Thank you to the staff and sixth formers and students who battled the rain yesterday to make Etone Blooming Brilliant! Etone staff donated plants to fill planters donated by @wickes. These now sit at the front of school to welcome visitors in . Some of our team made a start of weeding some of the beds around the school site.

Gardening is a great way to boost your mental health, it allows us to connect with others and get outside , all whilst making a difference to our school site!

The Gardening club meet every Thursday from 3:15pm-4pm , we are looking for new members, with some exciting projects planned for September!

#wickescommunity #BloomingBrilliantEtone

On Wednesday our safeguarding lead, Mrs Price ran the first parent session of this half term with a focus on pupil wellbeing.

This particular event is always a worthwhile one, sharing our top tips to support mental health and how we as a school support pupils in the modern world.

With some tricky areas to navigate in life, from online to emerging trends, the importance of collaboration has never been more prominent. The event was well attended with pupils making an excellent effort to excel and achieve!

We are delighted that all 14 of our 'Brilliant Club - Scholar's Programme' participants submitted their final 1,500 word assignments last week.  Exploring the topic, 'what is money' with a PhD tutor has been an enriching experience for them which has impacted their thinking, creativity, and academic writing.  Their final feedback 1:1 sessions with their tutor are scheduled in on Tuesday, 23rd June following which they will complete their post-programme assessment, before graduating at The University of Sheffield in July.  Well done to all of you! 

Year 8 students at Etone College recently took part in an exciting Army STEM Day led by Science staff, combining creativity, engineering and problem-solving in a hands-on learning experience.

Throughout the day, students worked in teams to design and build their own vehicles using a range of materials and technology-based challenges. The activities encouraged students to think critically, test ideas and adapt their designs to improve performance.

As well as developing their STEM knowledge, the event focused heavily on key employability skills that are essential for future careers and everyday life. Students demonstrated excellent teamwork by collaborating effectively and supporting one another during the challenges. Many also showed great initiative when solving problems independently and improving their vehicle designs.

The project required strong organisation skills as students managed their time, materials and responsibilities within their teams. Technology and numeracy skills were also developed through measuring, constructing and evaluating the success of each vehicle design. In addition, students strengthened their communication skills by sharing ideas, explaining their thinking and presenting their final outcomes.

The Army STEM Day was an enjoyable and engaging experience which allowed students to apply their learning in a practical setting while building confidence and resilience. Staff were extremely impressed with the enthusiasm, creativity and determination shown by all students involved.

Well done to everyone who took part in this successful and inspiring event.

The holiday season can be a wonderful time to relax, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy a break from routine. However, it can also bring challenges, including feelings of loneliness, financial pressures, increased stress, or concerns about personal safety and wellbeing.

Whether you are spending the holidays with family and friends or on your own, it is important to take care of yourself and know where to turn if you need information, advice, or support.

Some simple ways to stay safe and well over the holiday period include:

• Staying connected with family, friends, neighbours, or colleagues.
• Looking after your physical and mental wellbeing by maintaining healthy routines where possible.
• Planning ahead if you are travelling or attending social events.
• Being mindful of online safety and protecting personal information when shopping or communicating online.
• Seeking support early if you are struggling with your mental health, finances, housing, or personal circumstances.
• Checking in on others who may be feeling isolated or vulnerable during the holiday period.

Remember, support is available throughout the holidays. If you need advice, guidance, or someone to talk to, help is only a phone call or click away.

Please take a look at some of these useful websites for information, support and guidance, if required over the holidays.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger or requires urgent assistance, always contact the emergency services without delay.

We are so excited that tickets have gone on sale for our drama club's performance of their devised piece, 'Hope' at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry on Friday, 3^rd July - Marooned - Belgrade Theatre  Working in partnership with the theatre has been an incredibly enriching experience for Etone pupils through which not only have they developed performance skills, their sense of theatre and creativity, but they have also developed teambuilding, perseverance and resilience.  We are incredibly proud of all that they have achieved.

On Tuesday, 9^th June, Etone Exceeding Excellence pupils walked to Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre where they took part in two local history sessions.  In their social history session delivered in the parlour, volunteer, John showed pupils a chair which belonged to the chairman of the workhouse which used to stand on College Street, also explaining that the street took its name from the Victorian euphemism for the workhouse, 'The College for the Poor'.  John gave pupils a wealth of information about Victorian life and the origins of the heritage centre building and the Newdegate family. 

Volunteer, Rob introduced Etone pupils to the Victorian school room complete with rules, punishments and rewards.  No-one liked the look of the cane, strap, and dunce's hat through many excelled at writing with a dip pen.  Rob explained how dip pens were adopted because quills needed to be trimmed so regularly (and the origins of the term 'pen knife' as it was the knife used to sharpen the pen).

We would like to thank John and Rob for their time, enthusiasm and for sharing their knowledge with our pupils so freely.  We will be returning soon.

This month marks Pride month, a month dedicated to celebrating diversity and showing our support to the LGBT+ community. This week our catering team have been doing us proud, with their very special Pride Cupcakes. Colourful and tasty they’re are the perfect treat at the end of the rainbow.

Each day the cupcakes have sold out proving to be a very popular dessert indeed. A big thank you to Mr Thornley-Yates and the team for the sensational snacks!

Year 8 pupils had a fantastic cultural opportunity to visit the birthplace of the Bard himself as part of their Shakespeare unit on Romeo and Juliet this term.

Their tour started with a treasure hunt following local historical landmarks which led them to Shakespeare’s grave.  As part of their treasure hunt they also explored Shakespeare’s birthplace and his home with wife Anne Hathaway.  Pupils were amazed at the conditions in which the Shakespeare’s lived – particularly the small living space and the use of a rope ladder to reach the upper floors.

Their visit was enriched with an opportunity to experience the cultural diversity of Stratford-upon-Avon itself by spending some time exploring the parks and gardens around the river.  Some were even brave enough to try out the rides at the fair.

The visit finished exploring natural wonders within the butterfly farm and even having the opportunity to pick up some exotic creatures and have beautiful and giant butterflies landing on them.

Pupils had a fantastic experience which they now bring back into the classroom to enhance their contextual knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare.