by Nic Earls | Feb 16, 2026 | Uncategorized
Day Three: Attack of the Shins
Let’s go!
Today kicked off with an overnight snowfall leaving 10cm of fresh snow so obviously, the only responsible way to start the day was with a full-scale snowball fight.
But this wasn’t your usual “stop that immediately!” situation. Oh no. There were no teachers yelling “put that down!” this time… mainly because they were too busy dodging incoming snow missiles.
Let’s just say the aim was strong, the snow was perfectly packable, and the score currently stands at:
Students: 1
Teachers: 0
Second day of lessons today, which means our instructors think we’re more confident, this is interesting news, as most of us are still negotiating with gravity on a regular basis.
Some tackled the bigger slopes today. Faster runs. Longer runs. More turns. More jumps. And definitely more falls.
At one point, the top group including Phoebe, Mason and May attempted a jump with great confidence and zero planning. It was majestic. For about 0.4 seconds. Then it became a snow angel demonstration.
And can we talk about shin pain? No one warned us that ski boots would slowly compress our lower legs into emotional damage. The pain in the shins is real.
Every time the instructor said, “Lean forward!” all groups collectively thought, “We physically cannot. Our shins our killing us.”
Then came the evening: pizza night.
We headed into a restaurant. After a full day on the mountain, nothing has ever tasted so good. Carbs? Essential for recovery. Cheese? Medical necessity. Fizzy drink? Emotional support. Nothing builds character more than watching a group of students who have so much confidence regretting their life choices after being persuaded to try the hot sauce.
Tomorrow, we take on the mountain —
or at the very least, tumble down it with undeniable style, and as Jakob’s mantra has reminded us all day:
“Breathe in the breeze of the mountain.”
Today’s awards go to –
Poser – Will for using his googles to do his hair
Kamikaze – Maisie for wiping her group out
Muppet of the day – Nathan for taking his time to put skis on every time he falls.
by Nic Earls | Feb 15, 2026 | Uncategorized
Today was day two of our ski trip, also known as, The Day We Discovered Ski Boots Are Not Slippers.
It was our first proper day of lessons. Everyone was up early, making packed lunches (which some of them left at the hotel), and the realisation Ski boots are not made for walking; they are made for… suffering.
Before we even reached ski school, someone (DD) had already lost their gloves. We hadn’t touched snow yet. Impressive, honestly. The gloves had a shorter holiday than we did.
At ski school, our instructor told us we’d be “flying down the mountain in no time.” What they didn’t mention is that first they’d spend 45 minutes learning how to stand up after falling over.
Putting skis on is easy. Staying upright? That’s another story.
Lots of students lost it halfway through the morning. Not emotionally (well… maybe a bit emotionally), but physically. Trying to snowplough downhill while your legs shake is harder than it looks. Who knew stopping required actual skill.
After six hours of imprisoning our toes, we were released directly into a swimming pool. Watching everyone hobble from ski mode to swim mode was the real entertainment.
Despite the falls, the glove incident, and the Great Boot Complaint of 2026; it was a brilliant day. We’re all slightly better at skiing and slightly worse at walking.
Today’s awards go to:
Kamikaze – Jorja fell into a building
Poser – Guy thinks he is better than he is
Muppet of the day – Dylan for losing gloves and spending a third of his money for new ones
– Mrs Wycherley
by Nic Earls | Feb 14, 2026 | Uncategorized
It begins, as all sensible school trips do, at an hour normally reserved for questionable online purchases. There we were, bleary-eyed. Overpacked children. One child dragging a suitcase roughly the size of themselves.
The bus unpacking crew – you know who you are.
The brave souls who lifted 55 suitcases
Without complaint. Without applause (unlike the pilot and what we know expect at the end of every lesson). Possibly without proper stretching beforehand. We see you and we appreciate you.
There is something uniquely chaotic about a school group at an airport before dawn.
The children, who allegedly “weren’t tired at all,” were: eating KFC at 4am, wearing hoodies as blankets and immediately asleep on the plane except Mason who talked to himself and anyone else awake throughout the flight.
Now we arrive at what may be the most educational part of the trip. The rooms. When I let students know…
“Before you do anything else, you need to make your beds.”
Silence.
Some students stared at the mattress as if it were an advanced maths problem.
For a brave few, this was clearly their first independent encounter with:
* A fitted sheet
* A duvet cover
* The concept of responsibility
One child reportedly attempted to place the duvet on top of the mattress protector and declare victory. Another asked if housekeeping would be coming around.
Character building, we call it.
After approximately 36 hours awake, the group bravely marched into town.
And what is the first cultural landmark teenagers seek out in Austria?
Not a cathedral.
Not a mountain.
No.
It was, of course, McDonald’s.
Because nothing says “immersing yourself in Austrian culture” quite like ordering nuggets in three different languages.
Next came ski fitting.
There is nothing that bonds a group faster than collectively discovering:
* Ski boots are not designed for comfort
* Walking in ski boots is a skill
* Everyone suddenly has “slightly wide feet”
In Conclusion
Your child is:
* Probably exhausted
* Definitely surviving
* Possibly still learning how to put a duvet cover on
– Mrs Wycherley
by Nic Earls | Feb 13, 2026 | Uncategorized
Year 11 have had fabulous support from their teachers over the last two weeks as they aimed to complete at least 8 revision sessions in school in order to earn a pizza tea this afternoon. Between them, they completed over 800 hours of revision and got to feast on Dominos before heading off for half term, well prepared to complete lots more independent work in preparation for their final set of mock exams when we return. Well done Year 11, we are really proud of you!
by Kelly Earls | Feb 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
On Wednesday 11th February, our year 7s were treated to a to watch the CBSO perform
The performance featured pieces such as Star Wars Main Title Theme by John Williams, Jai Ho by A.R. Rahman and Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite: Finale
The students spoke highly of the concert and were inspired to see music brought to life by professional musicians in a symphony Orchestra
by Kelly Earls | Feb 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
Formula One Success
On Thursday last week, two teams represented The Earls at Aston University for the F1 in Schools Regional finals. Although we didn’t manage to qualify for the national finals, both teams did really well against tough opposition.
Volt racing, the professional team, finished 5th out of 13 for the fastest car, just 0.07 seconds behind the winner. They also finished in the top 3, from the 37 teams, for their verbal presentation.
EarlSpeed, the development team, finished 4th out of 24 for the fastest car, just 0.067 seconds behind the winner in their category. They finished 12th overall in the combined categories, 0.218 seconds behind the overall winner, beating many professional teams. They also finished in the top 3, from the 37 teams, for the judges choice award. Students were also praised by the judges for the quality of their verbal presentations.
The students really enjoyed the experience and are looking forward to future competitions. Huge thanks to Mr Logan for all his support.
