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Holmfirth High School
Secondary · Maintained · Holmfirth
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I DO NOT RECOMMEND
Amazing.
This school is amazing. There is plenty of support available for well-being approaching mental health or any problems, but also from teachers in the classrooms if you need more help understanding your work.
Lessons
In KS3 some may find lessons boring as it may be options they aren’t particularly interested in yet teachers will always try and make a class fun and exciting. At KS4 after picking your GCSES lessons become more fun as they are tailored to you. There is a smaller range of subjects available yet still a good choice. Aside from English, Maths, Core science and Core RPSE, the 4 options you can choose between are:
Triple sciences, Business studies, RE, Drama, Music, Dance, PE, Hair and beauty therapy, German, Spanish, French, Cooking and nutrition, Textiles, Graphics, Product design, Photography, Art.
Apologies if I have missed any.
As you can see there are a lot of vocational studies which students will almost always enjoy.
Teachers are mostly kind and understanding, unless students are refusing to work, where they may get a little annoyed. You can always have a laugh with them and ask for help if you need it. Some teachers also offer support classes to attend at lunch if you don’t understand work or if you missed lesson.
House system
The house system is a great idea, as it encourages competition whilst still being friendly. It gives a sense of belonging to students as they will want to please others in their house during a competition as to not make the house lose. It also allows younger students to connect with older ones and feel comforted if they ever have a problem.
There is a large amount of competitions that happen, something for everyone to enjoy.
Break/lunch/toilets/food
There is a 20 minute break between 10:50-11:10 which allows students plenty of time to use the toilets and get some food. There is a large range of food at both break and lunch and prospect house allows year 11 to order their own sandwiches. There is nothing to do at break though other than chat with friends which is still nice. Lunchtime is between 1:10-2 which is enough time for students to eat food. However toilets are locked between 1:20-1:50 so if a student has to go they need to wait which can be quite annoying.
School trips
There is yet again a large range of school trips for everyone, especially during activities week. There are smaller trips that are cheaper such as PGL or small day trips. There are some longer and more expensive trips abroad that are even more amazing yet some can’t afford these.
Uniform
The uniform is quite comfy especially during summer when the polo shirts are allowed. Girls tend to roll their skirts up which teachers aren’t bothered about unless it is super high up. Ankles aren’t supposed to be showing which teachers do make sure you have long socks or trousers.
Makeup is meant to be kept to a minimum however many girls wear it quite extreme which teachers don’t seem to care about as i think they realise it may help some with confidence.
Jewellery is a maximum of one plain metal stud in each ear. Some teachers enforce this whereas some don’t which I think could be an area to improve on to make it more consistent, but I don’t think it is a major issue.
Shoes are supossed to be plain black leather which is kept on top of quite well. Students may only wear trainers if they have a valid reason.
Overall I think this is a fair review of an amazing school.
Lessons
In KS3 some may find lessons boring as it may be options they aren’t particularly interested in yet teachers will always try and make a class fun and exciting. At KS4 after picking your GCSES lessons become more fun as they are tailored to you. There is a smaller range of subjects available yet still a good choice. Aside from English, Maths, Core science and Core RPSE, the 4 options you can choose between are:
Triple sciences, Business studies, RE, Drama, Music, Dance, PE, Hair and beauty therapy, German, Spanish, French, Cooking and nutrition, Textiles, Graphics, Product design, Photography, Art.
Apologies if I have missed any.
As you can see there are a lot of vocational studies which students will almost always enjoy.
Teachers are mostly kind and understanding, unless students are refusing to work, where they may get a little annoyed. You can always have a laugh with them and ask for help if you need it. Some teachers also offer support classes to attend at lunch if you don’t understand work or if you missed lesson.
House system
The house system is a great idea, as it encourages competition whilst still being friendly. It gives a sense of belonging to students as they will want to please others in their house during a competition as to not make the house lose. It also allows younger students to connect with older ones and feel comforted if they ever have a problem.
There is a large amount of competitions that happen, something for everyone to enjoy.
