Now the fireworks have gone off with a bang and half term seems like a distant memory, it’s back the business of inspiring excellence and fulfilling potential.  It was a great first week back with more learning outside the classroom, a Year 11 Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) event, and a very busy Sixth Form Open Evening, with record numbers in attendance.

It is shaping up to be another exciting week ahead.    25 Year 7 students have the opportunity to attend a Numeracy Programme for the week with the benefit of improving both their skills and confidence in this area.  The intensive sessions enable students to revisit the foundations of numeracy to ensure these are understood and embedded, therefore enabling students to make rapid progress when they return to their Maths lessons.  Talking of Maths there is the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge on Tuesday for our top 40 mathematicians to put their skills to the test – we wish them the best of luck.  We are also celebrating the successes of the Class of 2016, with the GCSE Celebration Evening on Thursday, which is always a lovely way to welcome the year group back, to see what they are up to now and celebrate their successes from the summer of all and those singled out for special prizes both whole school and in departments.

There are a fair few trips out this week too.  It’s always great that students have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom as it often brings the subject alive and enables the students to see the practical applications.  This week the geographers are out and about.  The Year 10 students will be standing in the freezing cold River Kym in order to collect data for their course – let’s hope the weather is kind to them.  Then on Thursday some of the Year 10s will be visiting Long Road.  On Friday it is the turn of the Science Department who are taking some sixth formers to the NEC in Birmingham.

There are the Remembrance Assemblies presented to every year group during the course of this week, and Monday of next week for Sixth Form.  We are fortunate enough to have 2 service people from RAF Wyton in with us each day, and Tony Best, our fabulous CDT Technician will be playing the students into the assemblies on the bag pipes.  It is a great reminder to all in attendance of the sacrifices made both past and present.  On Friday a number of our senior students, prefects and House Ambassadors have been invited to represent the school at a service at the War Memorial in Market Square, which is both a great honour and an opportunity to remember as part of our wider community.  This links beautifully to our theme of the week, which is all about why we wear a poppy.

With the Academic Review Day happening on 23^rd November, please remember to make an appointment via our online booking system.  The person you are making an appointment with will be on a sticker in your child’s planner.  The online booking system can be accessed via the link below.  This is a fabulous opportunity for your son/daughter to talk about their progress in school, based on their latest report (which will be available on the day) and most importantly, to talk about how to make further improvement(s).

https://parents-booking.co.uk/hinchingbrooke

And I will leave you this week with one verse of a touching World War One poem, a favourite of mine:

Perhaps some day the sun will shine again,
And I shall see that still the skies are blue,
And feel once more I do not live in vain,
Although bereft of You.

Perhaps, Vera Brittain

Have a great week.

Anna Nightingale

Vice Principal