Summer 2025
20 June – NEWSLETTER
EDITION 30
Head’s Welcome
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you’re all managing to stay cool and hydrated in this extremely hot weather.
Last week marked the end of all GCSE and A Level exams, which fills me with both pride and sadness; I am so proud of students’ hard work throughout this exam period, but I’m saddened to say farewell to our Year 13s. On Friday, they said goodbye to their peers and teachers at our annual Leavers’ Assembly and BBQ, which we will share photos from in our next newsletter.
Tim Fox
Headteacher
SIXTH FORM SUCCESS
year 12 Induction Day
We’re looking forward to welcoming current Year 11s from Highbury Fields and across London next week to our Sixth Form Centre. With over 80 sign ups, the Year 12 Induction Day is shaping up to be a brilliant event with taster lessons, enrichment sessions and information about the transition from Year 11 to Sixth Form.
With GCSE exams completed, students can focus on this next big step on their journey at Highbury Fields. We hope the Induction Day will give them a taste of what’s to come in September!
Year 10 Sixth Form BBQ and Taster Day
Year 10 students will be following in Year 11’s footsteps in getting a taste of Sixth Form life at Highbury Fields.
On Tuesday 8th July, the Sixth Form Centre will open its doors to Year 10 students and parents for our annual Showcase and BBQ. This is an opportunity to meet our Sixth Form team, find out more about our courses, and ask any questions you may have about the Post-16 application process.
With Sixth Form applications beginning in Year 11, we feel it’s important for students to begin considering their options and take the first step on their Sixth Form journey.
Following the BBQ, Year 10s will be attending a Sixth Form Taster Day on Wednesday 9th July. Please ensure that you are signed up for both events via the forms on Applicaa – our Sixth Form admissions platform.
For support using Applicaa, please email admissions@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk.
Trips and Enrichment Activities
My Neighbour Totoro
On Thursday 19 June, students from Year 8 went to see My Neighbour Totoro at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
This stunning adaptation of the Studio Ghibli animated film has been wowing London audiences since March and we’re so pleased our students can feel part of this global phenomenon.
The puppetry and staging immersed the audience in the world of this magical anime. Students described the show as “out of this world”!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “A Magical Experience”
Last week, Year 7 students enjoyed an exciting trip to the Bridge Theatre in London to watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The revival production, described by students as “ethereal and interesting”, brought Shakespeare’s classic comedy to life with a modern twist, switching the roles of Titania and Oberon (the Queen and King of the fairies). In the original, Oberon schemes with Puck to use a love potion , while Titania is put under said spell and falls in love with Nick Bottom. This role reversal gave a fresh perspective on the classic play, depicting a matriarchal fantasy world where Titania is the instigator of the mischief that ensues.
Students said it was “exciting, interactive…I would 100% recommend it to anyone. I wasn’t bored at ALL.”
Captivating students with its imaginative staging and energetic cast, Year 7s loved the antics of the mischievous Puck and, of course, the hilarious Bottom. The trip enriched students’ understanding of Shakespeare’s language and themes, and was a fun and inspiring experience that brought the Bard to life.
Other news from around the school
Arbor: Our new parent and guardian portal
Mr Fox recently wrote to parents regarding the launch of a new parent portal that we are launching this term.
We will send out a letter and information about how to sign up to the Arbor app in the week commencing Monday 23rd June. Please look out for a communication from the school with more details.
Islington Youth Safety Strategy
As a reminder, the council is currently working on the Islington Youth Safety Strategy for 2025-2030 to ensure the borough is safer for all residents, especially children. Opinions and experiences will help shape Islington’s Youth Safety Strategy for the next 5 years and the lived experience and opinions of pupils in your schools will be instrumental in shaping this important strategy over the coming months. The council would like the views of students in Islington schools aged 13 and over, so that they can develop a meaningful strategy to make Islington a safer and more equal borough.
If your daughter would like to complete the survey, please follow the link below:
Save the Date: community culture celebration evening
We will be hosting a Community Culture Celebration Evening on Monday 7th July – please save the date for a special evening of arts, culture and heritage.
Students and parents are invited to celebrate the cultures they identify with and are proud of. Performances may include dance, music, drama, spoken word, fashion, and more. We welcome and encourage all forms of cultural expression – whether rooted in family heritage, religion, identity, or belief.
We hope you will join us for an inspiring celebration of our diverse community.
Support for parents/Carers
Kinship Care opportunity
The Virtual School is recruiting Kinship carers to become foster carers for relatives and friends, specifically to care for a child in need.
Kinship Care aims to keep children with people they know and trust, offering a sense of continuity and stability during times of difficulty. Research suggests that children in kinship care often experience better outcomes than children in other types of foster care, such as increased sense of belonging, fewer behavioural problems, and better educational achievements.
Placements can be temporary or longer-term depending on the specific circumstances of each child. Islington Council provides financial assistance and training to ensure carers and children feel supported. To find out more, please email Danielle.Sweeting@islington.gov.uk.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ HFS REWARDS ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
We continue to be impressed and very proud of students achieving merit awards and showing their commitment to learning through their high attendance.
This week, we’re sharing the top performing forms for their attendance:
Top Forms for Attendance
1. 7/Margaret Atwood – 96.67%
2. 7/Marie Curie – 96.10%
3. 10/Margot Fonteyn – 95.93%
As part of our ongoing rewards system, students receive recognition – from their Form Tutor to the Board of Governors – for each merit milestone:
30 Merits – Form Tutor Merit
Year 9: Nora and Dejanee
Year 10: Amelie and Belle.
60 Merits – Head of Year Merit
Year 8: Amira
Year 9: Asia, Ellen, Marwa, Sara, and Sage.
120 Merits – Headteacher Merit
Year 9: Victoria, Sana, Ellie, Isabelle, Coco Mae, Talia, and Savanna.
240 Merits – Board of Governors Merit
Year 7: Maha, Taliya, A’Kaylah
Year 8: Yasmin and ZamZam
Year 9: Khairuni.
Congratulations to all students who have reached a merit milestone this week!
Events TO LOOK FORWARD to
sixth form induction day for
year 11
25 June
year 12 bath trip
25 June
Year 10 Capital One Trip
25 June
year 13 brighton trip
26 june
Year 12 Geography Trip to Seaford
30 June – 1 July
Year 7 PGL
4 – 6 July
Community Culture Celebration Evening
7 July
LATEST GALLERY
