Dear Parents and Carers
Our pastoral curriculum theme this week has been democracy and it has been my turn to deliver assemblies on this topic. Assemblies have to be short to fit into tutor time so when planning them we have to be somewhat selective in what we focus on. One of the areas I wanted to unpack with the students was the extent to which they understood that there is legislation planned to reduce the voting age to 16 and whether they intended to exercise that right to vote.
Depressingly very few seemed enthused with the idea of voting despite my two-pronged attack of how many people have fought and died to bring power to the people in this country and how the only way of ensuring elected politicians listen to younger voters is to actually vote. Of course we will keep working on them about their responsibility to vote and engage in debate and all other aspects of democracy as the year goes on.
As it is democracy week it has been the perfect opportunity to introduce to the assemblies our student leadership team, who will represent their views to school leaders over the course of the year.
It has also been the perfect week to launch the Young High Sheriff competition with Years 10 and 12, the second time we have had the pleasure of hosting this event. The Young High Sheriff competition brings together the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Mrs Karen Lynch MBE, the Mayor of Warwick Cllr Jackie D’Arcy, Cllr Cora-Laine Moynihan, members of the police and Myton staff to extend an opportunity for all our Year 10 and 12 students to get themselves heard through workshops and activities. The theme is law and order and students can be coached and supported by the combination of people involved to launch community based projects, and includes being given a budget to do so. Furthermore, students can apply to be the Young High Sheriff, shadowing the High Sheriff on some of her royal and judicial duties.
More information will come to Years 10 and 12 in the coming days but I hope they want to take part and help improve our community – a key part of our CARE values. And when it comes down to it, democracy is rule by the people and in order to do this people need to speak, take part and, of course, vote.
Best wishes
Andy Perry
