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What is it really like to be a student at Huddersfield Grammar School? Head Students Chloé and Sophia offer an insight into life at HGS, reflecting on the supportive community, inspiring teachers and wide range of opportunities that have helped them grow in confidence, achieve their goals and make lifelong memories. Their experiences show why so many students quickly feel at home and thrive at HGS.
Chloé
What makes HGS special?
I think the most special thing about HGS – being a smaller school community – is the tight-knit environment that we have, which means that every single student is known by name, and each and every one of us is valued as an individual. We are all able to develop a good relationship with our teachers and each other, making everyone incredibly approachable, and our learning so much simpler, as it is so easy to ask for help.
What has been your proudest moment during your time at HGS?
Being able to represent the community in sports teams like rounders and netball. Though we may not always win, there’s always the rush of being a part of a team that all support each other and stick together in matches. Our rounders team in the summer have usually performed really well, and being a part of it has been incredible.
How has HGS supported you academically and helped you to achieve your goals?
When it has come to exams, every year eleven pupil has been assigned a mentor to help them through the difficult pressure of GCSEs, its really helped us all to feel like we’ve got someone to talk to about any stresses without any judgement. Also, if you’re ever struggling with work, teachers always help you by explaining things and going over difficult topics again.
Can you tell us about a teacher or a subject that has really inspired you?
One teacher that has supported me greatly throughout my time and HGS and always encouraged me to try my hardest is Miss Beckley, who is my form teacher and English teacher. She has always looked after our whole form and class and has really inspired me throughout my whole time at school. I will always be grateful for how amazing she has been and how fun she has made English these past two years!
How does the school challenge and stretch you to be your best?
HGS uses competitions to challenge us and stretch us, like the very serious house merit competitions, which cause great anticipation throughout the entire year. We have four houses: Wilson, Beaumont, Crowther and Ramsden, which compete very closely to get as many merits as possible for hard work, good manners
What opportunities outside the classroom have had the biggest impact on you?
I’ve loved every single school trip we’ve been on, from the ski trip to our year eleven geography field trip. Every trip away has allowed me to make friends with new people I wouldn’t normally and has allowed me to learn new skills which have helped me through school.
How would you describe the sense of community at HGS?
Our community is one of the best I’ve ever been a part of, everyone is so kind and accepting of one another. The school do whatever they can to ensure everyone feels happy and safe both on and off sites. We do a wide range of community events, like our Christmas on the Courtyard in the winter, the Summer Fayre and the Iftar we hold during Ramadan. The community is so tight-knit and everyone comes together to enjoy themselves at these events.
What does being head student mean to you?
Being head student means being able to represent a school that has been my second home for the past five years, and somewhere that has helped me grow into the person I am today. I’ve loved being a part of projects like proposing a new wellbeing garden and being able to help the school community. I think its been incredible to look up to head students all the way throughout my time at school, and then be able to take on the role with Sophia now that I’m in Year 11!
What would you say to a younger student considering joining HGS?
I joined HGS in Year 7, from another school, and there was only two other people who I knew in my year group, so I was really nervous about finding my place in a completely new community. Within my first week, I had a solid friendship group, teachers who I trusted completely and got along with amazingly and a lot of excitement looking towards my next years at the school. So if you have any worries at all, don’t stress, everyone finds their friends super quickly and feels like they fit in after a few lessons or so.
Sophia
What makes HGS special?
To me it’s how supportive the whole environment is. The teachers are all so passionate about not only about their subjects but also helping the students to understand and enjoy the lessons so we can do our absolute best. As students, we are all encouraged to be enthusiastic in lessons and there is a really supportive atmosphere where we all want each other to do well. Pushed further by the teachers who do everything they can to make sure we do our best and genuinely care about us as people as well as students.
What has been your proudest moment during your time at HGS?
I would say my proudest moment was being given the role of head student. It really showed me how much I have grown since my first day when I was shy, unconfident and knowing no one to having a sense of independence and self-belief which has been built through the last 5 years at HGS.
How has HGS supported you academically and helped you achieve your goals?
Apart from the constant support from our teachers, I think that HGS has really helped me to reach my goals by being seen as an individual; all of my teachers know what I’m good at or need more help with, when they are then willing to explain a topic in as many different ways as I need until I understand it.
Can you tell us about a teacher or subject that has really inspired you?
I have been particularly inspired by Mrs Millington, my chemistry teacher. She is an inspiration to me because of how passionate and knowledgeable she is about her subjects, but also her determination to solve any problem (or lighten up a hard lesson with a terrible chemistry joke) in such a calm way which is a skill I would love to have.
How does the school challenge and stretch you to be your best?
There are always opportunities to push yourself further if its in character, academics, skills or sports. At HGS, we are always participating in competitions in so many different areas such as music, sports, maths and much more, so these are amazing to be able to take part in and push ourselves by competing against other schools. The teachers are always happy to give you a challenge even if it’s a stretch, to help us improve, with a helping hand there to push us along.
What opportunities outside the classroom have had the biggest impact on you?
I have loved being able to take part in our school productions. Since year 8, I haven’t missed a year of auditions because they are such a fun way to make new friends across all of senior school, push me out of my comfort zone and learn new skills. The productions have helped me build my confidence massively whilst having loads of fun.
How would you describe the sense of community at HGS?
HGS is a very tight-knit friendly community. There is a very warm feel within our community because of how kind everyone is and willing to help out. This is felt at our community events such as our summer fayre, Christmas on the courtyard, Iftar evening, student-run movie night and many more. All of these were huge successes and so much fun to attend!
What does being a head student mean to you?
To me, it is an opportunity to act as a role model to students all across the school from kindergarten to seniors helping to make our school a more enjoyable place for everyone to attend. It means being a leader to our huge student leadership team as we work together to come up with new ideas to make our school a better place. I have found it an absolute privilege to be able to influence the decisions made at our school whilst getting to meet so many amazing people through this role.
What would you say to a younger student considering joining HGS?
I would absolutely encourage anyone to join the school. When I joined in year 7 I was very nervous and shy but was quickly put at ease by the kind teachers and welcoming students on my first day. Since I joined, I have massively grown in confidence whilst being provided with the opportunities to grow in character and built the skills I need to support me when I move on to my next steps. I think HGS has a sense of support and care that is unique to our school, so if I could choose schools again I would always pick HGS.
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