Student Voice
International Women’s Day 2024
Friday 8 March was International Women’s Day (IWD.) This year’s theme was Inspire Inclusion. The whole idea centres around ensuring that women feel included, recognised and valued in today’s society, and are empowered to express themselves. Women deserve to feel as they belong no matter the situation and no matter the walk of life they come from. Throughout the week, the Head Girl Team delivered assemblies about what Inspire Inclusion truly means, and why it’s so important that we not only recognise inspirational celebrity women, but also celebrate the ordinary women in our lives who do extraordinary things.
To read more information on activites and inspirations that took place throughout the week, please download our report here.
On Friday, Professor Carolyn Oulton came to speak to Year 10 and A-level English students about Victorian women writers that astounded and shocked Victorian society. To read about the content of her presentation, just click here to download the account.
LGBT+ History Month 2024
The 2024 theme for LGBTQ+ History Month is Medicine – #UnderTheScope. The aim is to showcase the amazing work of the LGBTQ+ staff in the NHS and other healthcare settings, whilst shining a light on the LGBTQ+ community’s experience for healthcare, the struggles we face and, especially for the transgender community, still face. This was really important to the society as we were able to bring transgender awareness into the spotlight which we have been working to do this year.
Here at Highsted, our open mic on Friday was very popular, with the English department band – Lord of the Vibes – performing the Queen song I Want to Break Free, and Miss Ford-Wilson performing an amazing version of I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, with no backing track!
This year we raised £280 for Stonewall and had many great conversations, educating people on LGBTQ+ history. Our thanks go to all who contributed to, and supported, the week’s activities.
International Women’s Day 2023
This year’s theme of International Women’s Day (IWD) was ‘Embrace Equity.’ In particular, Mrs Tiernan-Powell’s assembly put emphasis on the difference between Equality and Equity, and highlighted the importance of differentiating between them. Equity recognises that every person has separate circumstances and so provides the exact resources required in order to reach an equal outcome. On Wednesday 8 March, Highsted celebrated IWD in the hall at lunchtime. It was an immensely empowering event, especially through the support that was felt from both the student and staff body. Everybody was given the chance to sign a pledge about how they would ‘Embrace Equity’ within themselves and in the school community.
Undoubtedly, an overwhelming response of over 100 pledges indicated that women are fully in support of each other. Of course, the atmosphere would not have been as incredible without Open Mic. Open Mics are always a powerful tool to bring people together and create unity, and the sense of community was clearly evident within school on this day. We felt that this was one of the most amazing and moving lunchtimes of the year so far, due to the strong feeling of belonging and passion towards fighting for equity and equality.
Hannah T and Olivia F (Year 12 Student Leadership Council 2023)
Awards Evening: Class of 2022
Awards Evening 2022 was a night that I cannot possibly condense into one word. It was definitely a night to remember. In a few words, the event was encouraging, inspiring, well organised and engaging.
It all began with an opening speech from Miss Kelly which really set the positive tone for the night. We were blessed with impeccable musical performances from members of the Highsted Music department. The night proceeded with the presentation of our rewards in recognition of all our hard work, especially through tough times of the coronavirus pandemic. This made the feelings of encouragement for me and other students evident.
Being amongst my fellow year group to celebrate our successes was an overwhelming experience which was a spectacular opportunity to commend each other. As we went on stage, each of us received rounds of applause from the audience which certainly made me feel our extra efforts and contributions to our community were valued. It was extremely inspiring to see the Year 14s again and to watch them proudly collect their A-level certificates. It definitely motivated me as their achievements showed that hard work does pay off.
The speech by our guest speaker, Miss Tayyiba Bajwa, was outstanding. It indefinitely created an atmosphere of emotion while also spreading awareness. I was deeply inspired by the truth behind her life story and how she didn’t let her ethnic background or society’s perceptions prevent her from reaching her goal. As an individual who aspires to work in the legal field, hearing from a barrister was very exciting.
I was also very lucky to have a brief discussion with her afterward in which she gave me some great advice and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Many of the award recipients of the night showed that, with their achievements, we are all able to beat the aspects of the system that works against us. As mentioned by Miss Bajwa, your ethnicity, gender, and alleged limitations should not matter; what matters is how we use our knowledge to benefit ourselves and others and most importantly must not limit ourselves.
I couldn’t have asked for a better experience that night and I walked out feeling enlightened.
