“It’s all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you’re properly trained.”
Queen Elizabeth II
We were fortunate to have been invited to watch the Tongan rugby team train on Wednesday. In the abstract, going to watch a team train may seem to be far less exciting than watching them play a match. There is, without doubt, a good deal to be learned when we accept that the skill shown on a sports pitch comes from not only a certain level of talent but an awful lot of hard work. Having the opportunity to see this process up close is a lesson in determination and endeavour if ever there was one. It is important that our young people have the chance to see individuals who are competing at the highest level ensuring that they are ready to meet the challenges of match day head on. Each day our pupils are faced with images of people who seemingly enjoy success without really trying, those who live perfect, airbrushed lives. This was an opportunity to see what success really takes, to achieve a chance to understand that high performance comes from hard work.

We were also honoured to attend the welcome ceremony for King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Arc de Triomphe earlier in the week. A magnificent spectacle with rows of marching soldiers, talented military bands and of course a King, Queen and a President. It has been said before that King Charles has spent most of his life in training for his current role and if that is the case, he appeared to know what he was doing. Many will no doubt scratch their head at the seeming irrelevance of something like a State Visit, but if it does nothing else it reinforces the relations that exist between old friends, France and Britain. Relationships are also more successful when we invest time in ensuring that they remain cordial, things tend to go wrong in school when pupils do not consider the impact of their behaviour on others. This visit reminds us that we should strive to remain cordial and that friendships need to be maintained with kindness.
Years 7 and 8 enjoyed a vigorous afternoon of team building on Monday. The aim was to develop bonds of trust and improve teamwork. When we put ourselves in more challenging situations we learn a good deal about our character. Experiences like this build confidence, develop understanding and give all a chance to develop strength of character that can be brought to bear on challenges in the classroom later in the year.
All who were able to come to our Welcome Event enjoyed a great opportunity to meet with other BSP families and members of our wider community. Such events don’t happen without an enormous amount of work behind the scenes so a much deserved thank you to our caterers Croc Pizza, the Communications Dept, the Finance Office, teaching and support staff, the indefatigable BSPS and the Prefects who facilitated this enjoyable event.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster