Barnhill Community High School

Senior Leadership Message

This edition: Ms Lewis, Assistant Headteacher

Enriching Learning and Thriving Together

This week, our students have enjoyed a range of exciting opportunities to bring their learning to life beyond the classroom.

On Wednesday, Year 9 students had the opportunity to experience a theatre performance of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in London, exploring the themes and characters of this classic text through live performance, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

On Friday, The Historic Royal Palaces Theatre Company came to perform a play on the trailblazing Indian suffragette Sophia Duleep to our KS3 students.

For students interested in science and the wider world, Friday evening also offers an exciting opportunity in our Year 12 Study Centre, to join the Royal Institution Live Stream exploring CERN, from 7.00–8.45pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to discover more about scientific research and the fascinating questions scientists are working to answer.

These incredible experiences provide valuable opportunities to deepen understanding, spark curiosity and engage with subjects in new and memorable ways.

Supporting Young People’s Wellbeing: Managing Stress and Building Healthy Study Habits

School life can be rewarding, but it can also feel demanding at times. Assessments, homework, friendships and the pressure to do well can sometimes leave young people feeling overwhelmed. As parents and carers, you play an important role in helping your child develop healthy habits and a balanced approach to learning.

Encourage your child to break larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps and to use a simple timetable to organise their revision. Short, focused study sessions with regular breaks are often more effective than long periods of studying without a rest. Equally important are sufficient sleep, regular physical activity, nutritious meals and time to relax.

It is also helpful to remind young people that progress matters more than perfection. Taking time to talk about their worries, acknowledging their efforts and reassuring them that asking for help is a strength can make a real difference.

Above all, wellbeing and learning go hand in hand. Students are more likely to feel motivated, confident and ready to learn when they feel supported, rested and understood.

Year 7 - A champion Start!

We are delighted with the way our Year 7 students have settled into secondary school life. They have made a smashing start to the term, embracing new routines, building friendships and beginning to find their feet in our school community.

On Thursday and Friday afternoon, Year 7 students came together to celebrate a sporting event, providing an opportunity to develop teamwork, demonstrate resilience and enjoy being part of a team.

We are proud of the positive start they have made and look forward to seeing their confidence, friendships and achievements continue to grow throughout the year.

Celebrating Black History Month

Our ‘Pause for Thought’ piece this week was read by Mr Wootton, English Teacher and Deputy Curriculum Lead.  He chose the poem, ‘The British’ a beautifully written ‘recipe of society’ by Benjamin Zephaniah, renowned Jamaican poet and writer.  Click on the link to read the full poem and explore more poems and poets.

Next Wednesday 21^st October will be our ‘BHM Day’ and we will be welcoming  Terrell Lewis, award winning spoken word artist, voice over actor and business owner. He will be running assemblies with all year groups  and sharing the power of words, identity, creativity and storytelling.

Fundraising

Next week we will be supporting BBCs Children In Need Charity with lots of fun activities and even Pudsey is rumoured to be making a guest appearance!  There will be plenty of opportunities to support this incredible charity throughout the week.

Library Events

2026 has been designated as the National Year of Reading in the UK so why not take advantage of the opportunity to join the library and borrow some books to read for pleasure.

Uxbridge Library is hosting a meet the author event with AB Hamilton to discuss his debut fantasy novel, Beastwoven,  next Friday 23^rd October, 6:00-7:00pm. Further details and link to book here

Hillingdon Libraries have arranged a spellbinding day for Harry Potter fans during half term on Thursday 29^th October at the Great Barn in Ruislip, 10:00am-2:00pm.  Booking essential.