Summer Term

There were some real standout events of the term, including Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, productions in the theatre, Eco-week in the Junior School, CatZero sailing to Norway, sports days in both the Senior and Junior schools and the conclusion of this year’s National Citizen Service programme.

The term was also notable as we received a visit from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) for their regular - but overdue because of Covid - inspection of the school.

A team of inspectors spent a number of days at the school, sitting in on lessons, talking with staff and pupils and reviewing the school as a whole.

I am delighted to say that we passed this inspection with flying colours! We were rated ‘Excellent’ for both elements of the Educational Quality Inspection - the highest grade possible. The report is full of positive compliments about the school, our pupils and staff. I feel it really captures the essence of Hymers and is testament to the hard work of everyone in the Hymers community.

The term was also marked by a series of outstanding individual successes by our pupils. Of particular note was the performance of one of our A Level students in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge (he placed in the top 0.71% of the entry to this competition) and that of one of our National Citizen Service groups winning the national Goldsmiths’ Company Community Engagement Award. Both of these achievements are worthy of applause from the school.

Such awards are proof, if it was needed, that the College remains true to the founding principles of John Hymers: to promote academic excellence at the same time as being fully integrated in the community of Hull and the surrounding area.

That integration into the community was further embedded at the end of the term when we completed the acquisition of our associate school, Hessle Mount. The keys were exchanged in July and the summer holiday used for an intense programme of development at the campus. From September 2022 we look forward to throwing open the doors to Hymers Hessle Mount for the youngest children in the Hymers community.

The conclusion of the summer term rounded off another exciting year at Hymers, full of challenges and opportunities for our pupils, which, as ever, they met with good grace and hard work. That was born out in our GCSE and A Level results in August, where once again our pupils’ results shone. In amongst all the stats and numbers of the day were the personal stories of pupils excelling in the face of difficult circumstances and I am proud of each and every one of them.

Mr Stanley Headmaster

On 28 April, the Classics Department led a group of 30 Year 10 students for a two day trip to Hadrian’s Wall.

Only a few hours away, almost on our doorstep, the Wall remains an impressive lasting testament to the centuries of Roman rule in Britain, and one which you can climb, explore and touch within the majestic landscape of Northumbria. Blessed with fine weather, our Year 10 students made the most of the opportunity, spending a few hours at Housesteads Fort exploring the section of the Wall near the famous Sycamore Gap. The structure of the Fort, the barracks, the storerooms and even the toilets are all evident. The small display on site provided an interesting context for the students imagining what life on the Frontier was really like. Our next stop was the Roman Museum which houses a fantastic array of finds and exhibits, from weapons and chariots to beads and brooches. The engaging 3D film allowed a bird’s eye view of the Wall through

Walking in the footsteps of the Romans

the eyes of a legionary soldier. After an overnight stay at the Hostel next to Vindolanda, we embarked on a short walk to, arguably, the most famous site on the Wall. Vindolanda was a fully functioning Roman town, equipped to support not just the military but civilians too. The scale of the site is staggering and the students were perhaps most excited to see that it is still actively being excavated. We were able to talk to archaeologists on site and discover the recreation work being undertaken to preserve the remarkable finds that have been unearthed. The Vindolanda tablets, which are the highlight of the Museum, give a vivid insight into life in Roman Britain – with invitations to birthday parties, requests for warmer socks and details of military supplies showing us that human preoccupations have little changed after nearly 2000 years. It was a fantastic trip and one which will become a regular feature for our Year 10 classicists.

Mrs S Dickinson Head of Classics