10th November 2023
HEADLINES
By James Saunders
THANK YOU This week I would like to dedicate our headlines as a thank you to all our servicemen and women, both past and present, who have helped to shape and preserve the freedoms we too often take for granted. Few things have altered the course of history and shaped the modern world as much as the first World War. Armistice Day is a day that marks a significant part of our history and the progress we have made as the human race. I hope that you have been following our activities this week in the run up to Armistice Day and Sunday’s remembrance. Today is our third Teachers vs Learners Football match. The match is more than just an opportunity to provide a bit of C11 and teacher rivalry, it is an opportunity to galvanise our community as we reflect on the freedoms we are afforded. The opposing teams will gather in the centre circle for the 2-minute silence whilst all of the school join in around the edge of the pitch. As always it will be an intense and competitive game. As I write this we have not kicked off however I am confident that the game will not be without its drama and, dare I say, some controversy - there is usually a penalty given that is questionable. A special thanks must go to: Ben Martin, Khaled Sherif, Jensen Beddoes, Owen Johnson, Alexander Whitehead, Sammy Taylor, Joseph Benson, Theodore Mcquillan, Jack Garner, Finn Kendle, Logan Humphreys, Navraj Manku, Jacob Prestney, Frank Chapman, Adam Fulford, Zach Thorogood, Olaoluwa Arowosegbe, Harry Hayes, Lucas Steele for making up the C11 football team. Olaoluwa Arowosegbe for helping to organise and manage the C11 football team. Gwynn Walters for the officiating of the remembrance day football match.
Philip Field and Rob Philpott for supporting the logistics around the minute’s silence and for EVERYONE observing it so perfectly ahead of the remembrance match. Laila Arkell, Livi Arkle, Emily Wild, Rose Collier, Maddie Bates, Nathan Succamore, Joseph Byers, Damini Manku, Tamar Milliken, Olivia Jinman, Olivia Longhurst, Jack Garner, Frank Chapman, Emily Roebuck, Chloe Ramsay, Yvie Turner, Deborah Ogundare, Dominic Scherer, Ola Arowosegbe, Harriet Trustrum, Maggie Smith for their support with the poppy collection over the past two weeks. MENTAL HEALTH CHAMPIONS Yesterday I held a workshop for 16 C7 learners - 2 representatives from each learning group. These learners had put themselves forward to become mental health champions for the school. They engaged brilliantly in discussions about what mental health is and why it is important that we actively take measures to support our mental health in the same way we do for our physical health. We talked about: • • •
How we feel within ourselves How we act and think How we deal with problems
After evaluating themselves and their own mental health the learners then spent time looking at the six ways to care for your mental health: 1. Exercise and be physically active everyday 2. Get plenty of sleep each day 3. Speak to a trusted adult or friend if you have worries that are troubling you 4. Enjoy your hobbies and interests with other people 5. Challenge your brain to grow by learning new knowledge and skills 6. Make time for things that help you relax
Our mental health champions will be completing their induction through a workshop next Tuesday with an outside speaker and will then begin their role across the cohort. We ended yesterday’s session by discussing the following image and what it means for them as mental health champions.
Their responses were insightful and demonstrated a real understanding of the need for self care. We can’t look after others if we do not look after ourselves first. Our school mental health champions for C7 are: Josh Miliken, Poppy Fairhall, Mattie Bolton, Tyler Simmons, Harry Cousins, Eadie Grounds, Liam Haylock, Charlotte Brown, Freya Horvath, Amelia Marshall, Hermione O’Neill, Afiyah Malik, Micah Melvin, Lexi Jones, Maggie Alexander, Phoebe Fairbairn. Thank you to C11s Maggie Smith, Olivia Longhurst and Olivia Jinman for supporting the workshop and working with the C7s Wishing you a lovely weekend
James Saunders
Next week during assembly, we will be introducing Cohort 9 and 10 learners to The Scholar’s Programme with The Brilliant Club, inviting them to submit an application to participate in the scheme this academic year. Successful applicants participate in a university-style course, taught by a PhD researcher, culminating in a challenging final assignment. The programme offers learners a chance to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to apply to the most competitive universities. THANKS To the following learners for supporting the governor visit on Tuesday 7th November: Max Schroder, Harry Dilloway, Olaoluwa Arowosegbe, Olivia Jinman, Olivia Longhurst, Lavinia Ciobanu, Eric Gboyega-Adeoye, Daniel Spragg, Sophie Jobson, Bethany Gilfillan, Nimer Bilbeisi.
Dates for the Diary Tues 21 Nov
C12 GCSE Returners Evening
27 Nov - 15 Dec
C11 GCSE Mock Exams
Fri 1 Dec
All cohorts - flu vaccination programme
Fri 8 Dec
Non Learner Day