Year 7 have learnt about French artist Henri Matisse and explored the work he did later in life. They have explored shape, motifs and use of colour in collage techniques. Resourceful use of paper and recycling has been encouraged. Such vibrant work. Fantastic!
Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 has come at a very appropriate time as we are all having to find ways to cope and carry on in challenging times.
MHAW 2020 focused on kindness and why it matters. The joy of giving our time, support and donations benefits the person receiving them and ourselves, but the theme of kindness also involves being kind to ourselves. As we have heard a lot, we are in unprecedented times, and as such, there is no map we can call on to ensure we can cope with the change and uncertainty we are facing. We need to be kind to ourselves, to give ourselves the time and space to develop our own ways of coping and, hopefully, thriving.
Our MHAW has been based around The 5 Ways to Wellbeing – Giving, Taking Notice, Connecting, Learning and Being Active. Each day, activity ideas and information have been shared on the Year Group Google Classrooms, and it’s been great seeing how many girls have been trying out activities such as the Kindness Bingo and some of the mindfulness activities like colouring and body scan meditations.
Pupils have been sharing some ways that they have been coping during lockdown with lots of girls enjoying Joe Wicks’ YouTube workouts, yoga and running. Many girls said that keeping to a routine has really helped them feel in control and has made the time pass quicker. Families have been playing board games together and going for lovely walks. Staff have also been finding ways to find a routine and keep active. Mr Dudley has been running the equivalent of a marathon each week (26 miles!) and has managed it every week so far! Mme Hallauer is enjoying getting into running as well and is using an app a pupil recommended called Couch to 5K. Miss McLeman is using the same app and has completed her first 5K this week! Well done, everyone!
There have been lots of crafting and cooking skills on display as well with staff and pupils learning new skills or developing existing ones. I learnt how to knit some slippers, but I did not do this because I needed slippers… I did it as I needed to find a way to relax and stop thinking about the thousands of thoughts spinning around during the long days of lockdown. Finding something that you enjoy, which occupies your mind and possibly your body as well, helps to reduce your unhelpful or negative thoughts. This half term holiday, why not try out different activities to see if you can find one that works for you. Not every activity will work for everybody, for example, Miss Parkin has made some excellent loaves of bread, but I had complete failures every time I tried, although they would have made great doorstops!
It is important to know where you can find information and support for your wellbeing and mental health. information has been shared in the Year Group Google Classrooms about advice and services that are still available for the pupils and their parents/carers during the lockdown. I want to take the opportunity to highlight the following services again:
– Chat Health 07480 636 050 – Text service for support from the School Nursing Team 9 am-5 pm Mondays – Fridays.
– Herts Mind Network 01923 256391 – Advice line for 10-17-year-olds. Emotional support, advice and information if you are worried about Coronavirus and how the current measures impact you. Open on Mon, Wed and Fri 13:00 – 16:30, Tues & Thurs 17:00 – 19:30 and Saturday 10:00 – 13:00.
– Childline 0800 1111 – Phone line for children and young people available between 9 am and midnight every day offering a listening ear and advice.
– Shout Crisis Messenger 85258 – A free 24/7 text service for people experiencing a mental health crisis and who need to speak to someone as soon as possible.
– Samaritans App – Launched this week, the app offers support and guided activities to improve wellbeing and mental health.
Please contact your daughter’s Form Tutor or Head of Year if you need further support with your daughter’s wellbeing or mental health. The pastoral team has a twitter page, and an Instagram account both called @bhgs_wellbeing where information is shared, and services are signposted.
Finally, I would like to say thank you to Natalie, our school counsellor, for providing lots of activity ideas and resources and also all of the staff and pupils who have helped and engaged with this online MHAW.
Over this term, Year 8 Historians have been discovering the history of Victorian London. This topic has focused on the lives of ordinary people during the Industrial Revolution. They have conducted a public health investigation and followed the process undertaken by John Snow in his discovery that cholera was water-borne. They have analysed contemporary sources into child labour, living conditions and workhouses.
Year 8 have been incredibly hard-working at home and have produced some excellent work. We were particularly impressed with their campaign posters to support or oppose Victorian workhouses.
Over this term, Year 9 Historians have been working incredibly hard on the topic of World War Two. Part of their work focused on researching the national and local experiences of men, women and children on the Home Front during the six year world conflict. The project work that was produced was exceptional and demonstrates the determination and hard work that students are continuing to do at home. Students were able to uncover some of the vital contributions made by the people of Hatfield and Welwyn and were given the opportunity to share their personal family experiences. It was fascinating to learn about our students’ relatives who were members of the military during the war and the stories of evacuation. Well done Year 9!
Year 7 Spanish, Year 8 German and Year 9 French & German classes have been exploring countries where the languages they are learning are spoken. They then made a tourist promotional presentation on a location of their choice to visit in the future. Here is a sample of the hard work they have put in and the many places they are looking forward to visit soon.
