20th May 2022
HEADLINES
By James Saunders
It’s been another lovely warm week at Honywood. Exam season is now in full swing and C11 have just one week left before they begin study leave and we break for half term. I had a lovely visit for our governors this week who spent a great deal of time talking to learners and popping into lessons. The climate has been really focused this week. It was a real pleasure to showcase the learning taking place in all parts of the school.
interview or before something that has great meaning or is of high importance to us personally. I remember when I had to speak at my fathers funeral and felt so much anxiety that I did not feel I could do it. I am pleased to say that I got through it and that anxiety I felt helped me to cope with a stressful and emotionally draining situation and actually ended up getting me through it.
WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
Our learners can often feel this at Honywood. Especially around exams, tests or assessments.
Supporting children to cope with a rapidly evolving world and the pressures of flux and change is a key part of education. Teachers too are not immune to these pressures and changes; they need just as much care and support to enable them to come to work and perform. One area that often gets overlooked is parents. As a parent myself I often experience my most heightented anxieties through worrying about my own children - they often make being a Headteacher seem pretty straightforward. I find that the pressures my children face, if left unchecked, can begin to cause me worry too. I am sure that I am not alone in this. It is this worry that then impacts my children more creating more anxiety in them and a perpetual loop of worriness. Being able to maintain a healthy wellbeing is also good for our children. Children are great sensors - we must be mindful of this. It is very easy to project our own anxieties onto them which in turn can have an impact on our and their own wellbeing. Stressed children create stressed parents which in turn creates more stressed children. We are at a time of year when many young people, their teachers and their parents begin to feel anxiety. We need to all appreciate this and work together to support each other. It is really important that we are all mindful of how the little things can add to anxiety. Not all anxiety is bad though. I don’t think there are many of us that don’t feel it the morning of a job
To support our C11 learners as we enter the exam season we will also be offering some breakfast support in the morning for those that arrive early. I know when I have skipped breakfast I don’t ever perform as well as I could. We hope that by ensuring our learners have had a good breakfast they will be at their optimum for their exams. INDEPENDENT STUDY “Independent Study is not an optional extra, but an essential part of a good education”. -1999 White Paper, Excellence in Schools I would like to take the opportunity this week to update you on Independent Study (IS) so that expectations and requirements are clear. The aims of Independent study, or homework, are as follows: Independent Study enables learners to: • • • • • •
Consolidate, apply and extend work covered in learning sessions or prepare for new learning activities. Access resources beyond the classroom. Develop research skills. Have an opportunity for independent work. Demonstrate progress and understanding. To enhance their study skills e.g. planning, time management and self-discipline.