Muy Bien! Spanish students give tapas thumbs-up

Spanish students tucked into tapas to get a taste of the authentic cuisine they have been learning about as part of their studies.

Twenty-five students from Year 9 went along to Casa Ruiz, in Bridgnorth, after completing a module of work focusing on food, drink and restaurants.

Mrs A.Darby, Head of Languages, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity for students to taste authentic Spanish food and try the tapas dishes they had been learning about.

“It was a great way of adding some cultural context to their learning.”

Britannica School Encyclopædia now available to all Highfields students

All of Highfields’ 1,800 students and staff now have complete access to the award-winning online resource, Britannica School, to aid their studies.

The school has invested in the resource, from Encyclopædia Britannica, to give students and their families 24/7 access to thousands of helpful learning tools and image libraries.

Students can reach the resource through the school website’s Office 365 link from any device including computers, laptops and tablets. 

The online encyclopædia is updated daily with articles, videos, images and educational games to help students with all of their learning needs and projects in every subject. It also features study guides focusing on specific topics such as essay writing - all designed to support students of all academic levels.

Headteacher, Mr M. Capel, said: “We are delighted that Britannica School is now available for all of our students and their families as well as staff.

“It can be used as a starting point when they are searching for information to help them with their homework, projects and research papers on the internet.

“It is wonderful that we are able to give our students access to so much information whilst being safe in the knowledge that our students will be exploring safe material from a trusted, non-biased and reliable source."

*Photographs courtesy of www.britannica.co.uk

Students set for FAME with performance at Grand Theatre

Budding stars of the West End wowed audiences when they showcased their performance skills on a professional stage.

Talented Highfields students Jessica Olford, Jordanne Farley-Moss, Molly Birch and Maya Chima were among the cast of Musical Comedy Company’s (MUSCOM) high-energy production of FAME.

The show was performed at the historic Grand Theatre to rave reviews.

Sharon Bishop, Highfields’ Head of Performance, who was in the audience to watch the show, said: “It is wonderful that our students build on the work we do in school by nurturing their talents in their free time.

“I was very proud to watch our students putting on such professional performances in this fantastic production. It was a great experience for them to perform at the Grand Theatre and I look forward to seeing their names in lights one day.” 

Established in 1938, MUSCOM is a young and vibrant theatre company full of local, home-grown talent. Over the past decade, MUSCOM has performed a number of critically-acclaimed performances at the theatre including Footloose, Half A Sixpence and Legally Blonde.

All photographs courtesy of MUSCOM. For more information about the company, visit www.muscom.co.uk or call 07794 048727.  

Shakespeare to be celebrated by students

William Shakespeare’s famous comedy The Taming of the Shrew will be brought to life by Highfields students as part of an evening of entertainment celebrating works of the Bard.

An Evening of Shakespeare will take place on April 28 to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death.

Students will perform a 30-minute version of the play as well as other famous Shakespeare monologues and duologues.

Ms S. Bishop, Head of Performance, said: “Shakespeare's stories transcend time and culture and are able to speak to a number of audiences at the same time.

“Our performance of The Taming of the Shrew is something we worked on during the last summer school and, being the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in April this year, we thought it would be fitting for our students to honour his work by performing this piece as well as other famous monologues and duologues he penned."

The performance starts at 7.30pm. Tickets, costing £2, are available from the Upper Floor LRC. 

Horrors of war to be brought to life during trip to The Somme

The horrors of war will be brought to life for students during a trip to The Somme on the 100th anniversary year of one of the fiercest battles of the First World War.

A group of 36 students and five members of staff will be travelling to the French battlefields as well as visiting the memorials and museums that honour those who lost their lives as part of the trip to give them a better insight into the atrocities that took place there during the war.

The Battle of the Somme, which took place between July and November 1916, was one of the largest of the First World War, with more than 1 million casualties. On the first day alone, the British suffered almost 60,000 casualties, making it the bloodiest day in British military history.

History teacher, Mrs C.Hall, said: “A trip to The Somme will illustrate for students the horrors of war and the terrific human cost of gaining very little territory as well as the difficult conditions the soldiers lived in for long periods.

“We shall be paying our respects to the fallen of all nations as we endeavour to build our understanding of history and the lessons to be learned from the dreadful mistakes of the past.”

The visit, which will take place from March 24-26, is one of a number of study tours organised by Highfields’ History department to enable students to experience first hand the locations of world-changing events.

Mrs Hall added: “This will be another solemn and reflective journey with Highfields' students but we know that we shall also enjoy the travels and the company of a wonderful group of students from Year 9 to Year 13. We will report more of our experiences on our return.”

Year 11 students given revision tips for exam success

Students during last year's Plan To Succeed Day

Year 11 students were given top tips and advice about making their revision really count as part of a special day dedicated to ensuring they succeed in their GCSE exams.

A number of workshops and activities were lined up for students as part of the Plan To Succeed Day, which took place on March 15.

Students took part in workshops throughout the day looking at applying the ‘4Rs’ and each received a goody bag featuring a clear pencil case, pen, pencil, post-it notes and highlighters to aid their revision. 

Students worked in groups to construct their own revision timetables and materials making use of a range of techniques including mind maps, flash cards, route systems, videos, podcasts and quizzes with prizes handed out for the best materials created on the day. The event finished with a play performed by members of the Maximise Theatre Company.

Mrs N.Clifton, Head of Upper School, said: “The purpose of the day was to allow Year 11 students to develop their revision skills and strategies and raise awareness of the need to be revising now.  

“Our Year 11 students have approached every aspect of their GCSE exams so far with maturity and while their mock exam results were incredibly positive, the experience gave them an indication of the areas in which they need to improve on for the real thing.

