“There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking.”

Jean de la Bruyère

Three thirty on a Monday, nine fifteen on a Friday. Assembly time. The one time in the week when we all join as schools. Assembly is an important time of the school week. Often misunderstood and seen by some as a less productive moment in the week; I’d suggest otherwise. The pandemic taught us that when we are deprived of the opportunity to meet, to join as a group, then we lose an all-important sense of community. A significant price to pay.

I like assembly, true I find the sound of my own voice reassuring, so it is an ideal opportunity for yet more thoughts from the Head but this week I was given scant opportunity. A report on the multitude of sports events over the weekend (including a mighty victory by our netballers), a call to action for budding authors including a pupil authored (and read) story that sent a chill into the very soul, and a report on the activities of our Model United Nations group who were just back from The Hague where they had done a fine, fine job representing Ukraine.

At the Junior School, assembly was similarly packed. The School’s digital leaders spoke about Safer Internet Day and the plans that they have for next week, Mrs Desmeulles provided a biography of Josephine Baker as an example of integrity and the pupils then asked questions regarding the character lessons she can provide for us. House captains talked about the all-important house point scores and where success had been rewarded, not only for excellence but for kindness and compassion and integrity.

One of the most important elements of an assembly is the pupil voice. It takes a special type of confidence to stand up in front of four hundred or so people and tell them something of importance to you and our community. Doing that exposes you to that most modern of anxieties – being judged. I’m immensely proud when any pupil is willing to stand up and speak about something that is important to them (and therefore to us).

A very wise teacher once told me that it was his ambition that every child that he taught would learn to have the confidence to speak in front of a large group of people. He told me that this sort of experience was formative, a powerful force for them as an individual. It was the very bedrock of an education. The ability to speak up for what you believe is no easy skill to acquire, but if we manage to provide an opportunity to build the confidence to do this then we might just leave the world a better place. If we give our young people the opportunity to develop the confidence to speak up, to stand apart when all others fail to question, then we may well have given them a powerful tool to make this troubled world a better place. I’m lucky, I get to see this hope every week, even if it means I have to speak a bit less.

Nicholas Hammond

Headmaster

www.britishschool.fr