Friday 7 June
#AHSWalksTall
Headmistress' Introduction
Dear Parents and Carers
I hope this letter finds you well.
Years 11 and 13 students are doing super well in their external exams, well done all. Nearly there!
Welcome back to our 40 Year 9 students who have been in the Loire Valley this week. Thanks to all staff and parents who supported this trip. (Pictured above and below)
For any AHS Society Alumnae, Miss Margaret Lambert, has sadly passed away. She was Headmistress here from 1975 to 1992. If you would like details of funeral arrangements, please contact my PA, Mrs Osgerby, at secretary@ahs.bucks.sch.uk, who is expecting to hear the details very soon.
Sport this week
U15 Tennis
AHS 10- 2 SWBGS
Cricket
U13
AHS 85-1 / 75-3 SHFGS
U15
AHS 78-1 / 47-5 SHFGS
Rounders - Y9 District competition
Yesterday, we held a District Tournament for Year 9 Rounders teams here at AHS. Eight schools attended and the final results are as follows:
1st - Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School
2nd - Royal Latin
3rd - Doctor Challoner's High School Team 1
4th - Aylesbury High School
5th - Doctor Challoner's High School Team 2
6th - Waddesdon Team 1
7th - Waddesdon Team 2
8th - Princes Risborough
Our U13 cricket team is playing against CGS on Friday.
Good luck to students competing over the weekend in both the County Schools Athletics on Saturday and England Handball National Finals on Sunday.
Heads of Year 24-25
The Heads of Year for 2024-25 will be as follows:
Year 7 Miss Claire Morrin
Year 8 Mrs Emily Williams
Year 9 Mrs Sarah Saunders
Year 10 Mrs Ellie Taylor
Year 11 Mr Charlie Stanley
Year 12 Miss Jo Quesne
Year 13 Miss Kayley Kilkenny
Community Careers Event
Next Thursday 13th June, the whole of Year 10 will have the chance to meet a range of career specialists who have offered to come into school. They will have the chance to ask questions during the presentations.
We have speakers from the following careers/companies:
A Dentist
A Software Engineering
A Medical writer
A Scientist working with Cancer Drug Development
A Speech Language Therapist
A Pathologist
A Medicine lecturer
VW Audi - Responsible for digital initiatives eg website, connected car technology, apps etc
Nat West - IT/Digital/Risk Natwest
Academic Research - Skeletal scientists
A Physiotherapist
You may wish to discuss with your daughters any questions that would be beneficial.
Mr Potkin - Careers Lead
Mr Pitchers- Assistant Head, Personal Development
Greenpower Castle Combe 2nd June
On Sunday, eight students headed to Castle Combe racetrack in Wiltshire for our second race of the year. After an official safety check, we were ready for a few practice laps. Shortly after the start of the first race there was an incident, not involving us, and the race was halted for several minutes. Unfortunately, this meant one driver missed their slot. The second race was also halted briefly, but otherwise, all went to plan and we had a successful race. The results are not out yet but in the previous race at Lotus Hethel, we were in 24th place, with a distance of 28.41 miles covered. The next event is on 22nd June at Ford Dunton.
We meet Tuesday lunchtimes in the workshops. Do come along if you are interested in taking part.
We are constantly upgrading the car and are also in the process of getting a second car up and running for next season. We are always looking for sponsors to help with the costs and help us to encourage young people to gain the experience this project gives. Do get in touch if you would like to help.
Students present: Meg, Ellie, Prarthana, Sofia, Samanvitha, Evie, Nethuli, Zakeyah
Mr Sparkes - gsparkes@ahs.bucks.sch.uk
Confident Futures Skills Show at Stoke Mandeville Stadium
Are you feeling unprepared about future career choices for your teenager?
Then join us on Tues 11th June, 3.30-5.30pm, for our Confident Futures Skills Show, in the Bowls Centre at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. Designed for students facing barriers including SEND, social, personal, cognitive or physical obstacles, it will help you both navigate the career options, with advice from employers, training providers, further education colleges and careers advisors. Book your ticket here, absolutely free and meet employers keen to talk to you and your young person! Just click here to book:
"The options can seem overwhelming, so join us to chat with experts and explore pathways you may not have realised existed, or thought were unreachable! Together we can see what's possible....."
Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) - 15- 22 June 2024
The Royal Life Saving Society’s (RLSS) campaign is designed to explore a multitude of opportunities to proactively raise awareness of water safety ahead of a summer outdoors. Starting in May, through the summer, the risk to the public through accidental drowning increases significantly - DPW is critical in raising awareness and encouraging the public to enjoy water safely.
In 2022, there was a 46% increase in the number of accidental fatalities amongst children, compared to the 5-year average. 35 accidental child fatalities were reported -
the equivalent of a classroom of children. In the last 5 years, 30% of accidental drownings in the UK occurred at the beach, shore or coast.
Every young person should have access to water safety skills that can be used throughout their life, no matter their background. This knowledge will keep them safe around the water and enrich their opportunities to engage in water-related activities and play. Here at AHS, we run a version of the RLSS Rookie Lifeguard Programme for every Year 8 student, teaching them both Self Rescue and Rescue Skills, helping them to understand risks of different bodies of water and how to keep themselves and others safe.
Water can provide so much joy but at the same time has the potential to cause unimaginable tragedy. Spending a short time providing a sound water safety education for the whole family can make the difference for a planned day at the beach or the park resulting in everybody enjoying their day and returning home, safely.
The RLSS have produced a A Guide for Parents to help them to engage children of all ages in simple but lifesaving content: https://www.rlss.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=0e8cadee-eeb5-419c-8e0d-4fe306c70cdc
The RLSS website also contains a large number of free and easily accessible water safety education resources: https://www.rlss.org.uk/printable-resources
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have put together a suite of teaching ideas and materials (resources) to help engage young people with essential, and lifesaving water safety lessons. Included are videos, guided discussions and problem solving activities, tailored for both primary and secondary school aged children:
https://rnli.org/youth-education/education-resources
Have a fun and safe summer around water this year!
The AGS Summer Fete
The AGS PTA warmly invites everyone at AHS & their families to our fundraising fete on Saturday 15 June 11am-3pm. Hope to see you there & please bring sunshine!!
Arriva Bus Services
Further to Arriva’s decision to shut their operation in Aylesbury, including the withdrawal of Services X7 (Haddenham) and X9 (High Wycombe/Princes Risborough), we are awaiting further information from Bucks Transport. We have been informed that other companies intend to run additional services to compensate.
We believe the following services will not be affected, as they run from other Arriva facilities in the region:
Service X5 from Tring /Aston Clinton
Service X4/X40 from Wing/Leighton Buzzard
Service X6 from Buckingham and Winslow
Vacancies
Please click on our website to see our latest vacancies - https://www.ahs.bucks.sch.uk/about-the-school/staff-vacancies-2/
Wishing all well for a lovely weekend and thank you, as ever, for your support.
Marieke Forster
The AHS School Fund
The AHS Fund helps us to enrich the curriculum and develop the school's facilities to ensure that every student is able to fulfil their potential, wherever their strengths lie. Support from our Parents, our Alumnae and our wider community allows us to provide the outstanding education you expect and the students deserve.
