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From academic milestones to events focused on student wellbeing, it’s been great to see the energy and enthusiasm from both students and parents alike so far this term. As we head into the half-term break, I’m pleased to share some updates from the past few weeks.
- This month, we marked World Mental Health Day. I’d like to thank those of you who joined us for the parent/carer session that evening. We explored practical ways to support young people as they face the pressures of school and adolescence, and your engagement in these conversations is vital as we continue to work together to create a positive and supportive environment for our students.
- Well done to our Year 12 Prefects who were selected this month. The team will play an integral role in supporting school events and helping to uphold the values of the school. I am confident that they will excel in their new responsibilities, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have over the coming year.
- Our Year 11 students are in the midst of their PPEs, which form an important part of their preparation for the summer GCSEs. I encourage them to maintain their focus as they complete this assessment period after half-term. Year 13 students will also be gearing up for their mock exams soon. This is a crucial time for them, and I encourage you to support their revision over the break so that they can be fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
- Thank you to the parents who attended the KS3 Information Evening detailing the changes to the KS3 reports and assessment process—we truly appreciate your support and involvement in helping us shape the best possible learning experience for your children. If you were unable to join us on that evening, all the details can be found on the school website: Little Heath School - KS3 Assessment
As we look forward to the rest of the term and what is always a fabulous lead up to the festive period, I want to remind you that our channels of communication are always open. Your support and partnership are crucial in ensuring that our students continue to thrive both academically and emotionally.
Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable half-term.
Mr David Ramsden
Headteacher
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Calendar dates for the next month can be found below.
For information on Term Dates, please click here.
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| Date* |
Event |
Monday 28 October -
Friday 1 November |
AUTUMN HALF TERM |
| Monday 4 November |
INSET Day |
| Tuesday 5 November |
Term Starts
Year 11 PPEs continue |
| Thursday 7 November |
Sixth Form Opening Evening |
| Monday 11 November |
Year 13 PPEs begin
Year 11 Practical PPEs |
| Wednesday 13 November |
Bag2School collection |
| Tuesday 19 November |
Year 11 Practical PPEs end |
| Friday 22 November |
Year 13 PPEs end |
| Thursday 28 November |
Year 7 Meet the Tutor Evening |
| *Dates may be subject to change. Correct at time of publication. |
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Attendance and Punctuality
The drive to improve punctuality and attendance at LHS is part of a nationwide campaign, and one that should help our students maximise their learning. Students must now be on school site by 8:47am or are marked late. In addition, we have stopped all bells except for movement bells 3 minutes before the end of morning break and lunch. We have noticed a huge improvement in punctuality to morning tutor time, lessons and afternoon registration and the school is much quieter without bells ringing throughout the day.
All students should be aiming for attendance of 96% or higher. There are only 190 days in a school year and if attendance is at 90%, students miss 19 days of learning in a school year! Year-on-year LHS and national evidence shows that progress drops when attendance falls below 96% and there is a quick drop-off in students achieving 4+ and 5+ in English and Maths. We ask that students and parents check their attendance regularly on Satchel One and work at coming to school as regularly as is physically possible.
It is important for students to build resilience and to maximise their attendance. We understand some students worry about school and feel genuine anxiety at the prospect of certain lessons and situations. Please contact us - tutors, HOYs or any member of staff - before a small amount of worry becomes a larger fear to face. If we work together, we can get back on track and avoid the more punitive measures introduced by the government on 19 August.
These online resources are also highly recommended to help support young people and their families with attendance worries:
With Bonfire Night fast approaching, it is especially important to remind children about staying safe around fires and sparklers, and of the dangers of fireworks.
Every year in the UK, thousands of accidents occur due to improper handling of fireworks and neglecting fire safety measures. This guide offers practical tips for keeping children safe: Fire Safety Guide
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The first half-term has been a whirlwind of activity in KS4, with our students excelling both inside and outside the classroom.
From exciting career opportunities to impressive sporting achievements, we already have lots to celebrate!
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A huge well-done to our Year 11 students who have been working incredibly hard in preparation for their Pre-Public Examinations (PPEs) this month. Keep up the momentum, Year 11—your efforts now will pay off!
