Our WBD day began with the launch of Staff Book Club for this term, Miss Streza, Mr Monro, and Mrs Kaye-Shepheard all won books with Mrs Tucker, Miss Bali, and Mr Hope winning bookmarks and chocolate.  Massive well done!

Throughout the day, pupils followed a trail to collect key facts from dressed up staff, from The Hungry Caterpillar to Scooby Doo - Etone had it all!

We then dashed straight into 'Footy and Booky' - our team of 32 breezed their way through the two rounds of the National Quiz.  Their knowledge was fantastic and it was wonderful to see them so engaged.

The Big Book Quiz saw a momentous 95 pupils taking part.  Rounds included 'Book covers' 'Guess the Book' 'Which film?' and 'Reading Records'.  Pupils' guesses for the size of the smallest book in the world, the value of the most expensive, and how many words in the longest showed excellent logical thinking.  Well done to Centaur who took first 8C2 (Tegan, Lola, Jessica, and Evie) and second 7C2 (Erin, Freya, Effie, Blossom) place

At breaktime, Express block was buzzing, there were two rooms of 'Literary Escape Rooms' and the 'Create a Mini Book' competition in the library.  Massive well done to our winners (Eleanor and Eloise).

It was wonderful that our sixth form were involved too, undertaking 'The Big Mini Book Hunt'.  The winning student (AJ) found an amazing 107 miniature books in the building!  Well done to all who won prizes.

At the end of the day, pupils were invited to snuggle down with cakes and hot chocolate in the library to listen to Mrs Whitmore and Mrs Leftwich-Lloyd's favourite stories.  They listened with rapt attention to the openings of Northern Lights and The Silver Sword - we hope we have encouraged them to read the whole books.

We are incredibly proud to announce that Etone College is in the running for the Community School of the Year Award 2025 from the prestigious National Education Business Awards.

As you will be aware Etone prides itself as a valued member of our community. Whilst we are a centre of education, we also understand the importance of active citizenship and providing positivity to the local area. Over the past few years just some of our community programs have involved:

• Continuing our membership as Holocaust Ambassadors
• Achieving the International Language School Award
• Developing our careers program with community support on our Careers Day and Fair
• Engaging with local sport clubs
• Supporting our local primary schools in the education of their pupils
• Working with the Nuneaton Library to create links for pupils and their families
• Our Cadets have represented Etone and Nuneaton at remembrance day events
• Achieving a three year streak as league winners for our Etone Football Education Academy

Whilst these are just a few of our initiatives we are proud of all we do. However, perhaps our most impressive is the Community Champions that are at the forefront of how Etone College helps those around us. Since 2021 these pupils have supported a number of events and programs, ensuring successful food and toy bank drives each year, promoting important causes and organisations within the area and helping to support charity events that are on track to raise £15,000 within 4 years.

Of course to be nominated makes us proud, but to be shortlisted by the awards organisers is something that makes the experience truly special. Wish us luck as we attend the ceremony on June 12^th at the Leonardo Royal London St. Pauls hotel London.

On Friday 28^th February our Year 11 and 13 pupils were treated to a special visit from former 400m World Champion and Olympic athlete, Daniel Caines. During the morning session Daniel shared his story of being one of the slowest Year 10 pupils in his school, to becoming the countries youngest ever world champion. Within the session Daniel was able to share the story in a way that was both moving and engaging for our pupils as they looked to find the similarities between Daniels journey and their own they are currently on as they look to complete their exams.

Following the session Daniel was able to sum up with some key focuses for pupils; think of 5 key things you could be doing better and do them, know what you want to achieve and most importantly realise – It is never too late. Making the smallest changes now can have a major impact in the space of a short amount of time.

After the session Daniel was able to dig deeper into those themes with a group of pupils targeting ‘What makes you tick’. In this workshop the theme being around how to identify what your goals and aspirations are. As Daniel himself said “Once I knew what I wanted to achieve, I knew I was going to achieve it.”

We want to thank all of our pupils for attending and for remaining engaged thoughout the session.

Each year Etone College gets excited for World Book Day. Our love and passion for reading is clear and runs through everything we do in school across the year in each and every year group.

If you would like to find out more about our reading provision please follow this link here: https://www.etonecollege.co.uk/reading/

On Thursday next week we are excited to be celebrating World Book Day. With a packed programme of activities there is something for all years including:

• £1 Book Day vouchers for every pupil which can be used in our Book Fair the following week or in most book retailers
• Staff dress-up Trail – Where pupils get the chance to see teachers dressed as their favourite characters
• Escape Room – Run by the English Department, pupils can take part at breaktime in the Library  – First prize £10 amazon voucher
• Make a mini book – Library - First prize £10 amazon voucher
• Sixth Form – The Great (mini) Book Hunt - First prize £10 amazon voucher
• After school – reading, hot chocolate and biscuits – Library
• Year 7/8 Big Book and Footie quiz

So get excited and join us for as many of the events as possible.

Welcome to the Year 9 Pathways 2025.  Your child will receive their pack including their booklet outlining each course from 10^th February.  Please read the booklet and make your choices on Matrix Academy Trust App from 28^th February.  Deadline for choices is Friday 7^th March.

There will be a parent information evening on Thursday 27^th February in school from 4.25pm.

Within the further education system in the UK two universities stand out as centres of excellence in academia and research. Oxford and Cambridge have a combined history of; over 1000 years of education, 55 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and has laid the foundations of some of the worlds leading experts in their area.

