Students have been respectfully engaged in Remembrance Day activities in the library. All pupils had the opportunity to look at a wall display of local areas affected by the Blitz and were stunned to discover they lived near affected areas and still recognised them. Students read the Blitz Remembrance booklet and recognised streets and roads that were a part of their daily lives. This brought home to them the tragedy of entire families lost during the bombings of Nuneaton, Bedworth and Coventry. Some pupils also consulted with family members to verify that they were linked to some names and were relatives. Furthermore, they were humbled by the Nuneaton Book of Remembrance which lists all fallen Nuneaton soldiers of World War One. Pupils respectfully researched the documents and also

read replica copies of World War Two newspapers. Wall displays around the library also featured cross-curricular information and posters relating to both World Wars including subjects such as science, food technology, maths, history, geography and life-long learning. Of particular interest was a typical week’s ration for a family and also well-known brands advertised during the war; such as Cadburys, Coca Cola, Birds and Kelloggs, which are still available today.

On 11 October 2019, our Sixth Form had the opportunity to host our Nuneaton and Bedworth MP Mr Marcus Jones. As part of our Life Skills Program and commitment to British Values, the theme across our main school and sixth form for the week was “Individual Liberty and the Freedom to Vote”. It was such an opportunity for our students to finish the week being able to discuss both individual and national concerns with our own representative in the Houses of Parliament.

After a brief tour of the Sixth Form, Mr Jones gave a short presentation followed by a question and answer session with our students. The questions were wide-ranging from, “What made you interested in politics to whether he supported a hard stance on Brexit. Many of the Sixth Form will be eligible to vote in the next election and this time was important for them to start the process of engaging with the political process and exercising their democratic right to be part of it

Daniel Dewar, Head Boy said: “My family recently made the decision to leave South Africa and relocate to the UK. I had grown up there but my parents who are of British origin wanted us to come to Britain. It is days like today that make me feel that I can have a voice and will be listened to. I now feel more confident in being able to speak out about issues that are important to young people.”

What really impressed the students was the fact that Mr Jones grew up in Nuneaton and attended local schools. Apart from the ‘political discussion’ the fact that someone from this area can be part of the country’s decision-makers and have a successful career is important to them. It gives the strong message that ambitions and aspirations are achievable with hard work and dedication. Etone College thanks to our MP sincerely for his time and efforts with our students. It has left a lasting impression and above all that their views and opinions matter.

On Friday 28th June 2019, around 80 of our Year 11 pupils enjoyed a night to remember at their end of year prom, which was held at the prestigious Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry. Family, friends and staff eagerly awaited the arrival of our guests, who turned up in a variety of vehicles, from retro camper-vans to top of the range supercars.

Once the sun had gone down, our newly announced Prom King and Queen were responsible for setting off the firework display. A great night was had by all and we would like to thank our Year 11 guests for their impeccable behaviour on the night.

A highlights reel and photos from the evening can be found below.

As I sat watching these young people all dancing together on the dance floor it strongly came to my mind that this was the end of a chapter in their lives and the start of a new one. Many of them had been with us from Year Seven and like the caterpillar, could almost be overlooked in the array of lots of them, with too big blazers and shiny new shoes.  Looking at the glitz, the sparkle, the glamour of our young ladies and the smart suave assurance of our young men they truly looked ready to spread their wings and fly to their next adventures.  Destinations were varying, universities the length and breadth of the country, apprenticeships and jobs in many different sectors. The transitions for them at times scary but also exciting.  Without a doubt, each of them is ready for the steps into their places in shaping the future of us all.   As staff we looked on and felt renewed and revitalised to see them ‘ready willing and able’ to face new challenges. Each confident face knowing for certain that through their hard work, perseverance and commitment that aspirations can be achieved.

This was also a poignant time for us in the Sixth Form as it was Mr Mitchell’s last Prom. The staff and students thank him for his hard work, dedication and vision and wish him the very best for his next position. There is no doubt fancy dress will be a prominent feature of that College! To him and our departing students, we look forward to hearing of their successes and have every confidence that they will be assets to their next establishments.  One final thought, to them and as a reminder to us all, ‘ You must be the change you wish to see in the world.‘  Dr King

On the early hours of 8th July, 31 students gathered at Etone College to set off for three days packed with culture, history and experiences that we definitely won’t forget. After six long and exhausting hours, we safely arrived in Berlin, dropped off our bags and were ready to start the day of exploring the city. We were soon navigating the streets and the complicated transport systems, mainly thanks to Mr Hope, our own personal tour guide.

