Curriculum Highlights

We have been busy exploring different locations for photography. Urban shoots in Manchester city centre, responding to the theme of reflections, and then for some contrast, Alexandra Park in Oldham. The year 10’s confidently use the DSLR cameras, experimenting with levels, compositions, and focal points. Experimenting is a large part of the course, alongside independently developing ideas.

Our Year 8 students have been busy developing their knowledge and understanding of different media whilst exploring concepts such as war and conflict. We have experimented with collage, looking closely at the work of Kurt Schwitters, collage campaigns such as Februllage, and typography. The outcomes below are students' first attempt at creating blended surfaces using oil pastels and chalk pastels.

We were delighted to welcome Councillor Nikki Frith to our school to deliver a workshop on the Nolan Principles. The workshop is part of a larger project we are once again working on as a partner school of The Comino Foundation.

Comino Foundation is a national charity that seeks to improve social opportunities for young people by helping them develop their personal capabilities to unlock their potential to live fulfilling and prosperous lives. The project culminates in a visit to the Houses of Parliament.

We were delighted to be able to visit the Royal Ballet and Opera House to watch a matinee performance of Turnadot in Covent Garden. Opera is such a special way of telling stories, and what a story to introduce us to Opera with.

Our students have already started to learn so much throughout the Growing Together project at RHS Bridgwater. We know that people and plants can thrive together.

We have learnt about garden beds, investigated the best planting choices for climate, garden design, and created a timeline from sowing to harvest.

A big thank you goes to Emma and Diane for this collaborative project.

The students were also able to meet the ACTUAL garden designer, Leo, who has designed the RHS learning garden, and hear from him insights from his career and subject knowledge. During the talk, he also outlined other aligned craft careers such as building, engineering, and, of course, gardening, and what he most enjoyed about having his own company.

It continues to be hugely rewarding to see almost all pupils really engaged in investigation and enquiry, and genuinely applying the principles they had learnt.

Year 7 have been learning about how to read food labels to check whether food is high in fat, salt and sugar. They have analysed cereal packaging to identify the information that is included to help us make healthy food choices and have even had a go at creating some of their own designs

Year 9 Food Technology students have also been learning about how food can be presented, but this time with a teacake, digestives, cocoa powder and chocolate sauce.

Year 10 have been practising their presentation skills in Food Technology, ready for year 11 exams. Using a limited range of ingredients that have experimented with different ways of presenting their ideas

Students have been enjoying learning about textile artist Yayoi Kusama. They have used her bold, colourful style to influence their own design ideas to create an innovative textile canvas. The fabric canvas has been created using the practical sewing skills that they have learnt from this project

Year 7 students have been practising their adjectival agreement and describing people in the 3rd person, developing their ability to write detailed and accurate sentences in French while also being able to use language creatively.

Our Year 9 French students recently attended a Careers in Modern Foreign Languages event at Brian Clarke Academy, where they explored how studying a language is about far more than just vocabulary and grammar. A key message from Sanako CEO, David Binns, was that languages develop highly valuable transferable skills, including confidence in communication, problem-solving, resilience, cultural awareness and the ability to think in different ways. He emphasised that in today’s competitive job market, having a Languages GCSE can truly help students stand out, particularly at a time when fewer young people are choosing to study languages. Throughout the event, students met representatives from a wide range of sectors, including the Army, Alliance Française, universities and the legal profession, all of whom highlighted how language skills and the wider competencies they build, are prized across industries. It was an empowering experience, reinforcing that studying a language at GCSE is not just about speaking another language, but about developing skills for life and future success.

We are incredibly fortunate at Hathershaw to host professional Lancashire Cricket coaches every Wednesday night for exclusive training sessions. In an era where elite sports coaching often comes with a high price tag, having these experts lead sessions for our students completely free of charge is an amazing opportunity we simply couldn't miss.

It has been brilliant to see such a high turnout, with a particularly dedicated group of Year 9 students who haven’t missed a beat. These sessions aren't just about practice; they are the building blocks for our upcoming season. Our goal is to take this newfound skill and teamwork onto the field as we begin scheduling competitive fixtures against other schools and also for students to represent the town.

Whether you're a seasoned player or a total beginner, come down and be part of the squad! Everyone is welcome!