Spring 2026

13 March – NEWSLETTER

EDITION 58

Welcome

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to a special edition of our newsletter in recognition of International Women’s Day. All this week, students across the school have been celebrating female empowerment through assemblies, activities and an anthology of art and literature.

We have some incredible female leaders among our students, and I am very proud to support them as they grow and develop in confidence. I work with our Student Leaders to raise awareness of important social issues, from mental health to diversity and culture. This week, our Year 10 Student Leaders, Theadora and Leila, have been working hard to elevate women’s voices in school, in particular through their fantastic video shared below.

I hope you enjoy reading about our International Women’s Day celebrations, along with our usual school news and updates.

Ms Ahmed
Assistant Headteacher & Student Leadership Coordinator

International Women’s week

Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another.
We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.
Serena Williams

Anthology

In a continuation of last year’s International Women’s Day, we are pleased to share this year’s anthology of student work.

This collection of art, poetry and writing is a celebration of female empowerment and student creativity.

IWD Anthology

Non-uniform day

Across the school, students were welcomed through the gate in a sea of green, purple and white – the three colours of International Women’s Day.

The non-uniform day marked the end of our week-long celebrations, as a reminder of the strong and resilient women and girls in our school community. bringing together everyone in our school community throughout the day of their individual strength and resilience as a woman.

We would like to thank all students and staff who took part in this year’s celebrations!

Celebrating Women’s Achievements in Sport

In the PE department, students have created an incredible wall of posters celebrating women’s achievements in tennis, netball, football and more. Their creativity, energy, and passion for sport have brought the display to life and reminded us of the power of confidence and determination.

“We are truly inspired by our students in PE; their courage to step out of their comfort zones and their dedication to sport is remarkable. You are the ones who inspire us the most!”

– Ms Strefanska

IWD Assemblies

Throughout assemblies this week, students have been hearing about influential women in history. Year 10 Student Leaders, Theadora and Leila visited the Sixth Form Centre on Monday to speak about the importance of marking International Women’s Day and recognising the effort and sacrifice from trailblazers including the Suffragettes.

A message to students

As celebrations for IWD come to an end, we encourage you to continue to be inspired by the female figures in school, at home and in the world. All form groups are named after an inspirational women and pioneers across arts, conservation, literature, sport, and science – from Malala Yousafzai to Rosa Parks. As you pave your own path through Highbury Fields and further in life, perhaps one day we will be naming a form group after you!

Trips and Enrichment Activities

Summer Clubs timetable

The summer clubs timetable is now available.

From textiles to rock band, we have lots of exciting clubs coming up next term. Sign ups open on Arbor at 7pm on Tuesday 17 March. Club sign ups operate on a first come, first served basis, so please ensure you sign up early so that your child does not miss out!

Summer clubs timetable

Year 7 Football Tournament

Our Year 7 team recently competed in a football tournament at Market Road Football pitches against other schools across Islington. They played three exciting matches, giving their best on every pitch. Two matches ended in draws and the third was a fantastic 3-0 victory, with our team scoring three absolutely amazing goals!

We are so proud of our Year 7 players for their skill, determination, and sportsmanship. Well done to everyone who took part – you represented the school brilliantly.

uPCOMING Trips

sign up on Arbor Today so you don’t miss out

We have some fantastic trips lined up after half term. Scroll through the carousel below to see what’s in store for each Key Stage.

Parent volunteers needed

There are many trips coming up for which we are seeking parent volunteers. If you are willing to chaperone students on any of the following trips, please email rdouse@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk or call the school. The approximate time commitment is also included below:

Year 8 Natural History Museum: 26 March (10am – 3:15pm)
Year 8 Hamilton trip: 16 & 23 April (1pm – 6pm)
Year 10 Neals Yard Dairy trip: 19th May (9am – 1:30pm)
Year 10 Imperial War Museum: 26 June (8:30am – 3:30pm)
Year 10 Noughts & Crosses Drama trip: 13 May (11am – 4:30pm)

Other news from across the school

Book week coming up (23rd – 27th March)

We are excited to announce that Highbury Fields School will be celebrating Book Week in the last week of term.

As part of our celebrations, we invite all students to dress up as their favourite character from a book on Friday 27th March, and bring in a £1 donation to support the library. We encourage homemade costumes to spark creativity and ensure that all students can take part without the need for expensive outfits.

There are a few additional ways you can support our school library and reading programme in the lead up to Book Week:

Donating new, favourite or gently used books (no writing, rips, tears, etc). These can be brought in on Friday 27th March 2026 and left on the donation table in the school’s entryway.
Making a monetary donation on Arbor: Go to the School Shop/ Products/ World Book Day donations.
Purchasing a second-hand book from on our library wish list below:

View our library wish list

Student Spotlights

Student Leader Spotlight: Meet Thandiwe

In this week’s instalment of spotlighting our wonderful students, we’re introducing Year 9 Student Leader, Thandiwe!

