On World Book Day, 2016, saltash.net found itself transformed into a Harry Potter themed Hogash.net, thanks to the impassioned efforts of English teacher and Literacy Coordinator, Jono Stirrup.
Mr Stirrup led assemblies for students in years 7-11 in the lead up to the big day, emphasising the importance of reading as much as possible, and promoting the school’s excellent library provision as a ‘treasure chest’ of ideas.
Students and staff certainly got into the Hogash.net spirit on 3rd March, dressing up in a fabulous range of costumes which included Modern Languages teacher, Miss Yvinec as ‘the lady in the painting’!
Across the school, departments offered all sorts of themed activities: Latin spells in Languages, Magic in Maths, incantations in English and robotic quidditch in Design Technology. In addition, year groups were split into appropriately Harry Potter themed Houses with year 7 as Gryffindor, year 8 as Hufflepuff, year 9 as Slytherin and year 10 as Ravenclaw. Year 11 were appropriately absorbed into the House of Dobby for the purposes of the day!
Speaking after a hugely successful day, Mr Stirrup said, “I’ve always been pestered by students about why I haven’t read Harry Potter, ‘after all you’re an English teacher’, they would say. I took it upon myself to trawl through, what I always assumed were just books about magic and wizards, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Harry Potter is an absolute treasure chest. One year 7 pupil told the assembled year 7s and 8s, on Tuesday morning, that it was about friendship and the resilience of friendship. I really couldn’t have put it better myself and, as such, a wonderful theme to use for saltash.net where the ideals of resilience and comradery are strong and explicit in our day to day lives. Students who took time to dress up became part of something very special. There were notable highlights and surprises: a dragon, two Hagrids, a dashing Professor Lockhart, a Dobby, Mrs Norris the cat with Hermiones and Harrys galore! Thank you to all who dressed up, but also to all those teachers who created a lesson themed around Harry Potter. Children had an utterly wonderful time and I’m sure next year is already in their sights.”
The students who dressed up were invited to make a donation towards ‘Books to Africa’, an organisation providing educational aid to areas of Africa in severe need.