Dear QEHS Community,

As you receive this Term’s Newsletter, I am thrilled to share the news with you that QEHS has been listed in The Sunday Times Top 20 State Secondary Schools in the East Midlands where top A* to B grades at A Level and 9-7 grades at GCSE from the 2022 summer public examinations have been used to identify the highest performing schools in the region. The data provided by Parent Power for The Sunday Times rankings helps to provide parents with a reliable guide to academic achievement in schools, and complements the fact that QEHS is placed in the top 260 out of over 1,700 schools nationally. What with a GCSE Progress 8 score of 0.33, the school really is on a rising curve in terms of academic achievement. Students and staff are not only to be congratulated upon these achievements but also for their ongoing endeavours since the start of the academic year. (Note - Progress 8 is when students’ results are compared to the progress of other students nationally and are then judged relative to their attainment. In this case, 0.33 indicates that, on average, our Year 11 students secured grades across their best eight subjects that were a third higher than their academically equivalent peers – which is fantastic!)

Notable national recognition is similarly evidenced by the QEHS PE Department being shortlisted for the ‘School Active Award 2022’ in recognition of the commitment shown by the school to providing a well-rounded education for our youngsters. Successes for the Year 9 Netball Team (as they became County Champions), our Swimming and Equine Team, plus the achievements of Sebastian R-C (10B), Niamh J (7A), Hazel H (7B), Leo C (12D) and Ryan A (7C) serve to demonstrate how the school supports and encourages students to gain much more than ‘just’ participating in physical activity – the QEHS values are truly being lived out here.

The national praise heaped on QEHS doesn’t end here however! The wonderful QEHS Languages Faculty were delighted to receive a letter form the Right Honourable Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, which stated, ‘Your GCSE data on entries for 2022 show that 97% of your pupils were entered for at least one MFL GCSE in 2022, which makes QEHS one of the top schools in England for the proportion of pupils studying a language at GCSE. I would like to congratulate staff and pupils for their hard work and success…’ Hear, hear to that! In this newsletter you will see evidence of the strength of our MFL offer through the articles written by Marco and Johanna, our new Foreign Language Learning Assistants, together with another item which details how Spanish cookery lessons afforded students a greater appreciation of southern Mediterranean culture and cuisine.

The international aspect to pupils’ development is further enhanced by the International Schools work led by Mr Kingdom. In October Miss Meneer led our geographers to Iceland, the land of fire and ice, to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of place, to enhance skills and develop geographical understanding, and to immerse themselves in a moment of awe and wonder upon viewing the Northern Lights. Also, fundraising for the next Camps International trip which is heading to Borneo in the summer of 2024, is now well underway.

On the theme of planning ahead and preparing for the future, it was with pride and pleasure that we welcomed parents and students to our Sixth Form Open Evening in November. There was a real buzz around College House as over 170 families came to see our post-16 facilities and to speak with staff about A Level options and our extended Sixth Form offer. It was wonderful to meet so many enthusiastic students and highly supportive parents seeking the very best for their children.

At all times, students continue to impress with their ambition to be active citizens in the wider community. Our pre-loved uniform shop has been established by Grace H, Evie C and Abi H, supported by Mrs Watson. Elsewhere, the school has supported the Dransfield Foundation, Children in Need, the Salvation Army, whilst members of the STEM club have made QEHS branded draft excluders for local elderly residents. Thank you also to Sophie R and Rachel R (12B) for providing us with advice on behalf of the Environmental Society as to how best ensure there is minimal waste over the Christmas Period. We can all certainly ‘do our bit’ to help promote a far more eco-friendly festive season.

The article by Mr Burge on the new Action Research Groups which have been developed to further enhance best practice in the classroom seeks to outline how teachers too are also always learning through academic networking and discussions around pedagogy. A reflective approach such as this is a teaching and learning win-win for students and teachers alike.

A further highlight of the term has been the inaugural meeting of the newly established Parental Working Groups. This first gathering focussed upon the QEHS curriculum offer and presented a very important opportunity for parents to share in the development of the vision and ethos of the school. Such parental engagement alongside our regular student and parent voice surveys, represent an important aspect to the ongoing school development work taking place across the school.

So, what a fantastic end to 2022 we have all experienced here at QEHS! With Year 11 working incredibly hard over the past couple of weeks on their mock GCSE exams and Year 7 delivering stellar performances in Matilda Jr with total confidence, there has been something for everyone to reflect back on with pride. A running tally of student engagement in House activities of over 1500 demonstrates how the extensive QEHS Personal Development offer continues to blossom. This term alone, House competitions in Art, Drama, Public Speaking, Handball, Badminton, Cross Country, together with a presentation to Year 9 from the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team, plus the Young Enterprise Challenge Christmas Market, the annual Carol Service and Talent Shows, serve to demonstrate how we have seen out 2022 with typical Queenie’s gusto!

As ever, the notable community approach adopted at QEHS continues to be what makes the real difference – this is a key component of our DNA as a school. May I take this opportunity to thank you for the key part you play in contributing to this, and to also wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Mr R M Eastham

Headteacher