Head’s Welcome

With the weather now turning really Wintry, a reminder that pupils are welcome to bring coats, hats and gloves into College to be worn when it is very cold. Coats should be plain blue/black as per the uniform policy, and if pupils wish to wear underlayers below their shirts then this is fine. Plenty of layers for Games is also advisable as both Whites Field and the Astro can be rather cold and exposed.

We had the Dunbar charity baking competition on today. We will be selling off the cakes during the day for a pound a slice, with all profits going to Macmillan Cancer Support.

A note to all parents of Boarders, that the Dorms must be completely emptied of all belongings over the Christmas holidays please, so the rooms can be thoroughly cleaned ready for next term. We do offer a ‘trunk-leaving’ service if you are unable to bring things back at this time - please speak to Dr Hart for further information about this.

Another reminder that the deadline for applications for both Academic and Art Scholarships (for current Year 8 pupils into Year 9) is 29 November. If you have any queries about this process then please contact Mr Jack Sims for more information.

The end of term is always incredibly busy, but even before that starts we have our Parents’ Dinner on Saturday 30th November. If you haven’t yet signed up for this event and would like to join us, then the Eventbrite link is in last week’s Parents’ Bulletin. In the final few days of term we have the Pantomime trip on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 December, followed by the Dunbar Disco that evening. Please note that all Day Pupils will need to return home (or to a friend’s house) after the Pantomime, before returning for the Disco at 19:00. Only Boarders will be able to stay in College during that time, to enable us to set up and get ready for the Disco which will run in Dunbar from 19:00-21:00.

I very much hope you will all enjoy the (very slightly longer) Exeat weekend which will start at 16:45 today.

Best wishes to all.

Dr Ian Hart

I am really pleased to report that the Remembrance Sunday parade went very well for Harbinger, our front rank was picked out for a special 5 point bonus which restored us to top position on the day. No room for complacency, but a chance to really push on and push for the highest standards. The guest of honour singled out and praised William Peters for his excellent reading in Chapel.

We wish all the Year 11s and Year 13s good luck as their trial exams take place this week and next. We hope the active revision has been beneficial and they will gain confidence from their successes.

We were really pleased to see all the boys generously taking part in Odd Socks day for Anti-bullying week and wearing something pink for Breast Cancer awareness, two very worthy causes which were supported well. We have been working with the boys in Year 9 and 10, discussing links between gratitude and happiness. We are also introducing our next charity push with Readifood and ‘Toys and Teens’.

The Harbinger Golf Academy takes a break this weekend with overnight leave, following that we have a very busy 3 weeks and 2 days until the end of term. The boys have fixtures as normal but there is the 1st XV Rugby night game at RAMS rugby on Friday evening.

Max will be making the draw for our food course in the annual Divisional Come Dine With Me in assembly on Monday. We are keen to retain our title by showing our culinary talents. 

Safeguarding requirement for Online Tutoring for pupils during the day/evening. A number of pupils are receiving online tutoring that has been arranged by Parents and Guardians. We would ask that any pupil who is receiving tutoring whilst at College, the Parent/Guardian needs to provide the Housemistress/master with details of when the tutoring is happening and also copies of the tutors DBS check and the Tutors/tutoring companies safeguarding policy before any online tutoring can commence.

At the end of term, a deep clean will be happening in all cabins in Harbinger and we will need all boys to completely remove their belongings for the Christmas break. If boys can start taking things home over the next few weeks it will help with the end of term rush.

I wish you all a restful overnight leave weekend.

Andrew Sumner

As the trials for Year 11 continue and the Year 13 ones commence next week, we wish them all the best during this period, and hope it will give them a good foundation to build upon post the Christmas break and into the summer exams.

Last week we had the theme of Anti-bullying and kindness which I believe really got all the pupils to think about their interactions with each other. As the term progresses we will build upon this with them. They also should be commended for their efforts and generosity last week for Odd Socks day for Anti-bullying and wear something Pink for Breast Cancer awareness, the house was a wash of odd socks and some very questionable pink coloured clothing.

The term is moving swiftly by and with 3 weeks and two days left there is still lots more to pack in. Next week, we have the 1st XV Rugby night game at RAMs rugby on Friday evening. The following Friday we have the return of the much anticipated Divisional Come Dine With Me competition. Dom will be drawing our course during next Monday's assembly. The boys will then have to plan out the cooking and decoration of the gunroom for the evening, which is always tremendous fun.

At the end of term a deep clean will be happening in all rooms in Hesperus and we will need all pupils to completely clear their rooms. Boarders may arrange to leave a trunk with Mary. If boys can start taking things home over the next few weeks it will help with the end of term rush.

Safeguarding requirement for Online Tutoring for pupils during the day/evening. A number of pupils are receiving online tutoring that has been arranged by Parents and Guardians. We would ask that any pupil who is receiving tutoring whilst at College the Parent/Guardian needs to provide the Housemistress/master with details of when the tutoring is happening and also copies of the tutors DBS check and the Tutors/tutoring companies safeguarding policy before any online tutoring can commence.

I hope all the boys enjoy a good restful leave weekend.

