Lent Term Roundup
Lower School
Our Lower School pupils hit the ground running when we returned to school in January and I have been so impressed by their engagement and enthusiasm in their academic lessons. This short, but action packed term has seen challenges grow and our pupils have matched everyone of them with determination, whilst maintaining very high standards across every aspect of school life. There have been plenty of House Competitions, Musical Theatre performances, Sports Fixtures and we played our part in raising plenty of money during charity week. One great success has been the involvement of the Lower School in the Pocklington School Parliament. Under the guidance of Mr Hughes and Cameron Brown and Henry Burr of the Upper Sixth, our pupils have debated Brexit and Fracking. The quality of their preparation and arguments has been outstanding and I am sure that those involved will have learned a great deal about the politics of our country along the way. I wish all of our pupils a restful Easter holiday, they deserve it!
Sam Cheadle
Middle School
Sixth Form
It ' s been a busy term in Sixth Form, with students focusing hard not only on their UCAS applications and other plans for after Pocklington, but in so many other areas. Success in House Music was impressive from every house; the commitment, organisation and patience senior students showed whilst trying to get in as much practice as possible was reflected in a very high standard across the board. The soloists ' concert too gave students from all year groups a chance to shine, and for some this would be their last performance at this prestigious event. Having the courage to stand up and perform in front of an audience will be a vital skill as they move on in life. The LEAP programme has continued, now in its second year, and in early January we were visited by the RAP Project from London and speaker Allison Havey. The skills that students learnt here will be key to them moving on from Pocklington with confidence and a foundation for the challenges that life may throw at them in the future. Finally, East Riding council visited us for a Driver Safety and Awareness course for all Sixth Form, and this was then followed up by a ' start a car ' after school session to ensure that the challenging driving conditions not only of late but in general will be taken more easily in the students ' stride.
Ed Long
Former school PM, Cameron Brown and current PM, Thomas Brown
A real highlight this term has been seeing the positive impact of Third Year students taking the lead in the Pocklington Parliament. This superb initiative has enabled our Lower and Middle School students to work together to discuss the big issues of the day- notably Brexit. Along the way they learned parliamentary protocols and how the legislative system works in general. All the Fifth Year received a revision session in preparation for those upcoming summer quizzes and every member of Middle School had to endure a stand up comedy master class( erm...) from Mr Hughes!
Gareth Hughes
Car Maintenance Course
Pastoral News
It is a known fact that the number of 17-to-35-year old males who commit suicide is higher than those that die in road accidents, AIDS and violent crimes combined. The number of boys who self harm is also on the increase nationally.
In recent months the Wellbeing and Pastoral Teams at the Senior School at Pocklington, have engaged with more boys than ever before who are suffering from different forms of emotional and situational stress. This could be easily attributed to a ' sign of the times ', but could also be a clear sign that we are increasingly more able to nurture young men who can more openly discuss how they are feeling and reach out for help.
Growing confident, and resilient young men( and women) is what we collectively strive for; the modern world, and the pace with which it moves is increasingly challenging, and we need to be sure that the right kind of help and support is available when it is needed. To that end we are engaging with the services of Nathalie Noret, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at York St John University, to roll out a survey to students across the Foundation from Yr4-13 to ask them about their life in school, and to seek to identify where they may feel at their most vulnerable and why?
In the meantime, it is more important than ever that we continue to build upon the great relationship that we have with you, our parent body, in raising young people that understand and accept their emotions, rather than hide behind them. Together, we can work to help navigate our young people through to adulthood, with the confidence that there are many people they can talk to who will genuinely be able to help if they are able to share how they are feeling.
Do keep in touch with us to discuss any concerns you have about an unusual change in the demeanour or mood of your sons or daughters. As our friend Dick Moore( www. dickmoore. org) said when he visited our school:“ social awareness, self management, relationship skills and responsible decision making are more important than academic subjects.”
Clare Swann
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