Hello Uxbridge High School community, welcome to this week’s vlog. This week’s vlog was a special one, with staff dressed as book characters to celebrate World Book Day across the school. Alongside this, we also reflected on an important Year 8 event and highlighted a wonderful initiative organised by our Sixth Form students.

Year 8: Your Life, You Choose

Yesterday, all Year 8 students took part in our annual “Your Life, You Choose” event. This programme brings together a number of external agencies to help students understand the importance of making safe and informed decisions as they grow into young adults.

Throughout the day students attended workshops delivered by professionals, including the police, ambulance service and other local organisations. These sessions covered important topics such as knife crime, child-on-child abuse, grooming and the legal concept of joint enterprise. Whilst some of the discussions are intentionally hard hitting, they are designed to help students understand real world risks and make responsible choices.

Our Year 8 students represented the school exceptionally well, engaging maturely and respectfully throughout the day. Parents are encouraged to speak with their children about the event and the key messages shared.

Ramadan and Sixth Form Iftar Event

Many members of our school community are currently observing Ramadan, a significant time of reflection and fasting.

This week, our Sixth Form students organised a special Iftar event in school to bring members of the community together as the fast is broken in the evening. The initiative was led entirely by students and reflects the inclusive culture we are proud to promote at Uxbridge High School. We would like to thank our Sixth Form students for their efforts in organising such a meaningful event.

Celebrating World Book Day

Today we celebrated World Book Day, with staff across the school dressing up as characters from their favourite books. While the costumes brought plenty of fun, the day also highlighted the importance of reading and encouraging students to develop a love of books.

We filmed part of this week’s vlog in a Year 11 English lesson where students are studying A Christmas Carol as part of their GCSE English Literature course. Lessons like this demonstrate how strong reading skills underpin students’ success across the curriculum.

During assemblies this week students explored the wider benefits of reading. Research shows that reading can reduce stress, improve concentration and support wellbeing. Encouraging young people to read regularly, both in school and at home, remains an important part of helping them succeed academically and personally.

Looking Ahead

It has been a busy and engaging week at Uxbridge High School, with students demonstrating maturity, curiosity and enthusiasm across a range of activities.

As always, thank you to parents and carers for your continued support. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and look forward to sharing more updates in next week’s vlog.

The 2025–26 academic year has officially begun at Uxbridge High School, and the return has been nothing short of inspiring. With bright sunshine marking the first full day back, Principal Louisa Seymour shared a warm welcome message with families, students, and staff, reflecting on the excitement of a new school year and setting out her vision for the months ahead.

“This is the first time we’ve had every student back together,” Ms. Seymour said. “The energy has been fantastic, students arriving in excellent uniform, equipped and ready, with big smiles on their faces. It’s a credit to our families and staff for ensuring such a strong start.”

Three Themes for the Year Ahead

In her message, Ms. Seymour outlined three important themes that will guide Uxbridge High School this year: a strong start, consistency in learning, and the values of respect and kindness.

1. A Warm Welcome and a Positive Start

Families were thanked for supporting their children to return with enthusiasm and focus. Ms. Seymour described the atmosphere in lessons and tutor groups as “fantastic,” adding that keeping up this motivation throughout the year will be key.

“Our students have come back full of energy,” she said. “It may have been a challenge to get them out of bed after the summer holidays, but the determination and commitment we’ve seen in classrooms already is outstanding.”
 

2. The Importance of Consistency

Ms. Seymour emphasised how vital consistency is to ensuring students can access learning successfully. She highlighted the school’s Golden Playbook, a framework that every teacher uses to provide structure, routine, and familiarity in lessons.

“Consistency isn’t about removing individuality, it’s about giving every student the security of knowing what to expect,” she explained. “When routines are clear and predictable, especially for those with additional needs, young people feel safe and can focus fully on learning.”

At Uxbridge High School, consistency also means strong relationships. Staff are encouraged to connect with students each day, greeting them warmly, asking about their well-being and showing genuine care before moving on to learning. “We treat every young person as a human being first”.
 

3. Respect and Kindness at the Heart of School Life

The final theme of Ms. Seymour’s message was the school’s core value of respect, underpinned by kindness. She stressed the importance of modelling empathy and care at home as well as at school.

“Our young people deserve to feel hope for the future,” she said. “That starts with kindness, looking out for each other, thinking about how we communicate and making sure our words and actions reflect our values. When kindness thrives, our culture and community are stronger.”

Looking Ahead: Open Evening and Open Mornings

Uxbridge High School is also preparing to welcome families and visitors to its Open Evening on Monday, 22 September, with follow-up Open Mornings taking place soon after. Ms. Seymour encouraged current parents as well as prospective families to attend:

“Open events are a fantastic opportunity to see our Golden Playbook in action, meet staff and students, and experience the culture of respect and consistency that makes Uxbridge High School such a special place.”

Advice from Students

The vlog also featured advice from current students, who shared their top tips for settling into the new school year:

• Rafael, Year 12 (studying Business, Economics, and Politics) suggested: “Be yourself, be organised with your equipment, and remind yourself of your goals so you know what you’re working towards.”
• Tony, Year 10, added: “Get organised daily, pack your bag the night before, do your homework, and take time to get to know your teachers.”

Their messages echo the school’s values of preparation, resilience, and respect for learning.

Thank you for reading and for being part of Uxbridge High School.

We look forward to sharing more in next week’s update.