Break/lunch/toilets/food
There is a 20 minute break between 10:50-11:10 which allows students plenty of time to use the toilets and get some food. There is a large range of food at both break and lunch and prospect house allows year 11 to order their own sandwiches. There is nothing to do at break though other than chat with friends which is still nice. Lunchtime is between 1:10-2 which is enough time for students to eat food. However toilets are locked between 1:20-1:50 so if a student has to go they need to wait which can be quite annoying.
School trips
There is yet again a large range of school trips for everyone, especially during activities week. There are smaller trips that are cheaper such as PGL or small day trips. There are some longer and more expensive trips abroad that are even more amazing yet some can’t afford these.
Uniform
The uniform is quite comfy especially during summer when the polo shirts are allowed. Girls tend to roll their skirts up which teachers aren’t bothered about unless it is super high up. Ankles aren’t supposed to be showing which teachers do make sure you have long socks or trousers.
Makeup is meant to be kept to a minimum however many girls wear it quite extreme which teachers don’t seem to care about as i think they realise it may help some with confidence.
Jewellery is a maximum of one plain metal stud in each ear. Some teachers enforce this whereas some don’t which I think could be an area to improve on to make it more consistent, but I don’t think it is a major issue.
Shoes are supossed to be plain black leather which is kept on top of quite well. Students may only wear trainers if they have a valid reason.
Overall I think this is a fair review of an amazing school.
Not good accessibility wise
Not enough accessibility for disabled students, most classrooms are upstairs with no lift, extremely difficult to negotiate. Not enough support available for disabled students either.
Don’t go here
Basically this is a rubbish school in terms of social life, the head teacher is awful and they lock the toilets. However the education is okay the maths and English departments are amazing and make every pupil exceed their ability and really push them. However, the science department is very poor and needs a lot of work I really wouldn’t recommend this school if science is a big priority as it is very very poor. Don’t expect much from the school either they said they were gonna build a 4g pitch which in my opinion is useless and we will bearly use it however it hasn’t even been built yet so what are they playing at.
Love it
Ok so the other reviews are bad but i absolutely love it at school. I’m in year 11 and there has not been a moment where i haven’t enjoyed coming into school. The teachers are all so nice and treat you well (with the exception of a few that i wont name). All in all i would definitely recommend to come to this school!
Respectably terrible
They are more concerned about people having their coats on in the corridor when it's raining or freezing (enhanced by their one way system that totally works), or measuring girls skirt lengths than safeguarding cases. Also the new blank grey and white walls everywhere make you feel like you are walking through an asylum. I don't think this school has made a good decision in the last decade.
No prober action!!!!!!
The bullying situation and how they handle it. So basically I was a student there and I went home with a red ring around my neck because someone put me in a headlock in not a fun way and the way that the school delt with that was we ( me, the assistant headteacher, and the person that did it) we talked about it and no proper action was taken.
Holmfirth High School
Holmfirth High is a great school! Teachers are really nice and supportive, I’ve made so many friends there so far. They have a large range of GCSE choices for you too choose in year 9, and you get taught some incredible things. The school shows are fab, and the school lunches are very nice - overall a great school!
School uniform
Avoid cossey all costs
skirt length
This is unacceptable, where do i start? My daughter came home extremely upset with the way teachers have handled the dress code. They said to her that they will be “observing” her and her skirt length from now on. “Observing” is not a good way to express your thoughts onto a child. It made her extremely uncomfortable. She rolls her skirt up because it’s too big for her. Certainly not because she wants any male attention, or to “distract” the boys.
Wtf is the food
The burgers taste like a slab of rubber and all the dinner lady’s smoke right outside. I always get with wiff of the ciggy smoke. A cat could cook better than the dinner ladys.
eweeeeee
They’re not really good with councillors from personal experience and the teachers are bad tbh
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However before I switched schools I hadn’t been in a school environment for a whole year. During that year, I did no schoolwork due to the fact the school never provided any.
I would write all of the bad experiences I have had with this school but I would be here writing for hours.
If you love the idea of going to school and being treated like you are at an army boot camp that shows no sympathy, then this school is good for you. However for me and many other students who didn’t get the chance to move schools, it was a hell hole.