Our Ref: DK/jh/gltr/Nov 26    

Tuesday 3rd November

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope you and your family had an enjoyable half-term break. This update includes key dates, assessment information, important reminders and details Anti-Bullying Week and our updated Emergency Closure Procedures.

Key upcoming events/dates coming up in November and December

Section 1: Changes to school operations - CRST Moderation Days in November
As previously communicated before half-term, all CRST secondary schools will finish at 2.15pm on Thursday 5th November and Thursday 12th November to enable teachers to work together on assessment moderation, including Year 11 GCSE Mocks and Year 13 A Level assessments. 

A revised timetable will operate on both days, with tutor time, break and lunchtime remaining unchanged. Students will be reminded of the arrangements in school prior to each date.

New half-term - Same high expectations: Reminders on standards and website links
At the start of each half-term, we take time to remind students of our expectations and help them make a positive start to the weeks ahead. We are incredibly proud of how well our students approached the first half-term, demonstrating positive behaviour and helping attendance once again remain above the national average. Strong attendance plays a vital role in helping young people achieve their best academically while also supporting their confidence, wellbeing and wider development. Thank you for the support you continue to provide in ensuring your child attends school every day and is ready to learn. Further information about attendance can be found in the Parents section of our website, including our Attendance and Punctuality guide.

As we move into the colder months, we would also like to remind families that hoodies and balaclava-style face coverings are not permitted in school and will continue to be confiscated if brought onto site. Thank you for your continued support in maintaining our high standards and helping to ensure a positive environment for all students.

Preparing for winter weather: Holyhead’s Emergency Closure Procedures
As winter approaches, we would like to remind families that, while Holyhead will make every effort to remain open, exceptional circumstances such as severe weather or loss of essential services may occasionally require changes to the school day. 

Any updates will be communicated via Arbor, the school website and social media. Please ensure that your contact details on Arbor remain up to date, so if there has been a recent change of address, phone number or email address then inform the school as soon as possible. The full details of our Emergency Closure Procedures can be found in the Parents section of our website.

Assessment Update: Year 11/13 Subject Parents’ Evenings & Year group assessments
November is a crucial month in terms of assessment for Year 11 and 13 students following on from the Mocks at the end of October/start of November. These Mocks provide vital information for teachers and students on areas for development and focus in the weeks and months ahead in advance of the exams in May and June 2027.

Year 11 parents/carers will be able to meet with teachers on the Y11 Parents’ Evening which will take place on Thursday 3rd December from 4-7pm. Year 13 parents/carers will have the same opportunity to discuss progress with teachers on the Parents’ Evening on Thursday 10th December from 4-6pm.

Students in Year 7/8/10 will all be preparing for, and taking their first set of subject assessments in November and these will help to identify specific knowledge and skills gaps students may have at this stage of the year. The specific assessment windows for each year group is below:

• Year 10 = Monday 23rd - Thursday 26th November
• Year 7/8 = Monday 30th November - Friday 4th December

Anti-Bullying Week at Holyhead: Monday 16th - Friday 20th November
This year's national theme for Anti-Bullying Week is Break the Silence, encouraging young people to speak up safely against bullying, both online and in person, a theme that will be covered throughout the week with a range of activities led by our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.

Students will take part in Odd Socks Day on Monday 16th November, sign Holyhead's Anti-Bullying Pledge and have the opportunity to enter a poetry or poster competition linked to the theme.

Through this work, we continue to promote our values of Respect, Courage and Empathy, encouraging students to support others and create a positive culture for everyone.

Thank you for reading this letter and I again wish you and your families well over the coming month. We especially wish all families celebrating a very Happy Diwali and Bandi Chorr Divas this coming Sunday!

Yours faithfully,

Mr D Knox
Principal
         
 

Our Ref: DK/jh/gltr/Sept 26    

2nd September 2026

Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to the new school year! I hope you and your family have had a wonderful summer break. In this letter, I would like to share some important information and reminders to help ensure a positive start to the term.

In this letter we will cover the following in more detail:

• Update on the 2026 GCSE/A Level results 
• Reminder: Arrangements for the start of term - Thursday 3rd / Friday 4th September
• Reminder: Changes to Catering prices for 2026-27
• Reminder: Free School Meal Eligibility 2026-27
• Head of Year updates 2026-27
• Key dates for the Autumn term: Y6/Sixth Form Open Evenings
• Appendix = Key dates for Parents/Carers 2026-27

I am delighted to report another year of strong outcomes for our students, with excellent A Level/Level 3 and GCSE results. While official Department for Education performance measures will not be published until later in the academic year, our provisional results show improvements on 2025, particularly at GCSE, where we achieved our best-ever outcomes in a number of key measures!