Vanessa A
ICGS Conference 2022
Having been selected to represent our school, a number of Year 12 & 10 students attended the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) conference on Tuesday 12 July. This year’s theme was social justice, with a focus on progressing towards true equality in both education and the wider society. Key concepts, such as unconscious bias, diversity & inclusion, and activism were covered, allowing for deep consideration and passionate discussions. Bouncing off of other students’ remarks and experiencing a strong sense of female empowerment gave us an unexplainable sense of pride, and we left each session feeling inspired and motivated to be an ‘agent of change.’
Held at the Financial Conduct Authority’s office in Stratford, we heard from a senior associate, Bethan Hunt, who told her story; after experiencing setbacks with illness and family issues, she learnt to refocus and redirect her life. At the age of 26, she now supervises some of the largest global banks, showing that although our life experiences change us, we can refuse to be reduced by them. Another influential speaker was Llando Du Plooy, co-founder of ‘Education for Change,’ who expressed the importance of carving your own path when faced with gender/ethnic/age barriers, for we are all capable of leaving legacies. Courage is essential, and we need that to differ from the negative stereotypes society thinks we may fulfil. As stated by Llando, “You can stay where you are loved, or you can go to where you are needed,” – we are the catalysts for change!
Our next steps include relaying back to our school community what we learnt at the conference, and introducing activities within form times and Education for Life days that aim to improve students’ understanding of concepts like inclusivity, diversity and equality. Based around gender and ethnic discrimination, every student will relate to topics covered, and realise the importance of breaking down barriers within society. Regardless of background, we are a collective at Highsted, and can thrive when we know what needs to change in our communities.
Millie M (on behalf of the ICGS student attendees)
To download Millie’s full report on the prestigious ICGS conference, please follow this link.
Sister Act: Student Review
My friends and I attended the Wednesday night performance of ‘Sister Act’ and it is safe to say it most definitely did not disappoint. Having never seen the musical, the cast, crew and band of this production before, it depicted the plot line flawlessly. The actors had impeccable stage presence, facial expressions and embodied their characters to perfection – captivating the interest of myself and the audience. The faultless execution of props, set design, costume changes and the live band was admirable – encapsulating the fun and entertainment of this stage play. The musical numbers were astounding through the entirety of the performance due to the professionalism and skill of both the singers and the band.
I especially wanted to comment on the performances of Tope, Oakleigh and Jack who, alongside everyone who took part in the play, were nothing short of perfection. Tope – who plays the main character Deloris – portrayed her role exquisitely. She demonstrated confidence, clear diction and amazing singing and dancing skills that truly brought the character Deloris to life. Her performance was stupendous and made a spectacular lead. Similarly, Oakleigh as Mother Superior – was remarkable. Her mannerisms, euphonious voice and top-notch acting made it hard to believe she was not a professional. Her overall performance was outstanding and skilful.
Jack as Eddie was also phenomenal – ensuring the humour and wit in his character were translated immaculately to the audience. His simultaneous playing of the guitar and singing was fantastic whilst also remaining pitch-perfect. I particularly enjoyed the scene where ‘Eddie’ had two rip-away outfit changes – which added both incredible crowd appeal and a superbly unexpected wow factor.
On Thursday the audience was met with another cast of leads and it was remarkable how Sophia from Year 7 took the lead of Deloris with such confidence and quality for such a young student, she too fully captured the character, along with other leads, who took hold of their opportunity to shine with both hands.
As an audience member I loved every second of it and everybody who took part did an amazing job. The mood and atmosphere in the auditorium were electric and took us on an emotional and uniting journey. Congratulations to all the teachers, cast and back stage crew for such an outstanding production.
Chik O-N (Year 10)
Sixth Form Initiative: 10 Days of Action
Inspired by the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, Highsted Grammar School’s Sixth Form has created its very own 10 Days of Action to raise awareness of key issues that matter most to our community. As form groups, students have produced a daily focal point for all students to consider and discuss. Activism promotes a dialogue that is necessary in our community and in our society, and we are proud to empower our young people to express their views and lead on global issues that matter to them.
To download your own copy of the presentation, please follow this link.
Highsted Reflects: Ypres 2018
On Sunday 11 November, for the sixth and final time, three Highsted students attended Swale Borough Council’s Civic Journey of Commemoration to Ypres in Belgium on Armistice Day, this year marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War. Head Girl Princella B, and School Leadership Council members, Leilah B and Avril T represented their community this year and have written the following piece to mark that historic trip:
On 11 November, we woke up at 2am to make sure we would be at the Council offices by 4am for our symbolic day in Ypres in Belgium. On the trip, we were to attend a service of remembrance for all those who served and died for us in the First World War. This was the ‘big one’ because it marked exactly a century since the guns fell silent in 1918. Representatives of all the secondary schools in Swale joined us for this important event, one which will live with us for the rest of our lives.
