H2U Vol 7 Issue 6 June 2008 - Highcliffe School

Deputy Headteacher Mr
Gareth Hughes will be
leaving Highcliffe at the
end of this term to take up
the post of Headteacher at
Rhosnesni High School,
Wrexham North Wales in
September.
Mr Hughes was appointed
to the staff of Highcliffe in
2002 and in addition to his
responsibilities as Deputy
Headteacher he has taught
within the Humanities Curriculum
Area.
‘I am obviously very sad to
be leaving Highcliffe but I
Gifted
and Talented
These are exciting times
at Highcliffe especially
with regard to the
Gifted and Talented
agenda.
The Gifted and Talented
Register has been reviewed
using guidelines
from the National Academy
for Young Gifted and Talented
(NAGTY) now known
as Young, Gifted and Talented
(YG & T).
This has meant that a consistent
approach can be
adhered to for selection
criteria when placing students
on the register. By
doing so teachers are
aware of those students in
their classes who have the
aptitude to access Higher
Order Thinking Skills.
Here at Highcliffe all teachers
value all students and
A Fond Farewell!
am looking forward to
the challenge of being
a Headteacher’ he said
‘I will miss the staff
and students tremendously
and would like
to extend my thanks
to everyone connected
with our school community
for the help
and support they have
provided me with during
the time I have
been at Highcliffe’.
Good luck and thank
you to you as well, Mr
Hughes!
strive to get the best out
of everybody, ensuring
that students at every
level have opportunities
in order to reach their full
potential. It must be emphasised
that this is not a
‘bolt on’ but rather a
‘built in’ agenda. In
other words, students are
not only offered opportunities
outside of the curriculum
but every effort
is made to stretch the
individual in the classroom.
There are endless programmes
on offer ranging
from archaeology
master classes, Mathematics
Challenge, a Debating
Society, science
SETNET project, working
with universities, exhibition
of artwork at Highcliffe
Castle, Young Language
Leaders programme
to inviting students
to attend the Oxbridge
conference.
Training courses are
made available to staff,
either as a whole school
approach or as a recent
initiative whereby staff
have been trained with regard
to mentoring talented
students in Physical Education,
known as the JAE
programme (Junior Athlete
Education). We are also
continually developing the
Highcliffe Challenge as a
broad-based crosscurricular
framework for
the valuation of participation.
A recent Inspector told
Highcliffe “You are way
ahead of the field in this
area”. We are by no
means complacent and are
constantly looking at ways
in which to move forward.
If you would like to discuss
any of the points raised
please do not hesitate to
contact me at school.
Report by Mrs Dedman
Lead Teacher for
Gifted & Talented
Page 2 H2U, Vol 7 Issue , Year 10 Special - June 2008