HESKETH HOUSE NEWSLETTER 13 OCTOBER 2023
A note from the Head…
Pupil Achievements
It was lovely to welcome lots of families to our Open Morning last Saturday; there was a very positive atmosphere throughout Hesketh House. A special thank you to all of the girls who helped out with our different activities and especially to the Ambassadors who took visitors on tours of the school. There were so many lovely comments about how well they had spoken and how informative they were – very well done!
Thank you to those girls who shared their achievements this week. We heard about successes in drama, gymnastics, horse-riding, netball, running, swimming and tennis. Well done!
A highlight of this week was our Harvest Festival, beautifully presented by our Year 5 girls, with the assistance of Dave Bagley from Urban Outreach. It was lovely for our Choir to be involved too, and their singing was fabulous! Thank you to those Year 5 parents who joined us on the day and to everyone who donated items for our harvest collection. These were very gratefully received by Urban Outreach.
We were also delighted to receive our Eco-Schools Green Flag Award this week, in recognition of the work done in this area at Hesketh House over the last 12 months. Last year’s Eco Club members were very proud! Congratulations to Hattie O’Neill who got a Distinction in her Grade 1 Singing examination and Annie Done-Jackson who passed her Grade 2 Piano with Distinction. Excellent results, well done! Travelling by Tuba Friday 6 October
Finally, we had a lovely end to the week with our Breakfast Club, kindly organised by members of the Hesketh House PA and their willing volunteers. The girls enjoyed a variety of treats before the start of school, and of course made the most of the extra opportunity to socialise with their friends! Again, a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone involved.
Mrs C Laverick
All of the girls enjoyed a special session with Travelling by Tuba last Friday afternoon. They were taken on a musical journey around the world, finding out about a variety of different and unusual instruments. Lots of fun was had by all!
HESKETH HOUSE NEWSLETTER 13 OCTOBER 2023
Year 6 Cub Camp Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 October
School Photographs Deadline 15 October The order deadline is 15 October for free delivery of the photographs to school. After this date there will be an additional charge for postage. House Cross Country Friday 20 October
Akela (Mrs Hough) reports as follows: What an amazing 24 hours! Thirteen Year 6 Cubs were presented with so many amazing opportunities in such a short space of time. We'd thought that bat watching would be their highlight: we had echolocator devices and a brilliant guide, but no, it was being given a budget, going shopping and preparing their own meals that they loved. It was a joy listening to their conversations: "I now know how much £30 really is", "Do we buy the cheaper bananas or the fair-trade ones?", "Just because you want it, doesn't mean we are going to buy it - we're shopping as a group." This year, we camped at our Scout HQ, Brookside, which enabled the Cubs to be involved in the whole process from getting out the tents to cleaning up at the end. Their previous experience of Cub camps was evident, and it was a delight to see how their scouting skills have developed during their time in Cubs. I might be so bold in claiming: Best Year 6 Cub Camp ever!
All of the Hesketh House girls will be involved in this event next Friday afternoon, and parents are welcome to join us to watch the races. An email with more details will be sent out separately. If anyone would be willing to donate a cake for the PA’s refreshment stall this would be very much appreciated. Any donations should be sent in to school on the morning of the event. Kidzone Holiday Club Monday 23 October – Friday 3 November Kidzone are running various activities throughout the half term holiday. More information can be found in the flyer attached here. BSS Leisure Services Holiday Clubs Monday 23 October – Friday 3 November BSSL have an Outdoor Adventure Camp and a Sports Camp during the half term, more information is here: Outdoor Adventure Camp, 23 - 27 October Sports Camp, 30 October - 3 November Family Fireworks Sunday 5 November, 4.00pm This annual event is always spectacular, with an incredible Fireworks display, and this year the music will reflect a Sci-Fi theme. To purchase tickets, please use the following link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bolton-schoolfireworks and feel free to share this with family and friends – all are welcome to join us. Further information can be found on the flyer here.
HESKETH HOUSE NEWSLETTER 13 OCTOBER 2023
BBC 500 Words Competition Closing Date Friday 10 November Mrs Holt has spoken to the girls about this competition in assembly – we would really encourage everyone to have a go! BBC's 500 Words is the UK's largest children's story writing competition. The closing date for entries is Friday 10 November. For more information go to www.bbc.co.uk/teach/500-words. Flu Immunisations Wednesday 15 November Immunisations are once again available through school. Please click on the link here to give your consent. If you have any questions please contact IntraHealth directly on 0333 358 3397.
A Message from Mrs Faulkner – Holidays There has been a notable increase in those seeking approval for additional days of holiday, very often immediately before or after the normal school holidays. We monitor all such absence in order to spot patterns and discern trends. It is timely to remind you that I cannot, by law, grant absence for holidays in term time unless in exceptional circumstances. The clear sense of the guidance is that ‘exceptional’ also means rare and certainly not due to the planning of flights and other logistical arrangements. Permission must be granted in advance, so a letter on the day of the absence or a call as a holiday is extended cannot be authorised. This is why such absence is recorded as ‘unauthorised’. Pupil Illness, including Covid, Flu and Norovirus
Road Safety Please could we ask you to take extra care on the roads around school; it can be very busy with traffic and pedestrians. Do also set a good example to your children, by using the designated crossings in the correct manner. 2023 Alumni of the Year Awards Following the pupil votes, we are delighted to announce the winners of the 2023 Alumni of the Year Awards. Adam Crook has been awarded Old Boy of the Year and Lauren Mee is Old Girl of the Year. Please join me in congratulating these most deserving winners. Lunch Menu The lunch menu for next week can be found here.
