What a fantastic end to 2022 at Etone. We had some fantastic entries from both staff and pupils. Over the Christmas break staff and pupils were given a reading challenge. 

Pupils were challenged to read, explore how things have changed the way YOU think and then challenge friends to read it through a review. We have received some fantastic submissions group a range of pupils across the school.

Pupils had to choose, change and challenge themselves!

Choose: Choose what you want to read. It might be a book, a magazine, a letter, or an article online. It could be anything with words!

Change: Tell the world how reading it moved you, how it changed the way you think, how it helped you as a person or how it encouraged you to take action.

Challenge: Spread the word and influence by challenging others to read it too – either face to face, in school, or for older pupils, online.

We received two wonderful entries from two pupils that have delved deep into their creative minds to come up with their own ideas based on books they had read, and then sharing their opinions and views through a detailed review of the text. Well done!

Staff were challenged to a Christmas reading advent calendar.

We had some fantastic submissions with Miss Gray sending across some amazing photos for the staff challenge. The creativity was amazing! Finding family members, new locations and new friends to show the books that she read over the break!

Well done to the staff winners: Miss Tirabasso and Mis Gray

On the 16^th January, School Councillors met to discuss our Etone Values and how they are reflected in the actions and work of students both inside and outside the classroom. The School Councillors then broke off into groups and focused on the Etone Value for this half term – Integrity – and they produced spider diagrams on the ways that students demonstrate this important value. Here are just a few examples of the ideas that they came up with:

Etone students show integrity when:

• They choose to try their best in lessons, no matter how challenging the work might be
• They encourage their peers to do the right thing, such as focusing on improving work
• They reflect on mistakes and think about how they can do better in the future.

Following the meeting, School Councillors took Etone Value posters back to the form rooms to display on notice boards. 

On the 23^rd January, School Councillors met with our Headteacher, Mr Smith, to discuss with him their ideas for Etone – what we do well as a School, and what we can do even better. At the start of the meeting, Mr Smith met with some of our Year 10 Councillors to discuss the Pupil Voice feedback on the Etone Cafe, where the idea of different food themes linked to festivals and the College curriciulum was positively discussed. Mr Smith then moved on to discuss with the entire Council their aspirations for Etone, their suggestions to help make the student experience at Etone even more rewarding.

This week in assemblies we have been thinking about the online world as we build up to Safer Internet Day 2023. 

Each year we reflect on our own presence online; how do we impact others? how do we feel about our online actions? How do we ensure we make positive contributions?

Whilst it is an ever changing landscape online from TikTok to Cryptocurrency we encourage our pupils to stay up to date with their understanding of what positives the online world brings and the dangers that could potentially harm us.

This year during the week we have been focused on holding conversations regarding the respect and common courtesy we would expect to be given online. The importance of knowing where information has been sourced and its reliability and of course how we can promote positive attitudes online.

With an interesting fact that we stand to spend 20 years of our life online, it make sense we want those to be enjoyable and helpful times.

So this week as you browse the internet or read this story, stop and reflect – How can you be a positive impact online?

Each year on the 27^th January, Holocaust Memorial Day is marked nationally. This signifies the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops in January 1945. As part of Etone’s commemoration, the History Department had arranged for 35 Year 9 pupils to attend a workshop on the 25^th January 2023 at the National Archives in London. This allowed pupils to have an opportunity to take photographs and other sources from the archives and use them as part of their investigation into what life was like in Nazi-occupied Europe. Pupils were able to look at real photographs from events such as Reichkristallnacht in November 1938 and identify what they could learn about such events. Pupils were able to ask questions about what they thought was happening in the photos and demonstrate their knowledge of the Holocaust from having first studied it in the Autumn term. 

On Thursday 26^th January 2023, all Year 9 pupils and Sixth Form pupils had the opportunity to listen to live survivor testimony from Ruth Posner BEM as part of the Holocaust Memorial Week on behalf of the Holocaust Educational Trust. Pupils were able to listen to Ruth who outlined that following the German invasion of Poland in 1939, her family was thrown out of their home and she was then sent to the Warsaw Ghetto. By 1943, she was taken prisoner and sent to Germany where she eventually ended up in an industrial town called Essen, where the Allies carried out heavy bombing. She then hid on a local farm until the end of the war and moved to the UK at the age of 16. Pupils were given booklets to complete to reflect on Ruth’s experience and also to discuss why there should be Holocaust education in schools. This was an invaluable opportunity for our Sixth Form Historians to prepare them for their study of the Holocaust at the end of Year 13. 

Both of these activities helped to broaden our pupil’s understanding of what life was really like during the Holocaust, and also to help them understand the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day of ‘ordinary people’. Listening to survivor testimony and having access to primary sources really was and is an invaluable experience for our pupils.

Following this, Etone have selected their two Year 12 Holocaust Ambassadors for 2023. As part of their role, they will travel to Auschwitz before sharing their experiences with other pupils and the wider community.

