This week the Maths Department and Science Department enjoyed a week of celebration with Pi Day and British Science Week. Miss Hillier (Head of Maths) delivered assemblies to every year group and congratulations to Eshal Z in Year 9 who won the ‘Pi-off’ with an astonishing 181 decimal places of Pi. Year 10 students enjoyed a Science extravaganza with Masterclasses delivered by the Science team and the whole school engaged in a British Science Week Quiz.
Last week students also took part in the Table Tennis House Competition and the results of this will be published next week. On Friday staff from The Hamble School, Hamble Primary School, Netley Abbey Schools and Bursledon Schools came together in our Sports Centre for our INSED Day. We were delighted to well done Chris Lubbe https://chrislubbe.co.uk/ as our keynote speaker. Chris talked about his life in apartheid South Africa and his journey of resistance against discrimination and injustice. He made a huge impression on the whole team and we left very inspired. The second session we welcomed Vicky Greening from Hampshire County Council’s Speech and Language Therapy Team. This was a good opportunity to engage in some practical strategies which can be used in the classroom.
Next week we look forward to seeing Year 7 Parents/ Carers and their children at the Achieving Excellence Evening on Tuesday – This is an important event which is important preparation for the Year 7 Formal Exams which take place w/b 31 March 2025.
Next week is WEEK 1
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 Mathematics & Statistics.
Curriculum Introduction: Mathematics & Statistics
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.
Events w/b 17 March
Year 10 Review Assessment Week
Year 7&8 NGRT Tests
Monday 17 March
Year 11 GCSE English and Maths Teams begin for selected students
Tuesday 18 March
Year 7 Achieving Excellence Evening at 5:30pm
Year 11 Afterschool intervention
Wednesday 19 March
Year 8 House Swimming Gala – Please see your tutor for more details
Thursday 20 March
Year 11 Afterschool Intervention
Friday 21 March
Red Nose Day Bake Off
Future Dates
Monday 24 March – Year 8 PSHCRE Day
Wednesday 26 March – Year 9 Literature and Arts Event
Thursday 27 March – Year 9 Immunisations
Thursday 27 March – Year 11 Mock Results Assembly and Year 11 Parents’ Evening.
You can find all letters sent home over the week here – https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/letters-to-parents/
The canteen menus can be found here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/food-and-drink/
Please check your child’s Attendance regularly on Class Charts
Theme of the Week
Next week, our school will be focusing on the topic of discrimination and sexism. Through dedicated assemblies and tutor sessions, students will explore the far-reaching effects of sexism in our society, and how we can all contribute to building a more equitable future.
We will be delving into the concept of unconscious bias, examining how these ingrained, often unintentional, prejudices can lead to discriminatory behaviours. Students will learn to recognise how societal stereotypes can influence our perceptions and actions, even without our conscious awareness. This exploration aims to foster a deeper understanding of the subtle ways sexism can manifest, from casual remarks to systemic inequalities.
Our discussions will emphasise the importance of challenging sexism in everyday life. We will encourage students to become active allies, speaking out against sexist language and behaviours, and supporting those affected. We will highlight that challenging sexism is about consistent actions we take to promote respect and equality.
We believe that education is key to dismantling harmful stereotypes and creating a more inclusive environment. By raising awareness and fostering critical thinking, we aim to empower our students to become agents of positive change. We encourage you to engage in conversations at home, preparing to discuss examples of sexism in the media and in everyday life after the school sessions. Together, we can work towards a society where everyone is valued and respected, regardless of gender.
Embracing British Values
This week, whilst looking at the effects of sexism in society, we are highlighting how our school actively promotes British Values: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance.
Our students engage with democracy through initiatives like the School Council, where they voice opinions and influence school policies – this includes the addition of canopies for year groups, additional water points, changes to the food offer in the canteen and the addition of shorts within the school uniform policy.
With the quarry protest and delivery of our petition to Number 11 Downing Street last year, as well as the continued opposition of the CEMEX appeal, students have had the opportunity to take part in democracy in action. This emphasises the importance of peaceful demonstration and civic participation as part of Citizenship.
The rule of law, tolerance, and respect are reinforced through our assemblies and tutor programme, fostering a cohesive and inclusive environment. PSHCRE lessons delve deeper, exploring ethical dilemmas and diverse perspectives, ensuring students understand and value all aspects of British Values.
We also empower students to exercise individual liberty. The Year 8 and 9 preferences process allows them to choose subjects aligned with their interests, promoting autonomy and self-determination. By integrating these values into daily school life, we prepare students to be responsible and engaged citizens.
This Week at the Dinner Table…
Discuss British Values with your son/ daughter.
- Can students name the five British Values?
- How do students learn about British Values in school?
- Why are British Values important in society and beyond The Hamble School?
- Which one of the British Values are the most important? Why
- Finally, explore the school website here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/promoting-british-values-smsc/
International Women’s Day
Last week it was International Women’s Day and we were reminded of the ongoing importance of promoting equality, respect, and fairness in our school community and society as a whole.
International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements and contributions of women across the world. However, it also serves as an important reminder of the work that remains to be done to challenge sexism and gender inequality. At our school, we strive to create an environment where every student, regardless of gender, feels valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their full potential.
This ties closely with the core British values of equality, respect, and individual liberty. We believe that it is essential to nurture these values in our students.