Our Year 11 students took a significant step towards their future careers during their visit to Newbury College. The trip offered students the chance to explore a variety of career pathways and learn about different courses available post-GCSEs. We are very proud of how engaged and curious our Year 11s were—this experience has certainly given them plenty to think about as they start planning their next steps!
As we move into November, there is still plenty to look forward to. With preparations underway for the Winter Concert and all our Christmas events, the excitement is far from over. Students are encouraged to stay focused and continue to spread kindness and celebrate success as we move towards the end of term.
Hope you have a restful half-term break.
Mr Coulson
Deputy Head (KS4)
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Supporting mental health and wellbeing is, of course, important every day, but these special calendar days offer an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of everyone's mental health. Little Heath marked World Mental Health Day on 10 October with many students and staff wearing an element of yellow in support of the importance of mental health. We published the latest issue of our wellbeing newsletter for parents and carers and staff started the day with an opportunity to come together and chat and check in with a cup of tea in the library.
All students across the school watched a special assembly video which reminded them about avenues of support and offered thoughts from students about how to support their wellbeing. You can watch the video on our YouTube channel here: LHS World Mental Health Day Video
We finished the day with an information evening for parents and carers about "supporting our young people with their mental health" led by Kate Adams, Deputy Clinical Director at Time to Talk. If you were unable to join us for this session, you can find more information, and a copy of the presentation on our 'Support for Parents' page: Little Heath School - Support for Parents
At Little Heath, Form Tutors are the first point of contact for students. Students may also, of course, talk to their Head of Year and Progress Leader, as well as the Deputy Head and Assistant Heads who lead their Key Stage team. Mr Linz, our Student Wellbeing Lead, is also available for students, as are our Inclusion Team and our Safeguarding Team. If students would prefer to make contact about wellbeing by email, we have a dedicated wellbeing email, smile@littleheath.org.uk which is monitored between 8am and 5pm on weekdays. Little Heath School website has a page dedicated to student wellbeing - Little Heath School - Student Wellbeing and there is a support form accessible from this page.
Our talented GCSE Music students took to the stage this month to showcase their performance pieces, and they did not disappoint! Whether it was solo performances on piano, guitar, or vocals, the creativity and skill on display were breathtaking.
The cohort's hard work and passion for music truly shone through, and we look forward to more incredible performances in the future!
Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have been elected as Prefects this year. Each student has been given an area of responsibility which they will focus on during their time in post. We look forward to seeing what great things they will achieve this year!
| Area of Responsibility |
Student |
| Curriculum |
Jamie M
Sofia D
Yasmin H-C
Maysam S
Anya W |
| Diversity |
Julia G
Ariana D
Sinnah T
Saumya S
Jasmine P |
| Mental Health and Wellbeing |
Angela B
Emily N
Nadia M
Emily N
Isabella F
Emma B |
| Sustainability |
Poppy F
Diya S
Logan L
Anasha R |
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For more of our latest news, follow us on social media or view the latest news articles on our website.
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Find us on Facebook and Instagram @LHSReading
@littleheathreading on YouTube
Search for Little Heath School on LinkedIn
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We love to celebrate student successes and passions both in and outside school. If you know of a student who has excelled, pursued a passion, or gone above and beyond, we'd love to hear from you.
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Throughout October, the school community has been actively involved in celebrating Black History Month to explore and celebrate the contributions of black individuals to British history, culture, and society.
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Members of The Diversity Society let us know below why they believe Black History Month is so important:
"Black History Month is a time when we can celebrate and commemorate the importance of black heritage and culture, which is pivotal so that everyone in society feels welcome and so that the impact of black history can be appreciated.
By celebrating Black History Month, we are educated about the struggles faced by black people and the history of what these individuals have faced, so that people can gain an understanding of ongoing issues in society.
This is especially important since black history used to be overlooked and hidden, despite it being a big part of British history, so it is important that we acknowledge this so that black history won't be marginalised and will instead be celebrated.
Through Black History Month, we can ensure that we can encourage people from all backgrounds to contribute to factors like race, equality and diversity, and make them known that they are special and have a huge significance."
Cheryl and Christina
The Diversity Society
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Year 11 Girls’ Football – Reading League Champions!
