Building lit in purple for Holocaust Memorial Day

Students and staff came together to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day which is internationally recognised each year on 27th January, the date on which Auschwitz was liberated in 1945.

In a weeklong programme of activities, each year group received a special assembly delivered by Head of History, Miss Tappenden (Years 7-11) and Mr Pycroft (Sixth Form) which focused on the 2023 HMD theme ‘Ordinary People’. The assembly featured the tragic story of Trochenbrod, a Polish town (present day Ukraine) which helped students understand how ‘ordinary’ people in ‘ordinary’ places can become victims of hatred, discrimination and persecution. Miss Tappenden also took the opportunity to showcase the extraordinary work undertaken by students participating in ‘The Holocaust, Their Family, Me and Us’ project, by sharing a short video prepared by project founder, Nicola Wetherall MBE.

A specially designed form time programme also encouraged students to reflect upon how ‘ordinary’ people became perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, and rescuers, as well as victims. This was supported by a weeklong mini exhibition in reception. On Friday to mark HMD, all students in school wrote a short reflection about what they had learned, or a pledge for what they would do moving forward to ensure the Holocaust remains an important part of their education. Reflections were written onto luggage labels and will be used to create a ‘thought tree’ in reception, as a visual representation of collective thoughts and reflections from across the school.

There was also a unique and special opportunity for students participating in the HtFMeUs project this week as they attended an online discussion with Robert Rinder MBE and his mother Angela Cohen MBE. Joining other schools following Angela and Robert’s journey, students were able to hear more about how the pair discovered and confronted their family history, and the devastating impact that the Holocaust had on the Malenicky’s of Piotrkow, Poland, and the Lewin’s of Divenishok, Lithuania. Willam Morgan in Year 10 and Isabella Stokes in Year 9 had the privilege of asking Robert and Angela a question on behalf of the school and wanted to know whether they were able to view the perpetrators and collaborators of the Holocaust as ‘ordinary people’ after learning of the atrocities committed against their own families.

As part of their commitment to the project students prepared a short video, outlining their journey so far and making a pledge to Robert and Angela to bear witness to their family story.

The week was also marked by several other special events, including special displays in LRCs on each floor organised by school librarian Miss Hallam, who also compiled a special HMD reading list accessible to all staff and students. At 2pm on Friday, students in Humanities classes were given the opportunity to hear from Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich, in an online session organised by the Lieracty Trust, which also featured author Tom Palmer – an author very familiar to History Book Club.

The week concluded with the spectacular illumination of the school building in purple lighting at 4pm on 27th January as part of the international ‘Light the Darkness’ campaign. It has been a truly special and significant week of events which underpins our continued school commitment as a UCL Beacon School in Holocaust Education, and school wide ethos of embedded Holocaust and Genocide education to support equality and diversity, and tackle prejudice and discrimination. Events will continue to take place throughout the year, with 6 Year 13 students partaking in the ‘Lessons from Auschwitz’ programme organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust – inclusive of a day visit to Auschwitz, and school visits from the Anne Frank Trust, who will work with students in Years 7-9 throughout the summer term. Outcomes from both projects will be showcased alongside outcomes from the HtFMeUs project in July this year.

Matilda comes to Highfields in latest school production

‘Sometimes You Have to Be a Little Bit Naughty if You Want to Change Your Story’

The Lyceum will be filled by the smell of rebellion when Lower School students present Roald Dahl’s Matilda Jr. from Tuesday February 28th to March 3rd.  Based on the beloved book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl and adapted from the award-winning full-length musical, the production tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

“One of my favorite moments early on in the show is when Matilda sings, ‘Even if you are little you can do a lot’. It’s such a powerful reminder for each of us, tall and small, to take ownership in how we can create our reality,” says Ms Bishop, Director of Performance. “Through the process of putting on this musical, these students are doing just that: they are joining together and working hard to create this extraordinary show and we think they deserve a standing ovation for all their work.”

Tickets for the school production are now on sale and can be purchased in school or on the school’s Box Office page.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International 423 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019, 212-541-4684, mtishows.com. 

