Senior Reflections Week 22 March 2025
Dear parents,
Last weekend the Ten Tors training programme enjoyed spectacular views and wonderful sunny weather as they explored the moors and practised their skills and teamwork. They showed great fortitude in extremely cold conditions overnight and I continue to be impressed by their resilience and energy as they work together in this challenging environment. Back at school, it was a pleasure to watch the U14 netball teams playing such exciting netball against Blundell’s School and narrowly winning both of the home matches. This was on the back of the same squad having been at Churcher’s College in Hampshire for the national netball semi-final fixture on Friday. Sadly the team did not win, but they did extremely well to get to that level and we congratulate them all and thank them for their commitment to school sport. Many thanks, also, to Miss Brittany Johnson for her leadership of the netball in school – which is loved by so many girls of all ages.
Governors
This week has been full of governor meetings and on Monday we had the Education Committee and Welfare & Safeguarding, with Wednesday seeing the Finance & General Purposes and Governance committees. With the governors currently working on an updates strategy document with the leadership team, the board is very busy at the moment and I continue to be very grateful to them for their time, energy and commitment, not to mention their skills and wisdom, all of which they give so freely to the school.
The arts
On Wednesday there was an informal concert in the music hall, which, sadly, I was not able to attend. Bumping into parents who had been there, though, I was reminded of how able and inspiring our pupils are. I thank them for their energy and dedication. It is always good to see the junior school pupils in the same concert as their much more experienced sixth form performers, and I hope that they find some inspiration from being on the same stage as the older musicians. Thanks as ever to the music team for their support and guidance. Later in the afternoon the GCSE drama pupils performed their assessment pieces and I much enjoyed the variety, the skills and the passionate performances on the stage (despite being hit by a flying shirt!). They had all worked hard on their pieces, which were both entertaining and thought provoking. Many thanks as ever to the drama team for supporting them so well.
Third Form Murder Mystery
There will be a murder this evening…. in the library – and the Third Form are being challenged to work out who the murderer is. Mr Halpin, our librarian, has been planning this murder mystery sleepover for months and I know some very excited third formers who are very much looking forward to the event this evening and into tomorrow, to be repeated (but with a twist) for another group of Third Form sleuths next weekend. What an exciting event for them all to be involved with and I am very grateful to everyone who has chipped in and helped, both staff members and the pupil librarians. There will be escape rooms, treasure hunts and clues to be solved, and I very much hope that the pupils have a fantastic time, work out who the murderer is, and also get a few hours of sleep! I am planning to come along and join in some of the fun – so I hope that I don’t end up as the victim!
MUN in Bath
The Model United Nations are off to Kingswood School in Bath for their conference this weekend. This is a great opportunity for an extended period of debating and international relations and I wish the delegation every success and thank Mrs Laura Bell for accompanying the group for this residential conference.
Sport this weekend
This is a full programme of hockey for the boys against Queen’s College, Taunton on Saturday and the rugby sevens are playing away at both U16 and U18 level on Sunday in the West of England Sevens Tournament. Best of luck to all our athletes on the hockey and the rugby pitches and many thanks to the sports coaches who give their time and skills so generously to support the pupils in their endeavours.
It was World Book Day yesterday. I very much hope that you enjoyed celebrating the joy of reading with your children, and that they continue to love literature and all the benefits that come from books and the written word.
I wish you a great weekend.
