COWHC Men's 2s vs Leatherhead Men's 1s - 25th Nov 2017

COWS ACADEMY
genus absolutum

Principal’s remarks

We are almost there! The winter term has been trying for students and staff alike filled with incredible highs but also some sobering lows. The students’ resolve has been tested by poor alarm clock management, the wonders of the Greater London train network, low batteries, cold weather and a spate of absences but we hold steadfast and continue to roll forward into December. Yes, there are just two more weeks of term left before you can all enjoy the festivities. You all deserve a rest and a mince pie. I will certainly sit comfortably at home with a smile wider than Santa’s waist knowing that COWS Academy are fast establishing themselves as a leading institution in the area after climbing toward the top of the league tables.

Speaking of Santa, don’t forget to leave some fried chicken and Snakebite for him on the big night as he comes to empty his sack all over your living rooms…

Mr A. Hooper

Student Reports

Terry Eeles

Terry is a creative individual with an unwavering passion for his craft. His attention to detail and meticulous preparation for each test is unmatched by any student I have ever taught. Although his attendance is sporadic, Terry can always be depended on to give his best. The highlight for Terry this term was being voted as student of the week by his peers in October following an excellent contribution to the COWS community. Terry’s bedroom is incredibly tidy and he always has clean sheets on his bed. In the most recent test, Terry performed well although his work rate and effort was below par. Given more opportunity, Terry has all of the potential to be a top performer in a higher set after the Christmas break.

Rajinder Chatwal

Rajinder is an energetic student who is talented in multiple disciplines. His consistency is perhaps his best attribute and he can be relied on to perform to his very best whenever he puts his mind to it. Rajinder has shown flashes of brilliance this term and has the ability to surprise everyone when he is battling against the odds. Despite his obvious ability, Rajinder occasionally lacks discipline and has been known to upset other students from other classes. He must learn to control his aggression better and apply this to his studies if he is to become more effective. There have also been some strange absences throughout this term. I would like to remind Rajinder and his parents that absences are only authorised for medical reasons. Rajinder’s reading ability is well above most children for his age and although he has an ability to think outside the box, he must not lose sight of the boundaries of that box to avoid going off course completely.

Samuel Thompson

Samuel has maintained perfect attendance and punctuality this term and his performances have been remarkably steady. His effort has been recognised with a student of the week award in November – although this came among a low average score by all in Class 2. His key strength is his ability to communicate with others. He has leadership potential and it is only a matter of time before these are put into practice on a more regular basis. Samuel requires some extra practice in Geography: specifically, his map reading skills and navigation. It was rather unfortunate that he lost his bearings on a recent expedition. Thankfully, his team mates were able to pull him out of this particular hole. This lack of focus has regrettably spilled into his written work too. In this week’s test, he was found to be daydreaming and regularly had to be reminded to stay on task. Nevertheless, he remains a capable student who looks set for big things in the second term.

Stephen McKeown

Stephen is a conscientious student who has been adjusting to new surroundings this year. His attendance to lessons has been perfect thus far, but recently, his evening prep attendance has been lacking. It is clear that Stephen has potential and ability but these are sadly only shown in flashes. The norm tends to be outbursts, tantrums and an inability to express himself. We would like to speak with Mr and Mrs McKeown regarding Stephen’s development and to discuss assistance from other professionals including psychiatrists and speech and language therapists. The other children find Stephen difficult to communicate with and Stephen often takes out his frustrations on inanimate objects. These episodes have resulted in ridicule by the other children. Stephen has been sulking for over a week now and if this attitude does not change, it is difficult to see how he can turn things around. In the recent test, he complained of problems with his eyesight – we suggest a visit to the Optician.

Alex Brockhurst

Alex has joined the group a little late since moving into the area. I am delighted to say that he is a settled member of the class and has quickly made friends. He is highly competent at working with others and has shown early signs that he is an all-round student who is talented in a number of areas. Although his attendance has been excellent, his punctuality could be improved as well as the state of his uniform which is often incorrect. Recently, Alex was voted as student of the week by his peers. This will undoubtedly do wonders for his confidence. Alex has certainly set a very high bar for himself. The second term will test his consistency but he has already demonstrated undeniable potential to be a top student.

Thomas Dawes

Thomas has settled in nicely to COWS Academy after transferring to us last year. During this time, he has shown a great work ethic and in truth he is one of our most improved students. Despite a long commute, he continues to thrive, and the competitive environment of Class 2 has seemingly brought out the best in him. Thomas is popular with his peers and has a wide circle of friends. He must however, learn the importance of punctuality. Recently, he has been late to a number of lessons and his preparation has suffered. A few weeks ago, he was very tired and lethargic and mentioned a lack of sleep from the night before due to nocturnal ‘cave-diving’. I do hope that Thomas can regain his focus ahead of the end of term exam on 9th December.