Duke of Edinburgh's Award ceremony celebration

On Thursday 12th January, Highfields School hosted their annual Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards evening for students who completed the programme in the last two years. The evening was hosted by DofE Manager Mr Moody and included the guest speaker Matthew Wilkes, premiership football official.

Memories of students’ time completing their DofE Award were shared in the form of photos and a video of students talking about what they had done for their physical, volunteering and skill sections, as well as their experience of the expeditions. This gave parents and carers an insight into what students had done over the course of the programme, and what it took to achieve their awards.

Mr Moody said, ‘The award evening is always a special evening as it is an opportunity to come together and celebrate the achievements of the students who took part in the programme.’

There were also individual awards for each Bronze, Silver and Gold. These special awards went to the students who had gone above and beyond during their DofE journey. George and Amelia Beynon achieved the Bronze individual award, Sarah Oboh for Silver and Joel Austin and Aleena Raja were chosen for Gold, entitled ‘The Endeavour Award’. Joel and Aleena along with the other students who completed their Gold DofE award will collect their certificates at Buckingham Palace at a special ceremony in the summer.

After presenting each of the certificates, Wilkes spoke at the end of the evening congratulating students for their achievements. He said, ‘I am so humbled to be invited to Highfields School to present these awards. You should all be extremely proud of yourselves.’

Students commit to important Holocaust project

Members of History Book Club in Years 9 and 10 have become the first students at Highfields to commit to undertaking an important project launched by Royal Wootton Bassett Academy in January this year. 

Devised by Nicola Wetherall MBE, the project which started with just four schools in the Trust has now expanded to over 140 schools in the country.  Conceived as an immersive, enrichment project ‘The Holocaust, Their Family, Me and Us’ is based on the award-winning documentary series “My Family, The Holocaust and Me” wherein Robert Rinder MBE helped his mother Angela Cohen MBE and fellow British Jewish families to trace the story of their family. The documentary features stories from across Europe and considers both the deeply personal history and its national relevance today.

The project aims to support students in developing their in-depth knowledge and understanding of one of four stories told through the documentary, allowing students a deeper understanding of the events and significance of the Holocaust through the lens of one family history.  In addition, students are tasked with a series of activities and challenges which encourage them to consider the significance of the Holocaust in both their individual lives and the wider school context. 

The project launched in school on Wednesday 9th November with an online session led by Nicola Wetherall. Students are following the story of Angela and Robert, and in addition to their work on the HtFMeUs project to date the group have also been busy making plans to incorporate their story into school plans to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January 2023, the theme of which being ‘ordinary people’. Chosen texts for History Book Club this academic year will also support students in their efforts to better understand the Holocaust. 

The project has been devised with the full support and blessing of the families involved, and as such offers students the unique opportunity to view documents, photographs and other sources which were discovered and continue to be found as the families delve into their history. Students are also given frequent opportunities to engage in online sessions with the families and other people involved in the making of the documentary, giving them the opportunity to ask their own questions.

Head of History, Miss Tappenden, who runs History Book Club with the support of Mrs Ellis, commented “As the Lead Teacher in school for our UCL Beacon School in Holocaust Education programme this year, I was delighted when Nicola Whetherall contacted me inviting us to be part of this important and amazing project. I decided History Book Club was the right choice for launching the project with students because they were already a commited group who have shown an incredible interest and passion for history. They have risen to the challenge of this project in ways I couldn’t possibly have imagined.  I am already incredibly proud of what has been achieved and I am genuinely excited to see what their final outcomes look like”.

Keen to ensure that the project reaches out to the whole school community, students have been given special blazer badges to mark their commitment to the project and identify them as ambassadors for the project in school.  Students are planning a presentation and supporting form time activities for the week of Holocaust Memorial Day, as well as a large display in reception.  Whilst final project outcomes are yet to be decided, students will showcase their work at a community evening event to be held at school at the end of the academic year, where a variety of activities and displays will be on show to celebrate all school achievements as a UCL Beacon School. The event will be open to all students, their families and the wider local community.

Highfields marks Genocide Prevention Day

Friday 9th December 2022 was Genocide Prevention Day, a day recognised internationally to raise awareness in genocide prevention through education of both past and present genocides.  As a UCL Beacon School for Holocaust Education, Highfields has used the Holocaust as the basis of a short video and pledges for the future. 

