Autumn Term 2024
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Newsletters
Year 11 - Sixth Form Open Evening and Futures Week for Year 11 [SENT 12/11/2024]
Dear parents and carers,
Thank you so much for all the support you have given your children over the past week whilst Year 11 completed their Pre-Public Examinations. This was a very successful week; in particular I was pleased to see such good attendance and punctuality.
There was a very small number of students absent for some of their exams; we cannot guarantee they will be able to complete a catch-up exam, but in many cases they will be given a chance. Their class teachers will let them know directly where this is the case.
Now that we have completed these PPE exams, it is time to look forward to a busy and exciting half term for Year 11. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know some of the key dates and events coming up over the next few weeks.
Futures Week – Monday 25th November – Friday 29th November
Throughout the week beginning Monday 25th November, we will be running events relating to the options that Year 11 students will have with their post-16 educational futures.
This will include talks from visiting employers, colleges, and universities; through these talks we aim to inform Year 11 students about the wide range of options they have moving forward with their education and future careers.
A key date for this week is Tuesday 26th November, which is our Hampstead School Sixth Form Open Evening. This runs from 5.30pm to 7.30pm; there is more information in the attached invitation. I really hope to see as many of you there as possible!
Parents Evening – Thursday 5th December
Parent’s Consultation Evening will run on Thursday 5th December, from 4.30pm to 6.55pm. You will be sent a link to book timeslots with your child’s teachers in advance.
On this day, you will also receive your child’s report – this will include their results from the pre-public examinations.
As ever, this evening is an important chance for you to speak with your child’s teachers about their progress and how you can best support them with their studies at home.
Progression Day – Friday 13th December
A third and final date for diaries; on Friday 13th December Year 11 will be ‘off-timetable’ to allow us to carry out Progression Interviews.
This is an important process, through which you and your child will be supported to make the best possible choices regarding their future education. Staff will review key data associated with your child, including their predicted grades, behaviour records and attendance figures, and will discuss what this information suggests about the best next steps for them with their education.
On this day, you and your child will be invited into school to attend a 15-minute interview with an experienced member of school staff. You will be sent your allocated time slot by Friday 29th November, and it is expected that you will attend this interview with your child. You child should not attend school outside of this time, as we will be ‘off-timetable’ to allow these interviews to happen. As this interview will be during the school day, we are taking this chance to give you as much notice as possible as we understand that it may be challenging to fit this in with work schedules.
Thank you again for all of your support; I so appreciate everything you are doing to help me and my colleagues to support your children in this crucial year of their education.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above, or indeed anything else, please do get in touch using the Year 11 Leadership email address: 11@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Kind regards,
Ms Dewhirst
SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING LETTER
Whole School - Yondr Mobile Phone Pouches Q&A [SENT 05/11/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
Further to the email we sent prior to half term notifying you about the induction of Yondr mobile phone pouches to the school, please find a link to the Q&A session running tomorrow, Wednesday 6th November 17:00-18:00.
This will be your best opportunity to ask any questions and to learn about the initiative.
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Whole School - Parent Governor Election [SENT 05/11/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer,
Please click the link below for a letter containing the election addresses from each of the four Parent Governor candidates and the Parent Governor Ballot form for voting.
Voting closes at 3.00pm on Friday 15 November 2024.
For and on behalf of Hampstead School
Matt Sadler
Head & Returning Officer
Whole School - Mobile Phone Pouches [SENT 24/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer,
In November Hampstead School will be launching the Yondr mobile phone pouch system. This system has been implemented successfully in over 3,000 schools across 21 countries, including a number of schools local to us in North West London.
Please see the document attached for complete information (provided in both English and Arabic). Primarily, we would like to emphasise to you that:
- We are making Hampstead School a phone-free environment
- This will involve the use of lockable pouches that are opened and closed at the start and end of school each day
- This will come at no cost to you unless your child damages or loses their pouch
If you have any further questions about this initiative, we are arranging an online presentation and Q&A on Wednesday 6th November at 17:00. Please look out for further details over the coming weeks.
