Skip to content ↓
Return to homepage

Hope Valley College

Principal's update 19 July 2024

Published on 19/07/24

Dear Parents and Carers

Lessons will continue as normal on Monday next week. On Tuesday, each year group will have a celebration assembly, reflecting on the year past and all that we have achieved, both individually and as a school community. Each year group will also take part in sports activities during the day. Students are therefore welcome to come to school on Tuesday in non-uniform sports kit.

We pride ourselves on the varied, challenging and exciting opportunities we provide our students both within and beyond the school curriculum:

  • Activities week has seen students excelling in the sponsored walk, our PGL Activities residential trips and activities with the Hollowford Centre.
  • We are also about to finish another year of our successful outdoor activities programme where young people in Year 9 have been weaselling, orienteering, climbing and mountain biking!
  • DofE has also proven to be a huge success this year. We have 115 students due to complete three sections along with their final expedition in September.
  • This year our primary school sports programme has seen up to twelve different schools participating in events from athletics, football and cricket to more unusual sessions like boccia, karate and orienteering.

These amazing opportunities could not run without additional support from local businesses and individual volunteers. This year we have had more volunteers than ever helping support our school with the primary events, outdoor activities programme, DofE, Activities Week and even our PSHE programme. We have also collaborated with local businesses to provide resources and training. We would like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers who have helped this year!

If anyone has an interest in volunteering for future events running in 2024/5 please contact Ms Oldfield, our Personal Development Coordinator.

What’s going on in school?

  • Thank you to everyone who has sponsored students to complete their sponsored walk. To date we have raised £678.11.
  • Ms Powis transformed her classroom into a café earlier this week to allow Year 7 students to perform their own scripted role plays, ordering food and drink and asking for the bill.

  • Our Music Showcase for Primary Schools was a huge success with children visiting from local primaries. The children were entertained by our Big Band, Wind Band and soloists. We did a Q & A about the instruments and hope we've inspired them to start learning some of these instruments. We hope to run this event again in the future.
  • Our Mountain Biking club made the most of the good weather at lunchtime today, with a session on the Hope pump track.

  • Y7 and Y8 Book clubs celebrated with an end of term party in the Library at lunchtime today.

 

Medical Appointments

Thank you for your ongoing help with attendance.  We continue to work with young people and families to improve attendance across the school.  We are requesting that when you notify school of a medical appointment you send a screenshot of the appointment with the time visible so that we can ensure that we are accurately recording absences from school.  Unfortunately, we are not able to authorise full day absences from school unless the appointment lasts for the day.  We would ask that students are returned to school as soon as possible after any appointment.

Class Charts and Arbor

From September, we will no longer use ClassCharts to share information with parents. Instead, we will use Arbor to share information about behaviour and detentions, student timetables and other information.  Please contact the school if you have not set up access on the Arbor parent portal.

Missing Library Books

Could we make a plea for any library books to be returned before we break up for summer. There are some books which are now 2 or 3 years overdue!!! The cost to replace all books currently missing is almost £700, so we would be very grateful if as many as possible could be returned. Thank you.

Lockers

Students with lockers: please can you remind your young person to make sure that lockers are emptied before school finishes on Tuesday. They will be emptied, cleaned and the access codes will be re-set during the summer holidays. If any personal belongings are found, these will be left at student reception for collection in September. For parents that wish to purchase a locker next academic year, further information and a booking link will be sent out via email in due course.

Lost Property

We have several items of lost property at reception. If your young person has lost something, please ask them to check at reception. Any items not claimed by the end of term will be donated to charity.

Thank you for reading our communication. Here are some helpful email addresses, should you need to contact us:

Kind regards

Gaynor Jones

Principal, Hope Valley College
T: 01433 620555

 

Cookie Policy