Our Year 11 Girls’ Football team made us all proud by winning the Reading League this month! Their teamwork, determination, and skill were evident in every match, and they are a credit to Little Heath. Huge congratulations to the entire team and to Mrs Jessop, their coach. Now let's see what they can achieve in the National Cup!
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OCTOBER: Sports Fixture Results
Well done to all our students who have taken part in a sports team this month. Here are the results:
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U16's Girls County Cup Football, Little Heath 6 - 5 Park House, (1/10)
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U16's Girls Football, Little Heath 3 - 1 Denefield, (2/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 25 - 5 Theale Green, (3/10)
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U14's Boys Cup Football, Little Heath 7 - 0 Emmbrook, (3/10)
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U16's Girls League Football, Little Heath 3 - 1 Denefield, (8/10)
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U16's Girls League Football Final, Little Heath 3 - 0 Bohunt, Reading League Champions!!, (8/10)
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U14's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 0 - 19 Bohunt, (8/10)
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U16's Boys Basketball, Little Heath 45 - 19 Kennet, (8/10)
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U14's Girls Football, Little Heath 11 - 0 Maiden Erlegh, (9/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 0 - 8 Bohunt, (10/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 5 - 2 Reading Boys School, (10/10)
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U16's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 37 - 5 Forest, (10/10)
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U16's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 7 - 8 Reading Boys School, (10/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 35 - 5 The Willink, (14/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 15 - 20 Maiden Erlegh, (14/10)
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U14's Boys Rugby Cup, Little Heath 19 - 24 Highdown, (14/10)
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U16's Boys Basketball, Little Heath 58 - 48 LVS Ascot, (16/10)
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U14's Girls Football, Little Heath 0 - 0 Reading Girls, (16/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby Festival, Little Heath 35 - 5 Maiden Erlegh, (17/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby Festival, Little Heath 5 - 10 Holyport, (17/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby Festival, Little Heath 5 - 45 Forest, (17/10)
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U16's Girls Cup Football, Little Heath 4 - 0 Kennet, (18/10)
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U14's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 20 - 0 Denefield, (22/10)
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U14's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 0 - 33 Highdown, (22/10)
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U16's Boys Basketball, Little Heath 72 - 28 Park House, (22/10)
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U14's Girls Football, Little Heath 0 - 1 Bohunt, (23/10)
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U14's Girls Football, Little Heath 2 - 0 Maiden Erlegh, (23/10)
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U13's Boys Rugby, Little Heath 40 -5 Denefield, (24/10)
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KS3 Homework Hub Competition
Well done to everyone who entered our KS3 Homework Hub poster competition!
Congratulations to the following students who won the competition and whose posters have been put on digital signage and displayed across the school:
1st = Bella, Year 8 for STIRLING
2nd = Anika, Year 8 for WARWICK
3rd = George, Year 8 for ARUNDEL
4th = Radhiya, Year 7 for CONWAY
Honourable Mention: Melissa, Year 7 for Stirling!
Homework Hub is open to all year groups and takes place Monday to Thursday in the Library, from 3.25-4.15pm.
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Young Health Champions
Twelve Year 9 students have undertaken three days of training over the last few weeks with West Berkshire Council in order to become Young Health Champions and work towards a qualification.
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After half-term, they will be beginning to plan a campaign on an aspect of health that they will choose in order to raise awareness, and to signpost advice and support. They have undertaken the training with great enthusiasm and commitment and our colleagues at West Berkshire have praised our team for their positivity and their engagement.
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The SMILE team have completed their training and have begun their work with Year 7 - to a very positive reception! They are currently visiting tutor groups once a week to get to know our Year 7 students and be an extra friendly source of support for them. We have been very impressed with the commitment that the team have shown through the training and with their desire to help and make a difference.
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Tutor groups in Years 7-12 have all elected two Form Reps each and all of the Year Councils have met for the first time.
Our full School Council has now been formed and has held our first meeting. The School Council, as the principal representative student body, includes representatives from all year groups as well as reps from our other student groups, including Eco Committee, Diversity Society, Smile, Young Health Champions and our representatives on the West Berkshire Youth Council.
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We are a school with a strong sense of community.
Please read the notices and event information from the local area below.
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Community Events & Activities
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Little Heath School
Little Heath Road
Tilehurst, Reading
Berkshire RG31 5TY
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