Friday 26 September 2025

Headmistress' Introduction

Dear Parent and Carers

I hope this letter finds you well.  

Another busy week at AHS.  Last Saturday, we were delighted to welcome our Alumnae to the Annual Alumnae Tea Party (pictured above).  It was a lovely afternoon, catching up with old friends and making new memories.  If you are an AHS Alumna and you would like to join our database and hear more about our growing community, please either click on this link: https://friendsofahs.co.uk/pages/alumnae or contact my PA, Mrs Hilary Osgerby, at secretary@ahs.bucks.sch.uk.  We would be delighted to hear from you.

On the topic of Alumnae, we would like to send all best wishes and good luck to Helena Rowland and the England Women's Rugby World Cup Squad who will be playing in the Women's Rugby World Cup Final tomorrow afternoon.  Go Red Roses!

On Monday evening, we held our Annual Sports Presentation Evening to celebrate the sporting success at AHS.  Congratulations to all those who were awarded prizes and huge thanks to Mrs Carpenter, Miss Nicol and all staff who organised the event.  Also, our thanks to all students and parents for their support.

Wednesday evening was our Welcome to Year 12 evening, where we shared guidance and plans for Year 12 with parents and students.

Thursday morning was another Open Morning, where we welcomed potential new students and parents to the School. Huge thanks to Year 8 Tour Guides!

Safeguarding talk for parents on 'Monitoring Devices at Home' - Thursday 9 October at 2.30 pm 

Further to our successful Parents' Afternoons last year, we would like to offer another to all parents and carers on Thursday 9 October.  This afternoon, as before, will be staffed by the Senior Leadership Team, the Heads of Year and the SEND and Wellbeing Teams.  Appointments will start at 3.30 pm and will be preceded by a talk given by Mrs Queralt, Deputy Head (Pastoral) & Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) on 'Monitoring Devices at Home'.  

All parents and carers are welcome, the doors of AHS are truly open.  We ask that you let us know if you are planning to attend the Afternoon and/or the talks, by filling in this Google Form.  We very much hope that you will join us and we look forward to meeting you.  Unfortunately, you will be unable to park on site, unless you require disabled parking.  If you park on the roads around the School, please do so with consideration for our neighbours, thank you.  

SEND Coffee Morning - 22 October 9-10.30 am

We would like to invite you to the first of our Aylesbury High School SEND Coffee mornings. Sometimes being a parent of a child can feel very lonely and this will be an informal opportunity to meet with members of the SEND team and other parents too. There will be a lot to talk about. We will be looking at what is going well and asking for your input on what we, as a SEND team, can do better.  We will also be discussing future sessions and what topics you would find helpful.

The coffee morning will be held in the SEND corridor on 22 October from 9-10.30.  If you would like to come along, please can you fill in this Google Form so that we have an idea of attendance.  We very much hope that you will join us and we look forward to meeting you.  Unfortunately, you will be unable to park on site, unless you require disabled parking.  If you park on the roads around the School, please do so with consideration for our neighbours, thank you.  

Miranda Crafts

SENDCo

AHS Active Breaks Project - Vote for Our Outdoor Table Tennis Tables!

We are absolutely delighted to announce that our fundraising campaign, the AHS Active Breaks Project to install outdoor table tennis tables, has been successfully selected for the Tesco Stronger Starts customer vote!

This is a fantastic opportunity to secure vital funding for equipment that will offer our students even more engaging and active ways to spend their breaks and lunchtimes, promoting fitness, teamwork, and fun.

How You Can Help

We need your support! The project with the highest number of votes across our region will receive up to £1,500, with second place receiving up to £1,000, and third place £500. Every single token counts!

Voting Details

• When: Voting commences in the first week of October 2025 and runs until mid-January 2026.

• Where: You can vote in the following local Tesco stores:

1. Aylesbury Extra (HP19 8BU)

2. Aylesbury Superstore (HP20 1PQ)

3. Aylesbury Jackson Road Express (HP19 9BF)

4. Wendover Express (HP22 6NU)

5. Aylesbury Express (HP22 7ER)

6. Meadow Way Express (HP20 1XS)

• How to Vote:

1. Make a purchase of any value in one of the participating stores.

2. You will receive one blue token per transaction.

3. Cast your token for the AHS Active Breaks Project in the voting unit near the checkouts.

Please share this news and the list of participating stores with your family, friends, and local community!

What Happens Next?

Votes will be collated after the voting period ends in January, and we expect to be notified of the outcome in mid-February 2026.

We are incredibly excited about this opportunity and appreciate your help in making the AHS Active Breaks Project a reality. Let's make sure our students get to enjoy some fantastic new table tennis tables!

Thank you for your continued support of Aylesbury High School.

Shelter-in-Place Drill

Following up on our commitment to proactively manage and mitigate safety risks, we are scheduling another important safety drill this term.  As we shared previously, our duty is to ensure the wellbeing of all students, staff, and visitors, which means preparing for a range of potential emergencies.

As you know, we regularly run fire evacuation drills and have previously practiced shelter in place (lockdown) procedures, which are in response to a threat near the school building.

This term, we will be conducting a Shelter-in-Place drill. This procedure prepares our school community to safely remain inside the building during an external emergency, such as a severe weather event, an air quality alert or an intruder to the site.

Shelter-in-Place Drill Details

• Date: Thursday 2 October 

• Time: Approximately 9.30am

During a Shelter-in-Place, all outdoor activity immediately ceases, and all students and staff move indoors.  All external doors and windows are closed and secured to isolate the inside environment from the outside.

Crucially, students will be instructed that the most important action during this time is to remain silent and calm.  The silence is vital for staff to hear announcements, communicate effectively, and quickly assess the situation without confusion.

Why We Practice

Although we believe the risk of needing to Shelter-in-Place is low, running this drill is warranted to ensure everyone is prepared. Like our fire drills, this practice helps build the necessary "muscle memory" for a swift, clear, and safe response in a real emergency.

We are aware that any drill can cause stress for some students, but we want to reassure them that they will be safe at all times. To help alleviate any concern, we encourage parents, carers, and students to discuss the drill. 

During registration on Monday the Siren will be tested so that all students are able to recognise the sound and students will also be reminded of the procedures by their form tutor. 

During the Drill

We ask that you do not call the school and do not attempt to come to the school during the brief duration of the drill, as this can interfere with our safety procedures and communication channels. We will resume normal operations immediately upon the drill's conclusion.

If you have any questions, please contact the school office on office@ahs.bucks.sch.uk; your query will be forwarded to the relevant member of staff who will respond directly to you. Students should speak directly to their Form Tutor.

Thank you very much for your cooperation in supporting our school’s safety practices.

Vacancies

Learning Support Assistant - Closing date: 9 October @ 9.00am 

Wishing all well for a lovely weekend and thank you, as ever, for your support.

Marieke Forster