Well done to everyone for getting through another dark and rainy January week — we’re nearly into February now and brighter days are on the way. Thank you, as always, for the positivity and resilience shown across our school community.
It was great to welcome Parents/ Carers to our Parent Forum this week; your engagement and partnership make such a difference. We were also delighted to see such a fantastic turnout at both the Extra-Curricular Fair and the Year 7 Parents’ Evening. The enthusiasm and commitment from students and families alike really highlight the strength of our community.
At The Hamble School, we truly value feedback. Hearing from Parents/ Carers helps us celebrate what is working well and identify areas where we can continue to improve. Your insights help shape our decisions and ensure we provide the best possible experience for our students. If you attended Year 7 Parents’/Carers’ evening, please share your thoughts via the feedback form here: Parents’ Evening Evaluation – Fill in form
Next week is WEEK 1
Question of the Week
Please select your answer in the form below, all fields marked * are required and to help prevent SPAM this form is protected by Google reCaptcha v3.
Each week we will ask Parents/Carers a question in the Weekly Message – this will either be about a topic we are focussing on or an aspect of our school improvement plan. We would appreciate it if everyone answers it when reading the Weekly Message.
Curriculum Information
You said that you would like more in depth information about curriculum areas. So once a fortnight we will now showcase a department and share a video about what students are learning. This week we will focus on PSHCRE.
Curriculum Introduction: PSHCRE
Events w/b Monday 26 January 2026
Monday 26 January
Dance Live Performance
Year 11 NEA Food Exam
Tuesday 27 January
Year 11 NEA Food Exam
Year 11 Afterschool Intervention
Year 11 Achieving Excellence Evening
Wednesday 28 January
Year 11 NEA Food Exam
GCSE Drama Mock performance
Year 7&11 Year Group School Photographs
Year 10 Zanzibar Parents Pre-Departure Meeting
Thursday 29 January
Year 10/11 MHST Exam Stress Workshop
Future Dates
w/b Monday 2 February
NEA Food Exams Continue
Tuesday 3 February
Primary School Hockey Event
Friday 6 February
Year 11 Maths Test for Success
Letters
Last week’s letters are available on our letters page: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/letters-to-parents/
Theme of the Week: Holocaust Memorial Day
As we move into next week, our school community will be focusing on a significant and poignant theme for our assemblies and tutor time: Holocaust Memorial Day.
This week serves as a vital continuation of our previous discussions regarding discrimination and the importance of standing up against injustice. Our goal is to provide students with a space to reflect on one of the most challenging chapters of human history with sensitivity, respect, and deep thought.
Assemblies: Understanding the Past
In our whole-school assemblies, students will explore the history of the Holocaust. We will look at how such an event came to pass, the mechanics of how it was allowed to happen, and the profound, long-lasting impacts it has left on the world today. These sessions are designed to be informative and age-appropriate, encouraging students to consider the human stories behind the historical facts.
Tutor Time: Reading and Reflection
Next week is a Reading Week at The Hamble School. This provides an excellent opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust through the power of literature.
During tutor sessions, students will be reading extracts from the acclaimed novel, ‘When the World was Ours’ by Liz Kessler.
- The Story: The book follows three childhood friends—Leo, Elsa, and Max—growing up together in Austria. As the Nazi party rises to power, their lives are pulled in drastically different directions, offering a multifaceted perspective on the era.
- The Approach: Students will have the opportunity to read aloud in a supportive environment. Our teachers will also read sections of the text to model fluent reading and ensure the emotional weight of the story is handled with care.
- Personal Response: Following the reading, teachers will facilitate guided discussions. Students will be encouraged to explore their “Personal Response” to the themes of friendship, betrayal, and resilience before recording their thoughts in their booklets.
Supporting the Conversation at Home
We recognize that the themes of the Holocaust can be challenging. We encourage you to talk with your child about what they are learning and reading next week. These conversations are crucial in helping our young people develop empathy and a commitment to ensuring that the lessons of the past are never forgotten.
Thank you for your continued support in helping our students become informed, compassionate, and responsible global citizens.
The Government’s National Year of Reading 2026 – A Year to ‘Go All In’
2026 has officially been declared the National Year of Reading, a major national campaign launched by the Department for Education in partnership with the National Literacy Trust. The initiative aims to inspire people of all ages to rediscover the joy of reading and make it a regular part of everyday life.
The campaign, called ‘Go All In’, responds to a significant decline in reading for pleasure across the country. Recent data shows that enjoyment of reading among 8–18‑year‑olds is at its lowest level since 2005, with just one in three young people reading in their spare time. Teen boys are particularly affected, with only 25% saying they enjoy reading.