Most importantly, Results Days saw many students secure the grades they needed to progress to their chosen courses, apprenticeships and employment opportunities. We were especially pleased to celebrate the success of Safwan Alom, who has secured a place to study Medicine at the University of Birmingham. This outstanding achievement continues Holyhead's proud tradition of supporting students into highly competitive medical degrees and is a source of great pride for Safwan, his family and our whole school community.

Reminder Part 1: Autumn Term Start Arrangements - Thursday 3rd/Friday 4th September

Staff CPD Days will take place at the beginning of the new school year on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September. As in previous years, students will return to school using our usual staggered start:

• Thursday 3rd September – Years 7 and 12 students only (11.30am arrival for their induction day)
• Friday 4th September – All students return (8.40am arrival). This allows all year groups additional tutor time before normal lessons begin for all from Period 2 on Friday.

Reminders Part 2: Changes to catering prices from September 2026

As outlined before the summer holidays, the school meal deal will increase from £2.75 to £3.00 per day from 3rd September 2026, in line with other CRST schools. We have worked hard to minimise increases, with many prices unchanged and healthier options remaining affordable.

We continue to work with School Food Matters to improve the quality and dining experience of school meals. Prices remain competitive locally and generally lower than elsewhere in the Trust. Our Breakfast Club service remains free for all students from 8.15am, and we encourage students to make use of this positive start to the day.

Arbor Pay: The school has moved to all payments including school meals being made through the Arbor Pay system.  It is very important that you ensure that you have signed up and deposited money into your child’s account ahead of them using the catering facilities.  If you have not deposited money into your child’s account ahead of their return to school, please can you provide them with a packed lunch as we are unable to serve them food without payment.

Reminder Part 3: Free School Meals eligibility

In June, we wrote to inform you of important changes being introduced by the Department for Education from September 2026 regarding Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility. Under the new government guidance, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals, however, parents/carers must complete an online eligibility check beforehand to ensure each child is eligible to receive free school meals.  The school can only  verify and record entitlement once you have completed your application.

This means that students who received free school meals in 2025-26 will not automatically remain eligible in 2026-27 unless a new eligibility check is completed.

It is essential that a separate online eligibility check is completed for every child attending the school, even if they have previously received free school meals.  If an online check is not completed and eligibility cannot be confirmed, your child will not be able to receive free school meals at school and you will therefore have to pay for their meals until such eligibility has been confirmed to the school.

The online check only takes a few minutes to complete, and you will receive an immediate response confirming whether your child is eligible. We therefore ask all parents and carers to complete the online check as soon as possible to ensure that no child misses out on the support they are entitled to.

Complete your online eligibility check using the Free School Meals Checker: Online FSM Application
The service is free, secure and usually provides an instant result.

Reminders Part 4: Preloved uniform: Start of new year donations?

As the school year begins, we’d like to remind you about our Preloved Uniform system, which supports families in our community. If your child has outgrown any uniform items and you have replaced them over the holidays, please consider donating the old items to support other families in our community. 

Donations can be handed to Reception or Form Tutors. We welcome blazers, ties, jumpers, trousers, skirts, shirts, blouses and PE kit items. Donated items will be cleaned and redistributed.

Student Support Update: Heads of Year/Vice Principals 2026-27
As is standard practice at Holyhead, Heads of Year remain with their cohort throughout Years 7-11. Once a year group leaves, the Head of Year returns to Year 7 to begin the cycle again. This year, Mr Cain moves from Year 11 back to Year 7. A reminder of the Heads of Year and Year Group Vice Principals is provided below for reference.

Key dates for September/October: Early finishes for Y6 and Sixth Form Open Evenings

On Thursday 24th September we will be having our Y6 Open Evening from 5.30 - 7.30pm, a vitally important event for the community with many families deciding where to send their children to secondary school. 

As in previous years we have finished earlier in the day to enable staff to set up for the evening, and we will be doing so again this year.  Students will leave at 2:30pm on Thursday 24th September, with additional homework set by Period 4 lesson teachers. With a large number of students and staff involved late into the evening we will be having a delayed start to school on Friday 25th September, with students arriving by 10.25am ready for a Period 2 start.

We will follow the exact same arrangements on Thursday 1st October which is our Sixth Form Open Evening with a delayed start again at 10:25am on Friday 2nd October.

