“Music is the most profound, magical form of communication there is.” – Lesley Garrett
There is a hard frost on the front lawn. Breath is condensing in puffy white clouds as the pupils gather ready for the first lesson, thick coats and woolly hats have been retrieved from the back of cupboards and we are starting the run into the end of term. Winter is upon us, and we are making our way towards the end of the calendar year, you can feel the anticipation.
Next week our musicians will come to the fore, after long hours of rehearsals and preparation a wide range of pupils will perform. Nursery will have an end-of-term get-together, and our ever-popular Junior School concert will see almost every pupil sing or play, and all those fortunate enough to be in the audience will be imbued with suitable levels of Christmas good cheer.
On Tuesday evening, the Senior School musicians will play a festive programme, and we will enjoy a wide spectrum of musical genres all themed around this time of year. Please do join us for a dose of festive fun. On Friday, older pupils will share their stage presence with the community in the annual talent show, an event that is always a reminder of how supportive our pupils are of one another.
Before we know where we are, the term will have ended in a tidal wave of glitter and good humour. Pupils have worked hard this term as their interim grades and reports will show progress has been made and friendships established. The school was visited by an ISI inspection team, and the report will be available in the New Year. There is much to celebrate.
Weeks like next week are true examples of what is sometimes called holistic education. Lessons will take place, but much learning will occur outside of the classroom with opportunities for performance being to the fore. So much is learned when a young person has the courage to stand up in front of an audience and perform, it is a pressured and challenging environment but when mastered provides a wealth of confidence that can be used in other areas of their life. We learn a good deal in lessons, we learn much in other parts of school too.
Our next newsletter will provide a visual record of all that has gone on in school in the final week of term, and will exceptionally be published on Monday (15th December).
If you want to gain an idea of what this unique week is like, then do join us for a concert, I can guarantee that it will make even the most “Christmas cynical” amongst us feel festive!
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
