Bake Off contest features in international magazine

Highfields’ Bake Off competition, which saw students from city schools get creative in the kitchen to whisk up Christmas cakes, has been featured in an international magazine.

The annual competition, hosted by Highfields, challenges Year 9 students from five schools to make their own sweet creations based on the theme of Christmas.

The 2016 contest was judged by Laura Nolan, from the Nuthouse Bakery in Brierley Hill, who selected Highfields pupil Chloe Peters to win first place. Fellow Highfields pupil, Florence Waite, came in third place while a student from Aldersley High took second.

The efforts of all of the competitors have now featured in Cake Masters Magazine, which is distributed across the UK in major supermarkets and High Street retailers. It is also delivered to 44 other countries, including the USA and Australia.

Food Technology teacher, Miss Williams, said: “The cakes served up in our Bake Off competition were a fantastic standard and it is wonderful to have the efforts of all of the students honoured in Cake Masters Magazine, which is seen around the world.”

Highfields ranks among city's best in school league tables

Highfields has been named among Wolverhampton’s top schools for both attainment and pupil progress in the latest performance tables.

The Government has introduced new headline measures for this year’s performance tables - Progress 8 and Attainment 8 - which mark pupils’ progress and achievement over eight GCSE subjects.

Highfields recorded an Attainment 8 score of 53.2 out of 80 – above the national average of 48.5 - putting it in the top five Wolverhampton schools. Our Progress 8 score of 0.39 also saw it ranked among the top five city schools. Progress 8 looks at the advances a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school, comparing pupils’ results with the achievements of other youngsters with the same prior attainment.

Headteacher, Mr Graham Tate, said: “The Government has introduced new measures to calculate this year’s performance tables, based on 2016 GCSE exams.

“We are pleased to have been placed among the top five schools in Wolverhampton for both progress and attainment. It is testament to the hard work of our students and staff.

“Our current Year 11 students are already working hard in preparation for this year’s exams to maintain Highfields’ excellent academic standards.”

In previous performance tables the key metric was the percentage of students achieving grade C  or higher in five GCSE subjects, including English and maths.

To read the Express & Star’s round up of school performance tables in Wolverhampton and the Black Country, click the image below:

Chair of Governors honoured for dedication to teaching

Highfields’ Chair of Governors, Keith Sedgebeer, has been honoured for his dedication to improving musical standards for generations of school children.

Mr Sedgebeer won the Teacher of the Year accolade at the Express & Star’s Great Big Thank You Awards. 

Mr Sedgebeer has been part of Wolverhampton's education scene for almost 40 years, helping hundreds of youngsters to play musical instruments to the highest standard. Many of his former students have gone on to perform around the world. He is also conductor for the Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra and Highfields’ Chair of Governors.

Hundreds of people gathered at Molineux for the Great Big Thank You Awards, which were held to celebrate unsung community heroes.

To read the full Express & Star article about the Great Big Thank You Awards, click on the image below

Students' motivational film inspires & raises smiles

Year 11 students have created their own motivational film to encourage fellow pupils to stay positive and keep smiling even when the going gets tough in their final school year.

Twenty students from the 11B form group created the video, which they presented in assembly.

Mrs N.Clifton, Head of Upper School, said: “The students put together a fantastic motivational video for their fellow pupils. It has comedy value but with a really important message at its core.

“Year 11 can be tough for students as they prepare for their exams but this video is all about students motivating each other and maintaining positivity to deal with everything that gets thrown at them.

“Each Year 11 group will present their own assembly throughout the year and this one is a very tough act to follow.”

Watch the video by clicking on the image below:

Subjects to be brought to life with virtual reality

Students  will explore the South American rainforest, delve inside the human circulatory system and get a glimpse at WW1 battlefields - without leaving the classroom - thanks to a pioneering virtual reality programme.

Google Expeditions will be visiting Highfields to bring history, biology and geography to life with its virtual reality technology on February 13.

The team will hand out 60 pairs of virtual reality goggles to allow students to go on 45-minute journeys of exploration. Panoramic images will be beamed from teachers' tablets to the Google cardboard virtual reality glasses so students can be guided through collections of 360° and 3D images, allowing them to experience far-flung parts of the world, as well as important moments from the past and even the human heart, lungs and blood vessels.

Deputy Headteacher, Mr A.Cheetham, said: “We are delighted that Google Expeditions will be visiting Highfields to help bring lessons to life and take our students to places they would never otherwise be able to go.

“It is a fantastic teaching tool that we know will bring a real sense of excitement and allow our students to embrace subjects like never before.”

Back to school for former pupil turned stage star

A former Highfields pupil who has gone on to enjoy a successful stage and screen career is hoping to impress students in his latest production - before coming back to school for a motivational Q&A session.

Aaron Virdee will be appearing as Uncle Amman and Mr Bhatra in Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s version of Black Country-based comedy drama Anita And Me, which will be touring to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre next month.

Around 50 Year 9 students will be going along to the show on February 16. They will then get chance to meet the actor - who appeared in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - to learn more about succeeding as a performer when he visits school for a Q&A session the next day.

          Image courtesy of Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

The stage show - starring Coronation Street and Dinnerladies star Shobna Gulati - is based on the debut novel of the same name by Wolverhampton-born comedian, playwright and actress Meera Syal CBE. 

It is a poignant coming-of-age tale following the story of young girl growing up in the only Punjabi family in a fictional Black Country mining village in the 1970s. It was adapted into a film in 2002.