As ever I am extremely grateful for your time and support in reading this letter, and look forward to the return of the students later this week.  May I wish you and your family good health and fortune over the coming days and weeks.

Yours faithfully,

Dave Knox
Principal

Our Ref: DK/SB/jh/gltr/june 26    

4th June 2026

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope you and your family are well. In this month’s letter, I’m writing to you with some key updates not only for our final half-term of the year, but also providing some advance notice of changes for September.

Key upcoming dates and events in June 2026

• Wednesday 17th June: Y10 Subject Parents’ Evening will take place from 4-7pm.
• Thursday 18th June: Staff CPD - Delayed start for students (Gates open at 10.10am for a 10.25am start)
• Friday 19th June - Official leaving date for Y13 students (Leaver’s assembly for students at 2:30pm)
• Friday 26th June: School will be closed to students for a Staff CPD day
• Monday 29th June - Friday 3rd July: Year 12 Work Experience week 
• Monday 29th - Tuesday 30th June: Year 11 Sixth Form Induction Days

Staff CPD in June
The final delayed start due to the Embedding Formative Assessment programme, addressing areas for improvement that were from the Ofsted Report is on Thursday 18th June. As on previous occasions, students should arrive from 10:10am for a Period 2 start with all students being on site for 10.25am. Breakfast Club will run as normal.

School will be closed to all students on Friday 26th June for a Staff CPD day with the focus on reviewing the Curriculum in readiness for the new school year in September. 

Year 7 Faculty Enrichment Sessions - Monday 15th and Monday 6th July
As part of our commitment to providing a wide range of enrichment opportunities, Year 7 Faculty Enrichment sessions were launched in the Autumn Term, with tutor groups taking part in one-hour, faculty-led activities. The final two sessions will take place from 3.30–4.30pm on Monday 15th June and Monday 6th July.

Sixth Form events this summer: Y12 Work Experience / Y11 Induction / Y10 Taster Days
As part of our Sixth Form and Careers provision, Work Experience will take place during the week beginning Monday 29th June. Year 12 students will be off timetable to complete a range of activities, including traditional placements, virtual experiences and in-school social action projects to develop key employability skills.

During this time, we will run a two-day Sixth Form Induction for Year 11 applicants (both Holyhead and external students) on Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June. This will include subject-specific lessons and team-building activities to support a smooth transition into Sixth Form in September.

We will begin planning for Post-16 preparation with Year 10 on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th July with our Sixth Form Taster Days. Students will be off timetable and take part in A Level / Level 3 taster lessons in their chosen subjects, helping them to better understand their options ahead of Sixth Form and college applications in the autumn term.

Year 6 Transition Days in July
The final half-term of the school year will see Holyhead welcome our new Year 6 students joining in September for their Transition Days in July, a vital part of the transition programme to help our future students adjust to the change between primary and secondary school. To support organisation and staffing, one year group will work from home on these days, with remote learning provided by subject teachers. This will involve Year 7 students working from home on Wednesday 1st July and Year 8 students working from home on Tuesday 7th July. 
 

Preparing for warmer weather: Heat alert guidance
Following our May update and the recent half-term heatwave, we are sharing how we will respond to any further hot weather during term time. Our uniform expectations will remain as normal unless an official UK Weather Health Alert is issued. The UK Weather Health Alert system has four levels, with our response outlined below:

• Green (no alert - considered normal summer temperature): Normal school routines and full uniform.
• Yellow (warm weather - approx. 25°C+): Blazers may be removed; ties remain on and shirts tucked in. Students should bring water and use shaded areas at break and lunch.
• Amber (approx. 30°C+): Blazers and ties may be removed; shirts must remain tucked in. Shaded areas and air-conditioned rooms will be available at lunchtime; hats may be worn outside only.
• Red (significant risk): In extreme conditions, further measures will be taken. These may include timetable changes to use air-conditioned rooms, possible partial year group closure (with online learning), and students wearing PE kit. Shaded or air-conditioned spaces will be used at social times, and the astroturf will be closed. If conditions worsen, an early closure may be communicated.

Changes to catering prices from September 2026
As global events continue to drive increases in costs, we have carefully reviewed our pricing to minimise the impact on families. Alongside this, the Trust is working with School Food Matters creating an opportunity to further improve the quality and overall dining experience for pupils.

Despite our efforts to keep prices as low as possible over the past year, rising ingredient and operational costs mean that from 1st September 2026, the cost of the school meal deal across the Trust will increase from £2.75 to £3.00 per day. This decision has been made carefully, with a clear focus on maintaining quality while keeping meals affordable. 
Many other items will remain unchanged, and we have taken a targeted approach to limit increases on healthier options wherever possible. 

