Whole School Newsletter - 11-09-2026
BackFriday 11th September 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
Our Core Values: Equality, Commitment, and Integrity
At Newport High School, everything we do is guided by three important values: Equality, Commitment and Integrity. These values help us create a school where every young person can thrive and achieve their best.
Equality means making sure every student has access to the support, opportunities and encouragement they need to succeed. We recognise that all students are different, and we work hard to understand and respond to their individual needs.
Commitment is about working hard, showing determination and never giving up. We encourage our students to take pride in their learning, embrace challenges and always strive to do their best.
Integrity means being honest, respectful and responsible. We encourage students to make positive choices, take responsibility for their actions and do the right thing, even when nobody is watching.
By living these values every day, we aim to create a safe, supportive and ambitious school community where every student feels valued, confident and able to achieve their full potential.
RISE pillars
Alongside our core values we also have four 4 pillars of RISE. These pillars support our expectations around conduct and behaviour. RISE stands for respect, independence, being safe and being equipped.
Each week, we focus on one of our school values alongside an aspect of RISE to help students reflect on the qualities that support success both in school and beyond.
This week, our focus has been Integrity and Respect. These are two of the most important foundations of a positive school community. Integrity encourages students to be honest, take responsibility for their actions and make the right choices, even when no one is watching. Respect helps students value themselves, others and their environment, creating a school where everyone feels safe, included and able to learn. Together, these qualities help build strong relationships and a culture where everyone can thrive.
Year 10 Welcome Evening
It was lovely to see so many parents and carers attend our Year 10 Welcome Evening last night. I hope our families found this useful and informative.
Year 10 is an exciting milestone as students begin Key Stage 4 and start the courses that will lead to their GCSE qualifications. Whilst Year 11 often receives the most attention, the foundations for success are built in Year 10. The knowledge, skills and study habits developed this year will have a direct impact on future outcomes. Students who attend regularly, work hard in lessons, complete homework and make the most of every opportunity now will feel more confident, make stronger progress and be far better prepared for the challenges of Year 11. Simply put, the effort invested in Year 10 can make all the difference when it comes to achieving their full potential.
Parents and carers play a vital role in this journey. By encouraging good attendance, taking an interest in learning, supporting homework and revision, and maintaining high expectations at home, you can help your child make the most of this important year and lay the foundations for success in Year 11 and beyond.
Attendance
Excellent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of success in school. Students who attend regularly make better progress academically, build stronger relationships and develop the habits that will help them succeed in later life. While we understand that children will sometimes be unwell, not every off day needs a day off. Resilience, perseverance and a positive attitude are important life skills, reflected in both our school values and our RISE ethos. We ask all parents and carers to work with us to ensure students attend every day, arrive on time and are ready to learn. Every lesson matters, every day counts and every minute in school is an opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
Please make attendance and punctuality a priority. Encourage your child to be in school every day unless they are genuinely unwell, and ensure they arrive on time each morning. Being even a few minutes late can mean missing important learning and disrupt a positive start to the day. Together, we can give every student the best chance to succeed.
At Newport High School, we believe that developing strong learning habits is one of the most important ways to help young people succeed.
Research shows that regular practice, reading and retrieval of knowledge helps students remember more, build confidence and achieve better outcomes in school. Our Knowledge is Power homework programme has been designed to support these habits through a simple and consistent weekly routine.
20 Minutes. Every Day. Every Child.
All Key Stage 3 students are expected to complete 20 minutes of homework each evening.
Weekly Homework Timetable
Monday: Maths Challenge
- Complete MathsWatch or Eedi Maths homework.
Tuesday: Reading Challenge
- Read for 20 minutes.
- This may include a novel, non-fiction book, magazine, newspaper or e-book.
Wednesday: Science Challenge
- Complete the assigned Educake task.
Thursday: Subject Challenge
- Complete the task set by a wider curriculum subject such as Humanities, Languages, Technology, Computing, Art, Music, Drama, PE or Food & Nutrition.
Friday: Free Friday
- No new homework is set.
- Students can catch up, read for pleasure or enjoy extracurricular activities.
Reading at NHS
Reading has the power to change lives. It unlocks learning, builds confidence, broadens horizons, and helps young people make sense of the world around them. As one of the most important skills a young person can develop, reading underpins success across every subject, strengthens communication and critical thinking, and opens doors to new ideas, experiences, and opportunities. Regular reading not only supports academic achievement but also develops the confidence, curiosity, empathy, and resilience needed to flourish in school and thrive in an ever-changing world.
At Newport High, reading is at the heart of our commitment to developing confident, successful learners. Through carefully planned opportunities to read across the curriculum, dedicated form time reading, and the study of high-quality texts, we aim to build pupils' vocabulary, knowledge, comprehension, and cultural awareness. Our reading provision includes a carefully curated KS3 reading canon, disciplinary reading approaches within subject areas, targeted literacy support for identified learners, and access to a wide range of engaging texts through the school library and our reading initiatives. At KS4 and KS5, students are encouraged to develop independent reading habits that support both academic success and lifelong learning. By fostering a culture where reading is valued, discussed, and celebrated, we help every learner access the curriculum, broaden their horizons, and realise their potential.
