Hello ALS!
My name is Ashton and I am currently in Year 9 at ALS, in Dedicas. I joined the school 2 years ago into Year 7, shortly after I moved to the UK from South Africa. The change between schools was very big but I adjusted quickly because everyone at ALS was so kind and friendly. ALS is much smaller than the school I had come from. The school I was at in South Africa had about 120 pupils in the year which was the biggest change for me. At ALS we have 40 pupils in our year so it made making friends much easier and I settled in really quickly.
Year 9 is our last year of Key Stage 3 before we move into Key Stage 4 and the start of our GCSE courses. Year 9 is the year that we choose the subjects that we want to take for GCSE. We had a large range of GCSE subject options to choose from which was great but made choosing difficult. My teachers and Head of Key Stage have been very supportive and helped me through the decision making process. I have chosen to study History, Spanish, Business and Sociology. With these subjects I am keen to study History, Politics and Business at A Level and when I leave school I want to go into law as I really enjoy debating. My favourite subject is History and I am really enjoying the classwork that we are doing now although I am aware that the journey through GCSE will be more challenging but I am still looking forward to it. Over the course of this year, I’ve really enjoyed mentor sessions where we explore a variety of topics ranging from mental health to how to properly study for tests and exams.
To finish off our Year 9 experience, we are going on a trip to the Battlefields in June. We are all really looking forward to learning about the history of World War II. I am very grateful that we are now back at school instead of doing online lessons in lockdown. Not being able to see my friends and asking for help was very challenging for me and I missed the usual school experiences like trips such as the Battlefields.
This week our mantra comes from Amicus and Mr Dobson our Head of House writes, Amicus: ‘Forgive mistakes; we all make them’ While so many of us resent the mistakes we make in our day to day lives, it is important that we come to realise the importance of our own mistakes in our personal growth and ability to become a more well-rounded individual. The world would be a very dull place if everyone was perfect. Indeed, every individual we recognise as making a difference in society has encountered mistakes in both their personal and professional spheres along the way. Before Snow White, Walt Disney was reportedly rejected after being told his work lacked creativity. JK Rowling was rejected 12 times before Harry Potter. It took Richard Bacon losing his dream job on Blue Peter to become a more reliable father and presenter. Let this be a reminder to our Year 10 and 12 students currently tackling their mock examinations. If you are disappointed with your performance, just know that we must forgive our mistakes and build upon them, understanding that we all make them. Only then, can they serve their primary role of ensuring improved performance long term. Forgiving our own mistakes, can often be as difficult as forgiving those of others. Make this a week to recognise our mistakes and use them to better ourselves and the world around us.
Mr Preston has asked me to pass on the following key dates coming up this term:
- Saturday 21st May is our Summer Open Day
- Friday 24th June is our ALS Sports Day
- Wednesday 6th July will be our end of year Celebration Assemblies & BBQ.
Please do put these dates in your calendar and more details will follow nearer the time.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,
Ashton | Year 9
