This year for World Mental Health Day we celebrated with lots of different activities around school. Pupils have all had an assembly by Mrs Price and Dillon R, one of our wellbeing ambassadors, on this year’s theme which is ‘Mental Health in the Workplace’ which included the importance of mental health and ways to look after your own mental health. This has included a more in depth look at Mindfulness, which has been followed up in form time with a daily ‘Mindful Minute’, which pupils have been able to use to practice taking time to ground themselves and be mindful. Year 8 took part in ‘Walk a mile’ to support the ‘connect’ and ‘keep active’ tips from our top tips, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all and despite one day being postponed due to the weather, they still managed to clock up an impressive 874 laps of the astroturf across the week. On Thursday 10^th October we marked the day by wearing yellow accessories and pupils enjoyed visiting the wellbeing stands in the hall and café at break time. After a very successful week, we would also like to do a big shout out to the wellbeing ambassadors who have played a crucial role this week supporting another popular Brew Monday, clocking up all those laps of the astroturf, encouraging and chatting to their peers through ‘Walk a Mile’ and even co-delivering the assembly, they have done us proud. We are very much looking forward to our next events.

The Choir are busy rehearsing for their Christmas shows including the upcoming Mince Pies and Carols, Christmas Concert amongst others.

However, they took a short break to share this photo supporting the schools approach with Movember. We’re very pleased but can’t help but see a little Freddie Mercury in there.

On Wednesday our Computing department was visited by the NCCE and members of our trust to share our fantastic Computing curriculum at Etone.

As part of the visit leaders were able to show the clear and comprehensive vision for Computing at Etone. With it being arguably the most important development area in the world, providing high quality teaching here could take our pupils to new heights.

As part of the visit, the school was able to show evidence as it works towards achieving the NCCE Quality Computing Mark. Providing the best quality computing education within the country.

To find out more about our Computing curriculum click here: https://www.etonecollege.co.uk/curriculum-it/

As we arrive at the end of November there is still time to donate to the good cause of Movember in support of Men’s Health.

With the SLT team making some “questionable” progress in the art of tache’ making it would be great to reach our target.

Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/etone-college-sltmovember?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fetone-college-sltmovember&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Our Year 12 Sport students have recently participated in a thrilling 4-week session focused on learning the skills and safety of marksmanship, this activity is an essential component of Unit 27: Principles and Practices of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities, where students gain practical experience and understanding of various outdoor pursuits.

Throughout the sessions, students have not only developed their marksmanship abilities but also learned the importance of safety protocols and responsibility when engaging in such activities. Under the guidance of an expert instructor, they honed their focus, precision, and concentration—all key elements in developing strong marksmanship skills.

This experience has offered a unique opportunity for our students to explore the challenges and rewards of outdoor and adventurous activities, applying their learning in a real-world setting. They have demonstrated exceptional teamwork, discipline, and respect for safety, ensuring a positive and productive learning environment.

We are proud of our Year 12 cohort for their enthusiasm and commitment to developing their skills in this exciting area of their course. We look forward to seeing them continue to apply the principles and practices of outdoor adventure as they progress through the unit!

Human Rights Day is celebrated on 10^th December each year. 

On Tuesday 10^th December 2024 the theme for Human Rights Day is “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.”  

Pupils will be exploring how The Human Rights Act came to be and why it is important to contribute our thoughts, understanding and rights to a better future, through equality, democracy and sustainability.  

#HumanRightsDay 

Last week, a group of A-level students had the opportunity to attend an eye-opening road safety presentation, aimed at equipping young drivers and pedestrians with the knowledge they need to stay safe on the roads. The session, held as part of our ongoing commitment to student wellbeing, covered a wide range of topics, from understanding traffic laws to the dangers of distracted driving.

Led by a team of experts from the local road safety organisation, the presentation included real-life case studies, interactive discussions, and practical tips to help students navigate the challenges of being on the road. The session emphasised the importance of staying alert, obeying speed limits, and being mindful of potential hazards – particularly in areas with high pedestrian and cyclist traffic.

One of the key messages was the impact of distractions, including mobile phone use while driving. The experts discussed how taking just a few seconds to check a text or a notification could lead to serious consequences, urging students to resist the temptation to use their phones behind the wheel.
Feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their appreciation for the valuable insights shared during the session.

As part of the initiative, all students were provided with a series of links to advise them further.
We hope that this presentation will help students become more aware of the risks they may face and equip them with the tools to make safer decisions on the road. It's a reminder that road safety isn't just for experienced drivers – it's a responsibility we all share.

Let’s continue to promote safe behaviours and be role models for younger generations. Together, we can make the roads safer for everyone.

Yet another successful careers fair was held at Etone college on  15^th November 2024. All of our students were enthusiastic and benefited from the event.  We are really grateful to all of our employers, Universities and other providers for continuing to support our comprehensive careers programme. 

Industries in attendance included:

At Etone College we are proud to take our commitment to raising awareness and funds for good causes seriously. Raising over £10,000 since 2021 this year the agents in the Senior Leadership Team are turning their attention to Movember. 

With fathers, partners, brothers and friends facing a health crisis, we can’t afford to stay silent.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health. Prostate cancer, testicular cancer , mental health and suicide prevention – the charity is taking them all on, providing support and initiatives across the world.

To be exact since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world, challenging the status quo, and shaking up men’s health research.

To further support our gents on the SLT team at Etone are growing out their moustaches to raise funds, awareness and disguise the rest of their undesirable faces.

To support our efforts donate at the following link! Every little helps: https://www.justgiving.com/page/etone-college-sltmovember?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fetone-college-sltmovember&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

At 6pm on Tuesday, 7^th January 2025, Etone Exceeding Excellence will be welcoming a lecture by Astrophysicist, Prof. Ed Guinan focused on his NASA project, 'The Martian Garden'.  Parents and pupils are invited to attend.

Dr Guinan was one of the team who first observed the rings around Neptune in 1968; he was also involved in building Iran's first high-powered telescope.  His research interests include black holes, searching for exoplanets, pulsating stars, binary star systems, and the evolution of the sun and solar-like stars.

We are absolutely delighted that Dr Guinan will be talking to Etone pupils live from Philadelphia via Teams, enabling both the opportunity to listen to the lecture and to ask questions.  Following the evening, Etone pupils will be given the opportunity to create their own Martian Garden using soil which Dr Guinan has sent to Mrs Leftwich-Lloyd which was collected last weekend.