“The curriculum is everything: the whole experience; what it is to be a part of the community at The Hemel Hempstead School. It is The Hemel Hempstead Experience”.
It's not 'extra', it is The Hemel Hempstead Experience
The HHEx is everything that we do. It is what is unique and special about being at our school. It is the wide range of opportunities we provide for all of our students to achieve our school motto 'Esse Quam Videri'; to be, not just seem to be.
In January 2020, we made the strategic decision to remove the term 'extra-curricular'. The HHEx allows all students to achieve the school motto, ‘Esse Quam Videri’; to be, rather than seem to be. The HHEx aims to establish a culture of consistently high expectations where all students benefit from the wide range of opportunities and events on offer inside and outside the classroom. This is an expectation for all students, not only the ‘extras’ for some.
The design and launch of a purpose built website allows students to record their participation in The HHEx. All students record their participation in The HHEx on a website (hhex.netlify.app). Data is analysed to monitor participation and modify provision to ensure all students consistently benefit and opportunities are helping students to develop our school character 5R values. Data analysis allows gaps to be identified and personal development provision to be modified to ensure disadvantaged students consistently benefit in the same way as their peers. This sometimes means doing more for disadvantaged students to achieve equity rather than equality. Data is also used to support the development of cultural capital and to support positive and restorative conversations with students as part of a character based approach to behaviour management.
The Hemel Hempstead Experience was identified by Herts For Learning as an area of outstanding practice and published in Volume 3 of their Great Expectations Programme.
Personal Development and Character Development - The HHEx.
Our 'Personal Development' provision is the wide, rich set of experiences that all of our students are entitled to as part of their curriculum - it is The HHEx! This includes a wide range of clubs & activities, house events, student leadership, our careers programme, trips visits & events and community & charity work.
In our 2021/22 SEDP we judged our Personal Development provision as 'Outstanding'. Opportunities are coherently planned and consistently promoted and we go beyond to ensure there is a strong take up and disadvantaged students consistently benefit.
'Pupils quickly learn that the ‘Hemel Hempstead experience’ enables them to have a well-rounded education. Pupils benefit from a rich set of experiences, such as theatre trips, house events and an extensive range of sports fixtures. Staff ensure that pupils can participate in the range of activities and curriculum on offer. This allows pupils to live the school motto of ‘Esse Quam Videri’, ‘to be, rather than to seem to be’.
Ofsted, December 2022