Dear Parent/Carer,
As we prepare to welcome students back for the new academic year, I hope you and your family have enjoyed a peaceful and positive summer.
We have been deeply saddened by the tragic events in Southport, and our thoughts are with everyone affected. We understand that such events can resonate throughout the community, and we remain committed to supporting students and their families who may have been negatively affected during this time.
Ahead of our return in September, we would like to remind you of some key updates shared in my letter before the summer break. These changes are crucial to ensuring a smooth and successful start to the academic year. Please could we politely encourage all parents and carers to revisit the full details of the letter shared in July, a copy of which can be found here for reference.
Behaviour and Detention System Changes
A significant focus this year will be the implementation of our new whole-school detention and behaviour system. This change, designed to reinforce our respect agenda, includes the introduction of same-day detentions for students who do not meet our expectations. This system aims to promptly address behavioural issues to maintain a calm and purposeful learning environment for all. These updates should be discussed with your child to ensure they understand the expectations and avoid unnecessary detentions. All students will have an assembly on their return to explain how this will work and how it will support their learning, enjoyment and progress over time. We will also invite parents and carers to a Behaviour for Learning-themed parental forum on Thursday, 3 October 2024 from 4.30pm.
Uniform and Appearance
We are determined to have the best possible start to the new year and we want to do all we can to avoid unnecessary conversations about appearance that demand a significant amount of staff time. The expectations regarding our uniform and appearance can be found here on our website. Please can you discuss this carefully with your child and ensure that your child arrives ready for a positive first day back.
Vigilance on Vaping and Mobile Phones
In light of growing concerns regarding the use of vapes among young people, further evidenced in this BBC Report, we are keen to do all we can to increase our vigilance on this matter. Schools must be safe spaces where students can focus on their education without distractions and potential harm. In the coming weeks, we will be reaching out to gather your views on how we can best keep our children safe and maintain a positive learning environment concerning vapes and mobile phones. We are currently exploring all available options and will share further details in the first few weeks on our return.
Attendance
We cannot stress enough the importance of regular attendance. Students who attend school consistently are more likely to feel connected to the school community, take full advantage of the opportunities available to them, and ultimately achieve better academic outcomes. Your support in ensuring that your child attends school regularly and on time will significantly contribute to their success and sense of belonging at Haslingden High School. Our attendance and pastoral teams in school are here to offer their help and guidance should you need it. Our collective aim should be to see all children attend as close to 100% as possible. Looking at this summer’s GCSE results, the children who attended school for over 95% of the time achieved, on average, almost half a grade better per subject than was expected, those over 97% achieved nearly two-thirds higher and those with attendance of 99% achieved over one grade better in all of their subjects.
We know that school attendance and punctuality remain challenges for all parents and carers. This will not be made easier with the ongoing road closure on Haslingden Road, which is not due to fully reopen until early to mid-September. Please can you make allowances for this disruption and plan an alternative route where necessary?
Looking Ahead
As we embark on another year with the shared goal of ‘Achievement for All’, I am filled with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead. Together, we can continue to provide a supportive, safe, and engaging environment where every student can thrive.
Thank you once again for your continued support. I look forward to working with you and welcoming our students back for what I am sure will be a successful and rewarding academic year.
Very best wishes,
Russell Clarke
Headteacher