Thursday after school, all teaching staff were involved in looking at different exercise books to see good practice and get ideas. It was a valuable exercise.    

At various times of the day, though usually at the end of social time, I like to hold the door open for students to come into the building and I have to say that I continue to be impressed by how respectful and courteous our students are on a day-to-day basis. I find myself saying “you’re welcome” repeatedly as almost all of them say “thank you” as they pass by. In addition, conversations with students in the dining hall are a real pleasure with some students still going out of their way to come and speak to me. It is this level of courtesy that will get them far and what’s more, it comes across very natural so my thanks to you as parents for instilling these values in them. You should be very proud.     

Finally, I would like to emphasise the importance of your child being at school. Attendance drops considerably on Fridays and that is a real concern as it means 20% of the week is being missed by too many students. It is especially the case for those who are in year 10 and year 11 with exams either very close or on the horizon. My thanks to the vast majority of parents who send their child into school every day, as your child will benefit from it for the rest of their lives.   

Have a great weekend. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

As 2025 comes to a close, I want to wish everyone a safe and restful Christmas break. I am looking forward to taking up my full-time post as Headteacher at Hessle High and know that we can achieve great things for the school in the New Year. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Mr Nixon 

Headteacher

On Tuesday I attended my first Hessle High School and Sixth Form Local Governing Body meeting. Governors play an important role in schools as they bring a local context to the Trust as well as provide support and challenge. In my own experience, a crucial aspect of their role is their visits to school, so it was good to read and hear their feedback on what they saw in school, and the meetings they attended. Governors were sent a copy of the presentation I did a few weeks ago and as senior leaders, we went through our plans whilst highlighting how we had already changed how we quality assure the work that takes place in school.  

It has already been mentioned to teaching staff, so I thought it would be useful to highlight the importance I place on exercise books. They are the window to the student’s attitude to their learning. From January when we return, it will be a major focus both in the standard of presentation and the quality of work students produce so I would ask for your support as parents and carers in this. For some students, it will literally be drawing a line under the previous work, as we know they can produce a much higher standard of work and for others, it will be celebrating the work they are currently doing. Some students will need support, but we should be ambitious for every student at Hessle High School.  

Again, I have absolutely loved my two days at the school and whilst I will be sad to leave Howden, I am also really looking forward to the 06 January when I am in Hessle full time.  

Have a great weekend.    

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

On Monday and Tuesday, and with Mark Brown on Wednesday and Thursday, much of what we looked at was centred around SEND both in lessons and meetings. What is a real joy is walking round the school and going into lessons to see students engaged in their learning. We have a very dedicated and professional team of staff who know their students well and the staff / student relationship is positive. What I would like to emphasise this week is the importance of attendance. Being off school is very stressful for a student as when they return, they have to catch up on work missed. This makes the lesson difficult as the class has moved on. Persistent Absence percentage is 90% which is one day a fortnight; a huge amount of learning missed over the year. My plea is that if your child is not feeling so good, still send them in as the chances are they can just get on with school life and if not, we can deal with it. 

The weeks are flying by with only two weeks to the end of term. Schools also start to get that Christmas atmosphere but a heads up, I expect lessons to continue as normal. 

Have a great weekend. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Although I am in school for just a couple of days, a lot of work is covered during that time. One of my favourite moments is social time and chatting with students in the dining hall. It continues to impress me how welcoming everyone is – if I am honest, that has not always been the case when I go into schools so is not to be taken for granted. The students are easy to chat with and often come up to me for a conversation. Movement around the school is calm and purposeful, as is line ups in the morning for Key Stage 3. 

On Monday I had the pleasure of being involved in a review of the Arts Department alongside a visit to a year 7 lesson. After school, I did a presentation to staff about the way forward for the school and will be doing the same to Governors on Tuesday 09 December as well. I do realise that my comments in this forum are usually quite brief at present, but this is because much of my time is getting to know the school in increasing detail as whilst I have plans, they need to be a good fit for Hessle. 