Tom Cheney

As trials commence I want to wish my exam year groups the best of luck, I will be encouraging them to stay calm, take a deep breath, and remember that they have prepared for this moment. Or I do hope so at least! I will be treating them to a special lunch next Friday to celebrate their efforts. 

Last week, Illawarra did some work on gratitude during ‘Anti-Bullying Week’, gratitude can support anti-bullying efforts by creating a more positive and caring atmosphere. When students practise gratitude, they tend to be kinder, more empathetic, and less likely to engage in bullying. Gratitude also helps students feel more connected to each other, which can reduce feelings of loneliness and make bullying less likely. 

In assembly, the Lower Sixth announced that we will again be running our Candy Canes for Christmas charity initiative in aid of Women’s Aid. I hope that the girls will surpass our efforts from last year. I am forever proud of the girls’ charitable efforts and the integrity that this demonstrates.

Rosie Jewell

Since returning from Half Term, the division has really pushed on and have impressed me with all they have achieved. The highlight for me was Remembrance Sunday. Whilst this is always an incredibly important event in the College calendar, I was thrilled with the effort shown by Macquarie on the day. Their conduct was exemplary and they were by far the best on Parade. Working hard, for each other and rising to the occasion, they showed exactly what our division is all about.

Clearly this week and next are incredibly important for our exam years and we wish them the very best for their Trial Exams. These are an important learning opportunity and a great chance to put a line in the sand as they move forward with the year. The rest of the boys have end of term exams coming up - something that is worth starting to think about!

Last week also saw the Division take part in the Anti-bullying week, fundraising for charities and doing some work on gratefulness. These, along with upcoming talks on mental health and the opportunity to bring in items towards our annual food bank appeal, are brilliant opportunities to think about those around us - an important aspect of citizenship that can be so easily overlooked. Unsurprisingly, the division continues to take these opportunities seriously, developing their own moral compass in the process.

Finally, it is incredible that Christmas has appeared on the horizon and that the end of term will be quickly upon us. However, there is still a lot to get out of this Michaelmas Term - I’m sure the boys will continue to put their best foot forward.

David Metcalfe

I want to recognise the hard work the boys have put in since their return from Half Term. A number of boys have really stepped up on a number of occasions, whether playing that extra rugby game on the Saturday, or achieving a staggering 21 positives in a week. Even though tiredness creeps in, ‘resilience’ is ever present within the division.

This week and next week sees the Year 11’s and Upper Sixth take to their Trial Exams. We wish them all the best during this period, and hope it will give them a good foundation to build upon post the Christmas break and into the summer exams.

Last week, the college theme of ‘Anti-bullying’ gave a good platform for the students to really consider their day-to-day interactions. Not only focusing on how we treat one another, and how we would like to be treated, but also on the mental health aspect of our young people  and more about looking after one another. As sent out in my previous email, tying into this theme, Murewa and the Sixth Form have set up a Movember page. If you would like to donate to a wonderful cause, please find the link to the page here.

Safeguarding requirement for Online Tutoring for pupils during the day/evening. A number of pupils are receiving online tutoring that has been arranged by Parents and Guardians, which of course is not a problem. We would ask that any pupil who is receiving tutoring whilst at College the Parent/Guardian needs to provide the Housemaster with details of when the tutoring is happening and also copies of the tutor’s DBS check and the Tutors/tutoring companies' safeguarding policy before any online tutoring can commence or continue.

Looking ahead to the end of term, all rooms will be deep cleaned over the Christmas period. This does however mean that the boys will need to leave their rooms completely empty. Please can I ask that from now to the end of term the boys drip feed taking items home so that the end of term can be a smooth exit. In the meantime, I wish the boys a relaxing exeat weekend.

Steve Thompson

With Year 11 trials well under way and Upper Sixth students starting theirs on Monday, I would like to say how pleased I am with the way they are working at the moment. I have seen some excellent revision techniques being used and the girls being really supportive of each other as they prepare for their exams.

Last week we did some work on gratitude with Year 9 and 10.  The girls were very forthcoming with examples of things they are grateful for and are looking to find more instances of things to be grateful for in their daily lives.  We also discussed the charity collections for ‘Readifood’, the Reading food bank and the toy collection.  Hopefully the girls will be pestering you to bring in some donations in the next two weeks.

At the end of term, a deep clean will be carried out in the cabins and day rooms.  Pupils will need to bring everything home for the holidays unless they are trunk leavers.

We have had a lot of pupils ad hoc boarding which is always good fun.  I know they all seemed to enjoy their experience. Please remember if you need the girls to stay for an odd day or week we will always try to accommodate them.  For parents of part boarders if the girls do need to stay more than their 4 nights per week then just let us know.

Safeguarding requirement for Online Tutoring for pupils during the day/evening. A number of pupils are receiving online tutoring that has been arranged by Parents and Guardians. We would ask that any pupil who is receiving tutoring whilst at College the Parent/Guardian needs to provide the Housemistress/master with details of when the tutoring is happening and also copies of the tutors DBS check and the Tutors/tutoring companies safeguarding policy before any online tutoring can commence.

I hope you have a restful Exeat and look forward to seeing the girls back ready for the final push towards Christmas.

Jenny Jones