“This day was all about giving them the advice and ideas to make sure they get the most out of their revision time and adopt revision methods that best suit them so they achieve their potential in their exams and put themselves on the road to success in the future.”

This year for the first time students are also being encouraged to share their own revision resources through the Create Like Share area on the school website. Four prizes worth £25 each will be given out for the best resources shared between students over the Easter holiday.

Madness musical 'Our House' is huge hit

This year's production of Our House was a huge success, as students wowed audiences with their impressive acting, singing, dancing and musical talents.

More than 60 students were involved in this year's production, which got sell out-crowds singing along, laughing out loud and dancing in their seats over four nights.

Our House features a host of classic hits from Ska band Madness - such as Our House, Baggy Trousers and My Girl - to explore the themes of love, family values, responsibility and growing up.

Students rehearsed for five months ahead of the production, which audiences unanimously agreed was a resounding success.

Sharon Bishop, Head of Performance, said: “The annual school production is one of the highlights on the school calendar and our students once again worked incredibly hard to make sure this year’s show was a hit.

"This year's production was challenging as the storyline simultaneously follows the two paths central character Jay Casey's life could take following a split-second decision made on his 16th birthday. However, our students more than rose to the challenge and put on a fantastic production.

"They performed to a sell-out crowd every evening and everybody agreed what a fantastic show it was. I would personally like to thank everyone involved for all their hard work. All of the students involved should be incredibly proud of what they achieved."

Students hit slopes for Austrian ski adventure

Thrill-seeking students had the time of their lives during a ski trip to Nassfeld, in Austria.

Eighteen students from years 9-13 hit the slopes for six days during the half-term holidays under the guidance of professional instructors as part of the action-packed trip.

They also took part in a number of other activities including 'Winter Olympics'-themed events such as curling as well as bowling and a quiz night.

Mrs R.Coldicott, who organises the trip every two years, said: "This was the hardest year we have had in terms of conditions and the visibility was very poor so they did especially well.

"They just got stuck in. Everybody was extremely complimentary about their attitude, behaviour and manners, from the hotelier to the coach driver and instructors. We shared the hotel, the Pension Leitner, with a group from Welshpool High School and we have received a postcard from them thanking us for helping to make the week so special."

She added: "Before we went we had a two-hour training session on the dry slope at Telford, but 11 of the group had never been skiing before. However, some of them were moved up from the beginners group to the intermediate group because they did so well.

"It was a great trip and we all had a fantastic time."

Students and staff enjoying a wonderful time in Nassfeld, Austria

Highfields supports Sport Relief

Highfields is throwing its weight behind the national Sport Relief fundraising campaign - and is giving students the chance to take part in a number of events to help make a difference.

Sport Relief is a charity event organised through Comic Relief and run every two years in association with BBC Sport. The event brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise tens of millions of pounds to help vulnerable people in the UK and across the world. 

A number of events and activities have been lined up to support this fantastic cause at Highfields from March 14-18, including the Sport Relief Mile. Students in years 7, 8 and 9 will be given the chance to complete the mile as part of their PE lesson. Older students and staff will be able to take on the challenge after school on Thursday, March 17.

Other events include a cross-bar challenge, lip-sync competition and cake decorating, whilst staff will compete in football and netball matches to raise funds.

People can donate by:

*Texting HSWV57 with the donation amount to 70070

*Visiting www.justgiving.com/HighfieldsSchool

*Putting money in an envelope with your child's name and handing it into the Maths/Science LRC

Mrs L.Corbett, Highfields' Community Engagement Officer, said: "Highfields is justifiably proud of the support that students, parents and staff continue to give to both national and local charities, raising thousands of pounds each year to improve the quality of life for many people. As well as working with the Teenage Cancer Trust this year, we are looking forward to offering a series of student-led activities supporting the national Sport Relief initiative.

"Of all of the money raised by the public through Sport Relief, 50% is used to make a difference here in the UK and 50% goes towards transforming lives throughout the world's poorest communities.

"We are delighted to be hosting a number of events to help raise money to support this fantastic charity and cause."

Sport Relief gains huge support from celebrities, who have pushed themselves to the limit to support the cause in the past. Those who have famously completed challenges include Davina McCall, who ran, swam and cycled more than 500 miles from Edinburgh to London; David Walliams, who completed a 140-mile swim of the length of the River Thames and Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton who reached the South Pole in 18 days by ski, bike and kite. Comedian Eddie Izzard is completing 27 marathons in 27 days for this year's event.

World of make believe brought to life for World Book Day

Fairytales and famous books were brought to life when students and staff dressed as their favourite fictional characters to celebrate World Book Day.

Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, The Gruffalo, Little Red Riding Hood, an oompa-loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Cat in the Hat and My Little Pony were among the colourful characters who turned up to school as part of the festivities.

The annual World Book Day is a celebration of books, authors, illustrators and reading and aims to ignite imaginations and help students gain a life-long passion for reading.

In the run-up to the big day, Highfields hosted a book fair to encourage students to read for pleasure, which was a huge success.

School Librarian, Mrs N. Ward, said: "It was very well attended and there was a delightful buzz as staff and students from all year groups browsed the selection of titles on offer.

"It was very ably manned by a team of sixth formers and was a resounding success. Sales were excellent, with a wide variety of books bought. The school has benefited tremendously with free books from a percentage of the total sales made."

Mrs Ward said it was wonderful to see so many staff and students donning fancy dress in honour of their favourite book characters.

She added: "World Book Day arrived with a flurry of very imaginative costumes! Staff and Year 7 and 8 students were invited to dress up as characters from their favourite books and character-spotting became the order of the day! All in all, it was a very enjoyable and successful week of events."