Christmas Festivities: Concert, Craft Fair and Community Morning

Highfields' Christmas festivities were a huge success again this year. As well as the opportunity to raise some money for charity, we added a community focus and invited local residents and friends of Highfields along to some of our events...

Jolly Jumper Day

Both students and staff made a fantastic effort for our festive charity fundraiser. All donations received to 'wear a jolly jumper' for the day will go to our nominated charity, Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Christmas Concert & Craft Fair

Our annual Christmas Concert delivered a medley of performances in the Lyceum theatre from our resident musicians, singers and school ensembles... the concert was completed with an impressive audience sing-along of Winter Wonderland!

The Craft Fair, held on Highfields' ground floor, was also open to the local community and offered an abundance of handmade gifts from local businesses for the festive season.

Community Morning

We concluded our festive events with a Community Morning on the last day of term: a number of performers from the Christmas Concert provided live music and entertainment in our open plan restaurant for invited guests to enjoy with complimentary refreshments.

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Guest User.

Llandrinio Community Day

Our Llandrinio Outdoor Education Centre in Wales is an integral part of life at Highfields School and has been for many years. The centre gives our students new experiences and skills throughout their school life: from Year 6 Induction, to the Duke of Edinburgh programme for Year 10 upwards.

On Saturday 8th November we opened the centre to parents as well as students, so they could share the outdoor experience together. The day started at 9.00am where we all met at school and set off to Wales on a mini bus. Students, Parents and staff were excited for the challenges Mr Bradbury, the Centre Manager, had in store for us all. We were expecting to get very wet, but a sudden change in the weather delivered a lovely autumn day.

The Challenge

Upon arrival we made our way to Melverley Bridge to practice our traversing skills across the River Severn. Our first challenge was to zip wire across and onto the bridge, with challenge two to climb along the bridge framework. Parents and students worked alongside each other with great enthusiasm and motivation, and everybody completed both challenges. Students were then able to repeat the course which allowed parents time to admire and take photographs.

It was soon time to go back to the centre for a warm drink of hot chocolate and some dinner, before our journey back to Wolverhampton. An outstanding day was had by all: The effort of students and parents was exceptional and we all look forward to the next community day!

If you are interested in taking part in the next Llandrinio Community Day, please contact cmoody@hswv.org.uk

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Guest User and filed under Sport.

Black History Month

As part of Black History Month, we very recently enjoyed another exceptional performance from Gazebo Theatre Company titled 'The Hallowed Turf'.

“A story of soldiers, football and heroes...”

Above: Gazebo's performance of The Hallowed Turf, at Highfields - 'On the Front Line'

The play is a celebration of Black History Month and a commemoration of the start of WW1, exploring the character of Walter Tull:

A young man's dream of becoming a footballer is brought to the front when he meets his hero on a very different front line.

This powerful and heartbreaking play shares the true story of footballing star Walter Tull, the first Black Officer to serve in the British Army, in World War I, told through the imagined letters of an unknown 17 year old soldier.

Year 8 students watched the performance in the Lyceum Theatre.

A selection of drama students also had opportunity to engage with the actors from Gazebo, through participatory workshops during the afternoon.

Walter Daniel John Tull (28 April 1888 – 25 March 1918) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town. He was the second person of Afro-Caribbean/dual heritage to play in the top division of the Football League, the first Afro-Caribbean/dual heritage outfield player in the top division of English football, and the first to be commissioned as an infantry officer in the British Army.

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Guest User.

Fundraising for Macmillan and Birmingham Children's Hospital

We would like to thank staff, students and prospective parents too, for the generous response to our fundraising efforts in respect of both Macmillan Cancer Care and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

£209.58

was raised for Birmingham Children's Hospital following the sale of loom bands and a Spanish Film showing at lunchtimes to mark the occasion of European Day of Languages.

£264.98

was raised for Macmillan as a result of the very successful ‘coffee morning’ initiative at Open Morning.

Macmillan have thanked us personally and advised that the money raised will pay for 1.5 days of a nurse’s time to support cancer patients and their relatives.