We have seen some wonderful pieces of work in Drama during the Lockdown.
Year 7s have been working on Greek masks, rhythm exercises, medieval morality plays, story writing, and much much more.
Year 8 have been both ‘Inspired’ and ‘Absurd’ as they have challenged the world around them, like Alice through the looking glass, through perception, philosophy and puppet theatre.
Meanwhile, the Year 9s have continued to explore how to devise their own plays and explore the work of Willy Russell’s powerful play, Blood Brothers.
We are extremely proud of the VE Day work that has taken place. Our girls have explored what it must have felt for those alive in Britain in World War II, by watching interviews, researching clothes & food, and writing their own monologues for characters that may have lived through the times.
Our 10s have been fabulous. The quality of work they have produced has been outstanding and they should be applauded for their efforts in exploring Arthur Miller, Brecht, Berkoff and Harold Pinter. We hope you enjoy looking at some examples of the work, and we look forward to when we can see the girls face to face once more and revel in their imagination and skill in a practical performance space.
Mr Kench
BHGS staff and pupil creativity and community spirit continued to flourish in our thriving new virtual learning environment this term. During the Coronavirus crisis lockdown period, they all virtually came together again to produce a video to support and thank local NHS workers for their dedication. The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust were delighted and said: “This lovely video is melting our hearts and giving us some extra Monday Motivation”. They thanked all schools for supporting key workers by continuing to teach their children at this difficult time. The video was published by the Welwyn Hatfield Times online on 11th May and an article appeared in the printed newspaper the same week. Mrs Jackson, who had coordinated this initiative with Mr Goodall, said: “At Bishop’s, we place a huge emphasis on learning through enrichment and have been overwhelmed by the positive response to this initiative from the whole school community and the local NHS trust .”
We are consistently striving to help our pupils ‘achieve their potential and enjoy the journey’ and such initiative makes us proud of how they embrace this.
Year 9 geographers have been investigating different geographical topics over the past three weeks in their Geography lessons. The girls were able to chose from a range of mediums for presenting their work and as usual have been extremely creative with their ideas and quality of work. The girls were given a choice of 7 Challenges which were worth different Kudos points. They could choose any of the Challenges as long as they achieved at least 20 Kudos Points. A bonus of 6 Kudos Points were available for anyone who completed all 7 Challenges.
The geographical challenges included investigating the impact of the UN Sustainability Development Goals, a Continents and Oceans Challenge to design a quiz or game for Year 8, design a flag that represents the whole of the continent of Africa, a Population and Biomes Challenge, a Mini Reading Challenge on a current geographical issue, design an eco-friendly city that will be sustainable for future generations and a Mapping Coronavirus Challenge researching the spread of Covid-19.
The photos attached are examples of some of the fantastic work from Year 9. Thank you girls for your enthusiasm and outstanding effort and hard work over the past three weeks in your Geography lessons. You have proved that Geography really does Rock!
Friday, the 8th May 2020 marked the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe. On this day in 1945, Britain and its allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, bringing the war in Europe to an end. All over the country, people commemorated this event in socially-distanced ways – from tea and cakes in their front gardens with neighbours to virtual online parties with family and friends, and the staff and students at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School were no exception!
To commemorate VE Day 75, the Bishop’s community virtually joined together from our homes and gardens to remember the sacrifices and heroism of the military and ordinary people, and to celebrate the day that bought six long, hard years of war in Europe to an end.
House Points were awarded for photographs of home celebrations and for entering our Great British Bunting Competition, for which three students won substantial House Points for their Houses! Megan-Sophia F (7Se)won 100 for House Seacole, Immy K (10Pa) won 50 for House Parr and Warishah K (7Se) won 25 for House Seacole. Well done!!
At a time of uncertainty and separation amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, it was a wonderful opportunity for staff and students to come together in celebration and is testament of the strength of our school community at Bishop’s.
Miss S. Maisey Subject Leader for History
We are delighted to announce that we have won the Herts Secondary (School) Major Award 2019/2020 with a 1st prize of a £10,000 grant to introduce cricket into the PE Curriculum. We also secured a £1,000 grant for STEM equipment to enhance pupils’ achievement through practical science and a further £1,000 for a pupil mental health project. A huge thank you to all the staff involved in researching, providing expert advice and shaping these bids.
For more information, please follow this link: https://www.edufunduk.org/secondary-award-winners/
We are always looking for high quality candidates to join our team. For Current Vacancies, Application Forms and Guidance For Applicants, please visit our vacancies page
Staff wishing to submit a news article, please click below.
Woods Avenue
Hatfield
Herts
AL10 8NL
Tel: 01707 275331
Email: admin@bishophatfield.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher:
Mr A Wood
BA (Oxon), MBA, NPQH