I am looking forward to being in again on Monday and Tuesday. Have a great weekend. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

Yet another good couple of days at Hessle where I continue to be impressed by how friendly and welcoming everyone has been. On a very personal note, what I am really enjoying is being back in a school with a sixth form as they add such a positive and academic dimension to a school. What also makes a difference is that some lessons are in the main school building, so they are role models for all our other students. Even the complexity of the language they use as they walk to lessons will be picked up by younger students to become part of their everyday vocabulary. Tranby House, where Sixth form is based, is a lovely environment as are the facilities and the quality of education both here and when they go to Wolfreton. It is a very effective partnership. 

What I would like to highlight is that our progress outcomes in the Sixth Form are well above national, something that I am keen to celebrate and publicise. This is down to a number of factors, not least high-quality teaching. The aspirations of our students are high, for example four students were accepted into medical school last year (four applied) and we also had a student who was accepted into Oxford University. This year we have four strong applications for Oxbridge alongside students moving on to a wide variety of destinations including degree apprenticeships. Our approach of providing individualised support for students has resulted in higher than national averages for destinations and retention and a large number of very happy former sixth form students, all of whom have a personal tutor throughout their time with us. 

We also have a campus culture which helps students develop the independence they need to thrive post-Sixth Form, an aspect I consider to be crucial for future success. What I have observed is a real sense of pride and a willingness to volunteer and represent the sixth form. Our student council is led by Sixth Form students, and I have been impressed when watching them in action in Tuesday morning meetings. There is a strong sense of loyalty amongst the students not only in our current cohort but those former sixth formers who come back to speak about their experiences. 

In short, in conjunction with Wolfreton, we are extremely proud of our sixth form and their achievements. It is a great privilege to be given the opportunity to lead Hessle School and Sixth Form with such fantastic students and staff. 

I hope you have a good weekend. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

I have had another couple of good days at Hessle. For information, although I am currently only in school Mondays and Tuesdays, I am in contact with colleagues throughout the week. Again, Mark Brown has been in to support the school. 

On Monday I was involved in some drop ins looking at maths lessons. I was impressed with the level of engagement of students, and the staff student relationships. Students came across as being eager to learn and were happy to show me their exercise books. The dedication of staff is visible.  

The weather was wet on both days, yet the atmosphere was calm and purposeful. I made sure that I visited every classroom in the main building to see the learning that was taking place. I will repeat that the students have been incredibly welcoming and willing to engage; it has been a real pleasure to talk with them and get to know them.  

It is necessary to have various meetings at this stage to build up my knowledge and understanding of the school, though my instinct is always to go out and see the school in action. That is the best part of the job. 

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

I thought it might be useful to give you a brief overview of my first two days at Hessle.  

The first thing I would like to emphasise is how friendly and welcoming everyone has been; both staff and students. Several students have gone out their way to come and speak to me, and many have said “good morning” at line up or as we met in the corridor. Staff have done the same.  

On Monday I held an assembly for all the year groups in the main school. I was impressed by the way they conducted themselves, and I spent quite a bit of time walking around the site and being out and about at breaks and lunchtimes. I have also held numerous meetings including members of the Senior Leadership Team. After school on Monday, I spoke to staff briefly about my values and what is important to me not only as a leader, but just as importantly, as a dad and a husband. 

First thing Tuesday morning I sat in the student council meeting then spent some time with Mr Jarman talking about the sixth form after which we visited some sixth form lessons. Mark Brown (Executive Director of Education) and Lizann Lowson (CEO) were in school as well.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my two days at Hessle and am already looking forward to next Monday. Although I am at Howden for the rest of the week, Mark Brown will be in school during the week as well. I am also in regular contact with Hessle, even when I am not in the building, so that I am kept up to date.

Mr Nixon

Headteacher

*** 

When I first entered the teaching profession, I had no ambition to be a leader, let alone a Headteacher.  In fact, I only considered it a possibility when I was essentially offered the job back in 2018, whilst sitting in the very office I am writing this from now.  It was Sarah Young who had the faith in me to make that offer and I am glad she did. 

