Hello and welcome to Year 8. My name is Oliver Oeij and I am the Head of Year for Year 8 students. Our aim in Year 8 is to solidify our students’ transition into the life of the Secondary School; academically, socially, and spiritually to build upon their foundation from Year 7. We want to ensure that our Year 8s are known and valued for who they are, and have the best support given to them during this period in their life which can be an emotional time of upheaval and uncertainty.
This Term I would like to encourage our Year 8 students to reflect on Proverbs 16:24 “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body”. Our Year 8 students are being encouraged to use words with their peers, teachers and the wider community that are both kind, helpful and polite. We hope that as they speak kindly to each other they will not only reap personal benefit, but also benefit the lives of those around them.
During our extended form time, students are working on some resiliency strategies in a programme called GEM (Gratefulness, Empathy and Mindfulness) through the organisation The Resilience Project. So far students have learned about the importance of a good support network and practiced being grateful for the people around them who build them up. Students have also been working on their Study Skills with the focus on understanding what makes a healthy and productive Study Space at home.
The Year 8 Beach Day will be on Friday, 11th March 2022. You should have received an email with information on this event and a request to consent for your child to attend this activity. If you have not consented for your child to attend, please do so as soon as possible. This event is an important milestone in the calendar year for helping the cohort build relationships with their peers, and their form teachers, as we engage in a range of fun and educational activities. The day consists of jetty jumping and swimming, a team-building musical activity, a speaker who focuses on resilience, and some fun games on the beach run by the School Chaplain from Rockingham Baptist Church.
I look forward to getting to know you and your children over the year. If you have any queries or require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me or your child’s form teacher.