“Aaah, summer – that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.”
Darell Hammond
It may well be a cliché but like most clichés, there is more than a grain of truth in it. The school year is a marathon and not a sprint. There are always sprints within it, times when the pace of learning or revision picks up but, for the most part we move along at a sustainable pace until we reach the end of the year. The end of term is always a blur with sports days, final assemblies and prize giving to enjoy. A time when we celebrate all that has been achieved in the school.
Then the school falls quiet. During the holiday, the school remains open, but the focus is on maintenance or building. By the time September comes around there will be a new EYFS playground, replacement windows and doors in some Senior School buildings and, ready for the 70th anniversary, the Debussy building’s steps will have been restored. The school will be ready for learning once more when we return after our holiday.
Before then, but after a long wait, GCSE and A level exam results will be shared and our older pupils will confirm their next steps as they move beyond school to university or other opportunities. Now, the students are making the most of the last days to enjoy the company of friends who may well be moving to new adventures in different schools around the world. Such is the normality of the BSP, we are always moving on, our globally mobile pupils are often leaving for new schools. All who leave us become part of our worldwide network of Old Parisians, able to give and gain advice about living or working in a different country to those who have also enjoyed their time on the banks of the Seine.
Now that the holidays have started, academic work may be put to one side, but I hope that everyone takes the time to read a book, to spend time outside and to enjoy time with family and friends. There may be more time, there is also a different pace of time during the summer break, and I hope that pupils make the most of this opportunity to recharge and reconnect with a life outside school.
To all of those who leave us this summer, good luck and please do keep in touch. To those who remain, I hope that you enjoy this summer and return safe and sound to start the new term in September. In our 70th year there will be much to celebrate, and every year there is always much to look forward to.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
