The final assembly of the Summer Term drew our Diamond Jubilee year to a close in style with readings and musical items that included performances from our school choir and staff band. We ended as we began, in song. The theme of our year has been connection; with the past, the present and the future. Events have brought reunions and generated new links.
We have focused on a celebration of people and the threads that connect us through time. The reflections of those returning have centred on the wonderful energy of our school, an energy that is rooted in the communities we serve and my thanks go out to all who have contributed to it in the past sixty years.
On the subject of energy, our news blog outlines the amazing opportunities and events that have punctuated the year. Our students have sung in the Cavern Club, the Royal Albert Hall, Warwick Arts centre and Symphony Hall. There have been educational visits to venues such as art galleries, libraries, theatres and universities. Our students have benefitted from foreign exchanges, Geography and Science field trips, participation in national competitions, a visit to Cern and a week-long residential at PGL. We have been fortunate enough to be visited for a second time by Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar and for the first time by Dr David Landsman OBE, Director of Tata Europe. Their talks and workshops were inspiring and highlighted the importance of creativity and design in the work places of the future.
Looking to the future there will be changes to our uniform from September. At the end of this term all students have been given a brand new, redesigned tie in celebration. The new design sports our logo and a single coloured stripe that represents the students’ house. Our new Year 7 students also have a new blazer badge which has at its heart the acorn and oak leaf – symbolic of humble beginnings, strength and longevity.
I will sign off with the words of one of our students who when asked what word he associated with his first year at our school stated; “encouragement”. In that word there is both confidence and inspiration. So as the summer heat shows no sign of abating I hope that you have a very happy and safe holiday and thank you once again for all your kindness and support this academic year.
J Hughes-Williams