24th February 2023
HEADLINES
By James Saunders
EXCELLENCE This week, I had some inspiring conversations about excellence which made me reflect on what it means for a school to truly embody it. When we talk about excellence, we’re not just referring to outstanding performance, but rather to a culture of constant improvement and a pursuit of the best in everything we do. It’s one of the core values that we uphold at Honywood, along with Trust, Respect, and Equity (T.R.E.E). Choosing the right word to represent our values is crucial, and we chose “excellence” because it encompasses a timeless work ethic and a mindset that always strives for the next level of achievement. It’s not just about meeting current standards, but consistently reinventing and improving our approach to teaching and learning. In my research on excellent schools, I’ve found that they share common traits such as a strong vision rooted in the curriculum, a culture of inclusion, ambition, and relationships, and an unwavering commitment to every individual learner. They prioritise knowledge and skillful questioning, ensuring that every lesson is challenging and purposeful. At Honywood, we have been working hard to create a culture of excellence, one that prioritises the best interests of every single child. It’s not always an easy path, but our learners have shown time and time again that they embody this ethic, and we are proud to be a part of building this culture. As we emerge from half-term into the warmer weather of Spring we have much to look forward to. Just around the corner is our March enrichment week. Cohort 7 will be enjoying nature at Marks Hall; Cohort 8 will be visiting the Mercury theatre and exploring Creative Careers; Cohort 9 will experience STEM and an adrenaline rush at Thorpe Park; Cohort 10 will be taking part in mock interviews as well as a range of
work related activities including MADE training and an Army Elite skills day; and finally, Cohort 11 will be completing a series of focused study days to prepare them for their final exams followed by a day in London to complete the Bingo run. Have a nice weekend. James Saunders
COHORT 7 A TEAM - Evie Hammond, Sophie Bloomfield, Lilly-Mae Gilden, Atia Heard, Izzy Roebuck, Frances Rassell, Ava Zanatta. B TEAM - Abigail Casey, Zaina Ibrahim, Darcy Luckett, Emily Fox, Zoe Robinson, Belle Turner, Bethany Gilfillan, Tilly Moxham. On Thursday this week the C7s and C8s played in their first district netball match against Gosfield School. We had two teams playing and all the girls demonstrated amazing commitment to their teams. Gosfield went home with the win but the girls made a great start to the district league! Players of the match were Evie (C7) and Bethany (C8). L Borella
COHORT 10
TEAM: Emily Wild, Ruby Shingles, Izzy McKeown, Tamar Milliken, Anna Marler, Hannah Stevens, Rose Collier, Olivia Longhurst. C10 played against Gosfield on Tuesday 21st February. They won the match 6-4 and played very well. Tamar Millikin was player of the match and did a fantastic job playing centre and leading the team.
Mrs Jones