Along the hallway (走廊), I saw mixed expressions on the faces of my students: excited, nervous, and worried.No doubt about it: they were this term’s freshmen. My own first day at high school flashed into my mind.

Since our family had just moved to the place, I didn’t know anyone at the school. On arriving, I picked up a map and my schedule . Oh, my goodness, what a large school it was! Nervously, I looked about for where my first class was to be held.

When I finally found my class, everyone was talking and laughing together, and I felt so lonely. Throughout the day, each period brought some new faces I had not seen before. But when my English class came around, I had a surprise: an old classmate! It was Ben, who had left my middle school right after sixth grade. We talked and joked about middle school and the clubs we were in together. My nerves eased (放松) a little.

Next was the P E. class. This was the first class that I found without difficulty. Sitting through the boring introduction to the class by the teacher, I started talking to a girl sitting near me. I found out that her family had just moved here too, and she didn’t know anyone either. As we talked, we discovered that we had a lot in common, and had a lot of classes together. This girl ended up becoming my best friend. I am so glad that I met her.

By the end of that day, I was full of optimism (乐观). I knew that high school would be an amazing experience.

Parents are fighting for their child’s right to rest across the country. Twenty-three elementary schools in Orange County, Florida, have been cutting back on rest, and even canceling it to increase class time.

In a recent Orange County School Board meeting, parents demanded that rest time be carried out in all local schools for all students. Angela Browning, a parent in the area, said that schools’ rest is ranging from zero to 30 minutes per day. “Five-year-olds not getting rest means abuse,” said Browning, whose twins in the second grade benefit from taking a break and learn better.

“The main reason for reducing the rest time is Common Core exams including math, language arts and literacy, where the students’ performance often controls teachers’ pay and sometimes teachers may lose their jobs. Many teachers are using that extra 20 minutes that would have been spent on the schools’ scores, everybody is stressful,” said Diana Moore, president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association.

The decision of whether reducing rest takes place, and for how long is up to each school’s rule. “Florida law requires that districts provide 900 teaching hours during the school year,” Florida’s Department of Education press secretary Cheryl Etters said in a statement. “Whether test is part of the school day is a decision made by the school board.”

Reducing test also can take away an opportunity for children to learn social skills, according to many experts. “In society, who cares if you have straight A’s and you get a scholarship to Harvard if you lack social skills?” said Mallet, a mother of two children.

This is an opportunity open to students who have achieved an above average Key Stage 2 score. Students will need to apply about 2 hours per week. This will include extra-curricular activities, experiences and study beyond the normal expectations of the school curriculum.

Over the next academic year, the West Exe Reach Programme will offer students opportunities to participate in:

• Team building residential activities

• Visits to top UK Universities including Oxford and Cambridge

• Inspirational, informative and engaging lectures from leaders in a range of different professions

• Meetings with students from Universities who have followed a similar pathway to the student’s ambitions

The ambition of this is to see students’ understanding of the available opportunities to widen and to encourage them to set the bar high and achieve more.

Students will receive support through additional tutoring. To ensure that all students are able to move onto an elite(精英) destination of their choice, the West Exe School Reach Programme will provide assistance with the completion of strong Exeter College Reach Academy applications.

For further questions, please email admin@westexe.devon.sch.uk.