Foundation

Apple

Apple class students have been absolutely amazing! They have put in a lot of effort working on their personal targets – tackling tricky tasks all on their own and really tuning in when adults are speaking. They have written some brilliant reports in English all about their favourite animals – so many interesting facts flying about! In Maths, they have been getting to grips with fractions.  Plus, they've had some exciting trips to the Garden Centre and Tesco, exploring the world beyond the classroom.

Apple Class has been on a roll, learning and having loads of fun along the way!

Cherry

You can read all about what Cherry class have been doing this term in our Cherry class news article. 

Primary

Pine

Pine Class have had another busy term, including an exciting trip to Pizza Express. The children enjoyed dressing up as chefs and making their own pizzas! They have also had fun learning all about the United Kingdom, they even made their own jigsaw puzzle of the UK map.

   

Willow

Willow Class created birdhouses for the feathered residents of Birdworld!  In preparation for their trip, the students went on a materials hunt to gather natural resources, before getting creative with recycled materials such as water bottles. Using these and other found objects, the class designed and decorated unique birdhouses. These handmade homes are now ready to be hung in the trees, where the children can observe birds moving in!  You can read more about their trip in our Birdworld News Article.

Elm

Elm class enhanced their understanding of key scientific concepts during an exciting educational trip to the Winchester Science Centre.

Beech

Beech class have been learning about fractions in maths. And, in geography they have been learning about maps, atlases and globes.

   

Oak

Oak class have been learning about animals in science and really enjoyed a trip to the Sea Life Centre in London where they built on their knowledge.

​Secondary

Earth

This term, students in the Earth class have been busy developing their communication and life skills through a series of trips. They visited a variety of eating places, including Nando’s, a local cafe, and McDonald’s, where students had the opportunity to order food, drinks, and desserts independently. These experiences helped them practice key skills such as communication, interaction, and handling money when paying for their purchases.

English

It’s been an exciting term in English, with students engaging in fantastic books and thought-provoking discussions.

Mercury class have been exploring Wonder by R.J. Palacio, reflecting on the importance of kindness and empathy. This heart-warming novel has sparked meaningful conversations about inclusion and treating others with respect.

Saturn and Neptune have embarked on an epic journey through The Odyssey, discovering the fascinating world of Greek myths, gods, and legendary heroes. Their studies have uncovered timeless themes of bravery, fate, and adventure.

Pluto and Jupiter have stepped into the world of dystopian fiction, reading The Hunger Games. They have been analysing themes of suppression and control, considering how literature reflects real-world issues.

Mars students are hard at work revising for their exams following a successful round of mock assessments

Looking ahead, World Book Day is on Thursday, 6th March, and we encourage all students to celebrate by dressing up as their favourite book characters. There will be a range of exciting book-related activities throughout the day, making it a great opportunity to share our love of reading.

Maths

Students have met the challenge of shared Maths classes, some taught by Sudha and some by Jean, with good perseverance toward their learning.

Mercury group focused on using addition and subtraction in multiple contexts, along with being careful about their working out by lining up place values. They are just finishing up the block on multiplication and division. They have learnt about using powers of 10 and how this makes multiplying and dividing easier. 

Next term they will focus on operations and equations with directed numbers (positives and negatives) and addition and subtraction of fractions. Fractions is usually a topic that students find hard to start with, but improve quickly through the block.

Neptune and Saturn have been studying algebraic techniques this term. They worked with brackets, equations and inequalities and have just finished working with sequences and learning how to write the nth term for a sequence.

Next term they will be focused on developing number sense which includes; fractions and percentages and standard index form as well as general number sense.

Jupiter and Pluto have been learning about reasoning with number which included the topics numbers and using percentage. In numbers they focused on surds, fractions and numbers in standard form. They also learnt to find percent change, using decimal multipliers and find combined percent change. The last few lessons will focus on maths and money.

Next term these two groups will focus on reasoning with geometry; deduction, rotation and translation and Pythagoras’ theorem.

Mars GCSE completed their mocks and found that while some of the questions were easier than they thought, others were quite complex to solve.  We will be using some of these over the next two terms to help the group prepare for their summer exams.  We are still focusing on some content including trigonometry, sine and cosine laws, circle theorems, rate of change and area under a curve.

All the students in this group have revision guides and knowledge organisers given to them so they can revise at home. Practice papers and revision support is available on various websites - just do a Google search for AQA GCSE Maths practice papers. 

Science

In Science, groups have been getting used to having Jean back as the lead teacher.  They have all been enjoying learning about their topics and completing some scientific activities too.

Mercury class have been learning about forces this term. They learnt about the different forces that affect everyday objects. They did activities to help them understand friction, air resistance, and gravity. They also studied simple machines where they worked with three types of levers and various pulley systems.

Next term they will be studying a biology unit on human reproduction.

Neptune and Saturn have been learning about chemical reactions. They learnt the difference between physical and chemical changes, along with some specific types of chemical reactions; combustion, oxidation, thermal decomposition and displacement. They balanced chemical equations and have a good understanding about the conservation of mass.

Next term, these groups will be studying space. This is a topic where students come in with a lot of previous knowledge, which will be explored at the start of term. Space is an excellent theme to have discussions about at home and we look forward to hearing what the students already know!

Pluto and Jupiter have started their GCSE Double Award Science this term.  They are following the AQA Synergy curriculum.

   

As part of the qualification, the groups have already completed two of their required practicals; density and specific heat capacity. They learnt about the particle model, the effects of heat on substances as they change state and specific latent heat, in addition to the required practicals. They have been moving very slowly through the curriculum to start, but the pace will increase over the next term and beyond. If there are any questions or concerns about the topics, qualifications or practicals, please get in touch with jean.clarke@heathermount.co.uk for the time being.

