Anti-Bullying Conference

Last week's conferences, as well as being a lot of fun, gave us all plenty to think about. Steve and Jill were impressed with our mentoring scheme and, of course with all of you. I was really proud to see and hear you all in action: it was clear that you have remembered many of the messages from your early training. It was also clear that you were able to call on your experiences as mentors so far.

I thought the Friday session was particularly useful. It was great to have the prefects with us: it underlined the feeling that we are all working towards the same aim. As Steve and Jill said at the time, it's up to all of us now to keep the ideas alive and do even more to help the school community. I know Mrs Denby is buzzing with it and it will be good to follow up the action plans you started on Wednesday. The range of ideas and the energy you showed were really encouraging.

Remember that activity five is for this coming Wednesday, 28th November.

Fifth activity

(This needs a blindfold - a sweatshirt will do)

"The purpose of this activity is to prove how well we know each other."

• Ask for a sweatshirt from the group to be used as a blindfold
• Ask for a volunteer
• Blindfold them (with care)
• Ask the rest of the group to silently change places
• Say to the volunteer, "I am going to ask members of the group to say something; you have to tell me who you think is speaking."
• Point to each member of the group in turn. Ask them to say, "Greetings, your majesty."
• If there's time, everybody can have a go
• Is it still possible to identify them if they change their voice?
• Discuss: how do we learn somebody's voice without trying

Thank them for working with you and making your job easier

Badges

Rather than moan about missing badges (ie this is a moan about missing badges) I will reward those mentors I see wearing their badges in future. It is part of your 'uniform'; the way year five can spot you. So, without your badge, you are saying to them, "I will leave you to deal with your own problems." This is the opposite of the caring message we want to give, every day of the school year.

Congratulations to Tiffany on making a good job of last Wednesday's activity. Mrs Williams was pleased that Tiffany took on the responsibility and made it work. Thanks also to Beth who has supported Tiffany well this year.

There may be all sorts of reasons, but the attendance at Thursday's meeting was not brilliant. I am looking for full attendance in future or AN EXPLANATION of why you didn't attend.