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By James Saunders

As mentioned last week, it has been Mental Health Awareness Week this week. Mental Health remains a primary focus for society post-pandemic. In school we continue to work in partnership with NELFT NHS foundation trust and Essex Mental Health Support Team to provide additional support to our learners. This partnership utilises the services and support of Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs), to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of learners. As well as this we have access to a counselling service to support learners further.

The aim of this work is to promote good emotional wellbeing and mental health by helping children and their families through prevention, early intervention and education. We deliver a range of evidence-based interventions for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.

There are a number of different ways that we are able to support learners:

• Groups and workshops – targeted intervention focusing on certain topics/issues (e.g. emotional well-being, coping with exam stress, self-esteem, friendships.

• Individual work with young people – short term low intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed interventions for young people with anxiety and/or low mood.

• Staff support – training and consultation to support the school to develop a ‘whole school approach’ to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We also update our Honywood Wellbeing app regularly which provides a range of signposted resources.

REPORTING ATTENDANCE

Please inform the school early in the day by 8.30am if your child is going to be absent from school. You need to call the attendance line on 01376 561231 option 1 or email attendance@honywoodschool.com to report a child’s absence. This number has a 24 hour voicemail service. If you need to speak to someone because you need extra help or are worried, please contact your child’s Cohort Leader and we will make sure someone contacts you. We may ask for a letter to confirm medical appointments to explain absences or other suitable medical evidence.

If you receive a Groupcall message regarding your child’s absence please contact the school as soon as possible. If your child has not arrived at school or left the premises and you are not aware, we need you to help with finding him/her and ensuring s/he is safe. It is a safeguarding concern if no-one knows where your child is.

You need to make sure your child is in school by 8.30am in order for them to register and prepare for the day. A rushed arrival can make a child feel unsettled and lead to a difficult day in school. They may also receive a late mark and possible consequence.

We need parents to keep us up to date with contact details. Please let us know if your mobile number changes and make sure that, wherever possible, we have another two named contacts on the system we can call if we cannot get hold of you. This is important if there is any kind of an emergency. Thank you for your support.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Last week our Shakespeare Drama club gave an excellent performance of their own version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I have fond memories of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as it too was my introduction to Shakespeare. It is always a real delight to watch Shakespeare lessons and hear our learners

talking so enthusiastically about the characters - the mischievous Puck was always my favourite. Quite a timely performance of the Bard of Avon considering we have just marked the anniversary of his birth and death.

Contemporary culture is awash with references to Shakespeare; there have been countless reimaginings of his plays put into production as films. Many of us may not remember much about the plays but we always recognise the eloquent lines such as “To be or not to be,” or “Wherefore art thou Romeo.”

Shakespeare has been a part of the English curriculum for a long time. Parents, like me, will have a marmite like response to the topic - I loved it (although I do hate Marmite). The best way to develop that love is to engage learners with the language of Shakespeare early. Year 10 or 11 is seldom the best time to first encounter the language of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare represents an important aspect of a curriculum - the importance of looking back in time at the world and understanding how what went before shaped where we are today. The way we live, think and feel is a result of the things that went before. Only by understanding where we have come from and how we got to where we are today can we use that knowledge to build a future for ourselves.

I would like to end with a quote from Dead Poet’s Society.

‘We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.’

FINAL FOCUS FOR C11

C11’s are now full swing into their GCSE assessments. They have just one week left in school before they commence study leave after half term. Please join me in wishing them the very best over this last week of school. I am confident that they will all go on to lead happy and successful lives.

I wish you all a lovely weekend.

On Thursday 18th May our Cohort 10 GCSE Geographers undertook a day of Fieldwork on the Suffolk and Norfolk coastline. This area of the country features heavily in our GCSE learning and is among Europe’s fastest eroding and most heavily managed coastal zones. The idea of fieldwork is for learners to experience the theory they have learnt in class and see if it matches up to the real world. Alongside this the learners apply a human geography lens whilst looking at the pressure that tourism places on the local area and how we value land. The learners need to undertake 2 pieces of fieldwork (another session will be arranged at a later date) which they will then write up and be examined on at the end of Cohort 11. All the data collected will feed directly into their final piece of work.

James Saunders

Congratulations to Theo McQuillan on winning the Eastern Junior Alliance President's Cup with AFC Sudbury U15 Yellows. The final score was 1-0 against Needham Market at New Lodge Stadium. Winning a cup final starts from the preparation, practice, discipline, responsibility, self-confidence, accountability, and teamwork that happens years, months, weeks and up to the last few moments before kick-off. It takes a great deal of hard work and commitment to make it through to any cup final and once you get there it is a massive achievement. Well done Theo!

Theo is staying at Sudbury and will play U18’s in the Thurlow Nunn as well as the EJA rep team.

We are a netball club, run by mums whose children went to local schools and we started the youth teams so our children could enjoy the sport too. We have been a club since 2008 & would like to continue.

Kelvedon Netball Club are looking for youth players to start a new team in September 2023. Are you currently in Year 7 & looking to join a friendly netball club? Previous netball experience helpful but not essential.

We train at Honywood School Wednesday between 7-8pm during term time.

Please contact Sarah Wilde at kelvedonnetball@gmail.com for more information.

ESSEX AUTISM PROJECT

KIDS is working with the NHS in Essex to create an exciting new support service for young autistic people and their families. We’ll be working hand-in-hand with young people, families, and community groups across Essex, Southend and Thurrock over the coming year to create a service that works for everyone.

Over the next 12 months we want to work with young people and families all over Essex to coproduce an engaging accessible website and support webinars created by and for people with lived experience and we need your help!

Dates for the Diary

Mon 15th May - 20th June C11 GCSE Exams taking place

Mon 22nd May Super League Netball Visit (eve)

Mon 22nd May C8 HPV Vaccinations - consent required

Fri 26th May C11 Leavers Celebrations

Mon 29th May to Fri 2nd June May Half Term

Tues 6th June Pre-residential meetings for parents/careers

Tues 6th June Dance Trip to the Mercury

Thurs 8th June C10 Parents’ Evening

Tues 13th June C9 2nd dose HPV Vaccinations