Like many, we will stand to remember so that this terrible tragedy will not happen again.

Results are in: Etone College Football Academy 5 v 3 Amethyst

An away day in Wolverhampton saw the opportunity for the Etone team to hold their position at the top of the table. 

An open start to the game presented opportunities for both teams to take early leads with plenty of half chances at either end. However, a controversial period saw a penalty shout for a foul on J Atkins given the opposite way, followed shortly afterwards by a penalty given at the other end after the Amethyst forward felt he pushed during a collision. Etone responded with an equaliser just before half time but it couldn’t hide what had been a poor quality first half. 

Things went from bad to worse in the 2nd half as Amethyst retook the lead directly from a curling corner into the far corner and doubled their lead at the near post shortly after. Etone looked to be finished with 35 minutes to go but in truth, the action was just beginning. Quick-fire goals from C Heath and T Stenton meant it was everything to play for going into the final 15 minutes. When Cain went through on goal to complete his hat trick there was no mistake slotting into the bottom left corner to give the visitors the lead. A nervy couple of minutes followed with a flurry of corners for Amethyst and a top save from C Clarke from close range at a crucial stage in the match. A penalty in the dying moments provided J Atkins with the perfect opportunity to get himself on the scoresheet and he did just that sending us to a 5-3 comeback win for Etone. Well done all and may we continue the winning streak.

On Monday 23rd January, our School Council held their next session with Mr Bonner in the chair.

During the session the focus was on pupil voice as pupils shared how they could work together to further enhance their time at Etone College. Taking pride in the school they are a part of pupils were overwhelmingly positive about their days at Etone however, there were some fantastic ideas such as a book swap shop, break time computing club and charity fundraising amongst others which we are excited to get working on.

As part of the event, the pupils had the chance to share their ideas with Mr Smith in a discussion over toast and juice as to how we could implement some of them.

Student Leadership is an important part of Etone and the school council is at the very forefront of that. These elected individuals make up everything that the Etone Learner is all about showing all six values and eight employability skills. 

If you would like to read more about our Student Leadership opportunities check it out here: https://www.etonecollege.co.uk/student-leadership/

Well done to all of our council members and keep it up!

At Etone we provide the building blocks to our pupils so they develop the skills and knowledge that will serve them well in a future competitive workplace.

Whilst we emphasise progress for all, with fantastic results, award-winning careers package and connections to prestigious institutes, we also put a lot of effort in helping pupils develop the values and skills they will require to navigate life beyond education.

As part of this we have an extensive Personal Development programme, one which provides pupils with the opportunities in life to explore their own thoughts and values. Through this programme we ensure pupils are aware of how to build a positive mental health, through our wellbeing calendar we ensure pupils take the time to check in and reflect at key points in the year.

On Monday we were thrilled to host another Brew Monday inviting staff and pupils into D0-3 for a cup of tea/hot chocolate and a biscuit. With a fantastic turnout and need for an overspill space pupils had the chance to: talk about their day, play games and even experience the magic delights of Miss Stafford! 

It is really important that we take time to release and process the goings on of a busy day and we were happy to be able to do this as a community.

Well done and thank you to all that attended. We can’t wait for the next one!

Whilst for many of us the start back in the new year takes time getting used to, we wanted to recognise the efforts of our hard-working Year 12 and 13 students in the Sixth Form. Since starting back many of them have already sat their first exam of the year as they complete exams and external tasks for their vocational courses. 

We are proud of all of Etone Learners but we wanted to provide a special mention to those who have worked hard over the holiday period, revising and making sure they make the most of their opportunities. Whilst it might seem tough at this moment, success earned now will help to propel the successes we know we will see at the end of the year. Thank you to all of our students and parents for your support in making sure your results are fantastic. Keep it up.

Last week Etone College was delighted to be featured in the Nuneaton News for the first time in 2023.

The publication detailed some of the school’s fabulous efforts to raise funds for the local community along with national and global initiatives.

In total, the school has raised nearly £5000 since September 2021. This is a fantastic total when you consider that particularly at this time people everywhere are experiencing hardships.

We wanted to share with you the article and ask that you keep your eyes posted for more of our star pupils!

It may surprise you to know that using research and evidence in medicine is something that has only been prioritised in recent times. This may seem baffling, but it is true. Similarly, since the 2010’s there has been a greater reliance on research within the classroom in order to ensure that schools deliver effective education.

This is something however, that Etone we do regularly. Always looking to utilise the latest strategies and be a part of the research as we find solutions to educational problems.

This week we are proud to announce our very own Mr Randall has been featured by the Education Endowment Foundation (a leading educational research organisation) for his blog on using examples in lessons.

A big congratulations to Mr Randall who has worked hard on:  Using Worked Examples to Promote High-Quality Mathematical Talk, as it shows how the hard work of colleagues at Etone are striving to have an impact on education as a whole.

Check it out here:  https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-using-worked-examples-to-promote-high-quality-mathematical-talk