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Middlewich High School

Excellence in Learning – Achievement for All

Describing the Safeguarding Conference by Harry Clayton - year 8

Harry Clayton gives us a fantastic description of his journey to the Safeguarding Conference in Manchester.

This half-term, Year 8 have been developing their skills in ‘writing to describe’.  On being asked to think of an adventure that they had been on ‘real or imagined’ to describe with a careful focus on time and place connectives and adverbials, Harry Clayton chose his recent participation in a  conference that the iCare team spoke at.  This is his slightly embellished account.

Excitedly we undid the seatbelts of the minibus. The shiny logo of Manchester Conference Centre gave us a warm welcome like a waiter in a restaurant when he is giving you your seat. As soon as we saw the crowd we started shaking with nerves. Fifteen minutes later, I was sat down with a coffee, only knowing that we were performing in two hours. Other people were sitting down in their chairs, chatting to each other, their voices muffled by the biscuit crumbs. Whilst everyone chatted away, I was listening to Dez Holmes.

We set off to perform, our I-Care hoodies drowning us. The stage towers up, an intimidating sight. A shiver of nerves creeps down my spine, the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up. Everyone else is backing away but I’m ready to go on. Cowards don’t do well in life!

A terrifying climb later and I’m on top what feels like a hot bed of coals. Was it a hallucination or did I see over 1,000 people waiting to hear our piece? A lightning bolt of worry hurls through my stomach as I confirm that my thought was true. Or that’s what it looked like anyway. Slowly, I face my fears and walk the coals as my team stumble up the steps like a grandad without his walking stick. How are they managing this? The next few moments are a blur of briefings, radio mikes and remembering our words. We are finally ready to go on.

Ah! After 45 minutes of talking and it is finally done. We all deserve medals. Is it just me or does talking on stage make you feel great about yourself? I take a seat at the table I have been allocated and get a big cup of water. Hmmm.  Now for the questions…

Harry Clayton - Year 8