Spring Term Values Party

Wednesday 29th March saw the return of the Values Party.  This term we reflected on the core values of ‘Ambition’ and ‘Resilience’.  The students who attended, spent time recalling what they understand the values to mean and how they have shown or challenged themselves to demonstrate them both in school and in their lives outside of school.

The STEM festival had provided many examples of how having ambition and resilience can lead to great things so it was great to see and hear the links being made by the students.  Students also identified the activities they had carried out that focussed on ambition and resilience. These ranged from working hard on topics that they find hard to understand and not just giving up, to learning a new instrument!

The final values party will be at the end of the summer term and will focus on ‘Compassion’ and ‘Social Responsibility’.

Miss Cousins

Teaching Assistant

Year 7 History Model Competition

During last term’s STEM festival, students in year 7 were invited to take part in the History Department’s ‘Model History’ competition. There were many really impressive models submitted including Viking longboats, medieval swords, castles, a WW1 trench, a 1969 NASA rocket launch and even a replica French Revolution era guillotine! Well done to all students who took part. The winning entries came from:

Laila B and Nick H – a truly impressive model of Elizabeth I.

Lilah C – An amazing French Revolution era guillotine.

Jenya Z – A superb medieval castle.

Ruby M – A Viking shield complete with runes.

As well as being invited to the ‘Head’s Breakfast’, the winners will receive a selection of history related prizes. 

Mr Herbert

Curriculum Leader for History

Student Leadership Team

We would like to proudly introduce you to our new Student Leadership Team. As Year 11 become increasingly focussed on their forthcoming examinations, students in Year 10, after a rigorous application process, now take over this responsibility.   There were many applications for the eight positions on the Student Leadership Team and sadly we cannot appoint them all. The students who took the opportunity to apply all did so with incredible maturity and reading their applications was truly humbling. 

Here are some of the comments students wrote as part of the application process: 

‘Penwortham Girls’ High School, I don’t see as an ordinary high school, where aspiring student come for an education. I see it as a place to nurture and grow into an aspiring young woman of the future. Many people within my community approach me and ask if it is a suitable place for their daughter to experience the next chapter of their life and I never know here how to begin my reply. There is so much to talk about, from the amazing once in a life opportunities which are only available to few students across the country to the astounding remarkable education and resources that are available to us. I have developed in my personality and knowledge; this has given me confidence where once I was a shy girl who wouldn’t put my hand up to now wanting to be in leadership. I could not put in words how helpful and caring the teachers are. They will take time out to help me understand and will not stop helping me until I have fully understood the topic, and this treatment is not just for me but for all students. The teachers don’t just teach, they inspire their students and that’s why PGHS is an outstanding school.’

‘My four years at Penwortham Girls’ High School have instilled within me not only an outstanding work ethic and ambition for the future- which are unarguably essential qualities for life- but have gifted me an experience which far exceeds that of other high schools.  The ethos of the school has provided me, and all the other students, with an environment in which we not only succeed academically, but where we also succeed personally. Penwortham Girls’ has allowed me to gain a confidence and sense of self that I would never have dreamed were possible before I joined the school, and that is due to the tireless efforts of the staff members at the school who create a plethora of opportunities to help each student grow in their own personal way. Whether through the multitude of extra-curricular clubs and trips I have been lucky enough to go on, or the personal development or ‘drop down’ days I have experienced (which despite being a contentious subject among students, have admittedly pushed me out of my comfort zone), Penwortham Girls’ has shaped me into a person who can not only compete academically, but who is able to speak in front of a crowd, stand up for herself and be understanding and respectful of other viewpoints to my own. This focus on personal growth and emotional maturity as well as academia, is why I would whole-heartedly recommend Penwortham Girls’ High School.’