Griffin O’Rourke

Griffin is a polite, well-mannered young man with a quiet and reserved manner. His tenacious attitude quickly accelerated him through the lower sets and into Class 2 where he is now a bona fide member of the group. In truth, he has won the respect of his peers very quickly due to his excellent work ethic and pleasant attitude. In group discussions, Griffin prefers to process information and lets his performances do the talking. He is very dependable and has been a regular attender to evening prep throughout the term. This has been reflected in some excellent test scores including one of the highest marks in the most recent examination. A high point for Griffin was being awarded the student of the week prize after his first week in Class 2. This was an early indication of his ability but I believe that the best is yet to come from Griffin and I eagerly await to see his progress in the second term.

Ashley Gumbrell

I am pleased to report that Ashley seems to have made a full recovery from the trauma he endured at last April’s disco. His performances in the classroom have been very consistent with most test scores being a B grade or above. Ashley has added a cutting edge to his responses this year and this has resulted in a number of student of the week awards – notably in week two where he achieved two perfect scores in the same week. In a recent group activity, Ashley played a key role in supporting his fellow students and even resorted to doing two roles in order to successfully complete the task. I would like to see Ashley step outside of his comfort zone and be more sociable with his classmates. He is popular among the group but seems to be distracted by matters outside of COWS Academy…

Nicholas Rao

Nicholas was a fantastic addition to Class 2 during the short time he spent with us. As an exchange student, it was really pleasing how he mixed with the other students and approached every task with vigour. In the end, it was a shame to see him leave us at the end of the week and it be nice to see him back in the UK sometime in the near future. I wish Nicholas well in his future studies.

Oliver Houghton

Oliver has bounced back well after being bullied by a group of older boys in the showers last year. Whilst this would derail many other students, Oliver has put the experience behind him and continued with his rapid development. He is one of the most popular students in the class and can always be relied on to lift the spirits of everyone with his well-timed jokes. In the classroom, he is laid back, but works hard when required. This approach, although unconventional is highly effective and as a result, Oliver has gained a number of nominations for student of the week already this year. It is difficult to suggest how Oliver can improve as he is high scoring in every assessment. Perhaps one criticism is that he occasionally seems groggy before tests – suggesting a lack of sleep the night before. All told, an excellent first term with plenty more to come I hope.

Jaideep Desai

Jaideep has shown immense grit and determination to rise through the sets at COWS Academy since moving from a nearby school... After some excellent results and an excellent stint in Class 3, he is now rightfully in Class 2 where I am pleased to say he is flourishing. He has shown great industry this term and is not afraid to speak his mind in lessons which shows his increasing confidence. It is also pleasing that he supports the work of others which demonstrates his selfless attitude. In recent weeks, he has caught the eye and has been a stand out performer. I believe the best is yet to come and he will show his true quality after the Winter break. Well done Jaideep.

Joseph Hyatt

Joseph is a new student to COWS Academy but has quickly set high standards and expectations of himself. Despite being moved up a year group into Class 2, he has the highest average test score out of all students in the class. Joseph has shown incredible potential in a very short period of time. However, he occasionally has difficulty sharing with the other students. Recently, I have had concerns over Joseph’s focus. He seems to be distracted by students at the nearby COWS Girl’s Academy. This may explain why some of his responses in the most recent test were wide of the mark and his overall performance level has dipped below what he is capable of. I do hope that the winter break will allow Joseph to relax and socialise with his friends before returning in January ready to better his already outstanding achievements.

Peter Bashford

Peter is a high flyer at COWS Academy and has quickly risen up the sets. Recently, he has returned to Class 2 after a somewhat successful spell in Class 1. He is a very popular member of the class due to his unselfish attitude and has shown a high level of consistency in all tests this term. I would like to remind Peter's Guardian that the school are here to support the family should Peter require new uniform. There have been several reports from other students about his personal hygiene and his uniform is often dirty and smelly. We also have concerns over some pictures that Peter has been circulating to other students and Mr Hooper would like to speak with Peter and his parents/Guardian as soon as possible regarding this. Despite these misdemeanours, Peter continues to be one of the top students in the class and I am confident he will soon return to the top set.

Jay Patel

Jay started the term in excellent form and quickly hit many of the goals he has set for himself. While Jay works well autonomously, he appears to be lacking in ability to work effectively with others, often more prepared to operate as a lone wolf. Jay has a tendency to be selfish and as a result his recent performances have been lower than what he is capable of and perhaps his batteries are running low after such a busy term. In the most recent test, he was found to plagiarise and attempted to take credit for someone else's hard work. I hope Jay can learn the importance of honesty as he no doubt has untapped leadership potential.

Dates for your diary

Saturday 9th December
Class 2 Christmas party with secret Santa
End of Term 1

Saturday 6th January
Start of Term 2

Match report by Stephen McKeown
Result: Leatherhead Men’s 1s 0 – 1 COWHC 2s