Dates for the diary
Headlines
W/c 12th November - C11 Mocks commence Friday 16th November and Monday 19th November School closed—staff only W/c 12th November - C11 Mocks continue Saturday 24th November - Duke of Edinburgh local walk Sunday 25th November - Spirit of Honywood Feel Good Fayre W/c 26th November - C11 Mocks continue Wednesday 28th November—C10 Drama Evening Thursday 29th November— C10 Drama Evening (2) Follow up individual photos 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
By James Saunders 9th November 2018
As we approach Armistice Day I thought it would be appropriate to put the spotlight on History. I have had the pleasure of watching some learners in their History lessons and can honestly tell you I have been impressed by the depth of knowledge and detail that our learners go into. I have found exemplary note taking and a real thirst for exploration. The skills that History develops are transferable across so many other disciplines; they are a vital part of learning. The ability to evaluate sources of information, to be critical, to argue a viewpoint, to tell stories, to understand political shifts and to predict the future, all stem from an understanding of the past. History ignites our interest in stories about an individual, a nation or even a community. As a school community we have our own history and many of you will have your own connection to the school that dates back many years. Last night I had the pleasure of connecting with some of that history when I attended our C12 GCSE certificate evening. It was a pleasure to hear from former learner Ed Clark as he gave a highly motivational speech about his journey postHonywood, and it was in his ability to look to the past that he was able to inspire our returning C12’s to look to the future. Ed left us in 2011 and he still felt a part of the Honywood community today. I would like to thank him for freely giving up his time to talk to families and learners. His speech was not a tale of academic study but one that highlighted all the things he did outside of learning: the development of character, of resilience and of a quest to do his very best always. What he presented was a true outcome: a young person who had achieved happiness and success. Ed was definitely a young man who engages with his communities.
The community is an important aspect of the school. Our learners do not spend their whole lives at school; many of them are involved in fantastic things outside of school. For example, Ethan Harding in 9KGu is taking part in the main Remembrance Day parade in London on Sunday to represent the Air Scouts. He was selected for this amazing opportunity through an open ballot to be part of the national day of remembrance. Well done Ethan. We would love to hear more about the wider involvement of our learners and their families in the community. You may have noticed recently our new monthly iGazette magazine to compliment our weekly headlines. We have just published our second edition of this community magazine. This magazine is as much about celebrating life beyond Honywood as it is about life within Honywood. We want to hear about the stories, past and present, of our learners. We want to share these achievements and experiences with the wider community. If you or your family would like to contribute to future editions of our iGazette magazine then please let us know. The centenary of Armistice Day marks a significant part of our history and the progress we have made as the human race. However you choose to recognise or mark this event I think you would find it hard to disagree on the significance that it holds. Few things have altered the course of history and shaped the modern world as much as the first World War. I shall be attending a service at Duxford with my family; they open up the whole museum for free to families to mark this occasion. If you are looking for a place to explore history during wartime I can wholeheartedly recommend the experience of Duxford to you. I wish you all a great weekend.
Thankyou to everyone who donated to the Poppy Appeal this week in school
Non learner days Friday 16th November Monday 19th November School closed for learners
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Thankyou to our Cohort 8 Duty Receptionists
Parents’ Time
Lottie Nason Kai Pitt Amy Slade Patrick Smith Alfie Spurgeon
Members of the Leadership Team will be available to see parents without appointment: Monday
7:15am—8:00am
Wednesday
3.00pm—3.45pm
Friday
7.15am—8.00am
Tours for current and prospective parents are available on Wednesdays , 9:15am—10:15am.