Middle Years 

Welcome to the start of 2021 school year; it has been wonderful welcoming students back this week. Particularly our Year 7 students and students new to College in Years 8 and 9. I hope that you all enjoyed the summer break.

Last Wednesday morning, we held the Year 7 Orientation Morning. After the disruptions at the end of the 2020, it was wonderful to meet students and parents face to face. During the morning students had the opportunity to meet their Heads of House and Mentors. It is great to see that the Year 7 students are eager and ready for Senior School, and as one mentor commented “they are an impressive group”.  I would like to thank last year’s myPEC House Captains (Sarah Richardson, Lily Cush, Zoe Kennedy and Olivia Handbury) for helping run activities on their last day of holidays. 

Our role is to support our Year 7 students, and new students across all year levels to settle in, find their feet, make new friends, and get to know their routines and their teachers. Transition is an important phase, that cannot be rushed and is different for everyone. 

In Assembly this week I said that we are looking forward to supporting each student, encouraging them to use their opportunities to grow and develop academically. I reinforced:

• The importance of starting the year well and of getting habits right.
• The idea of incremental improvement, 1% improvement each day pays big dividends.
• There are no shortcuts to success; you need to work hard and apply yourself to your studies. You need to be self-disciplined.
• Seek help when needed from your teachers.
• Get and stay organised, plan ahead. Work on your executive function skills.
• Enjoy what you do!

Finally, I encourage students to be flexible in all that they do, show resilience when challenged, be enthusiastic, and whenever possible adopt a positive mindset.

Good luck and let us embrace 2021.

Mrs Julia Winter Cooke

Head of Middle Years