Friday, 06 October saw Heston Community School students participate in their first Super Learning Day of the academic year. Normal lessons were replaced by enriching and engaging activities, including an Olympic Games Art Competition, PSHE workshops on current issues and practising interview skills.

Years 7-10

Years 7 to 10 teamed up in groups to compete in representing a chosen country and Olympic sport. They used their impressive creativity and art skills to create 3D models of stadiums and they also designed and wrote their very own newspapers. All the groups produced amazing work and picking a winner was very tough.

But, huge congratulations to…

Group 26 [Mrs Ben Hmida] – Representing Poland and the 4x100m Relay

The competition was very close, so all groups should be incredibly proud of what they produced, particularly our runner-ups:

• Group 12 (Miss Gould) – Representing Egypt and Rowing
• Group 18 (Mr Dye) – Representing Japan and Rowing

Here’s what a few of Hestonians had to say:

“Super Learning Day was really enjoyable. Being one of the older students in the group, I felt a sense of responsibility towards my group and I tried hard to show leadership. The group was divided into two. One group worked on the 3D model and the other group worked on the newspaper. By the end of the day, the class felt united as a team. It was nice to see people who at the start didn’t speak to each other, engaging in full conversations. I feel that everyone learnt something new and showed our Hestonian values of Respect, Equality, Resilience, Ambition, Honesty, and Kindness.” – Himmat, 10B

“During Super Learning Day, my group and I made a Relay stadium for our 3D model. We communicated with each other in our team and helped each other build our model. We added details like timers and made sure everything was stable. I really enjoyed this experience and hope that I can do it again.” – Anusha, 8R

“Personally, I thought Super Learning Day was very fun and enjoyable. I liked the fact that we had a huge variety of materials to use for our 3D models.” – Laksh, 9Y

“Super Learning Day was an amazing experience as I got to learn about a different sport that I didn’t know about before. I also learnt fun facts about the Olympics that will be held next year.” – Kiran, 10B

“I enjoyed Super Learning Day very much, we did many fun activities such as creating a stadium and a newspaper about Mongolia and Judo. We learnt a lot of information and fun facts about Mongolia, Judo and the Olympics.” – Olivier, 7W

“I found Super Learning Day really fun. It was a great opportunity to make new friends. My group got assigned Korea and we all put our creative ideas together to make an amazing Taekwondo Stage. I enjoyed it a lot and I hope we continue to have many Super Learning Days in the future.” – Dilpreet, 8Y

“We were assigned two tasks to complete [a stadium and a newspaper to advertise your sport]. I was in a mixed group of Year 7s, 8s, 9s and 10s and I had a very enjoyable experience. We had excellent communication skills and teamwork.” – Sonia, 7W

Years 11-13

Year 12 started the day off with a workshop that investigated misogyny and harassment. They also had a workshop that looked at the importance of driving safely as they’re reaching the age where they can start learning to drive. They finished the day looking at interview skills and how to successfully interview for a position.

“I thought the Safe Driving session was very interesting and engaging. I learnt a lot about insurance and how much we have to pay depending on our age. I also liked the interview skills session as I learnt some of the skills I’ll need in interviews in the future and the questions I might be asked.” – Arsalan, 12C

“Super Learning Day was very informative. The driving skills part of the day was useful in giving us information that we’ll need in the future. It was very useful to me as I didn’t know much at all about owning a car or even about driving lessons. The Interview Skills session taught me a lot about how I can best formulate my answers when I apply for jobs, universities or apprenticeships.” – Aaron, 12F

Year 11 focussed on preparing for their English, Mathematics, and Science GCSEs and Year 13 worked closely with a group of teachers and an external University Admissions Tutor to improve their UCAS applications and/or CVs. Good luck to everyone applying this year!

“It was fun and educational to consider and role-play different scenarios that we may be exposed to in interview situations or in the workplace.” – Priyal, 13E

All in all, the day was a huge success and we hope there are many more to come in the future!

Welcome to Year 7 students to Heston Community School! 

We are thrilled to welcome you all to our school community. Your journey with us has begun on a very positive note, with your commitment to working together and supporting one another. This collaborative spirit is the foundation for a successful and fulfilling time at Heston Community School. 

Year 7 will be filled with exciting opportunities, new friendships, and a wide range of learning experiences. Our dedicated teachers and staff are here to guide you, nurture your talents, and help you overcome challenges. Remember, you are not alone in this journey; you have a whole school family here to support you. 

As Year 7 students, you will be embarking on a crucial phase of your educational journey, and we want to make sure it's both enjoyable and rewarding. Be curious, ask questions, and don't be afraid to explore new subjects and interests. Embrace the values of respect, kindness, honesty, ambition and resilience that make our school a welcoming and safe environment for everyone. 

We encourage you to get involved in extracurricular activities, clubs, and events to enrich your school experience and develop new skills. Heston Community School is not just a place for academics; it's a place to discover your passions, talents, and the potential that lies within you. 

Welcome to Heston Community School, Year 7! Let's make this a memorable and successful year together. If you ever need guidance or support, our doors are always open. 

Mrs Ryan 

Year 7 Learning Coordinator

My experience at Heston has been very welcoming. As an external student, I was worried about making friends as I knew no one in this school. Luckily, my fears were not realised as I now have the best group of friends that help with anything I need in school. The teachers are strict but lovely and push you to work hard in order to do well. Overall, my Heston experience has been phenomenal and if you are looking for a school who will care and look after you and help you to aspire to your goals, Heston is the one you should choose. 

Hafsa [12H]

I joined Heston Sixth Form as I heard that their students achieve some of the best A Level results in the Borough. This really helped me recognise how high their standards are and reassured me that I will also be able to do well on my course. So far, my experience at Heston has been excellent and I have met a lot of new people who have been very welcoming.  The teachers really care about you and I’m glad I chose to come here.

Luqman Abdi [12A]

We were delighted to welcome Councillor Shantanu Rajwat, Leader of Hounslow Council, on GCSE Results Day to share the joys and successes of our students as they received their results.

Cllr Rajwat is an ex-student himself and said “Going back to Heston Community School reminded me of my time there and how I was inspired to study history, which I found fascinating, and it laid a really solid foundation for further learning and career development.”

 

A Level Results Day is one filled with great anticipation and delight and this year, despite the turbulence of the last few years, was no exception.  This year, A Levels returned to their pre-pandemic format, with this cohort writing their first public examinations.

Headteacher, Ranjit Berdesha commented, “We are absolutely delighted to be able to celebrate these results with our Year 13 students. As a year group they have shown great resilience, especially in light of the challenges experienced during and after the pandemic. We are very proud of the individual successes and wish all our students well as they embark on their Post 18 destinations.”

This year has seen some stunning achievements across the year group and we are thrilled that the vast majority will now be able to attend their first choice university, with several securing coveted degree and higher apprenticeships in a range of disciplines. Others will take up traineeships and employment opportunities in various fields including Accounting and Finance, and Healthcare. This year nearly a quarter of our students achieved A*- A.  We are also proud to report that two thirds of our students achieved A* - B grades. This means that our achievement at this level is the highest in Hounslow. The average grade across all subjects was B, with a similar level of achievement in BTECs.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Heston staff and families who supported our students to achieve, despite England’s return to pre-pandemic grading.

Well done to all and we wish you well as you navigate the next phase of your education and training.

        

  

"A visit to a local care home, Martindale Road Care Home, was organised by the Medicine Society. Before arriving, I was, admittedly, worried as to how I would handle being presented with many elderly and disabled patients. How should I act? How should I talk? What should I say? With all these questions in my head, I entered alongside the members and had an incredibly eye-opening experience.

One word to describe the staff who worked there is patient. They never got angry, rather taking the time to talk and understand them, however difficult it may be. A kind of patience fuelled by compassion and understanding for the difficulties the residents faced. They clearly communicated amongst themselves regarding residents around us and those all over the site. Having seen this, I decided to adopt a similar style of interaction, being loud and clear in dialogue, whilst also trying to have fun with whatever I was doing. Though it was only table tennis and conversations, I found that I actually enjoyed being there, something I did not expect.

Also, spending time with the residents and seeing how much they appreciated being spoken to was a memorable moment. Listening to them recount their life stories with such joy in their eyes was particularly notable.

Overall, the experience was a valuable one, and I thank the staff at Martindale Road Care Home for allowing us to visit, and Mrs Chhibba for helping organise it."

Moaiad Adam [12H]