Dear Parents and Carers
Thank you with your support with our whole school photograph yesterday. This was a lovely opportunity to see all of our young people together on the field and I think you will agree, looks amazing!
Also linked to our Hardenhuish 50 celebrations we now have a fantastic display in the Resources Centre of Hardenhuish over the years pulling information and photographs from the last 50 years. A big thank you to Neil Southwood our Librarian and Verity Hodges (Year 13) for all of their trawling through the archive and putting this incredible record of our school together.
Languages Week this week has been a great experience for our young people. They have been able to find out more about the languages that our staff and young people speak and also take part in activities related to the cultures represented within our community.
Sports Day last week was a really positive event and great to see so many of our young people enjoying the various races and field events.
Open evening was very busy last night and a great opportunity to show off our wonderful site, facilities and team. Thank you to all those young people and staff who cam e along to play their part in showcasing Hardenhuish at it’s best.
A reminder that we have New Year 7 and 12 Induction day next Friday so no other young people are expected in school.
Have a restful weekend.
Lisa Percy
Headteacher
News Items
Focus On…The Nurture Room at Hardenhuish School
Right at the top of the stairs in the House is the Nurture Room.
We welcome all young people with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).
Working closely with the Year Teams and the Learning Support Team who oversee referrals, Nurture staff provide a calm, safe base for young people needing a little extra support throughout the school day.
Available during break and lunchtimes, the Nurture Room can be used as both a supportive environment to encourage friendship and social interaction and a calm space for some young people to emotionally regulate and take some time out.
Mrs Birkett, who supervises Nurture, has a vast array of mindfulness resources to help calm young people who may be feeling overwhelmed. Some students have recently discovered talents for crochet and embroidery! The room also has games and puzzles for students to use at social times.
Nurture has comfortable seating with sofas and a HUGE beanbag. It also has four computers and resources to enable young people to use their time in Nurture to keep up with their studies.
Our aim in Nurture is to help young people learn to ‘surf’ their emotions. No matter how intense the feelings, emotions don’t last forever, just like a wave.
Trying to ‘control’ one’s emotions is akin to standing in the ocean attempting to stop a wave from hitting you: impossible. But with enough practice, it is possible to surf the wave.
Supporting a Positive Learning Environment
As we move toward the end of term, we have shared the following reminders with pupils to help keep learning calm and focused for everyone. We would appreciate your continued support with these.
Mobile phones should be turned off and kept away from 8:30am to 3:00pm, unless allowed during a lesson with permission from a teacher. If pupils need to urgently contact home, they are able to do this in the year office. While we understand it can be tempting to contact your child during the school day, please direct any communication through Reception and we will ensure any urgent messages are passed on.
Now that the weather has returned to what we would normally expect in July, our uniform has returned to normal, including ties and shirts tucked in.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain high standards and a calm, focused school environment.
River Run
It was a strong Hardenhuish turn out at the River Run last night! It was wonderful to see so many staff and pupils representing Hardenhuish. The hot weather didn’t stop one of our very own pupils setting a blistering pace and coming in 1st with a time of 16:10 – most of us can only dream of such times for a 5K!
We plan to support the event again next year and hope to increase our team of Huish runners – both pupils and staff!
Mrs Cobb
Year 12 Biology Field Trip- North Devon
This week 37 Year 12 Biology students went on our annual three-day residential trip to the beautiful North Devon coastline to study ecology and organism adaptations across a range of habitats as part of their A Level studies.
Setting off early on Monday, our first day was spent at Braunton Burrows, a UNESCO Designated Biosphere Reserve and area of outstanding natural beauty. This vast sand dune is home to over 450 species of rare plants and flowers. The students enjoyed lunch on the beach with a fresh coastal breeze, before conducting a series of quadrat samples back across the sand dunes in sweltering conditions. Our focus for the day was on sampling methodology, but also on gaining a greater appreciation for the myriad of plant species on the sand dunes, and how they compete and succeed each other as the dunes evolve.
Our day ended with our arrival after a long but fulfilling day at The Ocean Backpackers Youth Hostel in Ilfracombe. Students had the opportunity to explore the town for a couple of hours in the evening, enjoying Damien Hirst’s sculpture ‘Verity’ and the views out over the North Devon Coast. But mostly the opportunity for a sneaky ice cream, much needed after such a hot day.
The second day started with some ‘lesson’ time at the youth hostel, which was quite a squeeze for 37 Biologists. Students were quickly able to spot their Fucus vesiculosis from their Fucus spiralis and could tell you about the differences between a purple top shell and a common periwinkle. We set out for the rocky shore at Abbotsham late morning, just down the coast from Westward Ho! The students had to put into practice everything they had learned over the previous days to conduct an ecological study of the seaweeds and molluscs living in this extreme environment. With the tide moving out we worked our way down the shore, enjoying the ideal weather conditions and making the most of the chance to see a range of different species. We are looking forward to reading your project reports over the next few weeks!
Our final day took in the contrasting adaptations found in freshwater habitats using a range of ecological sampling techniques. Students observed first-hand the savage world of a pond ecosystem, with predatory water boatmen and xenomorph-like dragonfly nymphs having to be kept separate from more docile juvenile newts. This was then contrasted with river dwelling mayfly nymphs and cased-caddis fly larvae, existing in a vastly different, but still challenging ecosystem. A particular highlight was the biomimicry on display in the moth trap, although some students did not find our six-legged specimens endearing. We would like to offer our thanks to Monkton Combe School for allowing us use of their facilities and being so accommodating during our visit to the site.
Students were exemplary during the trip, and we particularly appreciated the efforts to keep the youth hostel clean with so many in residence. Thank you for representing the school so well during the trip. We hope that this is an experience that you will look back on with fond memories for many years to come. A massive thank you to Dr Ford for her tireless organisation of the trip- it would not be able to run without your dedication and thoroughness, and I know the students appreciate the time and effort you put in to making this such a memorable part of the A Level course. Also, thanks to Mr Dawson, Miss Langridge and Mrs Headley for your support and encouragement on the trip- I am sure the students appreciated your enthusiasm and knowledge of ecology.
Mr R. Kelland
Lead Biology Teacher
Middlefield’s Care Home visit – Monday 30 June 2025
On Monday our talented dancers braved the sunshine and performed at Middlefield’s care home Chippenham for an afternoon of entertainment. This enabled us to positively impact our wider community through social interaction and creative expression.
This event was a successful experience that was enjoyed by residents and our pupils performing a range of different dance styles that was well received by all.
Well done Girls!
Miss Birchall
Summer Concert 2025
On Wednesday last week we held the summer concert out on the flag field. The weather was kind, and we all enjoyed a lovely summer’s evening of wonderful music. Well done and thank you to all the students who performed with such enthusiasm and talent. A special thank you to our Year 13s who performed and have been so committed throughout their 7 years at Hardenhuish. We are sad to also be saying farewell to Gary Pike who has taught clarinet and saxophone at Hardenhuish for the last 35 years. He has been truly inspiring and has had such an impact on our pupils. Some of his previous students, pictured with Gary, came back for his final concert to perform alongside the current Clarinet and Saxophone Club playing an amazing medley of Gary’s greatest hits from over the years.
Vacancies – Hardenhuish School