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I write this immediately after watching our Student Government’s first ever Valentine Karaoke. The sun is shining through my window. It’s almost half term in what is always a term that passes at breakneck speed as we get closer to the exam season. All in all, things are looking good and there’s definitely a springtime feel to proceedings today, not least of all because of all the flowers in the building to mark the holy day of St Valentine. Saint Valentine himself was a 3rd century Roman martyr who ministered to early Christians at a time when it was a very dangerous thing to do. Despite being arrested and imprisoned for spreading the Christian message, he managed to persuade his judge, Asterius, not only to release him but also to become a convert (thanks to a miracle in curing the blindness of his daughter). A second imprisonment led to him being bludgeoned to death and beheaded, but not before he had sent a note to Asterius’ daughter that was signed “from your Valentine”: which is why the cards have been sent in recent centuries to mark his death, and life. He is also rumoured to have helped secretly Christian

couples to get married and to have given paper hearts to people to remind them of God’s love. Personally, I’m not a great fan of the sickly sweet thing that SVD has become in recent years (or maybe I’m just grumpy that I don’t get many cards), but what I did love about the karaoke this lunchtime was how much love, in a platonic sense, there was in the room. Kids were smiling, joking, singing along, laughing, dancing and reminding me of what a communal expression of love (as opposed to the stereotype of private love) looks like. I felt the same thing on Tuesday evening when I accompanied Dr Shah and seven of our students to receive their Jack Petchey awards at a glittering ceremony at the Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth. (newsletter article to follow soon) There, too, was dancing, singing, laughing, smiling and, yes, even loving. Twice in one week! No wonder I have a spring in my step. Keven Bartle Headteacher

#80: A Spring in my Step.

No. 281

15th February 2019

Beautiful Hogwarts’ house banners helped to transform our library last week.

[Back row, L to R] Sameer, Ernest, Yousef, Janil, Brizek, Andreeas & Cosmin, [Front row] Denis, Musawer,

Mustafa, Eljon & Raphael.

Our Year 7 Boys Basketball Team have just become the Harrow Borough Champions!

Also taking part in the tournament held at Rooks Heath College in South Harrow were teams from the hosts, Whitmore High, Hatch End High and Nower Hill High. Our youngest basketball team won four matches and only lost one, giving them a clear victory. The team were prepared and coached by Year 11 students Sameer Ahadi and Cosmin Cornea, who were fantastic role models for the boys both in training and during the competition itself.

Assistant Staff coach Mr Rawlings was really pleased and proud with their effort and attitude and is looking forward to them repeating this fabulous achievement next year.

Always a favourite with both students and staff , our annual celebration of all things Harry Potter was held last week on February 7th.

Imagined, organised and run with Hagrid sized enthusiasm by unashamed Potterhead, Librarian Mrs Alexander, (with fantastic assistance from her team of Library Helpers and House Elves, including Dobby - (Ms Ibrahim)), the students were literally lining up to get into the Library at break and lunchtime; And what a transformation they discovered inside! Each year more and more props and displays are devised and created, many by the school’s very creative Media Resources team, and these turned our library into no less than the Edgware Campus of Hogwarts! Within these magical surroundings students could try out a huge range of unusual activities, trials and competitions. If they weren't being sorted into their Hogwarts Houses, they were daring to sample a ‘Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Jelly Bean’. The strawberry was nice but if you got the earwax flavour, the bin was not far away! A life-sized and very life like Dementor looked down on events, whilst this year a ‘Devil’s Snare’ vine had

inexplicably grown around a pillar and a swarm of winged keys had set up home, buzzing around inside a skylight. A wonderful time was had by everyone and many of the props will no doubt find

themselves new permanent fixtures in our already amazing library.

Please visit our official facebook page for many more pictures.

Fri 15th Feb Break Up for Spring Half Term. Students dismissed at usual time of 3:10.

Mon 25th Feb STUDENTS RETURN - Registration at usual time of 8:45am.

Thur 28th Feb Year 8 PTCE (Parent Teacher Consultation Evening) 4:30 - 6:30

Fri 1st Mar Non-Uniform day supporting the Mermaids charity. Wear your rainbow!

Mon 4th Mar Year 9 ‘Options’ IAG interviews commence.

Thur 7th Mar Year 8 ‘Options’ evening. 5:00 - 6:30

The London Bees’ three match winning streak was halted by a 3-0 defeat at the hands of top-of-the-league Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend. The focus for our Bees is now on their upcoming fifth round FA Cup game against fellow Championship team Manchester United. Our Bees lost badly against them when they last met, so a win and revenge will be sweet and greatly sought after.

NEXT GAME | FA CUP 5th ROUND

vs

London Bees Manchester Utd Away | Sun 17 Feb | KO 14:00

Cover Supervisor

36 hpw. Actual starting salary: £19,547 8.00am - 3.30pm Term Time only.

Canons High is seeking to appoint two energetic, resourceful and flexible individuals to undertake this key role.

Under the guidance of senior staff, Cover Supervisors implement work programmes with individuals/groups in or out of the classroom, including the supervision of whole classes during the short term absence of a teacher.

Please visit our website for full details, a job pack and an online Support Staff application form.

Closing date: 12 Noon on Tue 26th Feb

This year’s school show is

Grimm Tales A collection of traditional fairy tales

by the Brothers Grimm,

( but with all the nasty bits left in! )

AUDITIONS Tuesday 5th March

from 3:30 in Drama 1

You will be auditioning in pairs

from a pre-selected script.

For more info and a copy of the

script, see Ms Heathcote

or Mr Hoogland.