2023-2024

Thurrock Foodbank 2023

We were proud once again to be supporting Thurrock Foodbank this December by organising collections of food donations to support families and continue our commitment to serving the community.

Previous foodbank drives have seen us raise over 600kg of food packages for families in need, and 2023 has been another successful year.

In conjunction with the Foodbank Drive, we also held a festive raffle for members of our school community, raising just over £90, all of which was donated to the foodbank so they can further support families in need. 

Thank you to everyone who took part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transforming Lives Award 2023

Each year in October, the Harris Federation hold their annual Autumn conference in London, for all schools in the federation to attend, which allows the spotlight to shine on any outstanding achievements or progress made by individual staff members and schools, and to celebrate this with colleagues.

We were delighted in 2023 that one of our own colleagues, Alicia Thompson, Assistant Principal and Personal Development Lead, achieved the award for outstanding Quality of Care and Wellbeing.

This award commends those with a particularly proactive, supportive, and caring approach that has increased the quality of care and wellbeing for students, and recognising those that make a real difference.

Sir Dan Moynihan (CEO of Harris Federation), and Miss Alicia Thompson.

 

 

 

This is what Alicia's colleagues had to say about her...

^{“Alicia is an exceptional educator who consistently goes above and beyond to create a nurturing environment for her students. Her dedication to their well-being is truly remarkable.
Her commitment to her students is evident in the way she is always available for them. She has become a trusted figure at HAOC, with students frequently seeking her out to share their concerns and seek comfort. Alicia's ability to make them feel safe and comforted is truly commendable. Her door is always open for students who know they can rely on her unwavering support.
In addition to her compassionate nature, Alicia also handles very difficult safeguarding cases with utmost care and professionalism. She understands the gravity of these situations and is willing to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of her students. There have been instances when Alicia, despite being a dedicated parent herself, has sacrificed her personal time in the support of students. Her selflessness and unwavering dedication are truly inspiring.
Despite the immense challenges she faces, Alicia still manages to excel in her role as a teacher. Her lessons are consistently praised by her students, who often comment on how engaging and impactful they are. Alicia's ability to balance her responsibilities while delivering excellent education speaks volumes about her exceptional skills as an educator.
Alicia demonstrates unwavering commitment to her students' well-being and provides exceptional care in even the most challenging circumstances. She is a true role model and a beacon of hope for both her students and her colleagues.  She represents the epitome of excellence in student care, and her tireless efforts deserve to be recognised and celebrated.”}

MacMillan Coffee Morning 2023

Following the great success of previous years' events, we were delighted to once again host a Macmillan Coffee Morning to raise funds to support those diagnosed with cancer and those who care for them.

Macmillan Cancer Support raise money to provide vital cancer services for people living with the disease at every stage of their experience, runs public campaigns to influence UK-wide policies and supports healthcare professionals with resources, tools and training to better help people living with cancer.

This year, our coffee morning included a range of competitions and activities to help raise valuable funds, the winners were:

· Mrs Howard for winning the raffle, her prize was a giant Millie's cookie

· Tyler Biggs (8 Newton) for correctly guessing how many Colin the caterpillars there were and winning mini-morris cupcakes

· Carter Johnson (11 Cook) who correctly guessed how many Oreo biscuits were in the jar and won all the Oreos!

Thank you also to staff for joining in with our staff Bake-off, congratulations to:

· Mrs Holder, for winning the staff bake-off with her phenomenal lemon drizzle cupcakes, her prize was a HAOC Bake-off apron

· Mrs Tucker for winning the ‘wooden spoon’ for the best staff bake-off ‘fake’!

Last year we raised an unbelievable amount, in excess of £400.  This year we did bigger and better, raising a fantastic £973.24!