We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible success of our very first Trust-wide Spelling Bee – a vibrant event that brought together pupils from all our schools, in a showcase of linguistic talent, nerves of steel, and community spirit.

Over 40 brilliant spellers from Key Stages 2 and 3 took to the stage, each tackling an impressive word list of more than 150 challenging entries. From phosphorescent to megalomaniac, cantankerous, chihuahua, frittata, and hieroglyphics, the competition tested not only vocabulary but also memory, focus, and composure under pressure.

The atmosphere was electric, with supporters gripped from start to finish, watching each round unfold on the edge of their seats. In an extraordinary finish, two winners were crowned – a testament to just how high the standard was. Huge congratulations to our co-champions: one from Etone College and the other from Bloxwich Academy Primary.

Both of them had to complete the tie breaker, spelling as accurately as possible a fearsome word which they had not been told in advance: ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM. Both of them spelled it correctly!

This inaugural event marks the beginning of what we expect to become a favourite in the Matrix events calendar. A huge thank you to all the pupils, staff and supporters who made this possible. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Spelling Bee!

As part of our Community Engagement each House has selected a charity to support across the academic year in various ways. Previously we have raised funds by rowing the distance of the channel, awareness and support in engaging with assemblies and even visits to the charities.

We are extremely proud of our links with these organisations and non-more so than Phoenix’s link to Mary Ann Evans Hospice. As a local hospice they are quite often overlooked in funding, with a large portion going to national charities. Although this is not a competition it is imperative we do what we can to support the local ones and non-more deserving than Mary Ann Evans.

As part of this the initiative by Phoenix this year has been to collect donations from members of staff which can then be sold in the town’s charity shop. The donation bins arrived on the last week of term and we are overwhelmed to say they are full to bursting in under one week. A big thank you to all members of staff for the donations.

As a result the collection of the bins has been scheduled forward to allow for another round of donations by members of staff. A big thank you to all for supporting with this.

During the Easter holiday our first House Charity initiative was egg-cecuted by Centaur House. Prior to the break Mrs Harris and the team called on all Centaur pupils to donate Easter Eggs which could then be delivered to the House Charity, Coventry Hospital as a special treat for children who were spending their Easters on the Children’s Ward.

The initiative was to provide an opportunity for pupils to support those who benefit the most from the charity and strengthen our relationship following a very successful assembly the other week.

Mrs Harris was overjoyed to be able to bring a little bit of a treat to children,  who were having a particularly tough break. Whilst obviously some of the chocolate has been saved for when the little ones are home and well, it was greatly appreciated.

An even nicer surprise awaited Mrs Harris and Miss Bryant on entering the ward, as they were greeted by an Etone Alumni who has started their placement at the hospital as part of their nursing apprenticeship. A lovely opportunity to see where the Etone Values are supporting past pupils, even beyond school.

A big thank you to all who have supported us with this venture.

Earth Day, marked globally on 22 April, is a day for individuals and communities to come together in support of environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is no celebrated by over a billion people across more than 190 countries each year. The theme for 2025, “Our Power, Our Planet”, focuses speeding up the transition to clean, renewable energy and calls for the global community to triple clean electricity generation by 2030. You can learn more about this year’s theme and Earth Day’s global mission at https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2025. Have a look at their Earth Hub page to learn more about how individuals can make a difference https://www.earthday.org/earth-hub/ .

There are many ways to get involved locally and nationally. Earth Day encourages individuals to take the Earth Day Pledge, organise clean-up events, educate others, or donate to trusted environmental campaigns. In the West Midlands, the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is hosting a special Earth Day event on 22 April 2025. Families can enjoy “Out of the Deep Blue,” an outdoor performance in the Science Garden featuring Eko, a 13-foot Sea Giant puppet that interacts with audiences to raise awareness about climate change and marine conservation. Performances are scheduled at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Entry is included with museum admission. Full details can be found at https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/events/earth-day.

Making a difference doesn’t always require big changes or large investments—small, everyday actions at home add up. Try switching off appliances at the plug when not in use, air-drying clothes, or using natural light during the day. Try meat-free meals once or twice a week, reuse containers instead of buying new ones, and start a small windowsill herb garden. Sharing, repairing and repurposing items instead of discarding them can also reduce waste. Even simply educating friends and family about sustainable choices can have a ripple effect. Every action, however small, contributes to a healthier planet.

So far in April our school community has been actively engaged in showing acceptance for those with autism.

On Wednesday 2^nd, staff and pupils all donned a blue item to show their acceptance and this week our pupils in Years 7 to 10 have been busy making pledges to show how they can demonstrate their awareness of the needs of those with autism as well as their acceptance.

Pupils have pledged a range of things including ways to be more inclusive in paired and group work, showing recognition of sensory needs as they move around the school and in becoming more attuned to when those with autism may need peer support.

Pupils in Key stage 3 took part in a fact hunt around the school and entered a prize drawer to show their recognition of autism facts and misconceptions.  Rueben in Y8 was the winner and Sid (Y7), Brandon (Y8), Elle (Y7) and Lily-Grace (Y7) were runners up. 

We will continue to show our acceptance for those with autism after the Easter break by completing a collaborative 5km for the National Autistic Society.  Each house is challenged to complete the 5km walk whilst also donating spare change to the National Autistic Society charity.

We set our pupils and students a challenge of attending every day for the last two weeks of this term. This is a time when everyone is tired, but we all need to demonstrate resilience (one of our six Etone Values). Nearly three quarters of our school population maintained 100% attendance to be in the draw.  Congratulations to the lucky 36 winners of Chocolate Eggs. 

We wish all pupils, students and their families a wonderful break and look forward to everyone maintaining excellent attendance during the Summer Term.