HEADLINES 12th July 2024
By James Saunders
IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE
As we approach the end of term feeling a sense of exhaustion I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on another great year at Honywood.
Where do I begin? Well, the sensible place to start is the start of the year. We came back from the summer after a highly successful year ready to take things forward. The one thing we did not predict was RAAC. I still remember the phone call that came just before we were scheduled to return in September.
RAAC was another challenge in a long line of challenges and disruptions our learners have had to endure. There have been so many challenges and so many unexpected demands on learners, families and staff throughout the last few years we leave the year wondering what will happen to us next. As always our learners have been great. Not once have they faltered or not risen to the challenges placed upon them. Out of all of us I think the learners have weathered the storm the best. For me it has been their positivity, their camaraderie and their altruistic ethos of caring for each other that has certainly got me through the past year - our learners are what make our community special.
I would like to thank you for your unwavering support over the past year and for the many kind messages you have sent me. Every day, no matter how I have been feeling, I have walked through the doors of Honywood and felt a sense of support from our whole community; a calmness that comes from the security of being part of a caring community. I think that is the culture you have all contributed to cultivating here at Honywood. Of course there have been strains and struggles throughout the year - it is the byproduct of our relationship model.
Our learners all deserve a rest now. In one week we will be handing them over to you, their families, for the summer break. Now is the time for them to
devote themselves to those things they love; to take time out and to immerse themselves in endeavours that are completely separate from school.
So at the end of yet another “year like no other” consisting of remote learning; blended learning; delivering live lessons; vacating half the school; asbestos removal; building half a school within 4 weeks and countless fire drills, we can look back and be proud that we got through it. It has been incredibly difficult to manage all that on top of running a school. We may have made a few mistakes along the way but looking back I am proud of how we have managed.
When we return, the plan, and indeed the expectation, is that we will be able to return back to normal. We are currently on track to complete the RAAC work in the school so that we can move back in. The deadline is very tight and the work will take us right up to the end of the summer holidays. We will still have access to Space Village, our temp buildings, should we not be able to move fully back into the main building.
Who knows what challenges lie ahead. I have received confirmation that we are on the School Rebuilding Programme List and will begin the feasibility work in April next year. Whatever challenges are round the corner it is clear that our learners have proven to be resourceful, adaptable and up for any challenge.
Thanks everyone.
Kind regards
James Saunders
Congratulations to the following learners who have been appointed as Deputy Lead Learners:
Bonnie Bunch
Freddie Estall
Jack Hill
Matilda Moxham
Mia Newiss
Frances Rassell
Estelle Scherer
Felix Skubich
Congratulations to the following learners who have been appointed as Prefects:
Molly Barford
Sophie Bloomfield
Katherine De Bruyn
Nathan Humphreys
Zachary Newton
Francesca Nottage
Callum Rider
Evie Thomson
Elliott Watson
Marcia Wilson
Thank you to everyone who has donated to our fundraising for Cancer Research. A combination of donations and the entrepreneurial skills of Miss Ginn's Learning Group combined has raised a total over £6000!! Amazing!
Times will be staggered during the day to help with demand.
New Year 7’s - 10am Year 8 - 11am
Year 9 - 12 noon
Year 10 - 1pm Year 11 - 2pm
Dates for the Diary
Wed 17 July Pride Fete
Fri 19 July End of term - early finish
Thurs 5 Sept & Fri 6 Sept
Term begins: C7 ONLY in school
Mon 9 Sept C8, C9, C10 and C11 return to school
Prom Night A Night to Remember
LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
COLCHESTER HISTORY
HISTORY TOUR
Both C8 and C9 took part in challenges throughout the week in the shape of Game Shows: problem solving, critical thinking and resilience. Teamwork and relationships played a key role during this week.
• Learners can build relationships with their classmates through teamwork, and this can create a welcoming and encouraging learning atmosphere.
• Through collaboration on projects, they look to gain respect, trust, and a sense of belonging from their classmates.
• Learners who may be struggling with socialisation or who may be new to the school can benefit most from this. They can feel more connected to the school and peers by developing positive relationships and forging friendships making them feel part of the Honywood community.
Spending as little as one day with an employer, doing simple tasks or merely work shadowing (watching an experienced employee at work) can be hugely beneficial for learners. Reasons for doing work experience include:
• developing transferable skills, such as communication and teamworking
• understanding how organisations work or bringing a job they have read about to life
• building confidence in interacting with adults
• confirming an interest in a career or (equally useful!) deciding it is not for them
• a foot in the door - if they impress the employer they may be asked back on a more formal arrangement such as an internship, or encouraged to apply when vacancies arise.
• providing valuable content for a UCAS personal statement, to give evidence of an interest in a particular subject/occupation
