Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to our weekly Highcrest Highlights and

the first week of the new half term!

As always we have a very busy half term ahead

of us in the lead up to Christmas, including our

Year 9 and 10 Parents’ Evenings, our Sixth Form

Open Evening and of course our annual

Christmas events including the Senior Citizens’

Party, Christmas Fayre and Christmas Show. We

also have a number of school trips and various

competitions, all of which you will hear about in

our weekly bulletins as we move through the

term.

Last half term ended on a positive note with our

Climate Change Awareness Day as part of a

whole school drive to improve our carbon

footprint. The ‘green’ non-uniform day raised

funds to go towards a new range of eco

recycling bins, that will allow us to manage our

waste more responsibly. Both students and staff

participated with great enthusiasm, raising (at

the time of writing) an incredible £867. A massive

thank you to all involved. You can see

photographs from this event later in this bulletin.

Later this half term, we have our first round of

GCSE and A Level mock examinations, starting

on Monday 2 December. This only gives the

students four weeks of lessons beforehand, so

needless to say every lesson at this time of year

counts and good attendance is vital to

achieving good results. To support the students

with their revision we have targeted sessions

both before school, after-school (open to

all) and on Saturday mornings. The parents of

those students required to attend each session

have been informed and our Year 11 students

have their own personalised revision passports.

Here’s to the week ahead!

Mr G Burke

4-8 November 2019

Focus: Planners and Equipment

Student Help Form

Clubs Autumn 2019

Quiz - Week 7

You will receive a text/email prior to fixture with all necessary information.

Monday 4 November:

U15 Football @ Pipers Corner

Wednesday 6 November:

U13 Football @ Bourne End

Academy

U16 Netball Postponed

U12 Netball Friendly vs St Michaels

lost 5-3

U13 Netball won 4-0 against

St Michaels

Year 7

For being so brave during

her charity

rep speech.

Year 8: C Bell

Continues to display

excellent behaviour and the

first to follow core routines in

Form.

Year 9

For receiving the most

mentions for

positive

behaviour in

the Form.

Year 10

For being a kind and

considerate

member of the

Form,

organising a

birthday treat!

Sixth Form For his consistent and active

participation in

lessons and

support as a

Learning

Ambassador in

the Maths

department.

Year 11

For her fantastic

participation in

English.

Dates for your Diary

Year 10 Parents' Evening (1) - 11 November 2019

Sixth Form Open Evening - 14 November 2019

Year 9 Parents' Evening (1) - 20 November 2019

Year 11 Parents' Evening (1) - 9 January 2020

Sixth Form Parents' Evening - 15 January 2020

Year 8 Parents' Evening - 27 January 2020

Year 8 Options' Evening - 25 February 2020

Year 11 Parents' Evening (2) - 16 March 2020

Year 10 Parents' Evening (2) - 22 April 2020

Year 9 Parents' Evening (2) - 7 May 2020

Year 7 Parents' Evening - 19 May 2020

Maths Apps

Year 11 students have now been set up with login details for the PiXL Maths and Times Table Apps

which they should have received from their teacher. Please encourage them to use these in their

time away from school. Also revision guides and workbook orders for Year 11 must be in by Friday 8

November.

All Year groups will receive login details from their Maths teachers to Active Learn at the beginning of

this half term. In due course, we aim to give all Year groups access to PixL Maths.

Mr Merrick, Head of Maths

Sixth Form students will be selling poppies

and other poppy merchandise around

school for the

next week if

your child

would like to

make a

purchase for

this worthy

cause. They

are also

available in

Reception.

Students created

some wonderful

planters out of

pallets that will be

planted up by

students to brighten

up the school

grounds.

Our winner of the best outfit for

Climate Change Awareness Day!

Students made posters in Art.

Students and staff took part in Highcrest’s first eco day by wearing the

colour green or recycled clothes. There was also a staff competition

for most green or upcycled costume, which was won by Mr A Jones,

ICT Technician.

Lessons incorporated climate change awareness including creating

planters in Technology and making videos in Drama. Students also

made posters in Art and learned about ecosystems in danger in

Science. Maths students received lessons on the trend of gas emissions.

Students also took part in a climate change quiz at lunchtime.

Overall the day was a big success and raised over £800 towards new

eco bins which will be placed around the school.

Miss Mulryan, Eco-Ambassador

Blue

For being such a calm

and polite student and

for always holding the

door for everyone in

Form.

Green

For being a polite and

hardworking student

and a team player.

Orange For being so brave

during her charity

rep speech.

Pink T Walshaw

-Warren For always being polite

and cheery.

Purple

For her dedication to her

studies and caring nature

for the people around

her.

Red For helping his peers in

the classroom when they

are struggling.

Yellow For his politeness and

positivity.

Blue

For his good

behaviour in Form

and for following core

routines.

Green

For her amazing

attitude towards Form

Time and always

being keen to help

out.

Orange

For making good

progress during last

half term.

Pink A Syed

For having correct

equipment and uniform.

Also for outstanding

participation and

behaviour.

Purple

For doing a good job in

the Eco-Ambassador

role.

Red

For always trying his best

in lessons and his

excellent behaviour

during Form Time.

