Today was a very proud Deputy Headteacher moment when I visited a Maths lesson to be greeted with blazer lapels adorned with employability skills and values badges! Living and breathing our values every day and demonstrating the skills that they will need later in life, our very special Etone learners pictured here are examples to us all.  Well done - what a fantastic achievement. This year, we are proud to have awarded: points, values badges, employability points and employability badges - rewarding our pupils for being true Etone learners.  Watch this space as tomorrow I will be giving winners certificates for our values challenges for showing support for others each and every day

Etone's New Prefects Complete Inspiring Leadership Training Day

Our newly appointed Etone College Prefects for 2026–2027 recently took part in an exciting and engaging full-day training programme designed to prepare them for one of the school's most important student leadership roles.

The day brought together pupils from across all four houses to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to become outstanding ambassadors for Etone College. Throughout the programme, pupils demonstrated exceptional maturity, enthusiasm and commitment, setting a fantastic example of what it means to be an Etone Prefect.

The training covered a wide range of leadership themes, including:

• Understanding the role and responsibilities of a prefect

• Developing leadership, teamwork and communication skills

• Mentoring and supporting younger pupils

• Safeguarding awareness and professional boundaries

• Conflict resolution and problem-solving

• Representing Etone College as proud ambassadors

• Personal leadership development and action planning

The day was packed with practical activities, including team-building challenges, leadership tasks, mentoring role plays, safeguarding scenarios and ambassador presentations. These interactive sessions encouraged pupils to work collaboratively, think critically and develop the confidence to lead others.

One particular highlight was the leadership challenge, where teams were tasked with constructing the tallest free-standing structure using limited materials. It was fantastic to see pupils demonstrating creativity, resilience, communication and collaboration whilst reflecting on how effective leadership can influence success.

Another key element of the day focused on mentoring younger pupils. Prefects were shown the importance of active listening, asking effective questions and using the GROW coaching model to support younger students in a safe and supportive manner. A huge well done to Evie H who volunteered to demonstrate this with Miss Bali in front of all her peers.

Safeguarding remains at the heart of everything we do at Etone College, and prefects completed Level 1 safeguarding awareness training. They developed a clear understanding of their responsibilities, recognising that being a student leader is not about solving every problem themselves, but about listening carefully, acting responsibly and ensuring concerns are passed on to the appropriate members of staff.

The afternoon challenged pupils to think about what it truly means to be an Etone Ambassador. Working together, they explored the many strengths of our school and prepared "elevator pitches" explaining why families should choose Etone College. Their pride in our school community was evident, and many spoke passionately about the opportunities, support and sense of belonging that Etone provides.

Throughout the day, our new prefects consistently embodied the Etone Values and in addition to these values, pupils developed many of the essential employability and life skills that will benefit them well beyond school, including leadership, communication, organisation, teamwork, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, public speaking and decision-making.

Mr Evers, Deputy Headteacher, said:

"I was incredibly proud of the maturity, enthusiasm and professionalism shown by every pupil throughout the training day. They embraced every activity with positivity and demonstrated exactly why they were selected to represent our school. I have every confidence they will become outstanding role models and ambassadors for the Etone community."

The training day marks the beginning of an exciting journey for our new prefect team. Over the coming year they will support school events, welcome visitors, mentor younger pupils, contribute to student leadership projects, represent student voice and play a vital role in promoting the values and culture of Etone College.

We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make across our school community and wish them every success as they begin their leadership journey.

This week our Year 7 pupils enjoyed a fantastic reward trip to Drayton Manor, and our Year 10 pupils visited Alton Towers, recognising those who have consistently demonstrated excellent attendance, positive behaviour and our Etone Values throughout the year and/or the qualification window.

Both days were a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the commitment and effort shown by so many of our pupils. On both trips, our pupils were outstanding ambassadors for Etone College. Their kindness, respect, manners, responsibility and positive attitude were evident throughout each day.

We were especially proud to receive compliments from adults from other schools, who took the time to comment on how polite, respectful and well-behaved our pupils were. It is always rewarding to hear others recognise the high standards and values that our students demonstrate every day.

The trips provided plenty of excitement, with pupils enjoying a wide range of rides and attractions, creating lasting memories with their friends while celebrating a successful year.

A huge thank you goes to all of the staff who gave up their time to make the trips possible. Their enthusiasm, care and commitment ensured that every pupil had a safe and enjoyable experience.

A special mention must go to Mrs Smith, who spent much of the day at Drayton Manor accompanying pupils on the water rides, ensuring that every child who wanted to experience the attractions had the opportunity to do so. Her willingness to get soaked in the name of making the day memorable certainly did not go unnoticed and was greatly appreciated by both pupils and colleagues!