What the Year Aims to Achieve
The National Year of Reading will run throughout 2026 and seeks to:
- Reconnect reading with the things young people already love – from football and music to food, films and gaming.
- Encourage reading for pleasure at home, in school and across communities through thousands of events nationwide.
- Bring families, schools, libraries, businesses and cultural organisations together to make reading visible, accessible and enjoyable for all.
- Champion the benefits of reading, from improved wellbeing and confidence to better future career prospects.
High‑profile ambassadors such as authors Cressida Cowell, Michael Morpurgo and Julia Donaldson, along with sports stars and public figures, will help inspire young readers throughout the year.
What This Means for The Hamble School
At The Hamble School, we fully support the National Year of Reading and look forward to embracing the campaign’s message:
“If you’re into it, read into it.”
We will be highlighting opportunities for students to explore reading linked to their interests, whether sport, art, science, gaming, music or anything they love. Throughout the year, we already share recommended reads, book‑related events, Reading Weeks, student projects and ways families can get involved at home.
How Families Can Support
The Education Secretary has encouraged families across the UK to spend just 10 minutes a day reading together, a small step that can significantly boost literacy, confidence and future learning.
A Reading Movement for Everyone
With the campaign backed by more than 60 partner organisations and a packed national events calendar, 2026 promises to be an exciting year for reading across the country. It is the biggest reading initiative in a generation and offers a fantastic opportunity to create a lasting culture of reading for pleasure.
We look forward to celebrating the National Year of Reading with our students, staff and families—and helping every young person at The Hamble School discover stories, ideas and interests that inspire them.
Parent Forum – Thank You for Joining Us
Thank you to all the parents and carers who attended our Parent Forum this week. We truly appreciate your engagement, insights and continued support. It was excellent to welcome everyone and to hear such constructive contributions.
Mr Wood, Assistant Headteacher, delivered an informative overview of student outcomes, outlining the school’s ongoing commitment to strong progress, high expectations and academic success for all students. Following this, Parents/ Carers had the opportunity to ask wider questions, share reflections and raise topics for discussion. All feedback gathered has been shared directly with the Senior Leadership Team.
Key Themes from This Week’s Follow‑Up Discussions
- Consistency of Reward Points
Parents highlighted the importance of consistent application of Reward Points across the school. This has already been raised with Middle Leaders, and actions are underway. We will continue to monitor consistency through our Line Management processes. - Trips and Visits
Families shared that they are pleased with the variety of trips on offer, including the exciting larger visits. Alongside this, affordability remains a key consideration. We will continue to review and reflect on trip costs to ensure opportunities remain fair and accessible for all students. - Careers Education
Parents asked for further updates on careers provision, including Work Experience. We are pleased to confirm that more information about careers activities and Work Experience will be shared in upcoming editions of the Weekly Message.
How to Raise Questions or Share Feedback
If Parents/ Carers would like to raise a question, share feedback or suggest discussion points for future forums, we kindly ask that you email:
📧 general@thehambleschool.co.uk
Please mark your message FAO Mrs Valleley, who is coordinates Parent/ Carer questions and communication.
We encourage families to use this email address as the direct and most effective way to contact the school regarding queries or concerns, rather than using social media, where false information can sometimes spread.
Year 11 Revision Update – Preparing for Success
As we move further into the spring term, we want to remind all Year 11 students that revision should now be well underway. With mock exams approaching and GCSEs on the horizon, building strong study habits early will make a significant difference to both confidence and outcomes. Small, regular revision sessions at home, attending extra‑curricular support, and making use of revision guides and class materials will all help students feel fully prepared.
We strongly encourage all Year 11 students and their families to join us for our Achieving Excellence Evening on Tuesday. The Mock Exam Timetable will also be handed out during the evening.
While it is ideal for families to attend together, students are welcome to come on their own if that works best. Every student who attends will also receive Reward Points in recognition of their commitment to their learning.
We look forward to seeing many of you there and supporting Year 11 as they continue their journey towards exam success.
Safeguarding Update – Understanding and Tackling Misinformation
We would like to take this opportunity to highlight an important safeguarding topic that increasingly affects young people: misinformation.
Children and teenagers are exposed to a constant stream of online content – from social media posts to videos, rumours and online discussions. While much of this can be positive, young people can also encounter information that is inaccurate, misleading or deliberately false. This can cause unnecessary worry, spread confusion among students, and sometimes lead to conflict or heightened anxiety.