With the rich history it is clear to see why the universities are classed as competitive. On Tuesday 11^th February a group of Year 12 students journeyed to Cambridge to experience a taster event at Clare College. The aim of the event was to give them the opportunity to consider applying to the prestigious university and seeing what it had to offer them.

Upon arrival at Clare we joined with schools form the Coventry area and were met with Cambridge alumni who gave the students some interesting thoughts to consider on their journey around. Following a short introduction, the students were treated to a tour around the Clare campus (a micro campus within the University) as they explored the College’s library, chapel and dining rooms.

Following the tour the students attended a taster session in Social Science Medicine with Phd student Evelyn Hope. Evelyn discussed her subject in considerable detail and the links to the multitude of subject areas within the university. Starting her studies at St. Andrews for her undergraduate degree, her research took her to Baltimore to explore how social medicine impacted on the day to day life of individuals and the systemic disadvantages that are present within the class systems worldwide. A truly inspiring talk which led to both interest in the specific subject and the consideration of university life and studying.

Finally the day was complimented by a session supporting students in writing their personal statements with prestigious universities in mind. The day was well receive by all pupils who felt it had really enthused them as they start the journey of applying to University.

A group of professionals known as Proactive recently held a series of highly beneficial mock interviews and CV workshops for Year 11 and 12 students at Etone College. The event aimed to equip the students with essential skills for their future careers and university applications.

The Proactive group, which specialises in career development and employability skills, provided a hands-on learning experience designed to prepare young people for the competitive job market. Throughout the morning, students were given the opportunity to participate in mock interviews with industry experts, allowing them to gain valuable feedback on their interview techniques, presentation, and overall confidence.

In addition to the mock interviews, Proactive hosted a workshop focused on CV writing. The session provided students with practical advice on how to craft standout CVs, tailored to various job sectors and university applications.

Teachers at Etone College were also pleased with the success of the event. Mrs Barlow, Head of Careers, commented: "This has been a fantastic opportunity for our students. It’s so important that they understand what employers and universities are looking for, and the Proactive group has delivered a very insightful and engaging session. We hope to continue these collaborations to further support our students’ futures."

Proactive’s visit to Etone College is part of a wider initiative to engage with schools and colleges across the UK, helping young people gain essential employability skills. The group’s commitment to supporting the next generation of professionals is evident, and their recent workshop is expected to have a lasting impact on the students of Etone College.

As the job market continues to evolve, it is events like these that help young people bridge the gap between their education and their professional aspirations, giving them the confidence and skills needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive environment.

This week, schools across the country are taking part in an important initiative; Children's Mental Health Week which is a time dedicated to raising awareness about the mental health of children and young people. It’s also a week where we reflect on the struggles students may face and the support systems that can help them navigate those challenges.

Children’s Mental Health Week, launched by Place2Be, aims to shine a spotlight on the importance of children’s mental health and well-being. The theme for this year is “Know yourself, Grow yourself!” in partnership with Here4You, supported by The Walt Disney Company’s film Inside Out 2, Children’s Mental Health week encourages open conversations in classrooms and beyond, helping students understand that mental health is just as important as physical health. At Etone we are encouraging pupils to discover how getting to know who they are can help them build resilience, grow and develop. At school we have had “Brew Monday” where pupils can sit, chat, craft and play games and talk about their feelings and emotions, Year 9 have taken part in our walk and talk a mile, which took place during form times, there was a dedicated assembly, each subject area created a starter linked to mental health and Just Dance proved extremely popular again during Friday break time.

For Blue Monday, there was a positive pineapple hunt for year 7 and 8 where they looked for the pineapple pictures displayed around the school and then had to work out what the positive pineapple word was. For staff there was a positivity post-box and staff wore bright coloured socks or accessories. Our Well being ambassadors also lead a secret mission where they hid sweet treats around the school for staff and students to find. Etone are proud they turned “Blue Monday” in to a positive.

The efforts put into Children’s Mental Health Week and Blue Monday are essential, but the impact shouldn’t end there. As we move beyond this special week, it’s important to continue fostering an environment where mental health is part of the ongoing conversation, not just something we focus on in times of crisis. At Etone we integrate well-being programs into daily routines, provide regular check-ins for students, and offer resources for parents to support their children at home.

At the heart of these initiatives is the belief that every child deserves to feel heard, understood, and supported. By working together, we can make a lasting difference in the mental health of the next generation.

Let’s remember that mental health matters every day of the year and with the right support, every student has the potential to thrive!

This week we had our final reward trip of this series.  90 Year 7 pupils attended a free bowling and pizza trip as a reward for their outstanding behaviour and attendance between November and January. To qualify, the pupils maintained attendance above 97% and a positive behaviour ratio of over 95%. In total nearly half the year group met this standard and many of the pupils attending had 100% attendance and positive behaviour for this period. A huge well done to all pupils who met platinum criteria.

This week we have celebrated the resilience and commitment of every pupil and student who had 100% attendance for the autumn term. 

Each day a different house had Hot Chocolates, juices and Pain au Chocolate with Mr Smith. In total, over 240 pupils and students maintained 100% attendance for the term. A huge well done to those pupils and thank you to their parents and carers for supporting them to come in all day, every day even when they are not feeling at their best.  

(Please note that Centaur pupils who should have had their celebration on Friday 6^th February will now have their celebration on Thursday 13^th February)