Headlines By James Saunders 7th December 2018
On the back of popular TV show, The Apprentice, I thought I would explore some of the reasons people get fired with our learners. My assemblies this week have been about digital footprints; the impressions and traces we leave behind when using the internet. My message was not one of privacy settings and locking down accounts but rather one of conduct and respect and cultivating a professional and dignified digital persona. I shared with learners some statistics regarding how employers veto applications by looking at social media accounts before they shortlist for an interview. One in five applicants are being fired before they even start. Some of the reasons are: use of aggressive or offensive language; bad spelling/grammar or too many selfies. There is a simple thing we can do to avoid this. Respect ourselves, others and the world around us. When posting online we should ask ourselves: are we being courteous? Are we proving a measured response? Are we saying something we would not say in public or to someones face? If we assume that everything we do online is public then we must acknowledge that people will form an impression of us based on this content. I am not saying whether I think it is right or wrong for employers, or indeed anyone else to judge people this way. However, that is what is being done. The highlight of my assembly was when I showed the school Instagram page - which has over one thousand followers; many of them learners. I explained how by simply clicking on that number I could see a list of all followers and could look at their accounts. Some were not private. I asked the audience whether we should have a look at a few. Fifty percent said yes. The rest looked quite nervous at the thought of what we might see. I was never going to do that as it would not have been fair. But the message to our learners was clear, be mindful of how you conduct yourself online as the footprints will always lead back to you. On another note I had the opportunity to attend a drama event this week where our Cohort 11 learners were performing their own GCSE pieces. There are very few times when I am lost for words; this was one of them.
I am always amazed at the quality of performance that our learners can produce. However, this time round they were performing pieces based on their own creative concepts. These concepts dealt with a range of mature themes: depression, the Trump administration and homelessness to name a few. I left questioning my own view of the world and place in society. I could see tears in the eyes of a few parents in the audience too. When I got home later that night I reminded myself that a group of fifteen and sixteen year olds produced it. A group of fifteen and sixteen year olds created an emotional response that I have rarely had. It was truly inspirational. Thank you everyone. Congratulations To: Grace Harper (7NVa) who has been invited to No 10 Downing Street by the Prime Minister to a reception to celebrate Christmas and turn on the Downing Street tree lights. Elliott Nash (8JLA) who was part of the unbeaten Essex Youth Pool team whose victory over Norfolk at the weekend meant they are now the 2018 Regional Champions. They through to the National Finals next March. It’s the first time in 17 years the Essex Youth team have been champions. A huge achievement for Elliott and all the team. To: Mrs. Caroline Rose who will be leaving us after Christmas to take up a post at Philip Morant School in Colchester. Thanks To: The following learners who supported the Governors visit this week:
C8: Jessica Barker 8AWe, Sarah Evans 8RPh, Lucien Kinsman 8AGi, Tommy Mardle 8AWe, Nicholas McKeown 8AGi, Jake Ring 8RPh, Marcia Swain 8CPe/LPu, Safia Tafajoul 8MHa. C10: Marcus Abboud, Faris Bilbeisi, Lauren Bishop, Hermione Clark, Marcus Edu-ilori, Abbigail Elliott-Houghton, Caitlyn Ellis, Kai Gilbertson, Katie Gurbutt, Fraser Mclauchlan, Roxie Orrow, Evie Plumridge, Harry Ratcliffe, Jess Rudling, Rhys Smith.
Dates for the diary Thursday 13th December
Christmas Concert
Friday 14th December
Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children Fund
Monday 17th December
Christmas lunch for C7 & 8
Tuesday 18th December
Christmas lunch for C9, 10 & 11
Wednesday 19th December
End of term, early closure
Friday 4th January 2019
Staff only day—no learners in school
Monday 7th January
First day of Spring Term
Tuesday 8th January
C10 Lead Learner Interviews
Friday 11th January
C11 Mock Results Day
Sunday 13th January
Feel Good Fayre
W/c 14th January
C11 Learning Group photos in LS3
Monday 14th January
C11 MADE training revisited
Wednesday 16th January
James Saunders Parent Forum 6:30pm
W/c 21st January
C11 Mock MFL Speaking
W/c 28th January
C11 Mock MFL Speaking
Saturday 2nd February
German Exchange depart
Reminder: Early finish on the 19th December. Learners depart at 1pm.
Congratulations to: Isabella Bowers (C11), Lily Cobbold, Megan Gurbutt, Kate Southgate and Olivia Street (C10) for volunteering for, and successfully completing, a training course in Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). They now have the knowledge, and confidence, to save a life!
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Thankyou to our Cohort 8 Duty Receptionists Jessica Gilbert Nick Gillard Tate Gray Thomas Keeble Tommy Mardle Louis Mountague
Parents’ Time Members of the Leadership Team will be available to see parents without appointment: Monday
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Wednesday
3.00pm—3.45pm
Friday
7.15am—8.00am
Tours for current and prospective parents are available on Wednesdays , 9:15am—10:15am.