Mars worked really hard on their mock papers at the end of January and in lessons have been working on filling the gaps in the physical sciences portion of the curriculum. They have completed a couple of outstanding required practicals and are embedding their overall curricular knowledge. So far, they have revised atomic structures which lead into atomic bonds and chemical formulae. They completed a practical on electrolysis and rates of reaction. Next term will be a mix of physical sciences and life sciences as we move closer to the summer exams.

Computer Science

In computer science, Year 8 students demonstrated their skills in image processing and using Adobe Photoshop. They did this by completing a project for which they developed a professional-looking magazine cover for a travel company.

They were very pleased with the feedback they received on the project.

History

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, one of the most infamous concentration camps of World War II. On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops freed the remaining prisoners, and the world was faced with the horrors of the Holocaust. To honour this significant milestone, students engaged in a meaningful discussion about the events surrounding Auschwitz during history lessons and in tutor time.

In these discussions, students reflected on the importance of remembering the atrocities that took place and the lessons we must learn from history to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again. The conversation brought to light the significance of education and remembrance, especially as the number of Holocaust survivors continues to decrease.

Some students have had the privilege of visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp in the past, where they saw first hand the remnants of a dark chapter in history. Their experience left a lasting impact, allowing them to better understand the depth of human suffering and the resilience of those who survived.

        

Drama

​This term, Year 9 students have been diving into the exciting world of film making.  Students in Jupiter and Pluto class have explored camera angles and techniques, the film-making process, and the art of compelling scriptwriting. They have created their own storyboards and are now bringing their visions to life by filming their scenes. Soon, they will move on to editing before showcasing their work in a special 'home movie lesson' for their peers! It's been fantastic to see their creativity this term - Hollywood, watch out!

Music

Primary music classes this term have been focusing on exploring and learning musical instruments.

Willow class and Pine class have been looking at different genres of music and the instruments that would be used. They listened to classical music and then explored the flute and the violin, two of the instruments used in this genre. They also listened to Latin music and explored lots of different percussion instruments, listening to the different sounds.

     

Beech class have been learning to play the pBuzz. This is a plastic instrument in the brass family and is closely related to the trombone. They have been learning about using the correct embouchure to make a buzz in the mouthpiece. They have also been learning how to slide the instrument to change the note. They are beginning to make good sounds and they are enjoying playing the instruments.

The RockSteady music school visited to work with our Primary students. Each class had a workshop where they played drums, keyboard, guitar and some children added vocals. There was an opportunity to try more than one instrument whilst they learnt a song to perform. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Art

It has been another action-packed term in art!  Read our Art in Term 3 News article to learn more.

PE

Secondary students have been concentrating on Tchoukball and Table Tennis. Tchoukball is a big favourite and the students have engaged exceptionally well, developing their coordination skills along with communication and teamwork. We were hugely impressed by Jupiter and their understanding of the game and how to tactically outthink their opponents. As this sport involves no physical contact or tackling, it’s a great way for our students to learn different methods of regaining possession of the ball and how to counter quickly.

Students have also been revisiting tabletennis, which is always taken very seriously. The students have participated well in the lessons and, again, we have been massively impressed by their development. Seeing the students' umpire games shows they have a really good understanding of the different areas this sport involves, such as; scoring systems, serving rules and the difference between doubles/singles.

Our primary students kicked off 2025 with some fitness activities. This was a fun and positive way for our students to showcase their skills. I was thoroughly impressed by their attitude and commitment to be the best they could. Some of our older primary students have started to learn about Tchoukball and we hope that by the time they come into secondary they’ll give the older students a run for their money! 

PSHE

In PSHE this term, students have been engaging in important discussions on a range of personal, social, and health topics.  Primary students have been exploring the themes of friendship and bullying, while Year 7 have been learning about the changes associated with puberty.  Year 8 have focused on online safety and is currently preparing for a debate on whether children under 14 should have smartphones. Year 9 have been examining the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.  Meanwhile, Year 11 have been studying serious issues such as honour-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), and forced marriage.  These topics are essential in equipping our students with the knowledge and awareness to navigate the world safely and responsibly.

Business Admin

Jupiter class have been making chocolates and candles to sell.  They all carefully followed the instructions and really enjoyed the last part of the cooking - cleaning up the leftover bowls and after eating the melted chocolate leftovers!

Students made phone calls for their enterprise tasks and worked as a team towards their product development.

Catering

Elm have been making ham and cheese crust less quiche.  They learnt a new skill using a chef's knife to chop onion finely! Not easy at all.

  

Secondary students have made curries from around the world. Saturn made Thai green chicken curry; a fragrant curry packed with flavour.  Please see the Highlights of Term 3 Gallery for photos of the students at work, the finished curry and a copy of the recipe.

Construction

Construction students have been busy completing the electrical unit, gaining a deeper understanding of how electricity is supplied and distributed in a home. They have learnt how to strip wires, wire plugs and switches, and develop patience while handling tricky fine motor tasks, especially when multiple wires connect to one terminal. Most ring mains are now complete, and students are testing continuity and troubleshooting faults to ensure everything functions correctly.

   

Horticulture & Forest School

This term in Horticulture, students have been learning how to maintain tools.  All the tools were cleaned, sharpened and then protected with a layer of oil.

In Forest school, students have been working on their whittling skills. They started off the term using peelers to whittle the wood, progressing to using knives when individual students were ready.

Girls Club

Members of our Girls Club have been learning how to use face painting to create their own character face. Primary girls joined the secondary girls to create some art and craft characters.