It has been a splendid week.  Most weeks leading a school are a pleasure and a joy; but this week has been especially enjoyable. 

The weather has helped but so has the general positivity of everyone in our school.  To give you a flavour of the privileges I have enjoyed this week: 

On Monday, I addressed our Year 11 students in their assembly.  I spoke to them about the team that they have around them – teachers, leaders, pastoral staff.  Indeed every adult in the school is rooting for them as they enter the final eight weeks of schooling before their external exams begin.  I love speaking to groups of students in assemblies; I try not to do it too often so that – hopefully – when I do, the message sounds fresh and has meaning.  Our students are super-respectful in assemblies – we have total silence and perfect conduct.  One or two thanked me as they left.  That’s all I needed. 

Later on Monday, I showed Mark Brown (our Trust Director of Education) around the school.  We visited a handful of lessons which happened to be some of our most creative subjects – we heard a year 10 student play the keyboard and watched a dance lesson.  Then we saw some students working on their photography portfolios.  All of them utterly absorbed in what they were doing and enjoying their chosen KS4 curriculum. 

Break and lunch duties have been a pleasure this week with so many students enjoying socialising outdoors.  We have introduced a number of table games to our site, starting with some table football games. These have gone down a storm, with students loving the challenge of playing each other – and staff.  Miss Pinkney (HOY9) has shown herself to be quite an adept ‘striker’. 

On Monday night, Mrs Groak and Miss Oddell returned from Barcelona where they had taken a groups of Sixth Form students on a weekend trip.  The feedback has been tremendous and – since I teach some of the students myself – I had the opportunity to ask them what they thought of the trip.  “Loved it”, they said, “we just want to go back there”.  You could see that – in a weekend – horizons had been expanded, life opportunities recalibrated. 

On Tuesday, I visited Year 11 Maths lessons where students have received their mock exam papers back.  There were lots of happy students but also some disappointment.  Their teachers were skilfully managing both sets of emotions whilst presenting students with their bespoke plans for improvement.  Being a teacher of a Year 11 class at this time of the school year is akin to being a parent, delivering encouragement and support with a firm hand.   

Elsewhere this week, I have met with three colleagues that have been seconded to our Senior Leadership Team for the year.  Already effective middle leaders, they have taken on the opportunity to develop themselves professionally by attending our meetings and bringing different perspectives and voices to our discussions.  This is something that we have done for four years at Hessle and it has definitely strengthened our overall leadership across the school as well as developing colleagues for their own progression.  Three people have moved on to other roles elsewhere in our Trust due, in part, to the experience of senior leadership.  Whilst we do not want to lose good people, I am pragmatic in knowing that we cannot hold onto everyone who is ambitious and would much rather help them on their way to success. 

Finally, I have also dropped into rehearsals for our upcoming school production of Grease; this takes place between 18 and 21 March and will feature a cast and crew from right across the school, including students of all ages.  The students, and staff, have taken their rehearsals very seriously and are keen to put on a high quality production.  They always do and I am looking forward to seeing it later this Month. 

And finally, on Thursday afternoon, we hosted our Year 9 Progress Evening and were delighted to have two hundred plus families in attendance.  This time marks the mid-point of a secondary school education and you can see the increasing educational maturity emerging in our young people.  It was great to see them and to chat to parents. 

And then I left and went to the MKM stadium to watch Hull FC take on Leigh Leopards.  I was joined by Jim Nixon, Headteacher of Howden School, who had told me that he really wanted to see a Super League game in the flesh if I ever had a spare ticket.  What we witnessed was one of the most dramatic, and longest, games I’ve ever seen, which ultimately ended in a 22-22 draw.  It was full of controversy and action and, after Jim had left us, I stayed up late with my son watching the flashpoints and action on SKY.  Jim was very lucky to see such an epic game as his first taste of the sport and we were left proud of the effort of the Hull team.  It was also nice to see ex-Hessle students, Brad Fash and Jordan Lane, still regularly representing the club. 

The weather forecast for the weekend is very pleasant so I wish you an enjoyable weekend and thank you for your support.  

Mr Groak

Headteacher