Foreword from Mr Smith
It is amazing to think that we are already into October and Week 6 of Term. The Week 1 New Boarders’ Lunch and wonderfully attended Parents’ Drinks on New Field seem like only yesterday.
The start of any academic year is primarily focussed on welcoming new members into the School community and encouraging everyone to “hit the ground running".
As I walk around the site I have been struck by the seamless transition they’ve made, how happy they appear as well as how hard they and all the other pupils are working, training, rehearsing and encouraging each other. I am also incredibly appreciative of the parents who have been supporting events in increasing numbers.
The School Newsletter is a fantastic barometer of how much our pupils have achieved collectively, individually, academically and as part of our rich co-curricular programme.
I am particularly pleased to see so many initiatives starting to take shape - some from the Staff and some from the pupils - encouraging the children to engage with opportunity and help them to be everything they can be.
I have, for example, been impressed by how well the pupils have engaged with our new RPL lessons in Years 7 and 9. It’s been a joy to teach them along with Mr Lavery and Mrs Richardson.
It would be invidious to pick out any particular highlights but I thoroughly enjoyed my first Founders’ Weekend; meeting so many alumni proud of their School and enjoying each other’s company.
If I have one criticism it’s that they could have let us win one of the four trophies up for grabs! Better luck next time pupils.
Karen and I have also loved hosting parents, staff and pupils in our new Heathfield Room. Hospitality is such an important part of a Boarding School ethos and I hope that you will be able to join us at an event soon.
It's very hard to put into words the real sense of momentum we are building at the School – you need to experience it - but this newsletter gives a flavour of that shift and I have no doubt I will be writing the foreword of the October newsletter before I know it.
Mr Simon Smith.