This week the Assemblies have focused on the topic of Britishness. This is an area we regularly refer to since the Government have publicised the importance attached to all students understanding what Britishness entails. This forms part of the work that we do at Roding Valley to ensure that our students are well adjusted members of society and are able to appreciate the type of society that we live in. The aspects of the topic that are highlighted are the concepts of Freedom of Speech as well as the fact that we have a democratic Government and we all have the opportunity to make our views heard. This forms part of the Anti-Radicalisation work that we are required to undertake as a school, but more than this I believe that it is important for our students to understand that what we take for granted in terms of Human Rights in this country is not the case worldwide. We will continue to educate our students about this topic and we make every effort to demonstrate how it forms a key part of the fabric of the school. With this in mind we are also working hard to embed the Vision that the we share for the school moving forward. There are three words that can be found throughout the school in departments and in corridors and I want students to take them as a cue for how they approach their time at Roding Valley.
Aspiration Respect Endeavour Aspiration refers to the fact that I want students to aim high and set themselves challenging targets. As teachers we do this with their academic subjects but I also want students to aim high in terms of their other interests and extra-curricular activities. Respect refers to how the students treat each other, the staff, the school itself as well as the local community. The importance of Respect is critical as I want students to be proud of where they go to school and ensure a harmonious working atmosphere. I hope that they make lifelong friends here and enjoy fantastic memories. It is also crucial that our students are excellent ambassadors for the school in Loughton and beyond. They look so smart in their uniforms that members of the public often comment to me about what a credit they are to the school. However, if individuals are getting it wrong it will inevitably be brought to my attention. Endeavour refers to the fact that I want students to work hard and try their best in everything they do. If they put every effort into their school work, their sport, their music, their drama and all of the other areas that they experience then they are highly likely to be successful and enjoy the progress that they make. Finally I would like to congratulate the Year 9 footballers who enjoyed a fine victory against a strong Davenant side on Wednesday on the Astroturf. A very committed yet mature performance from a number of our boys saw Roding Valley win 6 - 2 overall with fine displays throughout the team. It was good to see Jack Albertson do so well in his first match for the school, while Adan Mohammed, Ben Stone and Tom Spencer made life difficult for the Davenant defence throughout. Could I also congratulate Harry Gipson who has been selected for the Essex Rugby team at Scrum half next week when he plays at Allianz Park, the home of Saracens. I wish him every success. J Luck Headteacher
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