Hello everyone - Ethan your School Vice-Captain here.

I hope you’re all doing alright as we move into the busiest, brightest, and honestly… slightly chaotic part of the term. There’s a lot happening all at once, and sometimes it feels like we’re all juggling schoolwork, social life, and about five million events 😂  but somehow we always pull it off together.

Assessments are coming up the week beginning the 17th of November, and I know that brings a mix of nerves, excitement, and “why did my brain forget everything I revised five minutes ago?” moments 😅. Just remember this: assessments aren’t here to judge you, they’re here to show you how far you’ve come. Every answer you write down is proof of growth, even if it doesn’t feel perfect. Do your best and trust your mind. You know more than you think you do.

The school is collecting Advent calendar donations for Purple Pantry, a local food bank supporting families in need - a small way we can help others as the festive season approaches.

We’ve also got Mental Health Week starting on the 24th of November, and that’s just as important as anything else happening this term 💚. School can be busy, loud, and sometimes a bit overwhelming, and Mental Health Week is a reminder that taking care of your mind matters just as much as your grades, sports, or achievements. It’s about slowing down, checking in with yourself, and remembering that you don’t have to pretend everything is fine on the days when it isn’t. We’re a community, and communities look out for one another.

Alongside that, there are some trips coming up for different year groups, and parents’ evenings that always end with that moment of “please let them say something nice about me.” And then we’ve got the house football matches, super competitive, always dramatic ⚽️🔥 and probably the one time you’ll see even the quietest person suddenly shouting like a Premier League commentator. 

As December gets closer, the school starts transforming bit by bit into that festive space we all look forward to - the cosy lights, the rehearsals echoing down the corridors, and that feeling that we’re nearing the finish line together. We’ve got the flu vaccinations, the informal concert, the Reception’s nativity, the Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas production, and the Nursery sing-along that guarantees at least one parent crying happy tears 🥹.

Drama performances are on the way too, and everyone knows they’re the moment when the performers absolutely shine. And of course, I have to mention the Christmas Fayre on the 5th of December- if you’re not going for the games or the treats, go for the atmosphere. It’s impossible to leave in a bad mood.

Later in the month, we’ve got Christmas lunch, Christmas jumper day, a visit from Father Christmas for the younger year groups 🎅, and the carol services on the 17th of December, which always feel like pressing pause for a moment. It’s a time to look back at everything we’ve done - the hard work, the fun, the friendships, and all the small steps that got us here. It’s the kind of moment that reminds you to be proud of yourself, even if you’re still working toward who you want to become.

As we go into these last few weeks, I hope everyone remembers that we don’t need to be perfect - we just need to be honest, kind, determined, and willing to grow. That’s what “Be All You Can Be” really means. Not being the loudest, or the fastest, or the top of everything… but being the best version of yourself, a little more each day.

Good luck with assessments, enjoy the events, look after your mind, and let’s finish this term strong together.

— Ethan, Vice-Captain 🙂

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all 🎄✨ 

Wishing everyone a wonderful festive season!