Our first stop was Checkpoint Charlie, a significant part of Berlin’s history as it acted as a secure passing during the division of the city following the start of the Cold War. After a short break for lunch, we guided our way past the glorious Berlin Cathedral, we made our way to the DDR Museum which painted a clear image of life in East Berlin under Soviet control. We were shocked to discover the appalling quality of life of the citizens, their lack of freedom and the power that Soviet’s had over them, which amplified our understanding of the tensions during the 1960s. We finished our day with a thrilling trip to the iconic TV Tower, from which the views of the city stretched before us, we were able to locate popular landmarks from the Reichstag Dome to the Brandenburg Gate – some were even able to find an infamous Soviet Spy base which had a peculiar shape.

After a well-earned rest, we were able to start our next day, first stop: the Berlin Wall. We were given a thorough tour of the remains of the wall, our guide detailed the devastating events that happened after the wall was built in 1961 and how lives were impacted by the tensions that occurred between the East and West. We were told the tragic stories of people who were directly impacted as they tried to escape the terrors of East Berlin, and the news that the youngest victim of this horror was just six years old was horrifying to us. We continued by visiting the Topography of Terror and were intrigued by the reality of Nazi control and the measures they took to protect their ideology.

We finished sightseeing on a lighter note, by visiting the Olympiastadion, an important part of Germany’s history as it was used as propaganda for Nazi Germany but also how in recent years the stadium hasn’t been used to fuel an ideology but instead has become a vital part of Germany’s society. After a short stop at the hotel, we set out for bowling, which was a compelling and rewarding finish to the day.

After days of sightseeing, socialising and tasting the most popular dishes of
Germany – including the currywurst which was highly recommended by Mr Hope. Moreover, we were eager to spot all the different colourful bears dotted around Berlin, which totalled to fourteen bears! We also gathered bags full plastic bottles as we learnt about the eco-friendly approach to recycling in Berlin and we earnt over €7! Early Thursday morning we set off back for England, a calm and quiet journey as 31students were ready to return to the comfort of their own homes.

Although we were exhausted, this experience has been an enriching and memorable experience and we’re all very thankful for this opportunity.

We were honoured to welcome an ex Etone pupil, Lecturer at Birmingham City University, Dr Shannon Ludgate, as the keynote speaker at this year’s Progress Praise Awards on the 4th July. She was truly an inspiration to those pupils in the audience who understand the meaning of effort and resilience in achieving and even surpassing, expectations of themselves. We would like to thank Dr Ludgate once again for her time and inspiring words.

This was an evening to celebrate success: pupils from Years 7-10, who have made excellent progress and have achieved outstanding attainment over the course of the academic year, were celebrated in front of their parents and carers as well as in front of a sparkling backdrop on our beautifully decorated Main Hall stage.

The effort and hard work of these pupils were rewarded with personalised individual trophies which they will be able to cherish forever.

As well as progress and attainment, trophies and prizes were also awarded for Outstanding Contribution Toward House; Outstanding Behaviour for Learning and 100% Attendance. We also celebrated our most recent Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The theme of the night was clear from the speech given by our newly elected Head Girl as she praised the hard work and effort that all nominees had displayed in order to achieve nominations for these awards. All pupils who attended will benefit from their hard work, not just tonight, but into their future lives and careers.

A number of our students recently took part in the PE Netball trip to Boreatton Park PGL Centre in Shropshire on Friday 10th May to Sunday 12th May 2019.

We would like to say a big well done to all of the pupils for their excellent behaviour and for giving it their all. A special congratulations, however, must go to our Year 10 and Year 8 teams who won medals for placing 3rd.

On Wednesday 13^th March 2019 a group of six Year 8 students took part in a public speaking competition held at Blenheim Palace. The group were challenged to create their own speech about a topic they felt strongly about but had to make sure that there was a link to the values and ideas of Sir Winston Churchill. Our team chose to discuss global warming and worked collaboratively to research the topic. Global warming was not a world issue during the lifetime of Churchill and our students showed a high level of skill to be able to interpret and incorporate Churchill’s views into their own ideas.

After an early start on the day of the trip (7 am) our team competed against many other schools. Whilst not being placed in the top three, they all spoke clearly and were able to argue their case with confidence. The team came away with a collection of books on public speaking for the school library.

We already have a number of Year 7 students who took part in the preliminaries in school during February who will form next year’s team. Our experts from this year will be able to work with them in order to share the tips received from the judges. In the meantime, any students who are keen to develop their public speaking skills should practise giving reasons to support their views, using expression and tone to engage their listeners and projecting their voice clearly.