A fabulous start to the new term

A fabulous start to the new term After weeks of preparation, planning and, I must add, considerable frustration with the delays, I am delighted to finally be in school. Leading the school remotely was a somewhat strange experience, and whilst not an ineffective strategy, no amount of technology can replace face to face contact; people together in the same space at the same time. 

Dear Parents, 

After weeks of preparation, planning and, I must add, considerable frustration with the delays, I am delighted to finally be in school. Leading the school remotely was a somewhat strange experience, and whilst not an ineffective strategy, no amount of technology can replace face to face contact; people together in the same space at the same time. 

For those of you that don’t know me, 8 years ago I had the honour of being the founding Head of Primary, when our school first opened. A lot has changed since then, in terms of the size of the school, the facilities that we have and the academic standards which our students are achieving. But what I’m delighted to see has stayed the same is the spirit of the school. From Day 1, we had an unrelenting focus on students’ social and emotional development, and wellbeing.  If those are secure, they form a firm foundation for learning and academic success. There has also always been tremendous energy and vigour throughout the school, people are prepared to go the extra mile, to share ideas, to help and support one another. In a collegial setting such as this, staff work collaboratively to ensure the best for every student. 

We have certainly hit the ground running this week, making a great start to the term. Across the primary school, year groups enjoyed their ‘entry point’ activities to launch their new topic with energy and excitement. Year 13 students did a fabulous job with their TOK presentations, which is part of their IB requirements. Our IB options evening for students and parents of Year 11 was well attended, and was an important event for students who are just starting to think about some important decisions they will have to make. There was also an iGCSE maths exam, notable as being the first exam that has taken place since Covid started last spring. 

We are looking forward to the term which lays ahead. It promises to be a busy, fruitful and exciting time.

Karen Hanratty

Principal