Yellow C Bell

For continuing to display

excellent behaviour

and the first to follow

core routines in Form.

Date Year 7 Activity Year 9 Activity

8 Nov Banter and how it can go too far. Managing conflict at home – including

risks of running away.

15 Nov Cyber-bullying and managing on and off

line contact. Homophobia, transphobia and sexism.

22 Nov TEI Year 7 and Year 9 in Form Rooms. TEI Year 7 and Year 9 in Form Rooms.

29 Nov Identity Gender identity and expression – dangers

of stereotyping – how to support a friend.

6 Dec Rights and Responsibilities of a diverse

community.

What are the characteristics of a good

friend?

13 Dec Diversity and Prejudice. Assertive communication and conflict

resolution.

We are delighted to announce the launch of the TEI

Programme at The Highcrest Academy. It is a programme

that looks to embed a zero tolerance of bullying and foster

kindness and empathy in our students.

Parents of students in Years 7 and 9 may well have heard

about it from their children as they are the first year groups

that will be experiencing this fantastic initiative. Please take a

minute to click here and read the overview of the

programme. You will also see below the Life Lesson schedule

for Years 7 and 9 which has been designed to complement

the TEI programme, giving students understanding of

particular issues that may affect their lives and strategies to

deal with them. This ties in with our wider strategy of

character-building through virtues and values.

If you have any questions about the programme, please

contact me directly via claret@highcrestacademy.org.uk Miss To, Assistant Headteacher

Click here to view the Children in Need letter.

Blue

For receiving lots of

positive comments

from her subjects

teachers.

Green

For helping to run

the Choir and take

responsibility for the

extra curricular club.

Orange

For consistently

volunteering for litter

picking duties and

duties in Form.

Purple

For receiving the most

mentions for positive

behaviour in the Form.

Red

For offering to litter pick

and keeping the school

environment a clean and

tidy place to be.

Yellow

For consistently following

the core routines and

representing the Form in

a positive way.

Blue

For her contribution to

the Art House

competition.

Green For keeping her

standards high at all

times in all she does.

Orange

For always trying to

work above and

beyond. He seeks

help and acts upon

the advice.

Pink

For being a kind and

considerate member of

the Form, organising a

birthday treat!

Purple

For taking part every

week in the Form Time

Quiz, helping with all

questions.

Red

For always following core

routines and being a

polite member of the

Form.

Yellow For always participating

in Form Time activities.

Weekly Maths Challenge

Careers Trip to O2 Telefonica

Fifteen Year 10 students visited the Headquarters of O2 Telefonica in Slough on 24 October to develop their

business skills at a “Ways into Work” event. The event was organised by O2 and Learning to Work, a Slough

based charity who specialise in high impact activities with local employers. Their aim is to inspire students,

educate them about opportunities and develop the skills they need to be successful. O2 provided volunteer

mentors who worked with our students to help them write a CV, to prepare for a job interview and then to

have an interview with feedback on their performance. There was also the opportunity for students to ask

mentors about the job they did and the skills they used.

Mr Evans, Highcrest’s Careers Leader said, “We had a really good day at O2 and we are really grateful to

their employees who gave up their day to help. We have received excellent feedback from the students and

hope to attend similar events in the future. We are currently working on delivering a number of exciting

activities with Learning to Work and will be announcing further details shortly”.

O2 volunteers working with Highcrest students on interview skills

“Learning to Work is thrilled to

be working with students from

The Highcrest Academy to help

prepare them for the world of

work. The event at O2

Telefonica was a great success

giving students the chance to

visit a working environment,

interact with business mentors

and their peers from other

schools, consider and reflect

on their digital selves as well as

hearing first hand about some

of the expectations of the

world of work. With the support

of business, we will be working

hard to ensure students gain a

greater understanding of

opportunities and entry level

requirements to help equip

them to make informed

decisions and choices as they

move towards their transition

from education to

employment”

Nancy Lalor

Operations Director

Assemblies This Week (Afternoon assemblies may overrun.)

Monday 4 November PM Year 11

Wednesday 6 November AM Year 9

Wednesday 6 November PM Sixth Form

Thursday 7 November AM Year 8

Thursday 7 November PM Year 10

Friday 8 November AM Year 7

Blue For her fantastic

participation in English.

Green

For her commitment to

being a Highcrest

Prefect.

Orange For his contributions to

Form Time.

Purple For her contributions to

The Highcrest Academy.

Red

For always being good,

always on time, great

attitude towards school

and aiming to achieve

his very best.

Yellow For her amazing

contributions to Form

Time.

Blue

For always being

polite and lovely.

Green

For volunteering to

run lower school Law

Club and getting a

mouth full of sand

during her Drama

exam.

Orange

For his consistent and

active participation

in lessons and support

as a Learning

Ambassador in the

Maths department.

Pink For his excellent

participation in Form

Time activities.

Purple For running the 6th Purple

cake sale.

Red For volunteering and

helping the Form out and

excellent attendance.

Yellow For her amazing positive

contribution to the Form.

The Highcrest Academy, Hatters Lane, High Wycombe, HP13 7NQ

T. 01494 529866 | F. 01494 472850 | E. office@highcrestacademy.org.uk

www.highcrestacademy.org.uk | Principal: Mr G Burke