British Science Week 2025
Last week in Science we were celebrating British Science Week 2025. The Year 7 students engaged in lessons on the innate behaviour of woodlice and explored various adaptations. In Years 8 and 9, students delved into the exciting concept of space mining and honed their STEM skills through an engineering task to construct a Lunar Lander. Meanwhile, Year 10 participated in two masterclasses that focused on essential scientific skills for potential missions to Mars.
All students showed great engagement and enthusiasm. Years 8 to 10 additionally participated in a National Competition aimed at developing innovative ideas for purifying air in buildings. The top 5 entries will be decided and entered in the National competition.
Inclusion Coffee Morning
This week the Inclusion Team hosted a Parent Coffee Morning to provide information on supporting young people with anxiety and mental health. We were joined by a range of professionals including the Attendance Manager, School Counsellor, ELSA and other mental health team members. It was lovely to see so many Parents/ Carers at the event and to work collaboratively to support young people.
We look forward to seeing more Parents/ Carers at the next Inclusion Coffee Morning after Easter. Thank you to everyone involved.
Comic Relief – Big Bake Off
On Friday 21 March, we will be supporting Red Nose Day 2025. This year, the event will focus on celebrating 40 years of going big, giving big and feeling good together.
On this day, we are inviting students to take part in our annual Big Bake Off. This is a chance for students to showcase their creativity and culinary talents by baking cakes, flapjacks, brownies, blondies, macarons or even a croquembouche!
All entries will be judged by our expert panel (members of the Senior Leadership Team and other members of staff who are experts at cake-appreciation!) with students competing for a certificate in the following categories:
- Best artistic design
- Best structural design
- Biggest cake
- Funniest cake
- Most colourful cake
- Tastiest cake
One student per House will also win the coveted ‘Star Baker’ certificate.
On the day, students can bring in some money to purchase these delectable goodies at both break and lunchtime. All baked goods will be priced between 50p and £1.
All monies will be counted up to form part of a House competition and every entry will get house points for their efforts.
Instructions for the day:
- Bring your baked goods/cakes to the main hall when you arrive in the morning
- Fill in a competition entry form (ensure that your full name is added to the form)
- If you are entering the competition with another person/group of people, ensure their names are on the entry form as well
- Write a description of your cakes on the competition entry form (to ensure we can reunite the form with the cakes if they get separated)
- If the people you have teamed up with are in a different House to you, decide which House you are entering the competition under.
- At the end of the day, collect any cake container that you wish to take home.
Please note: Every year we have a large number of cake containers left over that are unclaimed. Please ensure that your name is written on the container to ensure we can return it to you if you forget to pick it up at the end of the day.
Please also note: It isn’t possible to list every ingredient in every baked good so please be mindful of this if you have an allergy.
Student Voice – Rewards
Our Rewards System is very popular and successful with students. This year students have been asking what rewards are available once they achieve over 1,500 points. Over the next few weeks we will be conducting some Student Voice to see what we can provide when students achieve ‘Diamond’.
Year 11 – Over the next fortnight Year 11 students will get ‘Double Reward’ points. We will be running double weeks after exams so that we can support them settling back into lessons. Please note there will be double negatives for lack of homework and lack of equipment. During Student Voice, students said that the double negative points for homework support them to get it done and actually motivate them to ensure it is completed on time.
Class Charts
We would like to highlight the many benefits of using ClassCharts to stay connected with your child’s education. Our weekly audit shows that ClassCharts is an excellent tool for tracking your child’s academic progress, behaviour, and attendance in real-time. By actively using ClassCharts, you can gain valuable insights and stay informed about their learning journey.
Additionally, ClassCharts provides all the information of on your child’s homework tasks so that you can track and monitor the work they are doing at home.
If you need any assistance or have any questions about using ClassCharts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mrs Griffiths using classcharts@thehambleschool.co.uk
Year 7 Exams
During the Week Beginning 31 March Year 7 students will have Formal Exams. English, Maths and Science will take place in the Sports Hall (or additional rooms for students identified as requiring a smaller room). All other subjects will conduct exams in normal lessons. The assessments will test the content students have been learning since they joined us in September as well as knowledge acquired at Key Stage 2.
Each subject will put the date of the exam and revision materials on Class Charts. Students are expected to revise for the exams and use the study skills promoted at the Year 7 Achieving Excellence Evening on Tuesday.
Preferences
Year 9
A reminder that Year 9 preference forms are due to be submitted by Monday 17 March. Students who have not completed the form by this date will be supported to do so in school during tutor time. Please send any questions not covered in the FAQs on the web page to general@thehambleschool.co.uk. If you have already raised a query not covered in the FAQs published on the web page, we will ensure you receive feedback to these.
Year 8
This week, the Year 8 preference forms will be distributed to students and parents / carers. Please ensure you have reviewed the information on the preferences web page with your son / daughter before completing the form. In the coming fortnight, students will be completing sessions in tutor time to inform their choices. If you have any questions not covered in the FAQ document on the web page, please email general@thehambleschool.co.uk.
Support
If you or your child would like support with wellbeing, please check out the links of our website: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/student-wellbeing-support/
Rewards
The students listed below achieved the most reward points this week – Well done to you!
Year 7 – Tia J 7-2-
Year 8 – Julian T 8-8
Year 9 – Joe C 9-8
Year 10 – Rayan B 10-1
Year 11 – Ava S 11-8
