Thought For The Day – Thursday 15^th May 2025 

Above: Vesak, or Wesak, celebrates the Buddha’s birthday and, for some Buddhists, also marks his Enlightenment (when the Buddha saw the truth about, and meaning of, life) and his death. It is also called Buddha Day.  It was celebrated globally by many Buddhists on Monday of this week.  An interesting, and informative,  programme on this important celebration, and Buddhism, from Sunday morning: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002c20v/celebration-kitchen-wesak-day

Celebration Kitchen – Wesak Day – BBC iPlayer Matt Tebbutt is joined by a host of special guests, including Nihal Arthanayake, Tanya Moodie and Ken Hom, for Wesak Day, a festival celebrating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha. www.bbc.co.uk

On an Inset Day last year,  teacher, and literacy expert,  Alex Quigley gave much excellent advice.

For example, Alex encouraged students to use the last five minutes of every examination and assessment to check their work. His passionate belief was that is the most valuable time of all.  Those extra points, including labelling and signposting questions, can make all the difference.

There are always some students who are one mark away from the next level or grade on Results Day. Could that mark have been found, and made up, by final checks in the examination room?

“Leave no stone unturned”.  Play to the final whistle. That extra 15-20 minutes revision beforehand makes all the difference too.  This commitment, and resilience,  is all part of “The Black and Gold Spirit”.  We go again, and again.  Fine margins make a big difference.

Correct literacy is all part of this.  There are marks for this in examinations. At very least, literacy makes a good impression,  aiding accurate, careful,  clear and respectful communication.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar is an integral part of this.  Well done to the eleven students from T.B.S.H.S. who performed so admirably in, and won,  the “Spelling Bee” yesterday at Avanti School. Calum Tait, from Year 9,  won a round with the word “Schadenfreude”. Whilst knowing this word, and being proud of their performance, T.B.S.H.S. never puts the word into practice, showing great respect to, and for, all the great local schools and teams participating. Thank you to Miss. Bishop for her leadership of this “Spelling Bee”.

A “bee” is also social gathering.  “The Black and Gold” was buzzing again yesterday.   Be(e) Black and Gold.

Those final checks matter. In assessments and examinations. In “Spelling Bees”. In U.K. Mental Health Awareness Week and beyond:  of others; of ourselves.  Care.  Commitment. Keeping on keeping on.  Give the heart and the soul. In learning. In life.