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Whole School - Parent/Carer Governor Application [SENT 21/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
A reminder that the deadline for Parents/Carers to apply for the vacant governor position is this Friday 25 October 2024 at 9.00am.
Click here to complete the Parent Governor Nomination Form 2024
We would like to invite interested Parents/Carers to stand for election as a governor, or to nominate someone else. The school has spaces for four parent governors and there is one vacancy. Governors work in partnership with the Head and Local Authority to manage the school. Their duties are wide-ranging. The current governors would like to ensure that the membership is reflective of the school community and will be encouraging nominations from diverse backgrounds.
Before you complete the form, please familiarise yourself with the following documents:
Document 1: Letter from M. Sadler re. Parent Governor Nominations 2024
Document 2: The Role of a Parent Governor 2024
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Year 11 - Year 12 Open Evening [SENT 21/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
Please be aware that the Year 12 Open Evening will be taking place on Tuesday 26th November from 17:30-19:30.
This is an important opportunity for you and your child to learn more about our Sixth Form and the opportunities available.
Please click HERE to register your attendance.
We look forward to seeing you then.
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Whole School - Early Finish & INSET Day [SENT 7/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
Tomorrow, Tuesday 8 October, school will finish early at 14:00 for all students, and on Wednesday 9 October we will be closed for INSET Day.
School will return as normal from Thursday 10 October.
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Years 7 to 11 - Flu Vaccination [SENT 3/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer,
On Tuesday 5 November, Camden Council is offering Hampstead School students in Years 7 to 11 a free flu vaccination at the school.
We thoroughly encourage those who are able to opt into this opportunity to do so, in order to protect your child and the broader community from sickness.
Please see the attached form for more information, or click here to register your child.
The vaccine is offered as either a nasal spray or a gelatine-free injection, and you can contact the council if you have any questions (details in the attached document).
Kind regards,
Hampstead School
Click HERE for more information
Year 7 - Tutor Conversation Evening [SENT 3/10/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
To mark the beginning of your child’s first half-term at Hampstead School we are holding a Tutor Conversation Evening on Thursday 17 October 2023 from 5.30 to 6.30pm.
This is an informal meeting for you and your child to discuss how they have settled into Year 7 since starting in September, giving you a chance to meet their tutors and some of the leadership team.
You will receive your child’s first Launchpad Report prior to the event which details your child’s attitude to learning in class and at home for each of their subjects. At least two talks will take place in the Main Hall at 5.30pm and 6.00pm to explain the Launchpad report and the information it contains.
We look forward to seeing you and your family there!
Kind regards,
Year 7 Leadership
Year 11 - Pre-Public Examinations [SENT 02/10/2024]
Dear Parents and Carers
Year 11 Pre-Public Examinations: Monday 4th November – Friday 8th November 2024
As students already know, we will be examining all of Year 11 in their subjects when we return after half-term. This will provide students with a critical opportunity to practice examination conditions as well as assess their progress.
The schedule is on the reverse of this letter. All written examinations will be held in the Sports Hall during this week. There are a few exceptions, for example, Art and Photography which will be examined at a later date.
Please note the standard examination conditions will be adhered to and all students are expected to follow these regulations, as we did in the End of Year 10 examinations. Mobile phones and smart watches must not be brought into the examinations hall, pencil cases should be transparent and water bottles are only permitted with the labels removed. All students will need pens, pencils, rulers and a scientific calculator – please have all necessary equipment.
Subject teachers have been preparing students in Year 11 with revision, practice questions and examination technique during lessons leading up to examination week. Please can you support your child by ensuring that they are punctual to school for each day during the examination week, so they do not miss the start of their examination; it is a very intense week.
