While all our attentions are drawn away by the goings on in South Africa I was delighted to see the real England team beating the Australians 21-20 in Sydney at the weekend.  This, for me, raised the gloom left after the Algerian game on Friday.  Nationalism has a real role in sport but a more holistic and empathic view is required to secure greater harmony across the globe and our International Schools work aims to create a more outward looking community where these words are backed by actions.

I had the "pleasure" of watching that game with three of the four Ugandan staff that came over to visit us as a part of our British Council exchange with Kigezi High School.  Each year we work with our colleagues in Africa so our understanding of the issues they face and of the common challenges we face are better understood by both.  Talking to them and visiting their school certainly makes you count your blessings but they really do retain some of the fundamental values of life and education.

Next year I will be leading a team of 23, 19 students and 4 staff as we spend nearly two weeks in Uganda and the following June they will be bringing 3 or 4 of their students in addition to their 4 staff.  This sees a key development in our partnership as students start to take a more significant role.

To see some of the work taking place have a look at this link - http://www.inspirebored.org/

Nick Hindmarsh

While all our attentions are drawn away by the goings on in South Africa I was delighted to see the real England team beating the Australians 21-20 in Sydney at the weekend.  This, for me, raised the gloom left after the Algerian game on Friday.  Nationalism has a real role in sport but a more holistic and empathic view is required to secure greater harmony across the globe and our International Schools work aims to create a more outward looking community where these words are backed by actions.

I had the "pleasure" of watching that game with three of the four Ugandan staff that came over to visit us as a part of our British Council exchange with Kigezi High School.  Each year we work with our colleagues in Africa so our understanding of the issues they face and of the common challenges we face are better understood by both.  Talking to them and visiting their school certainly makes you count your blessings but they really do retain some of the fundamental values of life and education.

Next year I will be leading a team of 23, 19 students and 4 staff as we spend nearly two weeks in Uganda and the following June they will be bringing 3 or 4 of their students in addition to their 4 staff.  This sees a key development in our partnership as students start to take a more significant role.

Nick Hindmarsh

 Now it is holiday time I, along with colleagues, have an opportunity to reflect on the past term and some of our own values.  In the hurly burly of a busy working life it is all too easy to get sucked into the day to day and forget strategic issues and what really matters.

Last term there were 3 specific events that made me both proud and privileged to be the Head of The Warriner.

1.              A former colleague of mine from the mid-1990s, also a Headteacher, came to visit the school over a two day period as part of his training to become an OfSTED inspector.  At the end of his visit his conclusion based on the sample of work he had seen was that we were an Outstanding school. He spent much of his time looking at a category referred to as "Care Guidance and Support".  This links to one of the School's, and my core beliefs - that we will do all we can for every single child - however difficult that might be.  The work of the Form Tutors, Directors if House, WIN and SEAL plus the extensive Multi-agency work we do is by any objective measure – excellent.

2.              Second; two weeks later on Year 11 Stand Down Day, seeing so many fine young men and women was such a reward for all those staff who have worked with them over the past few years and to know that we managed to hold onto all of them, despite some of their best endeavours!  When some outside our community look at us they see the beautiful villages in our catchment and imagine we are working with a group of 1100+ youngsters who present us with no challenges other than to get them good exam results.  If you know the school well you will understand how naive this is.  What attracted me to working here in the first place was the fact that we are a true comprehensive serving our whole community.

3.              Finally the Year 5 Open Evening, our evening for potential Warriner students, saw over 250 students give up their time to help show our guests around or to take part in demonstrations in subject areas.  These students and around 100 staff really did show off the strength of our community.

The review of the Homework Policy and the subsequent report will be available shortly.  I would like to thank those parents who contributed through the parent forums that took place earlier in the year.  The following quote I have always enjoyed and it is one that seems fitting here.

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework."

…..and finally a quote from George Bernard Shaw

"What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child." 

Nick Hindmarsh

 Now it is holiday time I, along with colleagues, have an opportunity to reflect on the past term and some of our own values.  In the hurly burly of a busy working life it is all too easy to get sucked into the day to day and forget strategic issues and what really matters.

Last term there were 3 specific events that made me both proud and privileged to be the Headteacher of The Warriner.

1.              A former colleague of mine from the mid-1990s, also a Headteacher, came to visit the school over a two day period as part of his training to become an OfSTED inspector.  At the end of his visit his conclusion based on the sample of work he had seen was that we were an Outstanding school. He spent much of his time looking at a category referred to as "Care Guidance and Support".  This links to one of the School's, and my core beliefs - that we will do all we can for every single child - however difficult that might be.  The work of the Form Tutors, Directors if House, WIN and SEAL plus the extensive Multi-agency work we do is by any objective measure – excellent.

2.              Second; two weeks later on Year 11 Stand Down Day, seeing so many fine young men and women was such a reward for all those staff who have worked with them over the past few years and to know that we managed to hold onto all of them, despite some of their best endeavours!  When some outside our community look at us they see the beautiful villages in our catchment and imagine we are working with a group of 1100+ youngsters who present us with no challenges other than to get them good exam results.  If you know the school well you will understand how naive this is.  What attracted me to working here in the first place was the fact that we are a true comprehensive serving our whole community.

3.              Finally the Year 5 Open Evening, our evening for potential Warriner students, saw over 250 students give up their time to help show our guests around or to take part in demonstrations in subject areas.  These students and around 100 staff really did show off the strength of our community.

The review of the Homework Policy and the subsequent report will be available shortly.  I would like to thank those parents who contributed through the parent forums that took place earlier in the year.  The following quote I have always enjoyed and it is one that seems fitting here.

"I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework."

…..and finally a quote from George Bernard Shaw

"What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child." 

Nick Hindmarsh