Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends
This term is always such a busy time of year action packed with House events, PPEs, and preparations for Christmas activities. There’s a real buzz around the school! We have plenty to report from last week and lots of exciting events still to come over the remaining two and a half weeks of term.
Last week, Mrs Diaz organised our first ever Model United Nations Conference, attended by three other local secondary schools. We were blown away by the enthusiasm, confidence, and knowledge the students displayed. A huge thank you to Mrs Diaz and the team of sixth form students who were the masterminds behind this fantastic event. A full report of the event is copied below:
Last Wednesday 26th of November, we hosted our debut Model United Nations Conference. With introductions and opening speeches in the main hall, from both local MP for Woodley and Early – Yuan Yung and a live zoom call to Nigeria with Mr. Hamed Hegazy – Chief UN Security Officer, we began our afternoon of diplomacy and debate.
Dividing into three separate sections of the MUN, Holt Students led the actions of resolution writing, lobbying, collaboration and discussion, to try and reach an agreement on pressing international matters. Alicia and Alolika headed up the General Assembly considering the ‘Safeguarding of Education in Sudanese Conflict Zones’. Nada and Eliana led on ‘Addressing the socioeconomic challenges of climate-induced displacement’ in ECOSOC. Finally, Lilia and Isabelle, ‘Addressing North Korea’s use of AI and it’s impacts on international peace and security’. The resources had been considered and prepared in advance, shared with all delegates a week before. After their initial country opening speeches, the debates ensued.
We were so grateful to be able to welcome up to 30 delegates and teachers from other schools. St Crispin’s. King’s Academy Prospect and Charters School all brought a range of MUN Delegates to participate in the day. Their teachers commented after the event:
‘It was fantastic and the students are still buzzing’
‘The girls who ran each committee were fantastic’
‘Holt students were so welcoming and the whole event felt very professional; thank you so much for inviting us’.
We look forward to maintaining relations and making steps together to see much needed change across our world. We were incredibly proud of both the Holt students and the delegates from other schools and the oracy skills they displayed.
An extra special thank you to our wonderful Admin and Photography team, our awesome Chairs and Co-chairs and finally, to our inspirational UN General Secretary Lilia (Yr13) who has tirelessly educated us all on Model United Nations, giving up so much of her time to make the whole day happen and allow us all to shine!
Mrs Diaz had a very busy week… On Thursday 27th of November, 13 of our KS5 French and Spanish students travelled to Reading Boys School to take part in a collaborative and fast-paced event that promoted Languages in Journalism. Designing a front cover for their newspaper, negotiating for advertising funds with big and relevant companies, writing copy, reacting to incoming news and presenting on their choices, students had to work entirely in the Target Language. As ever, we are proud of the efforts and abilities of our amazing students; for always trying hard and getting so involved. It was so inspiring to see them embracing the opportunities and showing off their excellent language skills at the same time. Michelle (Yr12) and Lilia (Yr13) were even part of the winning team for Spanish. Bien hecho chicas!
The Computing Department delivered a fascinating masterclass on assembly language programming, using LMC to code. The session was very well attended and gave students a fantastic opportunity to deepen their understanding of how computers work and to learn a new coding skill.
Heidi in Year 13 has been running Mini Makes’ club for a very enthusiastic group of Year 7 students. Every week they enjoy making tiny objects including mini books, cups, bowls and house plants. Their attention to detail and finished items are amazing.
On Friday, our Year 11 students took part in their Sixth Form Taster Day. They had the opportunity to experience A Level lessons, spend time in the Sixth Form Centre, and even treat themselves to a Costa drink or snack.
The Senior Leadership Team and Head of Year 11 have also been meeting with students individually to discuss their plans for next year. It’s been fascinating to hear about the wide range of career aspirations across the cohort, and we’re delighted that so many students are keen to continue their journey with us at The Holt.
The opportunities available at The Holt extend well beyond the classroom, helping students build impressive CVs and UCAS applications. While employers and universities value strong academic results, it’s the experiences outside the classroom, developing communication, teamwork, and leadership skills that truly make our students stand out.
Mrs Martin
Assistant Headteacher