When we arrived at Ypres at about 10am, our informative guide explained everything in great detail which added to the impact of our inclusion in the Poppy Parade as guests of the town of Ypres, which is twinned with Sittingbourne. The Mayor of Swale, Councillor Samuel Koffie-Williams led our party through the streets of the old town towards the Menin Gate which records the names of nearly 55,000 soldiers who fell in and around Ypres between 1914 and 1918, and have no known grave. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a stream of paper poppies fell from the top of the Menin Gate, amid moving speeches and poignant music from a Welsh male voice choir.
We then had the opportunity to visit an Allied and a German cemetery just outside Ypres. We learned about the history of the phrase ‘A soldier of the Great War, known unto God’, a fitting tribute to all those whose remains are unknown. Equally powerful was the visit to the German cemetery at Langenmarck with its stark contrasts reflecting the different perspectives of remembrance and what it means a century on. We were also encouraged to think about the price of war, and the sacrifice of so many young people in the prime of their lives. Critically we thought carefully about casualties on both sides, each of whom had families and loved ones who were cruelly left behind by the conflict. We arrived back home at about 9pm and were left to contemplate how different the world may have been had not those brave men and women made that contribution for us all.
To that generation, we say, “Thank you.”
Princella B (Head Girl), Leilah B & Avril T (School Leadership Council)
Squadron Leader Kenneth A Drury DFM RAF receives Legion d’honneur
As a young man from Sittingbourne, my granddad joined the RAF in September 1941 and trained in South Africa as a navigator, returning to the UK to eventually fly Lancaster Bombers. He joined 100 Squadron at Waltham, Grimsby, and flew on 31 operations over enemy territory, receiving the Distinguished Flying Medal just prior to gaining his commission. Because of the situation at the time he was unable to receive his medal directly from the King. So this acknowledgement and celebration was doubly important.
My granddad’s crew flew and survived a number of historically significant raids including 11 trips to Berlin and the fateful Nuremburg raid on 30 March 1944 in which 96 Lancasters were lost.
Following this, his crew joined one other crew from 100 Squadron who were selected for secondment to form a Special Duties Flight based at Binbrook, Lincolnshire, which they didn’t know at the time, was set up to act as pathfinders in marking key strategic positions for bombing immediately prior to the Normandy Landings. They often operated on moonlit nights, which was particularly risky. Targets included the Merville gun battery which overlooked Sword Beach, ammunition depots, Mailley le Camp tank training school and motor works at Lyon. During the Mailley le Camp raid, 43 aircraft were lost.
Following the war granddad had a successful and full career continuing in the RAF for 42 years as a navigator on a range of aircraft. His post-war career saw him involved in the Berlin Airlift, where he took part in 264 supply runs to Berlin, and supply dropping in Malaya. In later years he became a navigator instructor and examiner with the transport command examining unit. In total my granddad completed 12,470 hours in the air, retiring just after the Falklands Conflict as a Squadron Leader in 1983 at age 60.
I am extremely proud of my granddad and honoured to be able to write this report for you.
Alice D (Year 10)
Note: Alice has shared this account about her granddad and his celebration in receiving the Legion d’honneur, France’s highest military decoration. A ceremony was held on 11 January in the council chamber with the Mayor of Swale Cllr Lesley Ingram making the presentation. The Legion d’honneur was established by Napoleon in 1802 and it has been given to D-Day veterans, on behalf of the French government, since the 70th anniversary in 2014.
Auschwitz – a personal response
People keep asking me to describe Auschwitz, and so I have to keep trying to find the words. What do I say? Do I say about the infamous ‘ArbeitMachtFrei’ sign as you enter the camp, knowing I would walk out alive after going under it, where hundreds of thousands wouldn’t? Or the room full of forty thousand shoes, showing only five per cent of those who died? The roll of fabric made from human hair, shaved off thousands of humiliated women? Or perhaps I should describe walking through a gas chamber, and then the ovens on the other side, so mechanical…
Maybe I could choose to talk about Auschwitz-Birkenau, and looking out over the vastness of the camp from the guard tower, unable to see the whole expanse of the place even from the air, and knowing it was only half the planned size. Do I talk about the memorial candles that we students left along the train tracks: a simple 220 for the million-and-a-half who were there? But all these words sound so empty, just facts, just figures. So what I always end up saying is, “It was so hot, such a bright day,” as I think, this is not the kind of place the sun should ever, ever shine.
Holly T (Year 13)