Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope that our students and their families had a very relaxing and enjoyable time over the summer holidays. The start of a new school year is always an exciting time in schools and I would like to wish everybody all the very best for the new term and academic year.
Summer Holidays
It was wonderful to see students at the opposite ends of their secondary journeys in school last month, with excited Year 6 students enjoying their Summer School and Year 11 and 13 students receiving their examinations results. A very warm welcome to our new Year 7 students and their families – and congratulations to our departing students. I know that parents would want to join staff and governors in wishing them all the very best for the future as they now move on to the next exciting stage of their lives.
For further information and photographs from both Results Days please do see the following links:
Year 13 Results Day – Thursday 14th August 2025 – Helsby High School
Year 11 Results Day – Thursday 21st August 2025 – Helsby High School
I would also like to thank all the staff who have worked through the summer, whether exams staff supporting our Year 11 and 13 students, staff ensuring our buildings are ready for the new school year or Mrs Dawson supporting our older students on their spectacular and successful Camps International visit to Borneo.
Staff Welcome
Parents will be aware from national media and Mrs Warburton’s Parent Pastoral Bulletin of the focus on attendance at the start of this academic year, both nationally and as a school. In order to provide greater support to parents with their child’s attendance we have recently enlarged our Attendance Team and hence welcome Mrs Young to the school at the start of this month as our new Attendance Student Support Co-Ordinator. We also welcome Mr Clarke, who has worked at the school previously, to our Science Department whilst Miss Collier-Jones is on maternity leave.
Open Evenings
The start of the Autumn Term is a time when students in their final year of school, either Primary or Secondary, begin to think about their next steps at the end of this academic year. Attending Open Evenings is a key component of this process and hence please note our following events this half-term:
Thursday 25th September: Year 6 Open Evening, see Transition To High School
Thursday 9th October: Sixth Form Open Evening, see Welcome to our Sixth Form
Autumn Term Diary Dates
A reminder from the July letter of other key dates this term:
Thursday 11th September – Sixth Form Welcome for Year 12 Parents
Thursday 18th September – Pastoral Evening meetings with Form Tutors (on-line)
Tuesday 23rd September – Year 13 Information Evening (on-line)
Thursday 25th September – Year 6 Open Evening
Friday 26th September – Community Macmillan Coffee Morning
Thursday 2nd October – Year 11 Information Evening
Thursday 9th October – Sixth Form Open Evening
Tuesday 14th October – Year 7 Information Evening
Wednesday 15th October – Year 12 Information Evening (on-line)
Monday 20th October – Year 11 PPE1 Examinations begin (NB Finish Friday 7th November)
Monday 20th October – Year 10 Information Evening
Wednesday 22nd October – Duke of Edinburgh Award Presentation Evening
Friday 24th October – Finish for Half-Term
Monday 3rd November – INSET Day
Tuesday 4th November – Students return to school
Tuesday 4th November – Year 13 PPE1 Examinations begin (NB Finish Friday 14th)
Monday 17th November – Start of (2-week) Year 7 and 10 Assessment Window
Monday 17th November – Start of Year 12 Assessment Window (NB Finish Tuesday 25th)
Tuesday 18th November – Annual School Awards Evening
Thursday 27th November – Year 11 Parent Consultation Evening
Thursday 4th December – Year 13 Parent Consultation Evening
Friday 5th December – Year 7 Christmas Panto Trip
Monday 8th December – Year 8 & 9 Information Evening (on-line)
Friday 12th December – Year 11 Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party
Tuesday 16th December – Class of 2025 Year 13 Certificate Evening
Friday 19th December – End of Term (NB 12.45pm Finish)
Autumn Term Enrichment Programme
I hope that all students will be able to participate in at least one of our enrichment activities this academic year. The benefits of experiencing opportunities beyond the day-to-day timetable in school are universally acknowledged and full details of our wide-ranging enrichment programme can be found on our website at https://helsbyhigh.org.uk/students/enrichment/.
School Website
At the start of the school year, I would just like to provide a reminder that our school website hopefully contains all the information parents and carers would need to know to support their child at school. In particular, please see Contact Information – Helsby High School for guidance which will hopefully enable any queries or concerns to be responded to as quickly and effectively as possible. Working closely with parents is really important to us as a school. Hence please do not hesitate to get in touch whenever you feel that we may be able to support and I look forward to meeting parents in person at the various events listed above in what is always a very busy and important term.
Best wishes,
Martin Hill
Headteacher