Genocide can, and has impacted on many communities beyond the Jewish community and remains a threat in our present world in places like Dafur and Tigray.  As a multicultural and multifaith school, Highfields recognise that excellent Holocaust and Genocide Education encourages a culture of mutual respect, compassion and understanding. 

Please take a moment to watch the short video below to see how Highfields are using their status as a Beacon School to broaden student knowledge of the Holocaust and genocide, and the pledges that they are making as a school over the next 12 months on Genocide Prevention Day.

Budding musicians of the future showcased their talents

Over the past month, year 9 music students have worked with an external organisation as part of their curriculum.

During the programme of workshops, students worked with professional musicians from Inclusic, a subsidiary of The Wolverhampton Music Service, to learn how to play a popular song as a band. Students learnt how to play a new instrument and developed new skills building confidence to perform in front of each other.

The programme culminated in a live performance at Newhampton Arts Centre, where students performed on stage with professional lighting and sound.

Music Teacher, Mr Evans, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of our students. They were determined in their rehearsal in the weeks leading up to the gig. On the day, all students performed with confidence and flair. For most, this was their first experience of performing on a professional stage. The nerves quickly subsided, and they left the venue wanting to do it all over again. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all staff from Inclusic for their inspirational teaching.’

Staying in Learning Day inspires students for future

Year 11 students were inspired to look forward to life after Highfields and understand the options available to them during this year’s Staying in Learning Day.

The event is an annual fixture on Highfields’ calendar which allows all Year 11 students to take part in a range of hands-on workshops and activities to support them with both their short and long-term educational and career goals.

The day was tailored to suit individual needs as students chose to take part in workshops and lectures based on the pathways they are interested in taking after finishing their GCSEs.

Those planning to stay on at Sixth Form or moving to college to study A-Levels were given a glimpse of further education with workshops in a host of subjects ranging from Maths, Science and English Literature to Film Studies, Catering, Health & Social Care and Law.

Professionals also visited the school to give practical advice and demonstrations, allowing students an insight into typical working expectations in a range of careers including Travel and Tourism, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality, Media and Engineering.

Mr C Rhodes, Highfields’ Upper School Raising Achievement Manager, said: “The event provides students with information and guidance on the pathways and progression routes available to them post 16. 

“It is a great opportunity for them to process the decisions they will be having to make shortly."

The BBC at Highfields sharing their stories

‘BBC100 Share Your Story’ is part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations, where they have visited around 400 secondary schools across the UK, reaching  approx. 400,000 students. In each session BBC Ambassadors share their inspirational journey with students, in a bid to inspire them through the power of storytelling.

Hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter, Nick Bright, BBC Ambassadors shared their true stories with students, talking about something that they have been through and overcome. Students then had the opportunity to ask questions and to find out more about our ambassadors including their story and career. Students also had the chance to share their own stories in the sessions as part of BBC Young Reporter. The sessions were developed to support the Citizenship curriculum in goal setting and overcoming obstacles and benefits the English curriculum through the power of storytelling.

Mr Rose, Careers Lead, who organised the event said, ‘It was great to have the BBC come into school, the students really engaged with the sessions and asked lots of questions. These types of visits allow our students to explore different job sectors by giving them the opportunity to ask questions to those in the industry. It has really inspired our young people to to share their own story and look into jobs in journalism and media.’

 For more information about the BBC Young Reporter competition please click here.

Inspired at the Beacon School Residential Programme

October half term saw Highfields represented at a prestigious CPD event provided by UCL to support our 2022/23 Beacon School status.  Head of History, Miss Tappenden, attended the four-day residential in London between 21st-24th October, alongside representatives from 25 other schools from across the country.

The Beacon School Programme aims to raise standards in teaching and learning about the Holocaust by supporting schools in creating a school-wide collaborative approach to Holocaust Education.  Miss Tappenden, who is Lead Teacher for the programme in school, said “When we had the opportunity to apply for the programme, I knew that this was something I had to do.  As Head of History, I am always looking to raise the profile of the subject across the school and most importantly, give our students the very best opportunities and experiences. The Beacon School Programme will fully support our curriculum development and positively challenge our thinking about how we deliver this crucially significant history”.