Free School Meals update
From Autumn 2026, the Department for Education is changing how Free School Meal eligibility is handled. New eligibility categories will mean that nationally, over half a million additional pupils will become eligible for Free School Meals under the new criteria.  This expansion will provide significant financial relief for families. If your household receives Universal Credit, you could save up to £495 per year per child on school lunches. For families with multiple children, these savings can make a substantial difference to household budgets.  Schools will now have to re-verify each student's eligibility once a year, and we will be asking anyone who wishes to be added to our eligibility checking and update service (OFSM) to supply their details (including National Insurance Number) in the coming weeks.

We recognise that many families continue to feel the impact of rising living costs and remain committed to offering support where possible, including signposting to Citizens Advice which provides a wide range of support and guidance. Our free Breakfast Club will continue to run from 8:15am each day to support pupils with a positive start to the day, so please encourage your child to take advantage of this offer, both now and in September.

I thank you again for your time in reading this letter and as ever, I wish you and your family well through June.

Yours faithfully,
Dave Knox
Principal
 

Our Ref: DK/DR/jah/gltr-expectations    

May 2026

Dear Parent/Carer,

As we continue through the school year, I am writing to reinforce the importance of maintaining high standards in school for all students in Years 7–10.

At Holyhead School, we expect all students to develop strong habits that support their learning and progress. This includes:

• Attending school every day and arriving on time
• Being fully equipped and ready to learn
• Completing all classwork and homework to the best of their ability
• Demonstrating positive behaviour and a respectful attitude in lessons and around the school

These routines are essential in helping students build the knowledge, skills and resilience they need to be successful, both now and in the future.

Uniform standards are also a key part of our expectations. All students should attend school in full and the correct uniform everyday.  This includes wearing the correct items, ensuring uniform is worn appropriately, and avoiding any non-permitted items.  Maintaining high standards in uniform helps to promote a sense of pride, belonging, and readiness to learn.  Where students do not meet expectations, they will be supported to correct this, but we ask for your support in ensuring your child leaves home dressed appropriately for school each day.  Please see the uniform policy on the school website and details of the uniform on the parent portal (click on the link to the website: Holyheadschool.org.uk).

Over the coming weeks, we will continue to emphasise the importance of:

• Consistent effort in all subjects
• Taking pride in presentation and quality of work
• Responding positively to feedback and acting on it
• Revising and reviewing learning regularly, not just before assessments
• We ask for your support in reinforcing these expectations at home. Encouraging your child to stay organised, meet uniform expectations, complete their work, and take responsibility for their learning will make a significant difference.

If you have any questions or require further support, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs D Reddy
Deputy Principal - Behaviour and Attendance

Our Ref: DK/jh/gltr/jan 26

7th January 2026

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope you and your family are well and you find January’s update letter helpful.  The focus of the first monthly letter of 2026 is on reminders around events in the calendar as well as more information on arrangements in the event of weather disruption.  This letter will cover the following topics:

• Key dates and events – January 2026 

• Winter weather updates and communication reminders

• Changes to normal school arrangements - Staff CPD on Wednesday 21st January

• Upcoming Parents’ Evenings and Y11/13 Spring Mock Exams

• Appendix on Page 3: Arrangements for emergency school closure due to extreme weather conditions

Key dates and events for your calendar – January

• Tuesday 6th - Wednesday 14th January: Y12/13 BTEC / OCR External Unit Examinations

• Friday 9th January: Deadline for Y13 UCAS applications

• Monday 19th January - Wednesday 4th February: Y11 Spring Term Mock Exams

• Monday 26th January - Monday 9th February: Y13 Spring Term Mock Exams 

• Wednesday 21st January: Staff CPD - Delayed start for students at 10.25am

• Thursday 22nd January: Y7 Subject Parents’ Evening 4-7pm

• Friday 30th January: Deadline for 6th Form applications 

Winter weather updates and communication reminders

As shared in Monday’s Arbor message, the recent poor weather is a good reminder of our procedures should conditions ever require a school closure, either before or during the day.  Full details can be found on Page 3 of this  letter (it was previously shared in the November 2025 monthly update letter).

Please note, any closure would always be a last resort - school remains open unless we inform you otherwise using the communication measures outlined on Page 3.  With the current cold snap and weather warnings, there is always a high level of uncertainty of what will actually happen, meaning that decisions have to be made at short notice.  In the meantime, the best advice is to allow extra time for journeys and take care on icy roads and pavements, and this is especially the case on side streets where local authority gritters rarely cover. Students walking to school should wear footwear with good grip (trainers can be changed on arrival).

Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us keep everyone safe during these challenging conditions.

Spring Term Subject Parents’ Evenings

Following on from year group assessments completed at the end of the Autumn/start of the Spring terms, there will be three sets of Subject Parents’ Evenings during this term (Y11/13 took place in December and Y8/10 will be held in the Summer term following end of year exams then).  The key dates to look out for with Subject Parents’ Evenings this term are below:

• Year 7 Subject Parents’ Evening - Thursday 22nd January from 4-7pm. 

• Year 9 Subject Parents’ Evening - Thursday 12th February from 4-7pm

• Year 12 Subject Parents’ Evening - Thursday 26th March from 4-6pm 

Parents/carers will be able to book their appointments for these evenings with subject teachers from two weeks in advance of the evenings via Arbor as normal, and we look forward to continuing to work together to best support your child. 

External Examinations and Y11/13 Spring Mock Exams

As we move into the Spring term, January sees a very important set of external examinations for Y12/13 students in a range of Level 3 BTEC and Cambridge National/Technical qualifications.  These examinations are taking place in the first two weeks of the term and we wish all students every success in these unit assessments which will contribute to their overall grade at the end of their courses.

Following on from these external exams, the Spring Mock Exams begin for Y11/13 students in preparation for their external exams this summer.  As is customary, students have received specific revision materials from their subjects as well as guidance to aid their revision work ahead of these exams, so it would be greatly appreciated if you could support them by checking on whether they are following a revision timetable and by generally asking what they are doing to revise.

With a focus on continued preparations for the summer exams, it is also important to highlight two important deadlines for Y11/13 students looking forward to next steps beyond this school year. 

• The deadline for Y13 students who are applying to University through UCAS to complete their applications for checking and confirmation by the Sixth Form team is Friday 9th January. 

• The deadline for Y11 students applying to Holyhead Sixth Form to complete their applications is Friday 30th January and the application form itself is available from the Sixth Form tab on the school website.

Changes to normal arrangements: Delayed start on Wednesday 21st January  - Staff CPD 

The third of five delayed starts for Staff CPD on the Embedding Formative Assessment programme will be taking place on Wednesday 21st January.  As mentioned previously, this programme addresses the areas for improvement identified in the Ofsted Report from May 2025, and there are also after school sessions for teaching staff.  As on all previous and future occasions with the delayed starts, students should arrive from 10:15am for a Period 2 start with all students being on site for 10.25am.  Breakfast Club will again run as normal for students on site from 10:15am.

I thank you again for your time in reading this letter and wish you and your family good health in the coming weeks. 

Yours faithfully,

Mr D Knox

Principal

Appendix: Arrangements for emergency school closure due to extreme weather conditions

The current colder weather and potential for disruption means that schools across the country will be taking the opportunity of reminding parents/carers of the arrangements should the weather deteriorate in the coming days and months ahead. Below is a summary of these arrangements at Holyhead and how we would approach decision making and communication in the event of severe weather.

In summary the school will always remain open unless conditions are extremely severe overnight or deteriorate rapidly during the day (e.g. heavy snowfall/extreme high winds).

The school will only close in the following circumstances:

1. If there is a central decision made to close by the Local Authority or Central Region Schools Trust

2. If the Principal (or Deputies in his absence) and Governors decide to close the school due to deteriorating weather or unforeseen circumstances, for instance burst pipes or a heating failure.

Communication around any closure

If the school has to close for Health and Safety reasons, more specific information about the details of the closure will be available on the school website  www.holyheadschool.org.uk and via our X account ‘@holyhead_school’.  We will also send messages via Arbor as long as our IT system is not affected.

Any decision to close before the start of the school day will be announced on local radio stations as early as possible.  The decision will also be published on our website and via social media through our X feed.  If the school has already opened for the day it may be necessary to send students home early.  It would be very helpful if you could make provisional arrangements in case this should happen and make sure that your child understands them.

The following radio stations will be alerted of school closure:

Free Radio 96.4FM (www.freeradio.co.uk)

BBC Radio WM 95.6FM (www.bbcwm.co.uk)

Heart FM 100.7FM (www.heart.co.uk)

Capital Radio 102.2FM (www.capitalfm.com/birmingham)

The school website home page would have a pop up black box which would contain any emergency announcements in the event that this would be needed in the future.