Congratulations to all of the pupils who earned their place on the trip. You should be incredibly proud of the way you represented Etone College. Your excellent attendance, positive behaviour and commitment to living our Etone Values made this celebration thoroughly deserved. We look forward to seeing you continue this success next academic year.

Etone's Drama Club shone on stage last night at their full technical rehearsal at The Belgrade Theatre; working with The Belgrade's professional lighting and sound team alongside their director Jacob Whitehorn from Dauntless Evolution, they ran their whole performance 'Hope' in the B2 theatre.  Claire Proctor, The Belgrade's Education & Young People’s Producer said, "It was brilliant to see your young people's work last night - they were absolutely amazing. I can't believe how much their confidence has grown."  We can't wait to see them in their final performance on Friday!

At Etone College we are all about ensuring our pupils grow a sense of community, to take responsibility for their role in society and to contribute positively to the environments we live in.

As part of this we access lots of role models across the local and global context for our pupils to look up to. However, we are delighted to be able to announce our first Community Ambassador for Etone College: Councillor Bhim Saru.

Since early 2025 Bhim has played an important part at Etone, being amongst the first from the community to congratulate us on our award for Community School of the Year. In his year as Mayor of the borough, he not only showcased all of our Etone Values in how he upheld himself and the office of Mayor but also formed a bond with pupils, staff and the overall school with a joint goal to support the Nuneaton community. Throughout this we have been so appreciative of this close working relationship.

With the acceptance of the role Bhim has agreed to champion Etone’s causes wherever possible, collaborate on community projects and support the school in various endeavours. We are honoured to have Bhim take on this and continue the strong bond, which has led to a successful relationship between the school and Mayors Office. As a direct result of this the school has enjoyed a visit by new Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, which has got off to a roaring start.

We would like to thank Bhim for taking on the role and look forward to working with him in future, along with Mayor Colin Cape and the other stakeholders of the community.

Last week our Inclusion Assemblies focused on Tourettes Awareness.  With only small numbers of our school community experiencing tics it has become even more important for everyone else to understanding how these involuntary sounds and movements impact on the individual.  Form groups followed up the assembly with a knowledge check activity to ensure that misconceptions about Tourettes had been effectively addressed.   

As always, our pupils showed fantastic understanding of their peers and ways that we can embody our Etone values to ensure acceptance and belonging for all.

Next on the schedule for our Diversity Champions for Inclusion will be some forward planning to decide how we can update our calendar of inclusion events for next year.  Watch this space…

Well what an amazing year it has been for our Class of 26! Back in 2021 they came into “big school” after a very fragile period in Year 5 and 6 through COVID.

Throughout this entire year Class of 26 have been able to draw on the resilience they developed since then to become the loving and caring group of pupils we see today.

With the hard work done it was time to celebrate at the Class of 26’s Prom!

To begin with the entrances were bold and brave just like our pupils. With luxury cars, limousines and maybe one to many loud sportsters – A personal highlight for Mr Bowley was the double decker red bus, which a group of lads arrived on as the first guests of 2026!

Whatever they came in, pupils were treated like royalty as they walked the red carpet and had their picture took by the “paps”.

Once inside pupils got to reminisce and catch up over their fruity mocktails as they awaited the Prom Start Proper, this year we were treated to an appearance from Matthew Knight – The truly fantastic roaming magician who stunned our pupils into absolute silence (We are wondering if we could have him back at school for ever day!!) He was a real pleasure to host and we would highly recommend anyone thinking of this sort of entertainment check him out: Mathew Knight | Magician Hire For Parties, Events & Weddings | UK Wide

Pupils flooded to their seats but not for long as Class of 26 made it a record time to get to the dance floor! With the food, entertainment and of course their friends, spirits were high and they had an amazing time singing their hearts out with their peers.

Additionally we were once again proud to see the high volume of staff who always turn up to support our learners. Even after a busy and long day, these members are dedicated to supporting our pupils throughout their time at Etone, non-stop.

A BIG thank-you to all for their support - Goodbye Class of 26 - You’re going to be missed!

This year, Etone proudly celebrated Diversity Week with a range of activities designed to promote inclusion, understanding and wellbeing across our school community.

During the week their were House assemblies presented by our Diversity Ambassadors alongside our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Price. The assembly highlighted the importance of celebrating our differences, respecting one another, and creating a school where everyone feels valued and included.

Throughout the week, our Mental Health Team hosted pop-up stands in both the hall and café during breaktimes. This year's focus was on LGBTQ+ mental health, providing students with information, advice and guidance, as well as signposting them to sources of support and encouraging open conversations about wellbeing.

To show their support throughout Pride Month and Diversity Week, staff proudly wore rainbow ribbons during the month of June, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to equality, inclusion and celebrating diversity.

A huge thank you to our Diversity Ambassadors, Mental Health Team and all staff and students who helped make Diversity Week such a positive and successful celebration of our inclusive school community.