“Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.” – Heraclitus
At the risk of stating the obvious, we have reached the end of term. A long term, a busy term. A very successful one. We started in the gloom of a wet January and finish with the bright and beautiful afternoons of April. A term in which we have seen change, development and success.
During the recent Year 8 parents’ evening, I had the good fortune to spend some time with the younger siblings of pupils who were receiving feedback on the term. I was struck by their confidence and curiosity. It should not have come as a surprise; it is the sort of healthy attitude to discovery that is fostered in our Junior School by our excellent teachers. We have seen our Junior School pupils light up the stage, enjoy their sport and go on some fantastic school trips – volcanoes in the Auvergne, space travel in Le Bourget and archaeology in Sainnt-Germain-en-Laye.
These experiences breed a certain type of confidence.
It has been a busy term in the Senior School too. Mock exams have been followed by fixtures, shows and, on Wednesday, a most magnificent school concert. Great work has been done in embedding character education in the school and our character champions have been talking eloquently about having the confidence to make their own decisions, to stand apart and to think for themselves.
Confidence is a curious thing. Too much can be a dangerous thing. Too little and not much can be achieved. All too often as our younger pupils grow they become cramped by adolescent anxiety – that is why it is so good to see our older pupils building on the confidence they have, thus allowing them to perform, sometimes in small groups or as soloists. These experiences allow young people to develop the strength of character to meet other challenges.
As is often the case at the end of term we have to wish pupils and their families goodbye as they move on to new adventures. We trust that they leave with the lessons learned at the BSP and friends that they will keep for life. We wish them well.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
