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13/11/24

Thanks to for their support on our most recent project. has recently brightened its premises with an innovative addition: new window wraps aimed at enhancing the school's aesthetic while fostering a creative and welcoming environment. pic.twitter.com/KwCFeDuWJ2

12/11/24

Year 2 have been using counters and tens frames to ‘add by making 10’. Using concrete resources really helped the children to understand the strategy. pic.twitter.com/HbfHS88DIY

12/11/24

Year 4 investigating how long it takes to turn a liquid into a solid. pic.twitter.com/vhtDVZcK0x

12/11/24

Year 3 exploring key texts in our new fable unit. We brought in some of our reading skills and performance read extracts. pic.twitter.com/V2mCJZO7XL

12/11/24

**Reception Parent Tours - book yours now and join us in September 2025** pic.twitter.com/0LQYhYK5yL

11/11/24

Team Dahl really outdid themselves at our Harpenden Academy Remembrance Day assembly with their gorgeous performance of ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon.#Oracy pic.twitter.com/bhtqzSLQzq

25/10/24

The eco council have been working hard to create an eco- code for our school to follow. pic.twitter.com/ekjangqzZN

22/10/24

So proud of our Y5&6 girls who took part in the ‘Saracen’s Foundation Tag Rugby Festival’ today. They all worked hard as a team on communication, finding the pass and developing resilience! As a result, the girls smiled their way through the afternoon, picking up tags and tries. pic.twitter.com/LC9NYIBm9z

22/10/24

A really productive science lesson today as the children investigated whether mixing can be a reversible change! pic.twitter.com/EuABEO1fjg

18/10/24

Our Ladybirds have fully embraced our school values and remembered to show kindness to each other when getting stuck in the mud pic.twitter.com/J9gPiz9Jog

18/10/24

Year 3 using co-operation and team work to create carrot cars, pic.twitter.com/3OaEDPqd4w

18/10/24

Such a brilliant English lesson in Team Dahl today - we made a conscience alley to debate between two positions using subordinating clauses! pic.twitter.com/HCWZVi24Qg

18/10/24

Team Dahl was lucky enough to be visited by a Sicilian parent to teach us about Italian - our language of the month! pic.twitter.com/QXnn5joTk4

18/10/24

Ladybirds are exploring the pumpkin farm this morning, picking pumpkins, hunting for worms and squelching in mud on our very first school trip. pic.twitter.com/bQhjm15jBb

16/10/24

Year six athletes enjoying their gym session with Fitkidz. pic.twitter.com/a2TyFWnQpY

16/10/24

Year six athletes enjoying their gym session with Fitkidz. pic.twitter.com/EFSsBp7mGy

16/10/24

Moomin class had some great discussions today about how our actions can affect others pic.twitter.com/2TALG0Sfr1

16/10/24

This morning, Year 3 have enjoyed their ‘fit kidz’ PE session. pic.twitter.com/zuAdqrEKND

08/10/24

Year six enjoying a visit from a local Diversity group which focused on prejudice and unkind and unfair behaviour towards vulnerable groups. The talk focused on the importance of being an upstander when witnessing prejudice or bullying. pic.twitter.com/KUM0azoLvn

08/10/24

Today Ladybirds have been exploring the different spatial patterns to represent the number 3. We enjoyed describing them in our carpet session then recreated our own using stickers during our child-initiated learning. 🐞 pic.twitter.com/MKPLyPdsE5

07/10/24

Our lovely parent visitor sharing how she celebrates Diwali with her family. pic.twitter.com/2fD9qMeO7i

07/10/24

Team Dahl partaking in a brilliant diversity workshop! pic.twitter.com/u3BxsrLBtI

07/10/24

Moomin class have enjoyed their ‘Diversity Role Models’ workshop this morning ! pic.twitter.com/ou356DwkzE

04/10/24

TeamDahl were so lucky today to come into contact with real-life Hindu artefacts from their homes of two of our students! pic.twitter.com/52YFgp4pnW

04/10/24

Happy World Smile Day from Team Dahl! pic.twitter.com/SiVtxg7BgJ

9th February 2024

Dear Parents

This week the Reception children visited the fire station – where there was a real emergency!  When they returned to school they came to ask me how many fire alarms we had in school and if we have enough alarms?  We had to look at the school map and then went to count all the fire alarms throughout the school. First hand experiences bring learning alive!

We met three firefighters who showed us around the station and talked to us about all the things a firefighter does and what to do if we hear a siren in our house. 

Fire Station

Home fire safety self-check

Fire safety home visits, school visits and open days | Hertfordshire County Council

Try the Herts Fire Safety self-checker to find out what you need:

Start your home fire safety check

  • It takes 15 mins.
  • Answer questions about your property and lifestyle.
  • You'll get a personalised fire safety action plan at the end.
  • It may suggest the fire brigade visit your property to install safety measures.

Lockdown procedure

Every year we have a Lockdown procedure in school.  This is similar to a fire practice, but involves locking the school down. Our Lockdown will be this Monday, 12th February in the afternoon and the children will be prepared for this practice. We always inform the parents when this is going to happen so that you can speak to them in advance of the event if you wish too.

