Knowledge is power. Sharing knowledge is the key to unlocking that power. 
 Martin Uzochukwu Ugwu

Across the UK, students follow a similar school routine, and the structure is in place for good reasons. Firstly, having a day-to-day routine makes us more efficient, as it enables us to know exactly which tasks we need to do each day. The daily repetition of these tasks standardises them to us, making them feel less strenuous, allowing us to increase productivity and still have energy to do other things in the day to make us happy. Furthermore, structure and routine help us prioritise the things that are important to do (e.g. go to lessons) to allow us to achieve our full potential which also satisfies us; as humans we feel hugely uplifted when we complete things that challenge us - giving a sense of achievement by the end of every single day. To conclude, having set routines should be appreciated because they are secretly our friend.

Finding the motivation to be engaged and learn content can be hard sometimes. The primary reason for this is that people can find some subjects easier to engage with than others, but in my opinion, this doesn’t have to be the case because a change in mindset resolves the issue. Have you ever considered knowledge as power? Every time you learn something, you are equipped with some new tools to navigate a new problem or rise to a fresh challenge.

In addition, isn’t it amazing that you now understand something about the complex and intricate world that we live in that you didn’t before? We are extremely privileged that our teachers are committed to unlocking the power within us, because they understand the gift of knowledge and we are privileged to have it shared with us. Next time you find yourself in a lesson, consider the power of knowledge and the doors it opens for you, the fact that you now (even if it’s not by much) have a larger understanding of the world and its ways, and that you are incredibly fortunate to have some great teachers who want to invest in you, for your personal success. From now on, try to consider knowledge as a beautiful, powerful gift.

The UK is home to some of the very best universities on earth such as Oxford, Cambridge, and St Andrews. For us as students in the UK, the connections that many schools have with these universities provide some wonderful opportunities! Moreover, in the UK there are 563,831 full-time working teachers - the majority of whom, have a degree/higher education background of some sort and almost all children in this country live in an appropriate proximity from schools.

Whilst it may seem hard at times to feel fully positive about school, it’s important to remember that we are extremely fortunate to have this at our fingertips and should capitalise on the opportunities we are given, considering children around the world would dream of the educational opportunities we take for granted.

Hannah Sanderson, 10JRH
Newly Appointed Associate Head Girl