Curtain-up on Wizard Of Oz

Talented young performers are preparing for curtain-up on Highfields’ latest stage spectacular, The Wizard of Oz.

After weeks of rehearsals, the cast are delighted to be celebrating the first performance of the musical classic tonight (Wednesday 7th November) - with theatre fans urged to get their hands on the last remaining tickets.

The toe-tapping production features students from Years 7-9 and will be performed over the next four nights. (November 7th-10th)

Tonight’s show starts at 6.30pm and includes a firework finale and food. Tickets for this performance are all £5. Tickets for the remaining shows, which start at 7.30pm, cost £5 for adults and £3 concessions.

Ms S Bishop, Head of Extra Curricular Performance, said: “We are delighted that it’s finally showtime after weeks of rehearsals.

“Our students have worked extremely hard since the start of term to perfect their performances ready for curtain-up.

“They have shown real commitment and dedication, coming along to after-school rehearsals every week, as well as giving up some of their Saturdays.

“The cast were very focused, energetic and enthusiastic at the technical rehearsal, even after running the show through four times with each different Dorothy!

“It is a very technical show, and the first time we have used back projection and pyrotechnics in the Lyceum, so fingers crossed for a smooth run with no technical difficulties. The show is running at approximately one hour with no interval.

'We hope to see you at one of the shows. Please come along to support our fantastic students. There are some great performances, some great tunes and some real Highfields comedy moments!”

Tickets are available from the Humanities LRC.

Highfields remembers sacrifices made in Great War

Students travelled to Belgium to pay tribute to those who fought and died in the First World War - and are now preparing to create a spectacular display of poppies outside school to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

Forty students from Years 10-13 visited Ypres - the location of three significant and devastating battles between 1914 and 1918 - to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

During the three-day trip, students visited a number of important landmarks, including Lijssenthoek Cemetery, Talbot House, the In Flanders Fields Museum, Langemark German Cemetery, Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62, The Peace Tower and the ‘Trenches of Death’ - the last line of Belgian defence.

They also visited Tyne Cot, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the world, as well as Essex Farm Cemetery - the site where John McCrae wrote his famous poem, ‘In Flanders Field’.

The highlight of the excursion was the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony, which saw four Year 11 students - Jordh Sidhu, Jack Bladon, Elise Savannah and Courtney Brice - lay a wreath on behalf of Highfields School in front of hundreds of visitors.

After returning from the trip, staff from the school’s History department have now planned a number of activities to mark the Great War, including the creation of a sea of poppies at the front of school, based on the stunning display at the Tower of London.

Students, parents/carers and staff are being encouraged to create their own poppies from plastic bottles to form part of the display to mark Armistice Day, using the instructions in this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVcsBo-VT5A

Miss Tappenden said: “This Armistice Day marks 100 years since the end of the First World War and to mark the occasion we are planning a spectacular display of poppies, similar to that at the Tower of London, at the front of the school building.

“We hope to get as many students, parents/carers and staff involved in the project; the more poppies we have, the more spectacular the display!

“We shall be asking students to make their poppies from plastic bottles using instructions from the link.

“With half term approaching it is a fantastic opportunity for students to get making their poppies. The deadline for the completion of poppies will be the morning of Friday 9th November so that construction of the display can begin on Friday afternoon and be completed in time for Remembrance Sunday and for students’ arrival at school the following Monday morning.

“It is hoped this will be a lasting legacy of the visit and a reminder for many years to come of the significance of the war, the sacrifices made by so many, and the eventual peace which arose from it. Thank you in advance for all of your support!”

In addition to the poppy display, Highfields will also be hosting a week of special assemblies dedicated to the Great War from November 5th, whilst a screening of Peter Jackson’s ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ will be held in the lecture theatre the week after Remembrance Sunday. Please find a full schedule of activities below.

Parliament visit for budding politicians

Budding politicians got the chance to see UK democracy in action during a trip to the capital to witness MPs debating the issue of Universal Credit in the Houses of Parliament.

Twenty-seven students from Year 8 watched a live debate in the House of Commons, toured the landmark Palace of Westminster, and took part in a workshop about the Suffragette movement and the importance of  voting in the UK. 

They also got the chance to quiz Wolverhampton South East MP, Eleanor Smith, about her role.

Citizenship teacher, Ms C Hartshorne, said: “It was a great opportunity for our students to get a better insight into the voting system in the UK and see democracy in action.

“Not everybody gets the opportunity to watch live debates in the House of Commons or sit down with an MP in the Palace of Westminster to discuss politics.

“All of the students were delightful and a credit to the school. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

As part of the trip, students also took a step back in time to get a glimpse of 1,000 years of history at the famous London Dungeon tourist attraction, which brings to life macabre historical events.

Tickets on sale for Wizard of Oz

Tickets have gone on sale for the school’s upcoming stage show, The Wizard of Oz.

Talented students from Years 7-9 have been rehearsing for weeks to bring the much-loved musical classic to life on stage.

They are due to wow audiences over four nights from November 7-10.

Ms S Bishop, Head of Extra Curricular Performance, said: “Our students have worked extremely hard since the start of term to perfect their performances ready for curtain up.

“They have shown real commitment and dedication, coming along to after-school rehearsals every week, as well as giving up some of their Saturdays.

“We have four students playing the part of Dorothy so we can showcase the wealth of talent we have in school, and the cast are so excited that they’re even running a little light-hearted competition between themselves to see who can sell the most tickets!

“Our tech team are also working incredibly hard with special effects and back projection being used for the first time. It promises to be a real treat for audiences.

“We cannot wait for show time.”

The first show, on Wednesday 7th November, starts at 6.30pm and includes a firework finale and food. Tickets for this performance are £5.

All other shows start at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £3 concessions.

They are available from the Humanities LRC.

Textbooks donated to orphaned African youngsters

A batch of Science and Maths textbooks have been donated to charity to support the education of poverty-stricken African youngsters.

Dozens of books which have been become out of date due to recent changes to GCSE specifications were handed over to the Penny Appeal charity, which Highfields’ Teaching Assistant, Mr A Hasib has links with.

The books have been distributed through the charity’s Gambia office to the Chow School of Excellence.

The school has 309 students, the majority of which are orphans that are under the custodianship of Penny Appeal and its donors. 

Charity spokesman, Mr Nazim Ali Tasadiq, said: “Since its inception, the school has been faced with problem of inadequate availability of both teaching and learning materials such as textbooks.

“The subject areas most affected are Mathematics and Science, which can lead to poor performances of students in these subject areas.

“Learning is a multifaceted activity that puts students’ motivation and physical condition to the test. Effective learning cannot take place in an school environment where teaching and learning materials are grossly inadequate.

“The majority of the students are from very poor families who would typically have very little access to a relevant and quality education. As a result, their chances of transiting to higher levels of education in the future can be jeopardised attributed to this problem if it is not addressed. Many of them may drop out of the educational system thus becoming liabilities for their families and country at large. 

“Considering this context, it shows the importance of the distribution of the books that have been donated. We are hopeful the books will increase the level of performance of the students now that they will have adequate resources.”

Penny Appeal is an Islamic charity that helps a number of causes throughout the world, including feeding people in more than 30 crisis-hit countries, providing emergency response to war and natural disasters, and providing safe, clean drinking water to the world’s poorest people.

Ofsted inspectors visit Highfields

Staff and students were delighted to be able to showcase the school to Ofsted inspectors.

Ofsted visited the school to carry out a Section 8 inspection on Wednesday 10th October.

Although we are unable to share the results of the inspection at this stage, Highfields Headteacher, Mr G Tate, has praised students for being such a credit to the school.

He said: “Although at this point we are unable to share with you the judgement of the inspection until Ofsted have been through the full process of quality assurance, I would just like to give you a flavour of the day.

“We were absolutely delighted to be able to showcase the work of the school to the inspection team. Students were an absolute credit to the school and their families; their behaviour and conduct were exemplary at all times. During the inspection the students’ pride in their school was evident; they were confident, articulate and eager to share their experiences of their time at Highfields.

“Could I take this opportunity to thank you for your overwhelming support through your survey responses and to those of you who took the time to personally comment on the work of the school. I am very pleased to say that the inspection team were able to recognise and appreciate the strengths of the school and the broad and balanced curriculum that allows our students to be so successful.

“Please be assured that as soon as the judgement has been validated by Ofsted we will issue a letter from them with the full outcomes from the inspection.”