I’m sure you will agree that this is a brilliant achievement and a great start to our fundraising activities for 2014-2015.

Mrs Corbett

Community Engagement Officer

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Guest User.

Ghana Trip 2014

On 21 July 2014 a team of fourteen incredible Year 12 and 13 students, along with two staff members, travelled to Edyeikrom, a Ghanaian village in Africa, to help build a classroom at the Maranatha Prepatory Academy, which educates children from the age of one all the way through to 18.

After Highfields underwent it's rebuild which was completed in 2012, Miss Green wanted to organise a project which would give something back to a community facing more challenging circumstances than our own. She and Mr Capel discussed the idea and decided that Ghana would be a great area to support. Our students would be able to experience Ghanaian culture and become immersed in the daily life of local people living in a less economically developed country. They would get the opportunity to make a real difference to the local children and their education.

*Miss Green and Miss Evans with the fourteen students and local helpers.*

The project itself is part of an ongoing sustainable effort in the KEEA District of Ghana and is supported by the charity, the Sabre Trust. Each task was centred around a school community where our students worked with local project contacts, local people and students. They helped to renovate the school, constructing one whole classroom and building the footings for two more. They also delivered lessons in local schools, participated in sports matches with local teams, cooked with local women and swept litter with the local children.

It was a huge task to raise £26,000 over 2 years in order to fund the trip. This was to cover their travel costs and also the cost of the materials needed for the project. They spent long nights preparing cakes for bake sales, helping to tutor younger members of the school, organising school events and sports tournaments and undertaking odd jobs in the local community. Some students even got jobs to be able to pay for it. Fundraising was a long process and included lots of letters rejecting the opportunity of sponsorship, but they finally reached their target to make it happen and the hard work helped create a united team spirit that served the group in good stead when it was time to leave.

Visiting Ghana has been described as a life changing experience by every single one of them, and as a result of the trip, thirty extra children in the village are now able to receive an education. The students also donated pens, pencils and exercise books to the school, as well as the Wolverhampton Wanderers flag which now proudly flies outside the academy!

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Guest User.

Another Successful Year!

GCSE Results - Thursday 21st August 2014

We have had another successful year of GCSEs at Highfields School, with 157 students attaining 5A*- C including English and Mathematics, and 42% attaining an A* or A grade.

We are ecstatic with our results. Well done everyone!

157 Highfields' students celebrate achieving 5A* - C GCSEs including English and Mathematics

Achieving success. 42% of Highfields' GCSE students attained an A* or A grade.

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Guest User.

STEM Enrichment

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It is a programme designed to engage our students with STEM subjects, by running exciting activities to enrich the curriculum, improve attainment, establish industry links and, most of all, encourage students to continue their education in STEM beyond Key Stage 4.

Our STEM Club meets every Tuesday afternoon. The Club hosts a regular supply of visitors, including recently, a herpetologist who brought a snake and a gecko along. On 1 July we also welcomed visitors from the British Geological Survey; they ran a workshop based on the Montserrat Volcano.

Go4Set

Twelve students from Years 8 and 9 have represented the school in a national competition called Go4Set, run by the Engineering Development Trust. They have been involved in a 10 week project based on an environmental theme,supported by an industrial mentor from UTC (formerly H M Marston).

Awards were presented at the Ricoh Stadium, Coventry on Tuesday 24 June. This involvement also entitles the students to their Silver CREST award and also an industrial cadet award (Princes Trust Scheme).

STEM Fair 2014

The annual STEM Fair took place on Wednesday 9 July within the Science and Mathematics Learning School. Approximately 20 exhibitors attended and were available to discuss their roles and careers within science related subjects with our students.

Fire Service - Guide Dog Training

Fire Service - Car Accidents

Stem Club

Highfields' Students Representing the Cadets

Interactive Activities

Students Engage with Exhibitors

Students Experienced Practical Demonstrations

Particular thanks are due to Mrs Bristow, who coordinates STEM Club and the STEM Fair.

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Guest User.

Southam College Enjoy Guided Tour of Highfields

On Wednesday 9th July Highfields welcomed a group of students from Southam College in Warwickshire for a guided tour of our school.