Sharon Bishop, Head of Performance, said: “Aaron showed great potential as a GCSE drama student and it is wonderful that he has gone on to enjoy such a successful career, appearing in a number of professional theatre productions.

“Our students are looking forward to seeing him on stage before getting the chance to meet him and ask questions about his life as a performer.

“We are always delighted to welcome professional performers into school to speak to students as their insight, experience and knowledge is invaluable to those who wish to pursue a career in performing arts.

“This visit is extra special because Aaron is a former Highfields pupil. It was not too long ago that he was sat where they are now, as a student hoping to one day become a professional performer, and he is now living his dream." 

After leaving Highfields in 2002, Aaron trained in acting at the Birmingham Theatre School and Postgraduate Acting for Screen at Redroofs Theatre School. He has performed in a number of professional theatre productions, including The Wiz, Changing Faces and Ganging Up whilst his TV credits include BBC show Citizen Khan. 

Anita And Me will be at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre from February 14-18.

Students inspired for the future at Course Choice event

Successful businessman and Poundland founder, Steven Smith, inspired students to prepare for a successful future as part of our annual Course Choice event for Year 9 students.

The Spring Term is an important one for Year 9 pupils as they select four foundation subjects to study alongside the core programme of English Literature, English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Citizenship.

As part of the annual Course Choice event, students got hands-on experience of a range of GSCE courses and picked up advice about succeeding in the workplace from Mr Smith, a former market trader who founded the retail empire which he later sold for £50 million.

Students returned to school with their parents during the evening where they heard presentations about the important process of choosing the right courses for Key Stage 4. Displays were set up to show what various courses have to offer and how they are able to help students fulfil their ambitions in future careers, whilst employers and Higher Education providers showcased opportunities for students.

Mr D Brook, Head of Middle School, said: “The event is all about helping our students plan for the future.

“This is the first big life choice many of our students will make and our Course Choice event gives them a glimpse of what each course has to offer to put them on the road to success.

“It is a very exciting time but students will need lots of support both from home and school to make the right choices.”

Year 9 students will sit school exams in all foundation subjects early in February, which will help them choose the correct subjects and courses going forward. A Parents Evening will also take place on Wednesday, March 29th to give students, parents and carers the chance to discuss options before each student sits down for a one-to-one interview with a senior member of staff in April.

The process will completed by the end of June.

Poundland founder to inspire Year 9 students for the future

Photo courtesy of www.stevensmith.com

Year 9 students will be given practical help and support to make the right subject choices and set them on the path to future success - as well as a motivational talk from multi-millionaire Poundland founder Steve Smith.

The Spring Term is an important one for Year 9 pupils as they select four foundation subjects to study alongside the core programme of English Literature, English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Citizenship.

As part of the annual Course Choice event - on Wednesday, January 11th - Yr 9 students will get hands-on experience of a range of GSCE classes and college courses, whilst listening to a presentation from Connexions. Successful businessman, Steve Smith, a former market trader who founded retail empire Poundland - which he later sold for £50 million - will be visiting the school to speak to students and inspire them to pursue their career dreams.

Displays will be set up on the day to showcase what various courses have to offer and how they are able to help students fulfil their ambitions in future careers, including travel & tourism, construction and art.

Mr D Brook, Head of Middle School, said: “The event is all about helping our students plan for the future.

“This is the first big life choice many of our students will make and our Course Choice event gives them a glimpse of what each course has to offer to put them on the road to success.

“It is a very exciting time but students will need lots of support both from home and school to make the right choices.”

Year 9 students will sit school exams in all foundation subjects early in February, which will help them choose the correct subjects and courses going forward. A Parents Evening will also take place on Wednesday, March 29th to give students, parents and carers the chance to discuss options before each student sits down for a one-to-one interview with a senior member of staff in April.

The process will completed by the end of June.

Highfields goes crackers for charity Christmas Jumper Day

Students and staff went crackers for Christmas jumpers to help raise money for charity.

The school’s corridors and classrooms were brightened up with colourful jumpers featuring Rudolph, elves, Santa Claus and snowmen as Highfields came together to celebrate the festive season with a fundraising Christmas Jumper Day on the last day of term.

Each student and member of staff made a token donation to wear their Christmas jumpers to raise money for Save The Children. The charity works to give children in the UK and across the world a healthy start in life, running world-class programmes to ensure they have a bright future.

Mrs N Clifton, Head of Upper School, said: “Everyone got well and truly into the Christmas spirit by wearing their festive jumpers. 

“It was wonderful to see the school come together to raise money for such a worthy cause.” 

Students showcase talent in Christmas concert

Students showcased their impressive musical talents in a spectacular Christmas concert.

More than 100 musicians, dancers and singers helped to fill the school with festive cheer when they performed a host of Christmas classics and other well-known hits to a packed audience.

The school choir, flutists and ukulele players, as well as members of the strings group, rock bands and cast of this year's school production of High School Musical were among those who performed in the musical extravaganza. The audience then got chance to join in with a finale of Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody.

Visitors also got the chance to browse through dozens of stalls selling local crafts and take part in a raffle to raise funds for the Save The Children charity.

Head of Performance, Sharon Bishop, who organised the evening, said: "We have so many talented students at Highfields and the Christmas concert is always a great opportunity for them to showcase this on stage.

“Our students put on a great show  and really helped to get everybody into the Christmas spirit."