Day 51...

Hello everyone, 

Can you believe it has been 51 days without school? If we were a cricket batsman, we would be '51 not-out.' We would raise our bat to the pavilion, accept the polite applause of the crowd, and dig in for the next part of our innings. Apologies for alienating all students who don't follow cricket - you won't have a clue what any of this means. In short, it means that we have done well so far, and we need to find the motivation and concentration to continue doing well. If, like me, you are a big cricket/sports fan, you will be sorely missing the following things: Sky Sports News, Monday Night Football, the Champions League music, golf at Augusta, Test Match Special, Formula 1...let's hope they will be back before long.

This week was a tough one, emotionally speaking, for everyone. We waited all week for 'big news' from the government - we thought we were going to be reunited with our families. Grandparents were preparing their smiles to see grandchildren they missed. Cousins, friends, aunties, uncles, siblings were looking forward to socially distant garden parties or park rendezvous...only for our hopes to be dashed by the announcement that, for most of us, it was business (lockdown) as usual. Try not to be too disheartened. It's so important to follow the new rules. Hopefully, the absence will be brief - and we will never take the quality time for granted again. I hope you miss school as much as I do. It's tricky for me...I love being busy and having a clear purpose and an identity as a teacher and a head of year. I also love the quality time I have had with Alice and George, time I could never have expected with statutory paternity leave being just 2 weeks. Try to focus on all the positive things that have come from you being away from Salesian too.

The Prime Minister gave you (and me) some cause for optimism - in that you will be the first to return when it is deemed safe enough. Again, I hate to say I told you so but in our last assembly before the closure, I said I felt most sorry for you and year 10. At least years 11 and 13 had the news about their exams and some clarity. You've been away for nearly 3 months now. You have seen/heard about how important predicted grades are as well as your regular in-school assessments. I don't know when we will return, but they could be just as important to you as they will be for those year groups. With this in mind, you need to engage with the learning that is being asked of you. If that is through teams, a blog, an email, SMHW, a carrier pigeon...you have to show some maturity and some ambition. It's not easy. You might need help prioritising/organising it. That help is always available to you - just ask. 

Ok, that's the heavy stuff over...here are two videos to entertain you or give you some food for thought. First a whimsical poem. Normally, this stuff knocks me sick. I'm not sure if it's the absence from school or watching Britain's Got Talent which is making me overly emotional...but this poem really struck a chord. Even though the rhyme scheme is a bit hammy...and the link between global warming and Covid 19 a bit tenuous...this is just a great piece of storytelling.  

Secondly, here is a deeply amusing impression of the Prime Minister's speech courtesy of Matt Lucas.

 

UCAS

Mrs Elmer has updated the UCAS blog - with a focus on your personal statement. You can and must view it here:

https://salesianucas.blogspot.com/

This week asks for some work on your personal statement. You have to wake up to this quickly. The time when you are submitting your entire application is actually very soon after the summer  holidays (usually about a month). Bearing in mind we may not see you until September (at the earliest) depending on the state of the virus...you need to be ahead of this. Look at the instructions on Mrs Elmer's excellent blog...these tasks are just as important as your lessons.

Salesian 7 Challenge

I'd love to see any of your efforts towards the Salesian 7 Challenge. I know I set a pretty high standard with my outstanding kick ups (and modesty). I'm so sure you could do better though...so prove it!

The latest from Chateaux Matthews

We have got Alice and George in to quite reliable sleep routines now...so our days end with reading the Fearless Octopus...listening to lullabies and creeping down the stairs quietly once they have drifted to sleep. I described the metaphor at the end of the story in my last blog...but here is the quote itself (remember, the story is about an Octopus called Odell who is afraid that the shadow above her is a hungry shark).

'If I'd been too nervous to swim up to that shark, I'd still be alone, being scared in the dark. But instead I'm here playing so please do take note, because sometimes, a shark's just a boat.'

In many ways, your workload and UCAS and EPQ demands are a boat that many of you are viewing as a shark. So swim up to them!

 

This week, Mrs Matthews and I have returned to our favourite riverside walk to Richmond. This has been out of bounds for the last few months - so we were so pleased to get out early in the morning and make it all the way to Richmond Bridge. 

We made it!

We have also enjoyed the good weather (just before the weekend) and made the most of our BBQ. Here is a pic of our spread...I promise we didn't have guests...we were just greedy.

I was also given my second (and hopefully last) lockdown haircut (or 'Covid-lid'). Mrs M is actually not too shabby on the clippers - though I don't think her students need to worry too much about her changing careers any time soon! I should add...the fade at the back was infinitely more successful than the fade at the side...which looks distinctly like an ill-fitting wig!

before...

after...

I also took one poignant photo which I'm quite proud of. I'd like to challenge you to take one too...and you don't have to be a photography student to take good photos!

We walked past an empty playground and I found it quite upsetting...though the squirrel (bottom of photo) was enjoying the freedom of the swings...

If you share a good photo with me - of course I'll give you a pineapple!

Pineapple Time...

Some more wonderful emails from you this week. Special mention to the Scanellas (G and N)... I'm so pleased to hear that they are enjoying lots of Gemma Collins (I'm claustrophobic!). Sasha K also deserves at least a slice! Also, some recommendations from Mrs W's psychology students...Grace D, Kim P, Sofia C, Emily MdF, Jacob V and Ellie M - keep up the good work. 

I reserve one for Father K who is so positive in all our College Zoom meetings...

As ever, very good health and happiness to you and your families. Don't be strangers.

Mr M

Saint John Bosco...