Being the Headteacher of such a fantastic school and being able to steer it through some good and bad times has been the greatest privilege of my career.  Every time I stand in front of the staff, the parents or the students, I know how fortunate I am.  When I walk the corridors, drop into lessons, chat with students and colleagues, it is a joy and there has never been a day when I haven’t been glad to drive through the gates and come to do my job. 

I am most proud of three things. 

Firstly, the way we handled the pandemic.  Within 12 months of taking over the school, we were making plans to shut it, when the Covid pandemic hit in early 2020.  Those months, which turned into years, were surreal and we found ourselves in completely uncharted territory.   I never expected to be sitting in Public Health England meetings, opening up a testing centre, delivering food parcels to the community, creating pop-up canteens, painting dots on the playground two metres apart.  Just as those painted spots have now faded into the concrete, so have many of the memories.  But they are easily stirred when I start to think about them again. 

When we began to manage that situation, I made two things clear to my staff.  We were going to look after our people first and foremost.  And we were going to trust our staff to make the right decisions for themselves and their own families.  Some staff wanted to be in school, others were terrified to do so.  Both views were okay.  I am proud of how we handled that period, which made us stronger as a community. 

The second thing of which I am proud is that Hessle High School is a place where people are pleased to work.  There is low staff turnover and, despite the inevitable niggles, the overwhelming majority would choose to work nowhere else.  When people leave, they tend to do so for developmental, or personal, reasons.  Working in schools is hard and it has always been my hope that I might be able to make our school a place where it is not quite so hard, and where people feel supported and proud to work.  I hope I have done that. 

Finally, for the past seven years, we have been consistently over-subscribed.  Our Open Evening is packed and the feedback we get from you is overwhelmingly positive.  Parents and carers want their children to attend our school and believe that they are safe, happy and thriving here.  We don’t always get it right, but I like to think that we are honest when we get things wrong and seek to put it right.  The faith that you, as parents, have repeatedly shown in my staff is the single thing that I am most proud of.   

All of that will continue and I wish you, and your families all the very best for the future. 

Thank you as always for your support.  

Mr Groak

Headteacher

Firstly, I would like to say ‘thank you’ to those of who that have been in touch since the announcement of my departure broke on Wednesday.  I have been successful in securing a role with another local Trust working across more than one school and I am very much looking forward to a new challenge. 

I will leave my reflections on what Hessle means to me for next week, but I can assure you that it has not been an easy decision, and it will be very tough to leave the school. 

I can assure you all, however, that the school will continue to thrive.  The appointment of Jim Nixon is an inspired one.  Having worked with Jim for a few years, I know that he brings real integrity along with his vast experience.  You will enjoy meeting him and getting to know him.  He will be supported by the most fantastic senior leadership team imaginable.  They will continue their work with students and families and will support the transition to new leadership under Jim Nixon. 

I know that they will get your full support. 

In the meantime, enjoy the weekend, enjoy Hull Fair if you are going, and I will be in touch again next week. 

Best wishes 

Mr Groak 

Headteacher

After six weeks summer break, school staff almost bounce into school at the start of September (well, most do).  That injection of energy and enthusiasm carries us all the way through September and, if we are lucky, almost to half term.  But the challenge arrives with the bugs and the illness.  And this week, it has landed. 

Whilst attendance (staff and students) remains high, and higher even than last year at the same time, it is noticeable that individuals are struggling.  In meetings, those staff carrying bugs sit themselves at the end of the room, away from others.  And around school, the students who are similarly under the weather, can be seen sniffling and doing their best to get through the day. 

We have a culture of resilience in our school – one of our core values.  We know that the best route through illness is sometimes to take total rest and be absent from school or work, we also know that this is not always required.  We try to teach students to do their best to stay active, to stay in school and to take maximum rest on an evening.  In most cases, it works, and we thank all of you for your support in building this sense of responsibility and resilience in our young people. 

