On Monday year 9 pupils took part in an informative and thought-provoking session delivered by PC Marsden from Warwickshire Police, focusing on the law and the risks surrounding online activity such as sexting. Whilst not an immediate danger for Etone it is something we are committed to protect against.

The session formed part of the school’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding and helping young people make informed, responsible choices online.

PC Marsden explained clearly and sensitively that whilst young people may view this type of communication as “between friends” the law treats it very seriously. Students were told that creating, sending or possessing indecent images of anyone under 18 – even if the image is of themselves – is illegal under UK law.

He emphasised that once content is sent, control over it is lost. Images can be copied, forwarded or saved without consent, sometimes leading to embarrassment, bullying or even criminal investigations. The session highlighted that the law is designed to protect young people, but there can be serious consequences if images are shared maliciously or without consent.

PC Marsden spoke about the emotional and social consequences of this and some of the impacts it has had on others lives. He discussed how images can resurface months or even years later, affecting friendships, reputations and future opportunities.

Students were encouraged to think carefully before sharing anything online, asking themselves:

• Would I be comfortable if this was seen by my family or teachers?

• Could this be shared beyond the person I trust?

• Am I being pressured to send something I’m not comfortable with?

The discussion also covered peer pressure and coercion. Students were reassured that it is never acceptable for someone to pressure them into sending images, and that this behaviour can also be a criminal offence.

Practical advice was given on how to stay safe:

• Never share personal or intimate images.

• Use privacy settings wisely.

• Block and report anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable.

• Speak to a trusted adult immediately if something goes wrong.

PC Marsden reminded students that if they do find themselves in a difficult situation, they will be supported. Reporting concerns early can prevent situations from escalating.

We are grateful to PC Marsden and Warwickshire Police for supporting our school community in promoting safe and responsible online behaviour.

On Tuesday 10^th February Anti bullying ambassadors from across the trust were involved in a training day at Bloxwich Academy. The event was led by associates from the Diana award who were able to share key concepts, messages and pledges regarding anti bullying. The students were involved in discussion, hands on activities and planning activities in order for them to progress through their ambassador journey. As a follow on from this event out students are now involved int he planning process for community projects to ensure this key experience will benefit students here at Etone college. 

Following our return post half-term, we will be holding a fundraiser on Thursday 26^th February selling pancake themes treats as part of our ‘Pancakes for Papyrus’ initiative. 

Who are Papyrus

• As you will be aware Papyrus has been selected as the Trust Charity for this academic year. Their aim is to provide support and education for all young people in order to aid suicide prevention. To find out more about the charity check our their webpage here: https://www.papyrus-uk.org  

One of our initiatives this year is to sell sweet treats during breaktime on the above date aligning with the recent ‘Pancake Day’ celebrations. These treats will be available to buy for a contributions between 20p-50p in support of Papyrus and our Trusts goals. 

If your child would like to take part please send them with correct small change on the day, as there will not be facility to receive change as the collection will be in sealed buckets. 

On Wednesday 11^th February, Etone College students were excited to have students and staff from some of our feeder primaries join us to watch our devised show The Seven Ages of Man. The show, inspired by the famous speech of the same name from the play "As You Like It" had been put together from ideas of our students including sections of Dance, Music and Drama. Some of our cast were particularly excited to see their teachers from primary school visiting us!

Over 170 students from St Nicolas CofE Academy, Wembrook Primary School and Chetwynd Junior School came to watch our show that included music by Vivaldi, The Beatles and Beyoncé as well as words by the ancient Greek writer Homer, French author Victor Hugo, British poet Wilfred Owen and, of course Warwickshire's own, William Shakespeare himself.

Thank you to our primary schools for coming to visit and coming to watch the show that our students created. We hope to see you all again soon!

On the evening of Thursday 12^th February, Etone College invited our local community in to watch our devised piece inspired by the famous speech of the same name from William Shakespeare's play "As You Like It". In the original speech, a human life is compared to a show on a stage, so our students used these words as a starting point to create our own story from birth to our final rest. Over 50 of our students took to the boards to tell our Etone College version of what it means to live a life.

When students first auditioned, we were impressed by the breadth of their imaginations and their broad choice of pieces that they wanted to tell the story of life. Pieces chosen for our story included, the infant introduced with "Isn't she lovely" by Stevie Wonder, the school boy was showcased with a dance performance of "Revolting Children" from Tim Minchin's musical "Matilda" and the young adult who falls deeply in love became a scene from Greek mythology as Penelope waits for the return of Odysseus. Our students also included words from the British war poet Wilfred Owen, songs from the musical "Les Misérables" based on the French novel by Victor Hugo and the rarely performed live trio of Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End from The Beatles' album Abbey Road (including the famous Ringo solo). Of course, our show was framed with a piece by our Drama group with the original words of Warwickshire's own William Shakespeare.

Thank you to our brilliant performers, backstage crew, audience and our staff for another successful show! We cannot wait to invite you to the next one! All the world's a stage and the stage at Etone College is full of dance, music and drama!

On Wednesday 11^th February, eight Year 7 pupils took part in Level 3 Bikeability Cycle training, provided by Outspoken Training and Warwickshire County Council. Bikeability is the UK government’s national cycle training programme. The scheme aims to inspire more children to cycle by equipping them with the skills and confidence to ride more. The training is delivered by Outspoken Training’s qualified and DBS checked instructors. The Level 3 training equips riders with the skills to tackle more complex roads and traffic situations. Our Year 7 pupils started the course on School site, checking and testing their bicycles and helmets, before going out on the roads in Nuneaton for 2 hours worth of cycling. Following completion of the training, pupils receive a Level 3 training certificate and badge.