Our community
We value the positive relationships we have with our local community and ask for your support in helping us protect them. Please encourage your child not to use Clos Carno/Heol Senni when travelling to and from school. As a private residential close, it is not intended for the volume of pedestrians and traffic generated by the school run. By choosing alternative routes, families can help improve safety, respect local residents and support the strong community partnerships that are so important to our school. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
Working closely with our families is really important to us and we know that we get the best outcomes when there is a positive relationship between home and school. If any parents have queries or concerns, please contact your child’s Form Tutor in the first instance or email info@newporthigh.co.uk so we can support.
Uniform and equipment
Thank you to the many families who continue to support our school uniform expectations. Our uniform helps promote a sense of belonging, equality and pride in our school community. Students should wear a white shirt, school tie, plain black shoes or trainers, and black socks. Skirts should be an appropriate length, and trousers or shorts should be tailored. Leggings and sports shorts are not permitted.
Blazers, jumpers and cardigans are optional. Students may wear a plain black V-neck jumper or cardigan, or a Newport High branded jumper, sweatshirt or cardigan.
We understand that purchasing uniform can sometimes be challenging. A range of pre-loved uniform is available through the school, and families requiring support should contact their child's Form Tutor.
Jewellery should be kept to a minimum, with one pair of small stud earrings, one ring and a single nose stud permitted. Hairstyles should be appropriate for school, with natural hair colours only. Head coverings worn for religious reasons should be plain black.
Students should arrive fully equipped for learning every day, including a suitable school bag, pencil case, pens and other basic equipment. To help keep everyone safe, items such as aerosols, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, matches, lighters, chewing gum, energy drinks, glass bottles and any potentially dangerous or prohibited items must not be brought onto the school site.
Please check that your child leaves home each morning in the correct uniform and with the equipment they need to be ready to learn and succeed.
Mobile Phones -on site, out of sight.
Our expectation is simple: on site, out of sight. Mobile phones, AirPods and other personal devices must be switched off and kept in bags throughout the school day, including before school, during break and lunchtime, and between lessons.
This approach helps create a calmer, more focused learning environment and encourages positive social interaction during unstructured times. If a student is seen with a phone or device, it will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day. Repeated incidents may result in further action.
Students who bring a phone to school must also bring a school bag to store it securely. Should a student need to contact home in an emergency, support is always available through our Wellbeing Hub.
Please support us by ensuring your child understands and follows our on site, out of sight expectation every day.
A positive start everyday
The school day begins at 8:45am with Form Time, an important opportunity for students to prepare for the day ahead. During this time, key information is shared, including school notices, upcoming events and important updates. Form Tutors also play a vital role in supporting students and are often the first point of contact when help or guidance is needed. To ensure students are ready for a successful start, school doors open at 8:40am and all students should arrive punctually.
We are also proud to have a dedicated and experienced pastoral team, including a Head of Year and Pastoral Support Officers for each year group, who work closely with students and families to provide support, guidance and care throughout their time at Newport High School.
Free School Meals and School Essentials Grant – Information for Parents and Carers
We encourage all families to take a few minutes to check whether they may be eligible for Free School Meals and the School Essentials Grant. These schemes can provide valuable financial support with school-related costs and help ensure that every child has access to the resources they need to thrive.
Even if your child does not take a school meal, registering may unlock additional support for your family and helps secure extra funding that benefits students across the school. Many families are eligible without realising it, so it is always worth checking.
Visit the Newport City Council website to check your eligibility and submit an application. The process is simple, confidential and could make a significant difference to your child's education. If you need any help with applying, please contact us on info@newporthigh.co.uk
Newport City Council have asked us to share this message with our families about the implementation of the school meals rollout for Year 7 & Year 8;
The application window is now open for families in receipt of Universal Credit to apply for free school meals. Like other councils across Wales, Newport City Council is currently working to implement the necessary steps set out by Welsh government so that we can provide a unified rollout of this service for all pupils in Newport. Schools will be in touch with further information as it becomes available.
Key dates for this academic year - 2026/2027
Our INSET dates are now finalised. Please note that our second INSET date has changed and is now Friday 6th November – it was previously been calendared for 2nd November.
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INSET |
Date |
|
1 |
Monday 1st September 2026 |
|
2 |
Friday 6th November 2026 |
|
3 |
Monday 7th December 2026 |
|
4 |
Monday 1st March 2027 |
|
5 |
Friday 25th June 2027 |
|
6 |
Monday 28th June 2028 |
2026/2027 term dates are as follows;
|
Autumn term |
|
|
Spring term |
|
|
Summer term |
|
I would like to thank you for your support.
With kind regards
Mrs Lee