Dear HP families,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable festive period. I am delighted to share how pleased I am with the excellent start we’ve made this week in re-establishing routines, maintaining high expectations, and ensuring everyone is working hard. It has been wonderful to see students and staff setting such strong standards as we return after the Christmas break.

This week, I am pleased to announce new Assistant Headteacher appointments. Mrs Sharples is now Assistant Headteacher for Student Experience and will focus on enhancing extracurricular activities, student leadership opportunities and the PSHE curriculum. Mr Hogarth becomes Assistant Headteacher for Attendance, building on the significant improvements in student attendance since September. Ms Carter steps into the role of Assistant Headteacher for Year 11 Outcomes, taking over from Mr Hogarth. The school website’s Contacts page will soon reflect these updates.

I am also sharing a draft of our new Home-School Communication Protocol. The aim of this document is to clarify the most effective ways for you to contact staff about specific matters. A copy of the draft is attached to today's Letter from the Head email, along with a link to a Google Form where you can share your feedback. I look forward to hearing your thoughts before finalising and implementing the protocol.

Additionally, I am seeking your input on preferred Parents Evening timings. Please use the same Google Form to have your say on this important aspect of school life.

For students who wish to complete their homework in school before heading home, we are now offering optional after-school Academic Preparation. Prep remains compulsory for students who miss homework deadlines, wear incorrect uniform, or arrive late to school. We also encourage students to take advantage of this supportive environment to ensure they meet their full potential.

Finally, I want to emphasise our ongoing focus on attendance. With a target of 95% or higher, every day in school builds toward happiness and success. Please ensure your child maintains strong attendance and gets their Spring term off to the best possible start. You can monitor attendance via MCAS and contact their Head of Year with any concerns.

I wish you all a lovely weekend,

Mr Hudson
Headteacher