This week, I have been spending lots of time in Year 10 lessons and have been particularly pleased with how students are engaging with their new GCSE subjects.  I often say that I would love to be able to study our curriculum – it has so many great topics and themes and provides opportunities to develop wonderful skills.  This was seen in the lessons I visited this week, including History lessons where students were fascinated by the civil rights topics; in Food Technology lessons where they were exploring food contamination and in Resistant Materials classes where students were as happy learning about the properties of different manufacturing materials as they were carrying out practical activities.  I can confidently say that our Year 10 cohort are one of the most motivated I have seen for many years and will surely go on to achieve great things in the future. 

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For parents of students in Year 11, please be aware of the upcoming Open Evenings for our Consortium Sixth Form offer.  Next Thursday (9 October), Wolfreton School hold their event, followed by our own at Hessle on Tuesday 14 October.  For those interested in studying at our Sixth Form College, I would strongly recommend that you visit both campuses so that the full breadth of our subjects and facilities can be appreciated.  As a student at the Consortium Sixth Form, you have access to resources on both sites so they really are worth a visit.   

For more information, please visit The Consortium Sixth Form College - Curriculum. 

Thank you for your support as ever and have a nice weekend.

Mr Groak

Headteacher

The feeling you get as you set foot in a school is important and it sets the tone for the experience you will have there.  I know that our visitors saw lots of examples of terrific relationships between staff and students and these relationships are at the heart of what we believe makes our school special.  Throughout the night, I received lots of comments from parents and children and these are just a few examples:  

"Your staff are friendly and real people." 

"We were really impressed. Everything was very organised compared, the teachers were all really friendly and engaging. The activities they had in each room were fantastic. It was buzzing and busy which I suppose isn't surprising with Hessle reputation." 

There was a brief moment when a child became separated from her mum and 'lost' in the building. Everyone, including students, leapt into action and the girl was soon found sitting in the hall with her sister, waiting patiently for my presentation! Mum was relieved and very impressed.  

We never take for granted that we will fill all the spaces in our school and know that we must work hard to gain that trust.  My staff also understand that which is why they were happy to still be here after 7pm closing down and preparing for another day today.  My thanks to them, and to all of that attended for making it a terrific evening. 

A reminder that the deadline for applications is 31 October. 

We move on soon to our Sixth Form Open evening which will be held on 14 October.  Please look out for our emails and social media messaging with more information on that one. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and have a lovely weekend. 

Mr Groak

Headteacher

As I get older I become increasingly preoccupied with punctuality.  Perhaps it is the fact that, with every passing year, time becomes more important.  But I also feel that punctuality is the epitome of politeness and good manners. I truly believe in the quote above – someone who is habitually late, leaving others waiting, really does show a disregard for others.  Punctuality is a learned behaviour.  If we can develop the skill of managing our time and preparing for events and schedules, it will stand us in great stead as we go through life. 

This is why we have a firm view of punctuality at Hessle High School.  Students are expected to arrive at school early, or on time.  This ensures that they can be ready to start the day in good fashion.  Our year groups assemble in different locations around the school and they are expected to be in those zones by 8.30.  This enables them to move to their tutor rooms for tutor period to start at 8.35.   

Those that arrive after that time may be reminded by their tutors or pastoral staff but, if a student arrives to the internal school gates at 8.32 or later, they will be marked late.  This is to encourage them to arrive at least a few minutes earlier in future and be better prepared.  At that point, students are directed to the ‘Late Student’ entrance where they will sign in with Mrs Kibart and a member of the pastoral team. 

It would not be a surprise for you to know that students are not always happy to find the gate being locked and being sent to the late entrance.  Regular comments include, “I’m only a minute late” and “It wasn’t my fault.” 

Firstly, late is late.  Whether you were one minute late for a train, or thirty minutes late for a train, you’ve still missed it.  And, for the reasons given above, we want students to learn the importance of punctuality.  When a student is on time for school, this shows respect for themselves, for their tutor and their tutor group. 

Secondly, anyone arriving late will speak to Mrs Kibart who will log the reason and may or may not decide to issue a sanction, depending on the reason given.  However, “there was a lot of traffic” is rarely acceptable, unless there has been a localised incident that has caused unusual delays.  Mrs Kibart regularly hears reasons such as “My alarm didn’t go off”, “I couldn’t find my tie” or “I forgot my homework and went back for it”. In response, she offers advice on how they might avoid being late in future by laying out uniform, equipment and homework the night before, and checking the alarm is set.  Ultimately, we are teaching students to take responsibility for themselves, another crucial life skill. 

Thank you for your support with this.  

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Last evening I had the pleasure of speaking to the parents and family members of our most recent Year 11 and Year 13 students at our KS4/KS5 Awards Evening.  Whilst I was keen to congratulate the students, I also reflected on the role played by families and teachers in that success.  They obviously deserved credit too, but it also reminded us that few of us can achieve success on our own.  And it is the most successful people who tend to be most open to receive help and support from others.  Every one of the students that were commended last night received help, but they were also keen to ask for and readily accept it.  That is a real strength. 

Thank you all for your ongoing support and have a lovely weekend. 

Mr Groak

Headteacher

We have been delighted with the attitude of all students this year.  Overwhelmingly, they have stepped up to meet our exacting standards of uniform and general presentation.  Furthermore, their conduct around the school has been impeccable.  This week we have welcomed a number of trainee teachers to our school who have begun their teaching practice with us.  After a few hours in the school, they were keen to let us know how calm they had found the school and how welcoming and polite the students had been towards them.   

I will always remember giving an experienced Headteacher a tour of our school a few years ago.  He was then the CEO of another Trust and also an ex-Ofsted inspector.  He was significantly more experienced than me at the time and so I was slightly nervous as I began my tour with him.  We stopped several times on the corridor and watched students moving around, we dropped into a couple of classrooms and came back to my office.   

“You’ve got a good school here, Vince”, he said.   

“How could you possibly know that?” I asked, “you’ve only been here ten minutes.” 

“I could tell as soon as we saw the kids walking to their lessons,” he told me.  “There’s no pushing and shoving, they’re going the right way, they’re well dressed.  They know why they’re here and they’re proud to be here.  It stands out a mile.” 

I was pleased as punch, as you can imagine and I have always used that same method to test the culture of our school.  I’ll stand on the corridor and watch the movement, of students and staff.  I have to say, having done this several times this week, that the behaviour culture at Hessle is even stronger than it was back then.  We’ve worked hard to achieve that and are now fully focused on ensuring that this is converted into ever-improving outcomes and experiences for all our students. 

Your support is invaluable in this journey, however, and I thank you for it. 

On Thursday this week, we welcomed over 200 families to our Year 11 Launch event.  This was an opportunity for us to share with parents and carers, our plans for how we intend to support our Year 11s this year.  I firmly believe that the students get a fantastic deal from our staff who go above and beyond to ensure that they succeed.  All that we ask of them is that they attend school, work hard and take the advice and guidance that is given to them freely.  On the evidence of Thursday, it appears that they have every intention of doing so.   

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Finally, a word for our Year 7 students who continue to impress.  Attendance and behaviour is exemplary and they are now starting to really get into the rhythm of the school year, having met most of their teachers by now.  I hope that all our Year 7 parents and carers are equally at ease with the start of term.  I know, from experience with my own children, that the transition to secondary school can cause some anxiety amongst even the most phlegmatic of children and this can worry some parents.  If you have any concerns or worries about your child’s first few weeks in school, please get in touch and let us work through them together.  In the meantime, thank you all for your support in making this crucial transition so successful for all concerned. 

The first half term is always very busy with events and so I urge you to keep checking your email and speaking to your child about what is going on in school.  If you have friends or family members who may be interested, our Open Evening is coming up on September 25^th and our Sixth Form Open Evening is on October 14^th.  Please check social media or our website for more information about either of these events and we hope to see plenty of people there. 

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I was proud last week to complete my first ever Half Marathon when I managed to finish the Great North Run.  My goal was to finish without stopping or walking which I did.  I wasn’t bothered how long it took me but am still amazed that I ran non-stop for 2 hours and 34 minutes.  My goodness, it hurt though!  Well done to anyone who has undertaken something like this.  I have even more respect and admiration for those that regularly run these kind of events, especially for Charity and the benefit of others.  It was a terrific and humbling experience. 