Gentle Reminder

We have an inset day on Friday 16th February, when school will be closed for children.

Tag Rugby

A mix of Year 5 and Year 6 children descended upon Harpenden Rugby Football Club on Tuesday with Miss Rymill and myself, to take part in a Tag Rugby Tournament.  We were full of hope for the day, but sadly we didn’t manage to bag any silverware, however we did have a lot of fun.  The quote of the day came from one of our players who came to the penultimate match and said “Oh I think I am getting the hang of this now!”

It was a pleasure being with them and Miss Rymill is determined that they will be better prepared next year.

Rugby PPT

Attendance

It has been a particularly difficult few weeks healthwise in school.  I say this not only as a Headteacher but also as a parent, which means that absence rates are higher than typical.

I have a meeting when we return to school with one of the Attendance Officers from Herts County Council, which I am sure will result in more letters being sent to parents.  I do sympathise with parents when children are genuinely ill, but we are experiencing many broken weeks when children appear to be ill on Mondays or Fridays only which is atypical for illness. 

If you are not sure whether your child is well enough to come to school, bring them in and if they are genuinely unwell we will send them home, rather than keeping them off “just in case”.

Attendance Matters

Year 6 Historians Explore The Oval - the site of a National Children’s Home in the early 20th century, investigating the purpose of all the different buildings and spaces and how they contributed to a self-sufficient lifestyle

PPT Year 6

Woodwind Lessons

Further to last week's music assembly, I'm pleased to announce Louis Dunham has slots available for flute and clarinet lessons at Harpenden Academy. If your son or daughter is interested please contact Louis and we can arrange a free taster session!

Reminder - Sustainability Working Party, Meeting Wednesday 14th February at 2.45pm

In the Autumn Term we held a parent session with the hope of setting up a working party to focus on our school driver of sustainability. Unfortunately the take up for this was extremely low. Therefore I am proposing a slight change to the original plan to focus on our school travel plan as the first step in our sustainability action plan. The initial aim of this working party will look at how we can encourage people to get to school in a more sustainable way, how we can ensure careful car use around school to ensure the safety of everyone, and then how we can weave the importance of clean air and sustainable travel into our wider curriculum. The meeting will be held on Wednesday 14th February at 2:45pm. 

Art Gallery - Sports and Digital Leaders

Sports and Digital Leaders are hosting an art gallery. We would like you to get involved by creating a piece of art work during the half term. This event will take place on Friday, 1st March 2024. The theme is 'Spring and Wildlife' and you can use any art material. We would like your submission by Thursday, 29th February 2024. Please hand your piece of art work to the school office. 

Poster Harvey

Happy birthday banner landscape

Happy birthday this week to: Jeremy, Soul, Robyn and Ludo

Copy of SET Notice

FoHA Chair Position

We are looking for a parent or two parents to chair or co-chair Friends of Harpenden Academy. We are in great need urgently to fill this position. We know that there are many parents who would want to participate and we would love to welcome you into our friendly committee to plan fundraising events for our wonderful school.

Please consider emailing FoHA at friendsofharpendenacademy@gmail.com to talk through the possibility even if you're hesitant! 

Comedy Night Raffle Tickets on Sale NOW!

Can’t attend the Comedy Night but still want to support the addition of astroturf to our playground? Buy a raffle ticket - £2/ticket.

We have donations from Balans, Daisy First Aid, Glow Skin Clinic, Hotel Chocolat, Little Gym, Losh Grill, Majestic Wine, Rebecca Jade, Ruby Rose Bakery, Silver Palate, Total Looks, Vue Cinemas and we’re waiting on a few more!

Click here to buy your tickets: https://www.foha.co.uk/fohashop/p/raffle-ticket

Raffle Image

Note: you must be present to win baked items.

LOVE 2 LAUGH STAND UP COMEDY NIGHT & DISCO

Back once again this year, is our Stand-up Comedy Night  & Disco. By far the BEST social night at Harpenden Academy for staff, parents, carers, family & friends! 

Expect to laugh, enjoy some light nibbles, grab a drink (or more) from our bar & dance the night away! This year we welcome comedic headliners: Ian Stone & Ninia Benjamin, DJ services provided by Craig of Perfect Personalised Parties, a bar operated by our very own Platform Wines & raffle featuring prizes donated from HA business owners & within the local community (class reps will share more about the raffle). So...grab your partner and/or a group of friends & get ready for this epic night at HA! Tickets: https://www.foha.co.uk/fohashop/p/comedy

Comoedy 2

 

SET (1)

Please click here to view our Harpenden Academy vacancies

Please click here to view our Scholars' Education Trust vacancies

Blue green illustrated community helpers book creator cover 1

https://www.handonheartcelebrant.com 

Previously award winning headteacher, national public speaker, published author and executive coach with First Class Honours Degree with English and Drama specialism, Debra Massey is now a qualified Civil Celebrant. 

'Bringing the heart from Hertfordshire to your milestone ceremonies.'

Email: debramassey@handonheart.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552337792057                       

Tel: 07903577202

Celebrant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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