“I had become a kind of information magpie… Fool’s gold, or priceless nuggets mined from my singular childhood’s rich bohemian seam? I leave it for others to decide.”
Salman Rushdie
Now that the leaves have finally fallen from the trees and we have had the first cold and crisp mornings of the term, it seems that winter if it hasn’t actually arrived is not far from blowing in. As the plants on our campuses no longer provide much cover it is somewhat easier to see the birds that live in and around the school. One of the most noticeable avian visitor to the campus is the magpie (Pica pica). I don’t know how many magpies live in and around the school but they are certainly regularly seen on the front lawn of the Senior School and hopping up and down the path that runs alongside the Junior School. They are a welcome addition to the winter scene. A bird that features heavily in folklore there are many stories about this attractively patterned member of the corvid family, it is thought by some that counting magpies will predict good or ill fortune. Famously magpies are attracted to bright and shiny objects, perhaps less better known is their ability to recognise their own reflection in a mirror.
Many involved in education have something of these magpie tendencies. A visit to another school is a good excuse for what would be called industrial espionage in other contexts; a chance to pick up sparkling new ideas which may well fit in with what we are doing here in Croissy. I’m currently doing this right now albeit under the guise of being a school governor for one of our near(ish) neighbouring British Overseas Schools. A visit to another school, however brief, will almost certainly yield at least one bright and shiny idea. As staff we are able to access a wide range of professional development, yet more opportunity to develop new approaches to complement what is already going on here.
Our pupils are also encouraged to magpie (a new verb). We often use model answers to show good work, we encourage them to borrow ideas, discuss and develop them as their own. We encourage them to look for new approaches and techniques and to learn from each other as much as they learn from us. It seems that the magpie approach is not only for our feathered friends. We all find ways to improve when we follow the successes of others.
As we approach what must be the magpies’ favourite time of the year, a time when everything seems to be glittering and bright, I have to encourage you to see if you can pick up something wonderful at the BSP Society’s Christmas Fair tomorrow. Alongside the usual seasonal attractions of elves and a person in a red suit, there will be a sparkling array of local artists and crafters who will be offering a wide range of wonderful Christmas gifts. Choirs will sing, ensembles will play and there will be good cheer and joy. The perfect antidote to an overcast December day. I do hope you can come along and join in with what will be a fantastic afternoon.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
