Headlines By James Saunders 28th May 2021
and life. It is simply wanting the best always. No one would argue that we would not want that for every one of our learners. Excellence I have had some great chats with a few people this week about the theme of excellence. It has prompted me to spend some time thinking about excellence. I have been thinking about what excellence looks like in a school. I don’t mean outstanding, I mean excellence. I feel that there is a difference between the two. I feel an excellent school, a school striving for excellence, can be outstanding, but can an outstanding school be excellent? – maybe and maybe not. Excellence is the fourth of our core values at Honywood. Along with Trust, Respect and Equity, T.R.E.E it is what is important to us each and every day. We were deliberate in our choice of the word excellence - as as fan etymology the choice of words matters to me. There were so many words we could have chosen, so why excellence? Why not outstanding for example? Outstanding is a word that seems to carry a lot of connotations in our profession. It has a wider reaching impact on society too. I have even known it to affect house prices in some communities. As a result it brings some baggage, pressure and some stress. I have never really bought into the whole outstanding thing. Not because I don’t care or lack high standards but because I feel it is something that is very much in the moment. The badge, or label, so to speak is simply based on whatever educational zeitgeist is trending at the time. Outstanding today is not necessarily outstanding tomorrow – especially when the criteria changes. Outstanding for me is a compliment over a nice dish – ‘outstanding lasagne’, my wife has never said to me. At Honywood we want something more than that - a longer lasting state of excellence for everyone. Excellence feels steeped in culture, in a work ethic. Striving for excellence suggests something timeless that will not fade with a new trend – it's almost unattainable as when you reach one level you are already striving for the next and the next. It implies continual reinvention and improvement. Being excellent is not a thing – it is a state of mind – an approach to your work
I have done a little research into what excellent schools do - the ones that have always been on top of their game. For one, they never give up and always strive to better themselves. Not because they are told to but because they want to. They evaluate the impact of what they are doing to ensure they are always effective and challenging everyone. They tend to have a strong vision rooted in the curriculum and a culture of inclusion, ambition and relationships. The individual is the sovereign unit in these schools and no one gets left behind. What is taught and why it is taught is central to excellence. Knowledge and skilful questioning are key features of every lesson. Challenge is high and learning is sequenced for a deliberate purpose.
Forget about the trends. Wanting the best for every single child. Believing in every single one of them and creating a school with a deep curriculum that permeates everything is excellent. Sound familiar? That is what we are constantly trying to create at Honywood and we are all a part of building that culture. Relentlessly pursuing excellence is tough. Never giving up is tough. Taking on all the additional challenges that have been asked of us all this term has been tough. But we have done it. We have not given up. Our learners have demonstrated a real ethic of excellence. Now everyone switch off and have a rest from school for the week. You all deserve it. Happy half term – see you in a week. James Saunders Headteacher
Week commencing 24th May 2021
English C7— Keira Martin C7— James Sapsford
French KS3— Tamar Milliken KS4— Lola Evans
C8— Jack Hammond C8—
Maisie Nash
C9— Sienna King C9—Joanne Neary C10— Ella Hill C10— Dakota Martin
Maths
Geography KS4— Florence Ball
History
German KS3— Scarlett Orme KS4— Sarah Evans
KS3— Logan Evans KS4— Teigan Scott
Philosophy & Religion Spanish KS4— Caitlin Summers
KS3— KS4—
C7— Ellie Zahra
C8— Henry Greason C9— Susannah Dyer C9— Henry Golbourn
Music KS3— Morgan Dearsley KS4— Aisling Pellowe
Art KS3— David Grad KS4— Bobby-Jo Witney
C10— Erin Kinsella C10— Toby Murton
Science
Drama KS3— Ellie Zahra KS4— Isabel Corbett
C7— Soha Malek C7— Charlie Pellowe
Dance
C8— Isla Scott C9— Jayden Bishop
KS3— Scarlett Evans KS4— Skye Hurst
C9— Florence Ball C10— Matthew Collier C10— Fern Hazell-Young
Enterprise Solutions Robert Ardern
PE KS3— Felix Bird KS4— Theo Wilson GCSE— Josie Watts
Computer Science Sam Repman
Media Studies Sam Repman
KS3 Technology Emily Henrici-Fernandez
KS4 Graphics Reece Shrubb
KS4 Food Jake Ring
Health and Social Care Amy Flynn
Business Studies Henry Golbourn
KS4 Resistant Materials Luca McCracken
KS4 Textiles Sienna King
Week Now we are back in the school building on a more permanent basis, we can once again begin to engage learners and staff in our House Competitions. With the year we have had, it has been difficult to establish a new system, but today it was wonderful to see many learners and staff dressing with their House Colours in mind as part of our Dress Down Day. Learners and staff have been voting on the charity they would like to support in each House and the results of this will be announced after half term.
Moving forward, we will be introducing more competitions and a reward system as part of our Honywood Award evenings which will be introduced this year. So who will win the House Cup this year!
House Competition update
With the change in our timetable, and learners rolling forward a year, we will be starting on the 7th June on a week “A” timetable FLT garden club is back at the allotment with a variety of weather conditions never stopping us! Thanks so much to James White (Rockchart Ltd.) and Andi Thomas (Wethersfield Welding) for coming one VERY rainy Saturday and rotavating the plot for us. It has meant the learners have been able to get stuck right in.
We have a C7 and a C8 group each going up once a week and they have so far planted broccoli, cabbage, runner bean and tomato seedlings. They are also eagerly awaiting the first glimpses from the chard, lettuce, yellow tomato, lemon cucumber and sprout seeds they have started off. They have built wigwams for the broad beans that we planted last year, redesigned the plot and put the raised beds in position. We can't wait to see the produce that we get as the year goes on.
Dates for the diary Monday 31st May to Friday 4th June
Half term
Monday 7th June
Learners return (new timetable and we start on an “A” week)
Monday 14th June
C9 Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio & Meningitis ACWY (2 vaccines administered on the same visit)
Friday 2nd July
C11 Prom @ Colne Valley Golf Club
Thursday 15th July
C9 HPV second dose
Monday 19th July
Sports’ Day
Tuesday 20th July
C8 HPV (first dose) vaccination
Wednesday 21st July
Last day of term
Wednesday 1st September
Non Learner day
Thursday 2ns September
New C7 only in school
Friday 3rd September
New C7 only in school
Next week is a Week “A” Could families please remember to top up their balance on our cashless catering system. Thankyou.
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