Withernsea High School

Effective from Monday, 19th January, there will be a slight change to the timings of the 312 bus service for pick-ups and drop-offs in Patrington.

The morning service will collect pupils five minutes earlier at 8:15am on Winestead Road and 8:18am at Northside. Pick-up times in Hollym remain unchanged at 8:25am on Patrington Road (Halcyon) and 8:29am on Withernsea Road.

In the afternoon, drop-offs in Hollym will remain at 3:26pm on Withernsea Road and 3:30pm on Patrington Road (Halcyon), with Patrington drop-offs taking place five minutes later than currently published, at 3:37pm at Northside and 3:40pm on Winestead Road.

These changes have been made to help ensure the service runs on time, and we are grateful to EYMS for their support.

Thanks to the combined efforts of students, parents, carers, and staff, Withernsea High School’s autumn attendance figures reflected a strong commitment to learning, despite the seasonal challenges experienced both nationally and regionally.

A programme of attendance rewards, comprising competitions and ad hoc giveaways, played a key role in supporting this progress by celebrating students who demonstrated excellent or improved attendance. 

September marked a strong start to the academic year, with over half of the school’s learners recording full attendance. This achievement was formally acknowledged through the school’s first incentive of the year, when one eligible student from each of the five year groups was named a 100 per cent attendance hero. Each recipient received a £50 voucher of their choice in recognition of their achievement. 

The Year 7 prize was awarded to Scarlett-Anne S, followed by Corey S (Year 8), Oskar D (Year 9), Alfie K (Year 10), and Dan L (Year 11). Reflecting on his award, Year 9 recipient Oskar said: “I was surprised when I found out I had won. School is really important because if you are not here, you miss out on lessons and learning.” Year 7 winner Scarlett-Anne added: “I did not expect to win, but I am really grateful for my voucher. I think attending school is really important.”

To maintain momentum and reinforce consistent attendance habits, a series of initiatives were introduced throughout the term. The ‘Level Up!’ challenge encouraged students to improve their attendance compared with the previous half term, ensuring that even small gains were recognised. Meanwhile, ‘Freddo Friday’, held on December 12, rewarded every student who was present on the day with a complimentary chocolate.

Tutor groups were also acknowledged for their collective efforts. Those achieving attendance above 95 per cent during a designated week in November were awarded a box of sweets for their form. In addition, the top-attending tutor groups during the first two weeks of December were invited to a Christmas Breakfast in the final week of term, where they enjoyed fruit, pastries and hot chocolate at the start of the school day.

Following a successful launch last year, this year’s incentive scheme will once again culminate in an end-of-year grand prize draw. Students who achieve 100 per cent attendance in any given week receive a raffle ticket, which provides one entry into the draw. The more weeks a student attends in full, the more entries they accumulate, increasing their chances of winning. 

Harriet Elvidge, Attendance Officer, said: “The autumn term incentives have been highly effective, generating strong student engagement and excitement. It is encouraging to see that students are motivated not only by rewards but also by recognition and a sense of achievement.” 

Beci Pindar added: "As with many schools, illness remains one of the main challenges, resulting in short periods of absence for some students. We are grateful to families for working closely with us to report absences and to support students in returning to school as soon as they are well enough. Together with our whole school community, we will build on autumn’s efforts to ensure sustained and improved attendance in the spring term.

“We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication and would like to thank all parents and carers for their continued support. We are very aware of how families play a vital role in ensuring good attendance and we value this support. Simple steps that can be taken include encouraging a consistent morning routine to promote punctuality and scheduling medical appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.” 

For further information about the school’s rewards and incentives programme, or to discuss donation opportunities, please contact Mrs H Elvidge on 01964 611523 or via email at elvidgeh@wscampus.net.

Read the full article online or in this week's edition (15/01/26) of The Holderness and Hornsea Gazette: https://holderness-gazette.co.uk/community-effort-helps-maintain-strong-attendance-at-withernsea-high/

ABOVE: Attendance heroes Oskar, Dan, Corey, Alfie and Scarlett-Anne each won a £50 voucher in recognition of their 100 per cent attendance at the start of the academic year. They are pictured with school attendance officer, Harriet Elvidge. 

ABOVE: Crystal and Lily receive a Freddo from attendance officer Harriet Elvidge and family support adviser Lucy Hopper during ‘Freddo Friday’, an initiative to encourage positive attendance. 

ABOVE: Students enjoyed a festive breakfast as part of a tutor group reward. 

We are delighted to announce this year’s dance production, We made headlines… again!, featuring talented students from Years 7–11. 

The performance will take place on Wednesday 11th February at Middleton Hall, University of Hull, with doors and café bar opening at 6.30pm.

The show, including an interval, will run from 7.00pm to approximately 9.00pm.

Tickets are priced at £7 and are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/middleton-hall or by calling 0333 666 3366.

As part of our safeguarding measures, ticket sales are password protected. The password will be shared with parents/carers in a direct communication.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs J Hughes (Head of Sport and Performance) at hughesj@wscampus.net

Year 8 historians have been praised for the quality of their work and the depth of understanding shown in their study of the origins of the British Empire.

As part of a task designed to consolidate their learning about why the Victorians sought to build an empire, students were asked to demonstrate their knowledge through a combination of written work and imagery, all centred on the theme of a teacup.

Clare Atkin, Second in Humanities (History), said: “Year 8 engaged brilliantly with the task, showing real imagination and determination throughout. The variety of designs and ideas was impressive. Not every student enjoys drawing or extended writing, so the flexibility of the task allowed them to choose approaches that suited their strengths. As tea played a significant role in the development of the British Empire, using a teacup as the central image felt particularly fitting. Students should be extremely proud of how quietly and diligently they worked - the quality of the outcomes speaks for itself.”

The task built on students’ prior knowledge of the Industrial Revolution and will support their future studies by helping them understand why the First World War can be viewed as a conflict between empires - a topic they will explore in Year 9.

Highlighting the importance of their work, Mrs Atkin added: “It is essential that students understand why Britain developed an empire and how such a geographically small nation became so influential, particularly in terms of trade and military power. Throughout the topic, students are encouraged to consider the empire from multiple perspectives, including those aspects that raise important moral questions.”

Withernsea High School’s Careers Evening and Futures Fair returns on Thursday 12th February, welcoming students, their parents and carers, as well as members of the wider community from across South East Holderness.

Running from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, the event will bring together more than 30 employers, training providers and public services, offering direct access to advice, opportunities and real-world insight into a wide range of career pathways.

Open to students in all year groups, the evening is designed to support informed decision-making about education, training and employment. Parents and carers are encouraged to attend alongside their children.

The fair is once again open to local residents, giving the wider community a unique opportunity to engage face-to-face with regional employers and providers within their own community.


BOOK YOUR PLACE TO ATTEND

Members of the public: Please contact Viki Foster (Careers Leader) to book a place at fosterv@wscampus.net

Parents and carers: Please complete the expression of interest form available in the Forms section of EduLink to register your interest. You can also email Viki Foster to register interest at fosterv@wscampus.net

The fair aims to provide practical guidance, local opportunity and inspiration for anyone considering their next steps - whether in education, training or employment.

CONFIRMED PROVIDERS AND EMPLOYERS

The following are confirmed to attend so far...

COLLEGES, SIXTH FORMS AND INDEPENDENT TRAINING PROVIDERS: Bishop Burton College, East Riding College, GTA Motor Trades, Hornsea 6th Form, National Horseracing College, St Mary’s 6th Form College, Wilberforce College, and Wyke College, 

EMPLOYERS: C4DI, Centrica, City Healthcare Partnership, East Riding Choose Care, Hobson & Porter, Holderness and Hornsea Gazette, Holderness Health, Martin Williams (Hull) Ltd, RWE Energy, SALT Architects, Sauce Software Development, Siemens Gamesa, SSE Thermal, Tesco, and Tigers Trus

PUBLIC SERVICES: The British Army, Humberside Fire and Rescue, and Humberside Police,

ADVICE, INFORMATION AND VOLUNTEEERING OPPORTUNITIES: Future Humber, HEY Smile Foundation, Log on Move on, NHS Humber Health Partnership Volunteering, Skills Hull and East Riding, and Women into Manufacturing and Engineering.

APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDERS: HETA, CATCH, and Avant Skills Academy.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service have recently visited the school to talk to students about their Fire Cadets initiative, which is launching in Withernsea this month.

If your child is aged 13-16 and would like to find out more, they are invited to attend one of the taster sessions taking place at Withernsea Fire Station, Walter Street, on:

·         Wednesday, 14th January 2026

·         Wednesday, 21st January 2026

Both sessions run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and will provide an introduction to the Fire Cadets programme.

Cadets are expected to commit to attending weekly sessions and to arrange their own travel to and from the fire station. Participants will take part in a range of engaging and practical activities, including basic life-saving first aid, team-building exercises, leadership development, and the supervised use of firefighting equipment.

The programme gives young people the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence, and work as part of a team while gaining an insight into the fire and rescue service. Cadets can also improve their fitness, make new friends, and work towards a recognised qualification.

To confirm attendance at a taster session or to find out more information, please email firecadets@humbersidefire.gov.uk

ABOVE: Year 8 student Patrick learns about the Fire Cadet programme at a lunchtime drop-in with Humberside Fire and Rescue. 

Congratulations to Ms Harris, head of humanities and teacher of geography, who has been recognised for 25 years of dedicated service to the school. 

At an end of term staff meeting, Ms Harris was presented with East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s long service award by Mr Crofts. 

Reflecting on the milestone, Ms Harris said: “I can’t quite believe it - 25 years has gone so quickly. It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve taught in both the old school and the new building and worked under four headteachers. I started in the humanities faculty under the leadership of Andy Day, who was head of geography, and from the very beginning I really loved being here. Some of my favourite memories in the early days were teaching A-level geography and it’s wonderful to see that some of those former sixth form students are now members of staff at the school.” 

Ms Harris joined Withernsea High as a main scale geography teacher in September 2000. Initially on a temporary contract, the role was made permanent later that academic year. Reflecting on what attracted her to Withernsea, Ms Harris said her decision was driven by the geographical significance of the Holderness coastline.

“I always wanted to work on this coastline because it is so geographically dynamic. It holds a deep fascination for geographers, and to have my classroom 400 metres away from an area that is rapidly eroding provides an exceptional real-world context for geography education.”

Over the years, Ms Harris has held a number of leadership and specialist roles. She served as designated outdoor activities coordinator, leading trips to the Pyrenees and Poland in the early 2000s, and holding rock-climbing qualifications to support the school’s facilities at the time.

She later became assistant head of Key Stage 3 before being appointed head of Key Stage 3 in 2005. Further change followed in 2014 when she became head of geography - a role that subsequently developed into head of faculty. 

Among her career highlights, Ms Harris cited the overseas trips and more recent work linked to coastal erosion, saying: “Leading sixth form trips to Poland and the Pyrenees were real highlights. More recently, I’ve been involved in various projects with an emphasis on driving change locally and internationally and helping other people. These have included the Hull University-led INSECURE coastal erosion project, exploring coastal change and community resilience, and working with a Belgian filmmaker to make a short poetic film about life on the Holderness coast.”

Reflecting on the sense of continuity that comes with long service at the school, she added: “I love it when I end up teaching the children of former students. Some parents’ evenings feel like a reunion, especially with students in years seven and eight.”

Alongside this continuity, the energy of new challenges and the enthusiasm of her students continue to motivate and inspire her. “I like finding new ways of doing things and I enjoy a challenge. Being invited to take part in different projects keeps my work exciting and allows me to stay creative in how I approach teaching. I’m always keen to explore new projects and initiatives; it’s that variety that keeps me interested and inspired. However, student enthusiasm is what drives me most.”

Mr Crofts praised Ms Harris’ long-standing commitment and impact on the school. “Twenty-five years is a remarkable achievement. Even after all that time, she has maintained the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to the school, alongside a strong desire to try new approaches and get the very best for both herself and our students. She is completely student-centred and an absolute asset to the school.

“She consistently keeps the bigger picture in mind and is deeply involved in educating students about green energy and the major global changes that directly affect our area. While she is not originally from the town, she has become very much a part of it. She has an exceptional understanding of both her subject and the local community, and she ensures that generations of young people leave the school with a clear sense of their place in the world.”