The residential opened at the Imperial War Museum, where teachers met their UCL mentors and other Beacon School Lead Teachers for lunch and an introduction to the new Holocaust gallery which opened in 2021.  Time was then given to fully explore the gallery, ahead of a reflection with James Bulgin, Head of Content for the new Holocaust Galleries at Imperial War Museums, who explained the new design and selection of material for the gallery.

Mila Tribich MBE (left)

Over the course of the weekend, UCL mentors provided Lead Teachers with a variety of sessions, masterclasses which aimed to support teachers in the development of schemes of learning and lessons on the Holocaust, develop of expert knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust, and provide opportunities for reflection on issues associated with Holocaust Education, research and pedagogy.  This included challenging misconceptions about the Holocaust and exploring missed or under-represented stories.  Lead Teachers were also given the opportunity to reflect on the power of testimony, meeting and hearing directly from Mala Tribich MBE about her experiences before and during the Second World War, and of Bergen-Belsen.

The residential concluded with a visit to the Wiener Holocaust Library, where teachers were given the opportunity to see the library and archives, as well as interact source material which considered a range of British responses to the Holocaust.  In reflection of the four-day residential Miss Tappenden said, “I have been truly inspired by the programme and I know that there is much more to come.  The care and dedication from UCL staff towards the research undertaken, and the time taken to process that and work tirelessly to translate it to a classroom level is beyond admirable.  Their passion for history as a subject discipline is infectious, and I feel extremely honoured that our students will be beneficiaries of their expertise”.

Highfields says: ‘Welcome to the 60’s’ with their production of Hairspray!

This years musical put on by Highfields School sold out every single one of their four shows, and enthralled audiences with the story of breaking racial boundaries in Baltimore. 

The cast of around 70 students gave a stellar performance, tackling issues of segregation, body shaming, love and more through the medium of song and dance. Among the cast were many Year 13 students, for them this was their last school production at Highfields, with many of them having been in shows since they joined in year 7. These students included Lauren Poole, Paige Cordingley, Aeryn Stubbs and Jack Williams who worked especially hard learning two parts.

Lauren took to the stage as Penny Pingleton and Amber Von-Tussle, while Paige delighted audiences as her on-stage mother Velma Von-Tussle. Sadly Paige was ill on closing night meaning she could not perform as Tracy Turnblad. Aeryn also performed as Velma Von-Tussle as well as Prudy Pingleton. Jack Williams entertained audiences playing Edna Turnblad and Link Larkin, totalling the roles he’s played to a record-breaking 9 during his time at Highfields.

The cast were accompanied by the extremely talented school band lead by Mrs Jevon, Musical Director. The band was made up of Highfields staff and students, both current and past who always enjoy coming back to play in Highfields school productions.

The contrasting light-hearted and upbeat form of musical theatre with the serious and profound themes of the plot is perhaps what interested BBC Radio WM and the Express and Star. Both news outlets picked up the story, with a broadcast interview live on the radio and an article in the paper, covering the outstanding production.  

The school show managed to attract not only news attention, but also former student Beverley Knight, who attended the closing night to watch her niece, Tierney Smith, perform. Knight often takes time out of performing in musical theatre to support the school where she started out,. In 2018 she came to watch Highfields production of ‘Grease’ having played Sandy herself the last time the school staged the show. 

Director of Performance, Ms Bishop sung the cast’s praises’, saying it was amazing to witness such inclusivity, “To me, ‘Hairspray’ is one of the most prominent productions we’ve done here, solely because of how powerful it is to see students from all backgrounds and year groups coming together to tell this story and have so much fun doing it.”

This came to light when footage from racial inequality protests was projected during Motormouth’s song ‘I know where I’ve been’. A moment in the show that had been long in the planning by Ms Bishop and Mr Francis, Creative Director of the show. He said, “We were eager to make a real impact during this poignant moment of the show. We used protests from the 60’s then brought it up-to-date with footage from the more recent George Floyd protests. We hoped this resonated with audiences and reminded them of the ongoing fight for racial equality”

The process of this show has been a wonderful experience for students and audiences alike and the school hopes the impact remains even now the production has come to an end.