Thankfully, it is a slightly quieter weekend this time around with most of my time taken ferrying my son to football and cricket fixtures and going to the MKM Stadium on Saturday to watch Hull FC.  Aside from that, there will be some relaxing time, and I have a fence gate that also needs painting!   

I hope you enjoy your weekend and thank you as always for your support.  

Mr Groak

Headteacher

A week may be a long time in politics, but it is the blink of an eye in schools.

For those parents and carers that are new to our community, this is the Headteacher’s Blog. I write this every week and try to capture what the week has been like – its ups and downs, its challenges and its many joys and moments of hilarity.

The first week of a new school year is an opportunity to set even higher standards and goals. In schools, we get two chances to set ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ and we take the opportunity seriously. This is communicated to our students, and I start each ‘first’ assembly of the year by praising their impeccable uniform and asking them who ‘has 100% attendance for the year so far’. Of course, they all put their hand up and the point is made that they have shown that they can reach high standards – the challenge is to keep them.

Chefs use the term, ‘Mis en chef’ to mean "everything in its place". It is a fundamental concept for professional chefs, referring to the practice of preparing and organising all necessary ingredients, tools, and equipment before beginning to cook, ensuring efficiency, safety, and a smoother cooking process. That is the principle we teach our students to apply; prepare the night before, be organised, be ready. Thank you for your part in ensuring that the students arrived to school this week in correct uniform and with the correct equipment.

It was lovely, on Wednesday, to see our new Year 7 students. They were impeccably turned out and conducted themselves wonderfully. As parents and carers, you should be extremely proud of them – I am sure you are.

To our Year 11s, I set out the challenge of the year that lies ahead for them. A year from now, a lot will have happened in their lives. They will have completed their GCSE studies, prepared for and sat their exams, completed their coursework. More than that, they will have moved on with their lives. Many will be in our sixth form, but conscious and well- researched decisions will have been made about their futures, which involve many open nights, discussion and consideration. They will be a step closer to adulthood and finding a purpose and a role in life. And, amongst all of that, they must find time to be teenagers, to have fun, to make new relationships and to learn more about themselves. It is exciting but can be very daunting. I reminded them that don’t face that on their own. They have you, they have their friends, and they have all of the adults in our school, whose job it is to educate and nurture young people at precisely this stage of their lives. My only piece of advice is to them to use that support; don’t try to do it alone. I am optimistic that they will heed that advice.

All other year groups returned on Thursday and the whole school came to life. The school is busy, every year we get bigger, and the students embrace the opportunity to meet new people and learn new things. Students in years 8, 9 and 10 are in the middle of their journey and they set off on the latest chapter this week with enthusiasm and drive.

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On a practical level, we have been pleased with the response of students to our lunchtime arrangements. Early lunch has three year groups on it but queues have moved briskly and will get quicker still as Year 7 students familiarise themselves with the canteen offerings.

There have been one or two hiccoughs with rerouting of school buses, but I am confident these have been communicated and adjustments made.

Finally, school uniform changes have been embraced well by students. We pride ourselves on the high standards of our uniform and each year seek to raise the bar of expectations. I am a strong advocate for the consistency that uniform brings; it enables students to focus on what really matters in school – learning and expressing themselves through their personality, not what they choose to wear.

Thank you for your support which has enabled us to set and maintain these very high standards.

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Finally, I usually finish my blog by giving you an occasional insight into how I spend my time away from school. This weekend, myself, my wife and our two children are heading up to Newcastle where I am running the Great North Run on Sunday. I have never completed a half-marathon before, and my summer training regime did not go fully to plan but I am hopeful that I can complete the race without having to walk or stop. I owe my place to a commitment to raise money for Cancer Research which is a charity that has a lot of personal meaning to me, so I am doubly determined to finish the course.

If you see me a little slow on my feet on Monday morning, you will know why!

Have a lovely weekend and thank you for your support.

Mr Groak

Headteacher