‘My time at Penwortham Girls’ High School has been incredibly rewarding, educational and most importantly fun. One of the many reasons I would recommend PGHS is because of the help each student receives as they transition from primary to secondary education. They are made to feel welcome and comfortable which is something that really helped me when settling into a new school environment. There were lots of approachable teachers that I could ask any questions I had too, but also the school has a buddy system in place. I think this system works really well for the new students which is why I would recommend the school to others. Also, I found the letters and starter packs that each student received from their buddy really helpful as they made me feel a part of the Penwortham Girls’ family straight away. This unique way not only makes them feel like they belong to our school but is also a way in which new students can make friends with other students from older years. This is useful, as a group of students may be more approachable than a member of staff. They can share their own experiences and it gives an insight into life as PGHS making new students feel happy and comfortable as they progress.’

Here is a message from each student: 

Hello, I’m India and I work alongside Mrs Cattanach to promote the Creative Minds Council. We work with students from each year group to curate the creative events and festivals around the school. We hope to work towards encouraging creative participation from students in and out of lessons with events such as the Performing Arts Festival at the end of the year. 

Hi, I am Francesca. I am part of the Student Leadership Team and I lead the Respect Council working alongside Mrs Hall. I aim to ensure that the school is a safe and welcoming place for all by tackling issues such as respect and equality. 

Hi, I’m Mya and I work alongside Mrs Woodhouse in the Student Leadership Team on the Teaching and Learning action team. We work with Year 8 and I look forward to implementing ideas, giving students the best learning resources to achieve their full potential. It’s important for the students to be provided with best curricular in order to thrive. 

Hello, My name is Jennah and I am the representative for the participation sector. I work alongside Mrs Honeyman to promote participation within the extra-curricular commitments and encourage students to partake in as much as possible in order to get the most out of their time here at PGHS! 

Hi, My name is Vanika and I’m working with Mrs Sweeney to find new efficient ways for students to revise and make this easier. We help students by giving them different methods to revise so that they can find the best way for them. We are aware revision can be daunting and want to make it simpler for everyone. 

Hello, I am Fatima-Zahra and I am the Head of the Charity section of the Student Leadership Team. I work alongside Mr Herbert to promote and support a variety of charities and to build a greater awareness of the importance of charity and volunteer work in school. I hope to form great connections with a range of charities which I hope will have a positive impact on our school and our local community. I am also a member of a variety of charity organisations outside of school. I hope I can use my knowledge and experiences to build even greater respect and equality at PGHS.

I am Libby and I am working with Mr Ramsdale on the Happy Minds Council. At the moment, we are making plans to celebrate Mental Health Awareness week in May. The Student Leadership Team are also working collectively to plan for the King’s Coronation and my role within that is to plan competitions for each year group. 

Hi, I’m Maisie and I work with Mr Ward on the Environment Council. We work with Y9 promoting working together towards creating a better environment in school. 

Culture and Community Day

On Friday 31st March Penwortham Girls’ High School held our second Culture and Community Day where students were invited to wear clothes which represented them and their culture, hobbies or interests. There was a fantastic array of colourful dress and uniform with staff joining in too. Discussions took place throughout the day with students and teachers alike invited to share what they were wearing and how it was significant to them. It really was a superb day and created a fantastic buzz around school. 

Usually when we have ‘non-uniform days’ in school students choose to raise money for charity. Whilst we were thinking about our community our Student Leadership Team wanted to do something a little different and therefore decided that each student should bring in an item of food to donate to a local food bank. The response to this was phenomenal so a massive thank you to everyone who donated. 

The stage was the central collection point and the front of it was absolutely covered in donations as you can see from the photographs. 

The donations were then divided between three local foodbanks chosen by the Student Leadership team. These were: Penwortham Food Bank, Noor Food Bank and The Foxton Centre. Each Food Bank was astounded by the donations received and were extremely grateful. 

This is something we will certainly look to do in future. A tremendous success everyone; Well done!

Mrs Cattanach

Associate Assistant Headteacher

  • Artsmark Platinum Award - Awards by Arts Council England
  • Lancashire Socio-economic Equality Badge
  • SMART
  • UNICEF
  • School Mental Health Award
  • Ofsted - Outstanding Provider
  • International School Award
  • Artsmark Platinum Award - Awards by Arts Council England
  • Lancashire Socio-economic Equality Badge
  • SMART
  • UNICEF
  • School Mental Health Award
  • Ofsted - Outstanding Provider
  • International School Award