Last week was one of celebration. We started off our festive events with a wonderful Collaborative Concert which featured three Choirs from Hamble Primary School, Netley Abbey Junior School and The Hamble School. We listened to many fantastic musicians and celebrated the amazing musical talent in our community.
On Thursday our Year 9 Boys Football Team won 5-2 in the latest round of the National Schools Cup – They are now in the last 64 having started in the cup with 446 schools from across England. What an amazing achievement!
On Thursday evening we celebrated all our former students from the Class of 2024 and were delighted to welcome them back for our Year 12 Presentation Evening. It was wonderful to catch up with so many former students and hear what they have been doing since August 2024. Special thanks to our inspirational speaker Scott Dawson who presented the certificates and awards.
On Friday Mr Kingswood (County Education Advisor from Hampshire Improvement and Advisory Service – HIAS) came into school to present our SENDIA and Leading Parent Partnership Awards to the Student Leadership Team, Senior Leadership Team and the Chair of Governors. Thank you to all the students, Parents/ Carers, staff and members of the community who have helped us to achieve these prestigious awards.
Year 11 have worked very hard on ensuring their homework is completed on time and to a good standard this week for Double December. The Progress Zone is now open every lunchtime for students to complete homework and revision – It has been great to see students using their space this week. Students will receive all their Mock results in their Progress Reports on or before 18 December. We would also encourage you to sign up to Parents’ Evening appointments for January.
Next week we have a number of Christmas events taking place and we hope you will join us for some Choirs and Mince Pies on Wednesday. Next week is WEEK 2
Question of the Week: Parent/ Carer Survey
If you haven’t had a chance to complete the Parent/ Carer Survey, a reminder that the deadline for this is Monday 16 December at 6pm. Please read the ‘Improvements Since the Last Ofsted’ document here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/ofsted-report/ and then complete the survey using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/THSParentDec2024 The survey also gives you the opportunity to express your view on the consultation regarding changes to the timings of the school day.
If you would like to see the school ‘in action’ and join our next Parent Forum, this will take place on Thursday 12 December at 9:15am; please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/unqdqy1KTU
Events w/b 9 December 2024
W/b 9 December – Year 7-11 Nasal Flu Vaccinations
Tuesday 10 December – Christmas Lunch: Pre-book Only
Wednesday 11 December – Christmas Lunch: Pre-book Only
Wednesday 11 December – Community Carols, 3:30pm in Main Hall. The whole community are welcome to attend. Please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/gEY1YcsSyK
Thursday 12 December – Parent Forum and tour of the school, 9:15am in the Conference Room. All Parents/ Carers are welcome to attend. Please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/unqdqy1KTU
Friday 13 December – Parent Christmas Coffee Morning, 11:30am in the Conference Room. All Parents/ Carers are welcome to attend. Please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/6w8j7EWbTM
Friday 13 December – Christmas Jumper Day for The Hamble School. Please ensure that students bring in £1 for Save the Children or a non-perishable item for the Food Bank.
Future Dates
Wednesday 18 December – Grandparents Event for Year 7 only, this is a free event and starts at 1pm. Please pre-book here: https://forms.office.com/e/7j3HNp7U38 There is no limit on the number of Grandparents allowed to attend.
Thursday 19 December – Year 7 & 8 PTA Disco. £6 per ticket and these can be purchased on Scopay. Tickets must be purchased by Thursday 12 December.
Letters
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 – Sustainability
This week students will complete their Careers Fortnight (details are in last week’s Weekly Message and can be found on our Careers page https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/careers/) as well as having a focus on Sustainability. We are currently following the Eco-Schools Programme and students will be looking at the impact of litter, transport, energy usage and consumer choice. Activities in Personal Development will allow students to discuss the impact of choices that humans make, the reasons for these choices and how we can make choices to have a positive impact on our environment. Students will also look at the cumulative effect of small, mindful changes. Examples include:
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Saving energy
- Using public transport, walking, cycling or opting for electric vehicles
- Supporting sustainable brands
- Reducing food waste and embracing plant-based eating.
Students can help the school environment by becoming an Eco Ambassador – The ambassadors meet on a Thursday afterschool 2:55pm-3:55pm in S7.
This Week at the Dinner Table…
- Why do you think we should care about the environment?
- What simple changes can we make to our everyday lives to become more sustainable as a family?
- Could we try eating less meat and aim for Meatless Mondays?
- Could you try public transport, walking or cycling to school once a week?
- Why don’t you try joining the School Eco-Committee?
Duke of Edinburgh
A large number of students have registered their interest in taking part in The Duke of Edinburgh Award this year; more than double the last 2 years. We would like to give every student the chance to take part in this great opportunity. In order to ensure that we have enough trained staff to run the award we will be closing sign-ups on Monday 9 December. Following this, we will communicate out details for how to secure your place and changes to important dates for the programme due to the increased numbers. Watch out for further communication just prior to the Christmas break.
Student Survey
The views of all stakeholders are very important to us. Over the last two weeks we have distributed staff and Parent/ Carer surveys. Next week students will get the opportunity to give their views on the school and the proposed changes to the timings of the school day. These surveys will take place during tutor time.
Curriculum Update
At The Hamble School we aim to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that enables students to reach their potential. A progressive 5-year curriculum allows students of all abilities to make good progress and to achieve excellence. We continue to review our curriculum offer so that we provide a wide range of subjects that meet the needs of the students. Information about the curriculum offer for each year group can be found on our school website here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/curriculum-overview/. This also includes an overview of what your child will study each year.
Beyond the academic curriculum, we are passionate about ensuring that we focus on the wider curriculum experience of our students. You can find an overview of our PSHCRE curriculum here https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/pshcre-overview/.
We understand that reading is important in ensuring students can access the curriculum and therefore we have a comprehensive reading curriculum and you can read about this here https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/reading-curriculum/.
To enrich and extend our curriculum, we have a comprehensive trips and visits offer; information can be found here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/trips-visits-planner/
Personal Development
At The Hamble School, we believe that a truly excellent education extends far beyond academic achievement. Our vision is ‘A high quality provision inside and outside of the classroom, which enables all students to achieve the very best outcomes and become lifelong learners’. Our commitment to Personal Development is central to our vision of fostering lifelong learners who are equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Why does Personal Development matter?
Personal Development is the cornerstone of our holistic approach to education. It empowers our students to:
- Build character: Cultivating strong moral values, empathy and resilience.
- Develop essential life skills: Such as problem-solving, critical thinking and effective communication.
- Embrace diversity and inclusion: Fostering respect, tolerance and understanding for all.
- Achieve excellence: Setting ambitious goals and working tirelessly to achieve them.
- Become confident and independent individuals: Empowering students to take ownership of their learning and future.
What does Personal Development look like at The Hamble School?
Our staff work hard to provide a rich and diverse range of opportunities that promote Personal Development. This includes:
- A caring and supportive environment: We prioritise a positive and inclusive school culture where every student feels valued and respected.
- A rigorous academic curriculum: We challenge our students to think critically, analyse information, solve problems and work hard to achieve their potential.
- A vibrant Extra-Curricular Programme: We offer a wide range of activities, from sports and music to drama and debating. This enables students to try something new and develop interests.
- An extensive range of trips, visits and external speakers: We support the development of cultural capital through visits to local, national and international destinations.
- Character Education: We embed values such as honesty, kindness and resilience into our daily routines.
- Mentoring and Coaching: We provide personalised support and guidance to help students reach their full potential.
- Careers Education: We organise workshops, external visitor talks and community projects to broaden horizons and develop real-world skills.
- Leadership Skills: We provide a number of different roles and responsibilities for every year group, so that students can make a difference and contribute to their community.
By developing the whole child, we are preparing our students to become confident, resilient and hardworking individuals who leave The Hamble School as lifelong learners.
What are the key aspects of Personal Development in daily timetable?
As part of the school timetable students spend time in assemblies, tutor sessions and PSHCRE (Personal, Social, Health, Careers and Religious Education) and explore a range of different themes and issues at a global, national and local context.
The PSHCRE Curriculum can be found here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/pshcre-overview/
Information about SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development) and British Values can be found here: https://www.thehambleschool.co.uk/promoting-british-values-smsc/
Each week we share our ‘Theme of the Week’ in the Weekly Message.
What is the difference between conflict and bullying?
It is important to understand that conflict between two human beings is normal and bound to happen from time to time. Often children use the word bullying when they meant that they have had a disagree with another child or they have fallen out with their peers. As adults it is important that we teach them the different between the two words.
In a conflict people may get frustrated and angry. Chances are the amount of emotion each person feels will be relatively equal, because both are trying to get what they want. In the heat of the moment, one or both people’s emotions can escalate into a heated conflict. Bullying tends to be one-sided and repetitive.
Bullying is the repetitive hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online. It does not need to be intentional to be bullying.
- Verbal bullying – repeated, negative speech/sign language/verbal gestures to cause hurt including discriminatory or offensive language.
- Indirect bullying – repeated, negative actions (neither physical nor verbal) to cause hurt, such as spreading rumours and purposefully excluding someone.
- Physical bullying – repeated, negative use of body contact to cause hurt, including spitting.
- Social & Cyberbullying – repeated, negative use of technology to cause hurt, such as posting unwanted pictures or messages and harassing someone.
The difference is all about power and the repetitive nature:
- In conflict, there is equal power. Neither party feels threatened or unsafe as each can stop it and the conflict is often resolved.
- In bullying, there is an imbalance of power (physically, power in popularity, in isolating, in a large group joining in). There is a feeling of being unsafe and feeling threatened. The victim can’t stop it happening; and the bully keeps going, unresolved.
Online Safety
As a Parent/ Carer, you play a key role in helping your child to stay safe online and with the Christmas holidays approaching there is more time for children to be on their phone or other electronic devices.
Talk to your children about…
- Using their phone or device responsibly
- The amount of time they spend on phones/ devices and consider setting screen time limits
- Discuss what to do is something is worrying them
- Ensure they do not have their phone in their room at night
- Ensure they share passwords with you so you can access their phone/ device if needed.
Remember you don’t need to be an expert on the internet to help keep your child stay safe online. There is plenty of resources available to support you to help you ensure that your child uses the internet safely, responsibility and positively.
Below are some helpful resources.
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/social-media-guides
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
https://ee.co.uk/do-more-with-ee/learn/how-to-get-your-child-set-up-safely-on-their-first-device
Food Bank Reminder
The Food Bank will be open on Friday 13 December 3:30pm-4:30pm and Thursday 18 December 3:30pm-4:30pm. If you wish to collect items from us, please can come to reception and ask for Mrs Tonner. Our Student and Family Support Officer will be very happy to help you. If you cannot attend on this day/ time but would like to reserve some food, you can email ttonner@thehambleschool.co.uk and we will make sure we save some for you.
Breakfast Club
A reminder that we run a free Breakfast Club everyday Monday-Friday which is open to all year groups.
Rewards
The students listed below achieved the most reward points this week – Well done to you!
- Year 7 – Ben S 7-7
- Year 8 –Danylo N 8-7
- Year 9 –Bethan W 9-1
- Year 10 – Sarah P 10-2
- Year 11 – Tatum T 11-8
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/
We have now created a Parent/ Carer Library. If you would like to borrow any of the books below, please email ttonner@thehambleschool.co.uk or come along to our Coffee Morning on Friday.
