Our Principal's End of Term Parent Update - 22 June, 2021

Dear Parents,

Our academic year draws to a close on Wednesday following the longest academic year we have ever had at BSB. The academic year totalled 195 teaching days both online and face to face contact. It has indeed been a marathon and I would like to thank the entire school community for their hard work, resilience and sheer determination in what have been some very trying circumstances. As Principal, I could not have asked more and as a community of staff, students and families, all have risen to the challenge and succeeded in getting to the end of the year. My thanks to you all and hope that everyone has the opportunity to take a well-earned break before the new academic year starts in August.

Our Year 11 and 13 students have successfully completed their I/GCSE and IB Diploma examination programme and we have high hopes for their results with an expected further improvement in grades as has been the case for the last few years. This is great testament to their hard work and that of their teachers, who despite numerous disruptions over the last 18 months prepared well for these examinations and as I say we are confident that results will be good. All year groups have faced their challenges and overcome them. It is often said that adverse times brings out the best in people. I think this has been the case at BSB. Our school community has found new ways of working, discovered innovative ways to solve new problems and simply refused to give up even when circumstances are at their most difficult. I am grateful to every member of our community for all that they have done.

Having said all of that, I hope that the new academic year runs much more smoothly and the school and its community can settle into a more predictable pattern and all can enjoy a greater sense of normality. This is the last message of the year. I would like to thank all families for their support of the school and to all those who joined me for our weekly meeting every Friday at 4pm. I looked forward to them each week and I hope all those who joined us found them equally enjoyable and also indeed, helpful.

The new academic year will see a change and as I leave BSB, I welcome Jayne Needham our new Principal to the school. I have enjoyed every moment of my time at the school and thank you all for personal and professional support in what have been some trying times. I am sure I leave BSB in very capable hands and as I will continue within Nord Anglia’s family of schools, I will always watch with a close interest the further development of this great school.

I wish you all the very best for the future.

Best regards as always,

Richard Thornhill

Principal