At The Hamble School, we speak regularly with students about how to recognise unreliable sources, question what they see online and seek clarification from trusted adults. However, families play a vital role too. We encourage parents and carers to:
- Talk to your child about how they use social media and where they get their information from.
- Remind them that not everything posted online is true, even if it appears confident or widely shared.
- Encourage them to check with a parent, carer or member of school staff if they hear something worrying or unclear.
- Promote a healthy level of scepticism and critical thinking.
If students or families have questions about school‑related information, the best and most accurate way to get clarification is to contact us directly rather than relying on social media, where misinformation can spread quickly.
Working together, we can support young people to navigate the online world safely, confidently and responsibly.
Year 9 – Vaccination Reminder
Your child’s Teenage Booster is now due. The vaccines help protect against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio and Meningitis.
If you have already submitted a form, please ignore this message.
Follow the links below for the electronic form and information about the vaccines. Access to the form will close two working days prior to the session.
School Code: SH116413
Session date: Wednesday 4 February 2026
Year Group: Year 9
Link to form: https://www.hiowhealthcareimmunisations.co.uk/Forms/DTP
For further information: https://www.healthforkids.co.uk/hampshire/collections/school-age-immunisation-service/
To choose YES or NO please complete the form to record your decision. Further reminders will be sent to those that have not completed a form to ensure children do not miss their opportunity for vaccination.
Football Update
Year 10 National Cup Penalty Heartbreak
Our Year 10 boys did The Hamble School proud last Friday as they travelled to Woking for their National Cup last‑32 fixture against Collingwood College. It was a fantastic occasion and a brilliant showcase of the talent, teamwork and spirit within the squad.
After a tightly contested first half, Collingwood took a narrow lead, but The Hamble School came out firing after the break — and looked fantastic doing so in their brand‑new kit, which they wore with real pride. The team immediately stepped up the intensity, and a superb run and cross from Joe T set up Will B for a confident equaliser that had the whole squad buzzing.
In worsening weather, the boys continued to dominate, creating the better chances and showing outstanding resilience. Even though a last‑minute opportunity just missed and the game finished 1–1, their energy and belief were inspiring. The match went straight to penalties, where Collingwood – already experienced in shoot‑outs – edged the win. Their manager was quick to praise our players, saying The Hamble School were the better side overall.
Despite the result, this National Cup run has been a tremendous achievement and a testament to the hard work, passion and togetherness of the team. The boys should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished — they represented The Hamble School brilliantly on and off the pitch.
Squad: Jakub, Frankie, Charlie, Elliot, Malik, Charlie P, Sam F, Sam B, Ralph, Louis, Will, Zach, Joe T, Ollie B
Year 9 Boys Begin League Campaign with Dominant 8–0 Win
The Year 9 boys made a fantastic start to their league campaign with an impressive 8–0 win over The Gregg School. They set the pace from the first whistle, racing into a 3–0 lead inside 15 minutes thanks to CJ, Wezi and Rico.
The Hamble School also debuted their brand‑new football kit, part of our wider investment in updated kits for all school teams — and they certainly wore it with pride. Even after choosing to play much of the match with 10 players, they continued to dominate, adding further goals from Ollie P, Harry M (2), Blake and Tommy.
The match was played in an excellent spirit, with both teams showing respect and determination throughout. A brilliant start to the season and a performance the whole squad can be proud of.
Man of the Match: Sam S – calm, composed and influential in midfield.
Zanzibar trip pre-departure meeting
The rearranged Zanzibar pre-departure meeting is now scheduled for 28 January 2026 from 6pm to 7pm. The meeting is a virtual meeting taking place over Microsoft Teams. In order to access the meeting, please see the link in the email which will be sent to you on Monday.
Update on Catering at The Hamble School
As families will already know, Chartwells (owned by Compass Group) is Hampshire County Council’s appointed catering company, responsible for providing school meals across the county. The Hamble School is continuing to work closely with Chartwells to ensure our students receive the best possible food options, with a focus on quality, nutrition and value. We very much appreciate the feedback already shared by students and Parents/ Carers and we welcome any further comments.
If you would like to provide feedback, please send it FAO Mrs Valleley via: general@thehambleschool.co.uk
Below is a letter from Chartwells, written for us to share with Parents/ Carers this week:
Celebrating Achievements
The students listed below achieved the most reward points this week – Well done to you!
- Year 7 – Sofia B 7-4
- Year 8 – Jake S 8-6
- Year 9 – Elliot D 9-6
- Year 10 – Joe W 10-7
- Year 11 – Lucy D 11-9
