Weekly Message 315 – 2 October 2026
2nd October 2026
The term is certainly gathering pace, and there is plenty happening across the school. A particular focus over the coming weeks will be our Year 11 Autumn Exams, which begin in earnest next week. These exams are an important opportunity for pupils to demonstrate what they have learned so far and, equally importantly, provide valuable information for pupils and their subject teachers about strengths, areas for development and where further support or focus may be needed. We want pupils to approach the exams positively, prepare well and give their best. If pupils have any questions or are unsure about any aspect of the exam arrangements, they should speak to their tutor in the first instance, who will be able to point them in the right direction.
We held our first parents’ coffee morning this week – this is an ideal opportunity for the school to listen to parents’ and carers’ perspectives and for the school to share updates, information and some of the things that are happening across Cams Hill School. We really value these opportunities to hear directly from families and to continue building the strong partnership between home and school.
We remind pupils about the importance of safe journeys to and from school. Whether travelling on foot or by bike, we encourage pupils to be mindful of the other people using the cycle tracks and pavements. We all have a part to play in keeping one another safe, particularly at busy times of the day.
Annual Arts Exhibition
Year 1o Photography Exhibition at Portchester Library
It was wonderful to be asked by Portchester Library for our Class of 2027 to exhibit some of their photographic work. The images on display are a snapshot of the workshop pupils attended in the summer term with Strong Island.
People that visited the library over the course of the summer were invited to marvel at the photographic talents of our pupils. Well done to those involved. The exhibition has now finished but we are always looking for opportunities to showcase our pupils’ work.
Year 10 Art, Graphics and Photography pupils enjoy magical trip to Warner Bros Studios
This week, our Year 10 Art, Graphics and Photography pupils embarked on an unforgettable trip to Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden — the home of the world-famous Harry Potter films. The visit was a resounding success, offering pupils a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and creativity involved in large-scale film production.
From the moment they stepped into the Great Hall to walking along Diagon Alley, pupils were immersed in the magical world of filmmaking. Pupils took part in a classroom workshop gaining valuable insights into careers in the creative industry, delving deeply into the hundreds of opportunities whilst receiving practical advice and plenty of encouragement to pursue their creative passions.
Trip leader Mrs. Oswald-Cutler reflected on the experience: “It was incredible to see our pupils so inspired. The trip really does highlight the importance of the creative industries and demonstrates how those skills come to life in the real world.”
Quotes from pupils:
“An amazing experience, I loved seeing Hagrid’s mask up close.”
“I enjoyed seeing the exclusive bits of the tour in the classroom, especially the prosthetics and the costumes.”
Well done to all who attended — we can’t wait to see how your experience influences what you create next!
Art Club Start Halloween Project
After completing their Beaded Spider Suncatchers last week, Art Club have excitedly started their Halloween craft: making zombie hands! It was a complex task with a lot of different resources and materials being combined to build the hand.
They worked with corrugated cardboard and aluminium wire to create a basic armature, then used recycled materials such as tubing and tinfoil to build out the form of the hand. They also worked their way through eleven rolls of masking tape to help construct the ghoulish looking hands!
It was a great adventure exploring our own hands as reference. In our next Art Club session, we will take this further by looking at hand structure and how we can use it to create more realistic hand poses. Then the best part: covering with papier mache!
Next week Art Club is cancelled due to the Year 11 Art Autumn Exams, so Art Club will resume on Wednesday 14 October.
Sports Results
Year 11 boys’ football lost to Portchester 5-0
Year 9 boys’ football lost to Portchester 3-2
Year 9 rugby fixture was postponed due to hard ground.
Years 10/11 netball lost to Portchester 24-25
Menu w/c 5 October 2026
Whole School Letters Published This Half Term
Below is a list of letters emailed to all parents/carers this half term together with the date and time they were sent. If you are unable to find any of the communications, please email office@camshill.com and we can send you a further copy.
3G Pitch – sent 2/10/26 1800
Flu Vaccinations reminder – sent25/9/26 1800
Homework – sent 22/9/26 1000
Late Start for Pupils – Friday 25 September 2026 – sent 18/9/26 1800
Coffee Morning x four forms– sent 11/9/26 1600-1801
PE Footwear – September 2026 – sent 11/9/26 at 1352
School Immunisation Service -sent 10/9/26 at 1201
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust – sent 4/9/26 at 0851
Welcome back – sent 2/9/26 at 1700
Statistics
Positive Behaviour Points Averages per Pupil for this Week
Year 7 8.94 points
Year 8 10.79 points
Year 9 8.89 points
Year 10 7.05 points
Year 11 6.56 points
Attendance
This week – 93.8%
Same week last year – 93.8%
Sparx and Educake
These are two online resources that we expect pupils to be accessing routinely with homework set by teachers and independently to support their progress in Maths, Science, and other subjects. We ask parents/carers to check in with their child to see whether they are accessing these resources routinely and to encourage the best use of them.
Sparx
Over 50% in Maths Homework
Year 7 96%
Year 8 89%
Year 9 76%
Year 10 83%
Over 75% in Maths Homework
Year 7 94%
Year 8 86%
Year 9 69%
Year 10 77%
100% in Maths Homework
Year 7 87%*
Year 8 79%
Year 9 53%
Year 10 48%
*For example, this figure means 87% of Year 7 got 100% in their homework tasks.
Scores in green show an increase from last week’s figures.
Year 11 are doing weekly maths exam practice tests with feedback lesson on a Friday
Maths Homework Support is open to all Years on Wednesdays in ICT3 and Ma10 until 4pm.
Next In-Class Maths Assessments
Year 7 – 22 October 2026 – X band, 23 October 2026 – y band – non-calculator
Year 8 – 14 October 2026 – non-calculator
Year 9 – 9 October 2026 – non-calculator
Year 10 – week of 9 November 2026 – calculator and non-calculator
Calculators and other equipment for sale
Casio fx-85GT CW+ scientific calculators can be bought via Arbor and collected from the Finance Office. Prices of these and other items for sale are shown below:
Casio fx-85GT CW+ scientific calculator- £10.00
Pre-packed pencil case – £2.50
Pair of compasses – 29p
Protractor – 9p
100 blank flashcards – £1.00
A range of GCSE Maths revision materials for Key Stage 4 use – See Arbor for details
Educake – Science
Percentage of Questions Answered Correctly This Week
Year 7 80%
Year 8 74%
Year 9 77%
Year 10 73%
Year 11 79%
Highest number of questions answered by one pupil this week
Year 7 168 questions
Year 8 295 questions
Year 9 198 questions
Year 10 781 questions
Year 11 763 questions
