I continue to be inspired by how much so many students care about the School and community here. On Tuesday, I enjoyed meeting with the Student Council and hearing their reflective and constructive ideas about how we can maintain many of the good points at the School and consider what we can do to make it even better. These conversations are important and I really value their thoughts.

This afternoon, it was moving to hear Mr Carr talk in Junior Assembly about friendship: ‘If you want to have good friends then you need to be one’, he said. I reiterated this in Headmaster’s Assembly and I hope it was well received. The vast majority of our students of course get this right most of the time, but the challenges of being an adolescent in the world today are notable and sometimes we do not always make the right choices. It is often when we are tired and looking towards a break that our judgement can be affected, so both Mr Carr and I asked particularly that we all reflect on our values as a community in the few days until Half Term. When we are positive, supportive and work together the community is at its best and I hope that we can all aim to keep that at the forefront of our minds.

It was a pleasure to see some of the First Form parents at the Tutors’ Tea event at the end of today, and I know a number of Holdgate parents are due to come tomorrow for the Tutors’ Breakfast. Much like my note above about the Student Council, I am keen to hear how things are from you all.

Next week will be intense, but once it has passed we will all have a good break. A highlight will be the Field Day on Thursday 20th; there is such a range of activities on offer and I trust that all of our students will have a great day. Do please spare a thought however for our A Level Geographers who have their AS paper on that day – good luck to them.

Have a good weekend and enjoy the week before Half Term.