Students to honour WW1 heroes during Ypres visit

Students will honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom during an emotionally-charged visit to Belgium to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The trip is one of a number of activities lined up by the school to mark the centenary and remember those who fought, and those who lost their lives.

On Thursday 18th October, 40 students from Years 10-13 will visit the area of Ypres - the location of three significant and devastating battles between 1914 and 1918.

Miss J Tappenden, Highfields’ Head of History, will lead the visit, which is one of many the school has organised to Ypres over the past 15 years.

This year’s visit is made all the more significant as it gives students the chance to witness, and be part of, huge wider international efforts to commemorate the war.

During the three-day trip, students will visit a number of important landmarks including commonwealth war grave sites, the In Flanders Fields Museum, as well as preserved trenches and battlefield sites. 

The highlight of the excursion is sure to be the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony, in which four students in full school uniform will lay a wreath on behalf of Highfields in front of hundreds of visitors.

Following the trip, staff from the school’s History department have planned to run a number of special assemblies dedicated to the Great War, whilst students will be encouraged to create memorial pieces in school to mark the anniversary of the end of the war on November 11th.

Miss Tappenden said: “Students who are visiting Ypres will use their experiences to be part of, and lead, other students in the creation of a memorial in school. 

“It is hoped this will be a lasting legacy of the visit and a reminder for many years to come of the significance of the war, the sacrifices made by so many, and the eventual peace which arose from it.”

Follow the progress of the Ypres visit on Twitter @HistoryHSWV

Good News!

We are pleased to inform you that Ofsted will be with us tomorrow, Wednesday 10th October.

Should you wish to share your views on any aspect of the school please click on Parent View.

Literature fans see book brought to life on stage

Young literature fans enjoyed a trip to the theatre to see a popular David Walliams book brought to life on stage.

A group of Year 8 students visited the Grand Theatre to watch the stage adaptation of Awful Auntie.

The book tells the story of Stella Saxby, the sole heir to Saxby Hall, who is plagued by her awful Aunt Alberta and her giant owl, who will stop at nothing to take her inheritance. She sets about solving the mystery of her parents' death and thwarting her aunt's terrible plan.

English teacher, Miss K O’Neill, said: “Students thoroughly enjoyed the exciting production of Walliams' tale of frights, fights and friendship as Stella has to uncover the truth about the murder of her parents and has to take on her very own awful Auntie.

“Students in Year 8 are currently studying Crime Writing in English so this murder mystery performance provided great inspiration for their own work.”

Rehearsals for musical showcase get under way

Rehearsals have kicked off for the school’s upcoming musical production, Little Shop of Horrors, which is set to wow audiences in 2019.

Dozens of performers flocked to the first rehearsal on Thursday 4th October. Any other students from Years 10-13 who wish to be involved are asked to go along to the next rehearsal, which will take place from 5.30pm-8pm on Thursday 11th October.

Auditions have already been held for students hoping to take on principal roles, with the cast due to be announced in the coming days.

The showcase will be staged over three nights to a live audience in the school’s Lyceum Theatre from February 28th to March 2nd 2019.

Little Shop of Horrors is a musical comedy horror about a florist shop worker who discovers his Venus Flytrap can talk.

Ms S Bishop, Highfields’ Head of Extra Curricular Performance, said: “It is a fantastic musical and one that I have personally wanted to stage at the school for a number of years so we cannot wait for rehearsals to start.

“We’ve already held auditions for those wanting to take on principal roles and had such a wealth of talent turn up that we could have cast the show three times over.

“Any other students from Years 10 to 13 who would like to take part can just come along to the first rehearsal on Thursday.

“It takes a lot of commitment and dedication to be part of our productions with weekly rehearsals, and some weekend rehearsals, over a number of months. But any student who has been part of the experience will vouch that it is an incredible process to be part of and our final showcases are always superb. It is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who has an interest in performing, not just students who have previous experience of the stage.”

Little Shop of Horrors is one of two big musical productions to be staged by Highfields during the 2018/19 academic year. The Wizard of Oz will be staged from November 7th - 10th and will feature students from Years 7 to 9.

Little Shop of Horrors rehearsals will take place from 5.30pm-8pm every Thursday until the staging of Wizard of Oz. They will then run from 3.30pm-8pm.