Uluru

Mrs Ralph is Head of House

Uluru, working towards a brighter future

In January, it is traditional and timely to reflect upon the past and look forward to the future. I am pleased and proud to announce that not only did Uluru House raise £357.50 but we also raised significantly more than any other house! Our House charity, chosen by the House Leaders, is Great Ormond Street Hospital. On top of money raised through student contributions for a non uniform day there were also specific events organised by some tutor groups to collect further funds. Eric Lai, Joe Pollard, George Bailey and Luke and Jack Parham in O2 made and sold cakes. Sasha Carter and Krystina Gray in O3 painted finger nails at lunchtime during the last week of term. Jim Shea and Tom Brighten in O7 sold candy canes around the school as well as the rest of the tutor group who made a ‘guess the sweets in a jar’. All students in O8 and O9 participated in a sponsored relay race and Keeleigh Butler completed a sponsored silence. In O10 Jodie-Anne Taylor also completed a sponsored silence and Jordan Norton-Walder made cakes and, with help from Joe Harriss, sold them.

Looking to the future, this is the time in the school calendar when Year 9 must turn their thoughts to Year 10 options and Year 11 must consider post 16 choices. Beyond these specific year groups we encourage all students to aspire and achieve, here follows a selection of student aspirations within Uluru House. As ever, an apology to those omitted, I can’t mention everyone! 

• Jordan Hall in Year 7 wants to pursue a career in the motor industry.
• Oakley Houghton in Year 8 enjoys Maths, Product Design and Science and wants to be an architect or an accountant in the future. 
• Emma Potter-McCarroll in Year 9 is planning to study Triple Science and Health and Social Care with a view to joining the Army as a nurse. 
• Harry Hodgson in Year 11 has just gained an A* in Maths GCSE and wants to study Further Maths at A Level.   After this he intends to continue his studies at university. 
• In the Sixth Form, Becky Jakes intends to study at university to become a midwife and Tyler Hope is currently studying Sports Science and hopes to go on to become a personal trainer. 

Speaking to parents of Year 9 students last week, many commented on the amount and variety of courses available to students nowadays. Following this, my message to students is that your future is within your hands. Aspire to be the best you can be. Work hard to achieve your goals and your dreams. Within The Regis School we have the capacity to support you in your aspirations and the realisation of your future plans. Beyond any words of encouragement that I might give, take heed of these inspirational words from Jack Nash in O9, who has been appointed as a House Leader this week, ‘I wanted to be a House Leader because I really wanted to have a say in what happens in the new school and being a House Leader is a big opportunity. I finally wanted to become a House Leader after I saw this quote in the newspaper, ‘Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities, strong men make them.’’

The vast majority of students in Uluru enjoyed a successful Autumn term, settling quickly into the new building and new working practices and making good progress in their learning. The tone and pace set during this first term must be replicated this term and as Winter draws to a close students must use the energy and optimism that Spring provides to move forward with their studies.

In September I stated that within Uluru I wanted every student to be known, every student to be cared for and every student to be successful. My initial mantra was, what will you do to go the extra mile? I now feel a real sense of an emerging House Identity and that these initial goals are being met. Students appear proud of the fact that they are members of Uluru. There is tangible evidence that tutor groups have bonded and the community and charitable efforts of students shows their altruistic nature. With high aspirations for the future I am sure that the vast majority of students are going that extra mile!