Students should spend additional time at home revising and preparing for these examinations, especially over the half-term break. Please can you check that they manage their independent study and revision time effectively, to maximise learning and the outcomes from these examinations. The grades achieved in these examinations will be the best indicator for tier entry in the summer examinations, allow for predicted grade assessment as well as excellent preparation for those examinations.
In order to facilitate a smooth running of examination week, when not in an examination, students will have their normal lesson. During this time they may do work towards the next examination in that subject or be allowed to revise for further examinations that day or following days. Some examinations may overrun the usual 1500 school finish time. In this sense, these arrangements mirror the formal summer examinations.
Yours faithfully
Ms Morrell
Assistant Head
Year 12 - Expectations Evening [SENT 18/09/2024]
Good afternoon,
We would like to invite you to attend our Y12 Expectations evening from 5-6pm on Thursday 26th September. This will be an opportunity to meet the Sixth Form Team and to find out a bit more about the Sixth Form and how we can work together to best support your young person achieve their potential.
Students should attend with their parents and carers if possible.
We look forward to meeting you next week.
Kind regards,
The Sixth Form Team
Year 10 - Work Experience Week [SENT 13/09/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer
I am writing to inform you that the Year 10 work experience week will take place between 12th – 16th May 2025.
We would like all students in Year 10 to take part in a five-day work experience placement ideally in an industry that they would like to work in. Work experience can be life changing for students and can help to motivate and to inspire them to achieve their very best at school.
Students (and their families) should source their own work experience placements. The careers team will do its best to find placements for any students who have been unable to find their own, but due to limited resources, we expect to only be able to help a few students.
We are using Unifrog (www.unifrog.org) to manage the administration of the work experience programme – for example collecting information from the employer about their Risk Assessment and Health & Safety policy, as well as getting agreement from parents/carers for the placement to go ahead. All students have their own log-in details for Unifrog.
Some important logistics:
- Students need to agree the placement with the employer first.
- Students will add their placement on their Unifrog account (they’ll find the Placements tool on their Unifrog homepage).
- The Unifrog system will then email the employer, the parent / carer, and the school, to collect the necessary information and permissions. For the process to work, it’s essential that students add the initial information about the placement accurately.
Finding out more:
- Unifrog have created a set of guides about placements which you can find here.
- Within this set of guides, this is the best one to start with (it includes a short animation of how the whole process works).
- Next we recommend looking at this one, because it includes advice on how to find a placement.
Next steps:
- Please read the placement guides on Unifrog, and then start contacting possible hosts for the placement.
- You can support your child by exploring career pathways via: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk.
- If you have any questions, contact Ms Bahar Aksu, Careers Subject Lead, on b.aksu@hampsteadschool.org.uk
We wish you the best of luck with supporting your child to find a placement. Please do make use of Unifrog’s guides help you.
Yours sincerely,
Ms Tamsin Morrell
Assistant Head
Whole School - Starting Arrangements [SENT 03/09/2024]
Dear Parent/Carer,
Your child's induction time may have adjusted by half an hour, please check to see if there has been any change.
Tuesday 3 September
Year 8 Induction 10:30 – 12:30
Year 9 Induction 13:00 – 15:00
Wednesday 4 September
Year 10 Induction 10:30 – 12:30
Year 11 Induction 13:00 – 15:00
Thursday 5 September
Year 7 Induction 08:35 – 15:00
Year 13 Induction 14:30 – 15:30
Friday 6 September
Full-time school starts at 08:35 for Years 7 to 11, and Year 13
Monday 9 September
All students in school from 08:35
Year 12 Induction 08:35 – 13:20
Contact Us
Please refer to the updated Hampstead School Handbook and remember to check the school website for the latest guidance. Remember that your child’s leadership team email will have changed to match their new year group, these are:
Y7 Leadership: 7@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Y8 Leadership: 8@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Y9 Leadership: 9@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Y10 Leadership: 10@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Y11 Leadership: 11@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Sixth Form Leadership: sixthform@hampsteadschool.org.uk
Kind regards,
Hampstead School