This follows a recent visit by Highfields students to Southam.

Southam students were delighted to be greeted with a performance by our Dhol drum group and were very pleased with our school, particularly the new buildings and facilities. It was especially interesting for Highfields students to show another school around their school. As one student commented,

““I didn’t really appreciate how fantastic our school is until I showed the Southam students around. They were amazed with what we have at Highfields.””

Photograph:  Highfields' student guides, accompanied by Mr Jevon and a performance by our Dhol Drum group, greeted our visitors from Southam College. — *Photograph: Highfields' student guides, accompanied by Mr Jevon and a performance by our Dhol Drum group, greeted our visitors from Southam College.*

*Photograph: Having a refreshment break in the Ground Floor Restaurant*

We are very pleased to be working with Southam College, which is an outstanding school. The opportunity for our students to share their thoughts and bring new ideas to Highfields is a welcome addition to their education.

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Guest User.

Belgium Trip 2014 - Visiting the Flanders Fields

In the year of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, Highfields was fortunate to secure bookings for the end of June - indeed covering the anniversary of the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28th June.

Thirty-nine Year 9 and 10 students and five from Year 12 went on a range of visits to memorials, museums, cemeteries and battlefield sites in the Flanders Fields.

We always make a point of looking at these terrible events from all sides - for instance visiting Lijssenthoek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery which is located near where a forward casualty clearing station came under shellfire in 1917, causing the fatal wounding of Staff Nurse Nellie Spindler. One woman amongst nearly 11,000 men, she is the only woman buried alongside combatant troops on the Western Front. In the same cemetery are laid to rest French, German and American soldiers, as well as nine members of the Chinese Labour corps.

There has been much refurbishment of the already wonderful museums in preparation for the anniversary years - the In Flanders Field Museum and the Peace Tower at Diksmuide have moving themed displays and make full use of technology to enhance understanding and engage the curiosity of visitors.

The Last Post Ceremony

At the end of the second day a party of four students, smart in their school uniforms and carrying a wreath they made themselves, participated with great dignity in the Last Post Ceremony.

*The school wreath was uniquely made of hand cut paper poppies, one for every student on the trip, with a card backing displaying the school emblem.*

Niall reads Rupert Brooke's poem, 'The Soldier'

The group then moved onto Menin Road South Cemetery for an even more moving occasion, when Niall Felton laid a second wreath on his Great Great Grandad's grave. We played a recording of the bugle call, declared the immortal words, 'They shall not grow old ....', and Niall laid the wreath and read Rupert Brooke's poem, 'The Soldier' ('There is some corner of a foreign field') with great solemnity).

A visit was made to the German cemetery at Langmarck to reflect on the losses and how they impact on all sides in conflict, and spent the final day investigating the experience of the Belgian people, on whose homes, towns and farms this war was inflicted. There is a terrible resonance with the situation in present day war zones.

Student comments:

'I think the trip to Belgium was absolutely amazing.'

'My favourite part was the visit on the way back to the Peace Tower because it was interesting and the dark area inside was brilliant as the speakers represented the sounds which would have been heard during that period.'

'The trip was brilliant - there was no better way to remember the fallen than by seeing their graves.'

'I got the chance to see my great great granddad's grave; everyone made me feel so proud when I laid the wreath and we held the ceremony in the South Menin Road.'

'I learned a lot on the trip - The teachers were so knowledgeable.'

Gallery

The whole trip ran smoothly, thanks to the preparation by the staff team and the wholehearted engagement of the students. Sincere thanks to Miss Tappenden, Miss Timmins, Mr Pycroft and Mr Andrews for all their support and energy in making this trip an unforgettable experience for the students.

An additional thank you to Charlotte Barr in Year 10, for her wonderful photographs: many of which are featured above.

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Guest User.

Lower School Visits Disneyland Paris

During May half term the Lower School Team took 114 Year 7 and 8 students to Disneyland Paris. They enjoyed two fun-filled days at the theme park and had the opportunity to visit Paris' most iconic monument - the Eiffel Tower.

Here are a selection of photographs from the trip!