We would remind you of the following advice, sent out by Mr Britton earlier this term: The main triggers for you thinking that your child may have Covid would be feeling unwell and having a high temperature, especially if those signs of being unwell are from the typical symptoms list. As a general guide your daughter would remain away from School for three days after first feeling unwell (it is unlikely you will be able to test, but if you do so you would still count the three days from the first time you felt ill, to avoid an unnecessary delay in return). This should balance the inconvenience for them being away from School with reasonable precautions to avoid spreading the illness. From reports there seems to be a typical pattern of 2 or 3 days of feeling very unwell, followed by a couple of days feeling very tired. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid19/covid-19-symptoms-and-what-to-do/. The flu symptoms and response are very similar https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/flu/. We also need to be careful to avoid spreading norovirus. The most important message here is that girls must stay away for two days after the last time they were sick or had diarrhoea. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/norovirus/.
HESKETH HOUSE NEWSLETTER 13 OCTOBER 2023
School Uniform Shop Opening Hours Monday 12.30pm – 5.30pm Tuesday 12.30pm – 5.30pm Wednesday Closed Thursday Closed Friday 12.30pm – 5.30pm Saturday 9.30am – 12.30pm Sunday Closed Special Offer – 20% Off School Uniform! Our school uniform supplier, Monkhouse, is offering a huge 20% off everything in store and online between 16 October 2023 - 22 October 2023. If you need to top up on any uniform or PE kit items or need a refresh on your everyday essentials and stationery, now’s the time to shop. Use code DEAL20 at checkout or in store. www.monkhouse.com School Coats A reminder that the girls should have a coat with them every day. The weather is rather unpredictable at the moment, but we do try to get outside at break times if at all possible. Could we also ask parents to check that coats are clearly named – our lost property box is rather full at the moment with unnamed items that we are unable to return.
All girls played very well in the fixture against Manchester High last week. It was a convincing win for the A team 17 – 4, with Annabelle Hutchinson being voted ‘Player of the Match’. For the B team Malaka Bakeer took this honour, and the team won 2 – 1. Congratulations to all players! Bolton Schools’ Cross Country League – Race 2 Thursday 12 October, Moss Bank Park Team Francesca Dean Annabelle Hutchinson Alice Lomas Alexia Pattle
Amelia Gittins Jennifer Irving Izzy Owen Alivia Smith
SPORT REPORT Year 6 Netball v Manchester High School Friday 6 October, Bolton School A Team Annabelle Hutchinson Sahana Jacobs Charlotte McCarren Izzy Owen Alexia Pattle Jessica Shannon Sienna Shum Bronwen Soper Orla Wilson
B Team Malaka Bakeer Charlotte Buchanan Alice Lomas Francesca Longton Avni Patel Molly Scales Beatrix Snape Isabelle Tunstall
It was another excellent team performance at the Bolton Schools’ Cross Country last night, with an amazing top 4 score of 42. We will give you more details in next week’s Newsletter. Year 6 Netball v Bury Grammar School Friday 13 October Good luck to the girls taking part in this fixture later today. We will let you know how they get on in the next Newsletter.
HESKETH HOUSE NEWSLETTER 13 OCTOBER 2023
PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION INFORMATION Freaky Friday Breakfast Club Friday 13 October Thank you again to all those who helped out at the Breakfast Club – it was a resounding success!
Second-Hand Uniform Sale Wednesday 18 October, 3.30pm – 4.30pm The PA would be grateful for donations of uniform for the sale – this does need to be clean and in good condition. In addition to standard uniform items, we are also going to be selling plain black winter coats, so donations of these would also be welcome. Items should be handed in to the Hesketh House office. Thank you! House Cross Country Friday 20 October Donations of cakes would be very gratefully received, to be sold on the PA refreshment stall during this event. Please send these in to school on the morning of the event – thank you!
Monday 23 October – Friday 3 November Monday 30 October Sunday 5 November Friday 10 November Wednesday 15 November Friday 17 November Saturday 18 November Tuesday 21 November Wednesday 22 November Tuesday 28 November Sunday 3 December Tuesday 12 December Thursday 14 December Friday 15 December Tuesday 19 December Wednesday 20 December
HALF TERM Y5, Y6 Trip to London Returns Wednesday 1 November Family Fireworks 4.00pm – 7.00pm Y6 Remembrance Assembly 10.45am Y6 Parents invited to attend Flu Immunisations - am Y6 Netball v Birkenhead (H) 2.30pm Bolton School AJIS Chess Parent Consultation Evening (1/2) Online Parent Consultation Evening (2/2) In Person Y4, Y5, Y6 Informal Concert 7.00pm Hesketh House PA Christmas Disco 3.30pm – 5.30pm Arts Centre Christmas Concert 2.30pm and 7.00pm Attendance compulsory for all pupils Y5 Trip to Chester Zoo Y3, Y4 Octagon Theatre Visit – am Around the World in 80 Days Y5, Y6 Octagon Theatre Visit – am Around the World in 80 Days END OF TERM
Spring Term 2024
If you are willing to help with PA activities, please text Lucy Onuoha 07734 865817.
Start of Term – Monday 8 January Half Term – Monday 19 February to Monday 26 February End of Term – Wednesday 27 March
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Summer Term 2024
Wednesday 18 October Thursday 19 October
Start of Term – Tuesday 16 April Bank Holiday – Monday 6 May Half Term – Monday 27 May to Friday 31 May End of Term – Friday 5 July
Friday 20 October
PA Second Hand Uniform Sale 3.30pm – 4.30pm Y5 Hockey Festival – pm Stockport Grammar Bolton League Cross Country 4.00pm Moss Bank Park House Cross Country – pm Parents welcome to attend