Newsletters

GHS Connect #14 Monday 5th January

Mia's notes

Welcome to 2026!

Happy new year and I really hope everyone has had a wonderful break with some proper time to rest and recharge.

The spring term always flies by and before we know it, everyone is panicking about whether students are ready for their exams or not.  The secret is that it’s important to remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. That means, like any long distance runner will know, preparation and routine is key.

Taking a little time at the beginning of this year to reflect on where our classes are, what they need reinforcing, where their gaps are and what their latest assessments show, and then building that into our planning, is all part of the preparation towards the final finish line. Likewise, sticking to routines, keeping students in class and following the principles of the GHS High 5, will all help students to feel supported, secure and ready for what’s to come.

Please take a few moments this week to plan ahead for what’s to come.

I hope you all have a great first week back.

Mia

The week ahead

Monday
Normal Day

Tuesday
Department Time 3.15pm - 4.30pm

Wednesday
Briefing in the library - 8.15am
Whole Staff CPD 
L&T priorities 3.15pm - 4.15pm 

Thursday
Normal Day

Friday
Normal Day

Notes
Year 11 Interim 2 due

Learning and Teaching Tips and Strategies

We have piloted a new Learning and Teaching podcast series focused on Feedback.

All episodes are available on the VLE under Learning and Teaching – L&T Podcast, and on YouTube (links below):

Episode One: Debunking Feedback Myths - Georgina Stevens

https://youtu.be/VcaRmoEAig4?si=jukf1O_56e24wSOw

Episode Two: Live Marking with a Challenging Class - Rav Dhindsa

https://youtu.be/8X8Z1jNZOUQ?si=hqMUI0ZgjMlEYaM_

Episode Three: Sample Marking - Jen Williams

https://youtu.be/IijReWaiVWw?si=0g_n27-saHrRJX83

Episode Four: Verbal Feedback - Amit Pall

https://youtu.be/klN2CWynYOg?si=G6rxOh5-BJCJ_fvz

Episode Five: Feedback: One Thing to Keep, One Thing to Drop - Harpal Sagoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvbtSpAweMw

We would love to include as many voices as possible. If you would like to get involved, share your thoughts or provide feedback, please do so here: https://forms.gle/vb1vmHYJ3CDsABwHA

School Routines

I hope you had a lovely holiday with family and friends. Welcome back! 

Upon return, I wanted to remind you all that certain students will take time to embed back into our school routines. In order to support these young people, please action the following suggestions for your lessons.

1. Continue using our common language. Give students a chance if their behaviour is disruptive. If misbehaviour continues, provide students with choice. The most common practice is a seating move or differentiated classwork. If misbehaviour continues, move to a caution. Sadly, if after a caution, behaviour does not improve - give students a consequence where they should move to the Red Card room.
2. Always ensure take-up time throughout the different stages and reprimand in private with clear explanations for each stage.
3. Students should remain in lessons unless they have a note.
4. If students arrive with incorrect uniform, they must be sent to Student Services to remedy this. 

Thank you so much, 

Rav

Pastoral Updates

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas break with friends and family.  Please see below Inclusion updates for this half term and next steps:

Safeguarding Updates

• From Sept to Dec we have worked hard on ensuring all pupils receive extra safeguarding information via form time activities.  The feedback from pupils has been positive in my last student voice, with over 70% of pupils (900 pupils' responses) saying they were pleased with the activities.
• In line with DFE standards, we are part way through conducting an online audit.  This does mean that students' online activity is being filtered and monitored throughout the day.
• We completed over 25 referrals in the last half-term, to ensure students are safeguarded for physical, emotional and contextual safeguarding concerns. We currently have just over 60 pupils that are on our monitored list (these are students that are known to social services that we are supporting in school)
• There has been an increased level of training, updating staff on Keeping Children Safe in Education with new staff and support staff.

Next steps

Safeguarding:

• Online Safety – Letter emailed to all families, updates to the Online Policy and User agreements
• Safeguarding refresher quizzes – department time activity to update staff on current information and trends around safeguarding in school
• We have set up an allocated area under ‘welfare’ on SIMS and have added the following categories:
  • Students currently known to social services and those that have been involved historically over the last 6 years.  This will continue to be populated.
  • ADH/SIA – gathering information on Young Carers through form tutors.  We have also sent a letter to all parents/guardians.  This information will also be added to the same area on SIMS.
  • Students that have encountered bereavement from a close family member will also be added.

SEN:

• We will be organising a book look for over 75 EHCP students in school, this half-term.  This is to help us gain an understanding of the support and training that is required and to celebrate staff and student work.  Please look out for emails around this.
• Continue to support staff on simplifying exams access arrangement uploads, to ensure the right students receive the right level of support.

As always please embed the L&T strategies following our Inclusion Training last term.

Gurvinder

Staff and Student Wellbeing

At GHS, wellbeing is really important to us. As part of our school culture and the Wellbeing Award, which I discussed on the first day of the new year in September, we try to ensure that we consider the impact on staff and students in everything that we do.We know that some of the areas that staff find difficult are supporting young people with their emotional and mental health, Here are some tips: 

1. Meet and Greet and Do Nows: These are opportunities for us to check in with students,
2. Integrate wellbeing into subject content: Discuss emotions, empathy, and different perspectives when analysing texts, events or situations that students can relate to.
3. Support KS4 & 5 students with academic pressures: Frame tests and exams as feedback opportunities.
4. Be calm and consistent: Students thrive on routine and clear expectations. Use the 4C’s model to support behaviour.
5. Escalate any concerns: If you have any concerns, let the Year Team know and put them on CPOMS or if it is urgent  contact a member of the safeguarding team.

Equally, if you are worried about a colleague, please do the following:

• Check in with them (if you have a relationship with them or feel as if you can).
• Let their line manager know, via email or in person.
• Let a member of the SLT know, again via email or come and see me in AF14.

Thank you for everything that you all do to look after our students and staff, this is why GHS is a special community. As part of our wellbeing award submission, we need staff to complete this survey, we completed this survey at the end of last year. It would be great to see areas where we have made some improvements and what areas we still need to work on: WAS Staff Evaluation.

Please can staff complete this by Monday 12th Jan 2026.

Amandip Johal

Bright Spots

This week's Bright Spots nomination comes from Christabel Haines, who says:

Thank you to Karishma, Jacob, Ellie, and Naomi for being the rocks of our department, setting up systems for the team, developing brilliant resources, providing supportive feedback to staff and always being available to others. Our department would not run without you! 
A special mention for Ellie who helped us pass the Chemistry practical monitoring visit too!

If there are any concerns about Equality and Diversity (staff)  at GHS please contact A Johal (DHT)