What hobbies or interests do you enjoy outside of the classroom?
For the past few years, I have taken up acting classes and been in an acting academy. Acting is the one thing I have been passionate about for as long as I can remember; I love being on stage and in front of the camera, playing different characters. In the process [of developing a character], I also learn new things about myself and become more confident.

What made you want to become a Student Leader?
I always try to be the person I would want to look up to. I wanted to be student leader so that I could help others and make the school a more positive atmosphere that everyone can enjoy. I also struggle really badly with social settings and wanted to try something new and exciting that can help not only myself, but also others.

Share an inspirational quote or motto from a leader through history.

“Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

This was said by Michelle Obama. I go by this quote because of how real it is. I think it is so easy to be seen as successful because of your job, money etc. But is that success? The best quality a human can have is kindness and at the end of the day when people look back at your life, they’re not going to care about how many cars you have; they are going to care about what you were like on the inside and how beautiful your soul was.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ HFS Rewards ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Attendance

Here are top performing forms for attendance last week:

Top Forms for Attendance
Year 7:7/Frida Kahlo – 98.55%
Year 8: 8/Serena Williams – 96.59%
Year 9: 9/Helen Keller – 99.09%
Year 10: 10/Mae Jemison – 100%
Year 11: 11/Kelly Holmes – 98.07%
Sixth Form: 12/Berta Cáceres – 98.48%

Merit Awards

30 Merits
Form Tutor Merit
.

Year 9: Kardelen and Nayehare
Year 10: Sara
Year 11: Maryam, Ayat, Imogen, Zainab, Aicha, Lara, Maisie, Jannah, Renata, Fariel, Sofia, Alexina, and Rosanna.

.

60 Merits
Head of Year Merit

Year 8: Brooklyn-May and Nevéah
Year 9: Aisha, Fatimazahra, Isaacy, and Nayehare
Year 10: Sara, Anisa, Sage, Lujayn, Muntaha, Araya, Isis, Catalina, Savanna, Yasmin, Amira, Michelle, Maria, Qamar, and Amelia
Year 11: Rachel and Kiara.
.

120 Merits
Headteacher Merit

Year 7: Munira, Oshun, Eshaal, Maryam, Iris, and Jamillia
Year 8: Divine, Zerrin, Daisy, Leticia, Matilda, Sabrin, Violet, Liyana, Bianca, Amelie, Lavin, Lyra, Olivia, Evie, Helen, Samiya, and Cyreen
Year 9: Lily-Rose, Maryam, Anisa, Yasmin, Helena, Gaia, Hania.
.

240 Merits
Board of Governors Merit

Year 7: Lilla, Nyla, Andita, and Nawal
Year 11: Bella.

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Students of the week

This academic year, we have introduced ‘Students of the Week’ to recognise individuals who have demonstrated excellent commitment to learning and the community. Here are the successful students from last week:

Year 7
7/Frida Kahlo – Khaira.

Year 8
8/Alicia Keys – Elle
8/Jane Goodall – Maha and Sarya.

Year 9
9/Helen Keller – Amelia-Rose and Asha-Rose
9/Katherine Johnson – Sanaa
9/Olga Korbut – Munisa
9/Wangari Maathai – Sumaya.

Year 10
10/Angela Carter – Nesa and Tamar
10/Jacqueline Du Pré – Kenza
10/Kadambini Ganguly – Alya
10/Mae Jemison – Jemima and Sadie
10/Nicola Adams – Zahia
10/Sylvia Earle – Layla.

Year 11
11/Ada Lovelace – Lyla.

Sixth Form
Year 12 – Amelie
Year 13 – Irtija.

Our Parent Community

Sleep Awareness Month

March marks Sleep Awareness Month, designed to raise awareness of practical solutions to sleep difficulties and empower families to get better rest and improve overall wellbeing.

For information and top tips on getting the most out of sleep, take a look at the below guide from the Teen Sleep Hub.

Parent Guide on Teen Sleep

changes to the SEND system

Changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system have been announced, as part of the schools white paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving.

Around 1.7 million children in England have SEND – which is roughly one in five children in schools across the country.

The new changes proposed in the white paper aim to ensure every child, including those with SEND, is getting the right support that they need and deserve.

How you can support your child to manage exam stress

Join Kooth for a free 45 minute webinar on supporting your child with exam stress. You will hear from a member of the Kooth community engagement team, alongside a clinician.

They will offer expert tips on: