Autumn Term

After a substantial period of tough Covid measures in schools, September 2021, and the return to school following the summer break, saw the relaxation of some of these restrictions.

The two changes that created the biggest shift in school were the removal of year group bubbles - a rule that had impacted heavily on all aspects of schooling - and the removal of the requirement of close contacts of positive coronavirus cases to self-isolate.

With these two measures removed, the autumn term began at great pace and with much excitement as we welcomed new pupils to the school.

As you would expect from our pupils, they took full advantage of some rediscovered opportunities and freedoms, throwing themselves into school life and school activities.

We started the term with the reinauguration in the Senior School of the House system. For a period of approximately 40 years the system had been absent from our Senior School, despite thriving in the Junior school. Our pupils have relished the chance to be involved in co-curricular activities, working across the year groups, that the reestablishment of the House system has afforded.

The healthy interaction and friendships that occur between our pupils across the year groups is one of the most notable and positive features of Hymers life.

The academic and pastoral mentoring of pupils in Years 7-9, and the support of Junior School co-curricular activities that our Sixth Formers undertake, is invaluable work that can go unseen by parents and visitors but is what helps create this remarkable Hymers community feel. Younger and older pupils alike benefit in different ways from the interactions, but all in equal measure.

As you would expect, a busy autumn term and the relaxation of Covid restrictions, saw pupils back enjoying playing competitive fixtures against other schools in rugby, hockey and swimming. While it was pleasing to see our pupils achieving impressive results in these games and fixtures, one reset caused by the pandemic has perhaps been a decreasing focus on which team has won and lost, and a growing awareness and appreciation of the value in simply playing as a team or competing side-by-side with fellow pupils and friends.

Autumn term also saw many wonderful contributions from our Old Hymerians to our ongoing and growing programme involving them in school today. This has included Old Hymerians drawing upon their own personal and professional expertise to engage and inform pupils in a wide variety of clubs, including Language and Culture Club, Engineering Society and MedSoc. We are incredibly grateful for the time and help our Old Hymerian community is able to give our current pupil body and we thank them for their wisdom and enthusiasm.

As is customary, we were able to mark the end of the autumn term with customary festive concerts and final assemblies in front of a live audience - something our budding performers have been sadly lacking throughout the pandemic.

We were all sent off on our Christmas holidays in high spirits at the feast of witty and skillful performances that our pupils - and some of our staff - laid before us.

Mr Stanley Headmaster

Bringing back the house system to the Senior School that Hymers adorned until the 1970s would always be a hard task, however as a school community it could not have been taken on much better! In its first term, staff and students alike took it upon themselves to make sure the system has a sense of pride attached to it.

In a time full of twists and turns, the house system has certainly followed suit in being unpredictable and exciting; the first events of the year, the house debating and cross country, allowed students to thoroughly express their talents both in an academic and sporting light. With races, and debates, taking place across all age groups within the school, it was fantastic to see the wide array of talent that is present within our school. The success of the house system can even be seen over in the sports centre, where countless students have been able to get involved in inter-house rugby and hockey, both of which have been spectated by many to cheer on their houses.