HEADLINES 4th April 2025
REFLECTIONS ON ‘ADOLESCENCE’
As a parent of two boys, I found the hit Netflix series ‘Adolescence’ harrowing viewing. However, it has been a great vehicle to raise awareness of safeguarding and the dangers of social media influence, particularly to discuss the dangers of toxic masculinity and the rise of the ‘incel’ subculture amongst teen boys. In addition, I hope that the show can act as a catalyst for a societal reflection on the causes of discontent amongst young men.
The ‘incel’ culture is one component of the self-titled ‘manosphere’. This is a varied collection of online groups that promote masculinity and celebrate misogyny. A common theme held amongst groups is that society is biased against men due to the influence of feminism. Accepting that traditional society is shaped against men is known as ‘taking the red pill’, waking up to ‘reality’ like in the film ‘The Matrix’. There is a strong overlap between incel and other ‘manosphere’ groups and the far-right. However, the ‘manosphere’ is no longer a niche internet subculture, and the toxic masculinity promoted by people such as Andrew Tate (the third most googled person in the world in 2023) is now disturbingly mainstream online. In light of this, the challenge to be present in our own children’s online world and supporting our school community with this challenge is a great one.
One common discussion I have had with people who have watched the series has been around the ‘secret language’ used by this online community. Police and a group called ‘For Working Parents’, an organisation which helps coach family communication, have issued a table entitled the ‘Periodic Table of sinister emojis’ by Amit Kalley, which highlights what different emojis might mean when used by children. The emojis listed include the “100” sign and pill emojis which are said to stand for “incel”, as well as two devil emojis and the ghost emoji for “anti-woman”.
By Dan Smith
However, it is very easy to blame the role of social media for all of society’s ills. The findings of a report by the Centre for Social Justice published in March 2025 entitled “The Lost Boys” convincingly argues that the negative impact of social media and Andrew Tate’s ilk are the symptoms, not the cause, of problems for young men. Statistics support the significance of the issues young men are facing in the UK. In education from nursery to university, boys are falling behind girls. Since the pandemic, the number of young men aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has increased by 40%, whereas it is 7% for young women. The gender pay gap has now been reversed for full time workers aged 16-24. As stated in this report, ‘every case of suicide is a tragedy and for young people between the ages of 15 and 19, for every girl that took their own life, almost three and a half boys did likewise’. This is not to downplay the challenges that young girls face, but to highlight that young men are struggling with their role in the world. So much has been taught, rightly, about ‘toxic masculinity’, but perhaps this has created a vacuum for what it means to be a boy and a man, and the ‘manosphere’ has swept into this vacuum. This report argues that as a society we must find a more hopeful vision for masculinity so that young men can thrive.
Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead
In ‘Adolescence’, the school is portrayed as hapless and chaotic, so unlike Honywood. The high expectations culture that we work tirelessly to create enables a safe, calm environment where relationships can flourish. All visitors to the school praise the calm and safe culture that they witness, and children report that they feel privileged to be here as a result. As a school, we encourage all of our staff to be ‘professionally curious’ and to be proactive in safeguarding our children by seeking to explore and understand what is happening in our children’s lives. This week, it has been announced that ‘Adolescence’, which has a certificate of 15 years old, will be made free to stream for all schools. There is some debate on the appropriateness of such a move and the impact it could have on some learners. Rather than rush to react to this in an unplanned knee jerk manner we will now look at how we can incorporate the topics highlighted in the TV series and lessons from it into our curriculum in a careful, age appropriate and considered way. We will of course keep you updated on any changes. We will continue to reflect on our curriculum to promote both online safety and a more positive vision for what it means to be a young boy, so they don’t become ‘lost’ to the online world.
I wish you a safe and happy Easter break,
Dan Smith Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Road Safety is an issue that affects everyone. We all need to use roads whether we are children or adults. Most of us use the roads everyday as pedestrians, cyclists, drivers or passengers in cars. It is essential therefore to ensure that we can travel around as safely as possible.
National Highways are undertaking to improve the safety along the A120,. The safety scheme features the installation of five new average speed safety cameras and associated signage along a section of the A120 between Marks Farm, Braintree and Marks Tey near Colchester.
As part of the improvements the current 60mph speed limit on the Coggeshall bypass west towards Bradwell and eastwards to Marks Tey will be permanently reduced to 50mph. Additionally, the 40mph speed limit through Bradwell will be extended 635m to the east.
Is expected to be completed during summer 2025.
To support our C11 learners as they approach the GCSE season, teachers are running revision sessions during the Easter Holidays. Please see the timetable below.
GCSE Exams
Top tips to survive the exam season
Getting ready for exams can bring out many emotions, ranging from excitement to apprehension, and elation to exhaustion. However you feel, these top tips will help you to approach the exams in a positive manner.
1. Manage your time
Don’t leave it until the last minute. It’s widely accepted that this is not the best way to approach an exam. To help sort out your time management, set up a timetable for your study. Write down how many exams you have and the days on which you have to sit them. Then organise your study accordingly. You may want to give some exams more study time than others, so find a balance that you feel comfortable with.
2. Organise your study space
Make sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes out. Have you got enough light? Is your chair comfortable? Are your computer games out of sight? Try and get rid of all distractions, and make sure you feel as comfortable and able to focus as much as possible. For some learners, this may mean almost complete silence, for others, background music helps. Some of us need everything completely tidy and organised in order to concentrate, while others thrive in a more cluttered environment. Think about what works for you, and take the time to get it right.
3. Use flow charts and diagrams
Visual aids can be really helpful when revising. At the start of a topic, challenge yourself to write down everything you already know about a topic - and then highlight where the gaps lie. Closer to the exam, condense your revision notes into onepage diagrams. Getting your ideas down in this brief format can then help you to quickly recall everything you need to know during the exam. Flash cards are useful for learning the relationship between two pieces of information - write a question or key term on the front and then the answer or definition on the back.
4. Practice past papers
One of the most effective ways to prepare for exams is to practice taking past papers. This helps you get used to the format of the questions, and - if you time yourself - can also be good practice for making sure you spend the right amount of time on each section.
5. Organise study groups with friends
Get together with friends for a study session. You may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa. As long as you make sure you stay focused on the topic for an agreed amount of time, this can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself. Explain an answer to a question to them. That will help you to get it clear in your head, and also to highlight any areas where you need more work.
6. Take regular breaks
Studies have shown that for longterm retention of knowledge, taking regular breaks really helps. Everyone’s different, so develop a study routine that works for you. If you study better in the morning, start early before taking a break at lunchtime. Or, if you’re more productive later in the day, take a larger break earlier on so you’re ready to settle down come evening.
Remember that being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision, and also on the exam day.
7. Get plenty of sleep
Getting enough sleep is vital to feeling and performing your best. A good night of sleep will help you feel more energetic, alert, focused and upbeat.
We are hoping to create a poppy net as a memorial to VE day. We need thousands of plastic bottles! Over the next few weeks please bring in your rinsed plastic bottles from home (any size) and pop them into the library at the start of the day, in a plastic bag.
We will have C9 Prefects in the hall each break and lunchtime the week after Easter with plastic bags collecting empty plastic bottles, you have brought from the canteen.
Please do not bin your bottles, save them and give them to the C9 Prefects.
Mon 31 March - Fri 2 May
Tues 22 April
Wed 23 - Thurs 24 April
Thurs 1 May - Fri 2 May
8 May to 25 June
Wed 14 May and Fri 16 May
Thurs 15 May
Dates for the Diary
Art Exam
MFL Speaking Exams
GCSE Exams
HPV Vaccinations
Geography Field Trip