Charlotte P and Filipp R (both Upper Sixth) have taken on the responsibility of Heads of School for the Lent Term. They have both given their speeches to the student body in Headmaster’s Assembly. You can read both speeches in full below:

Filipp R:

Good Afternoon school,

There are many challenges we are faced with on a day to day basis. Some of these are physical, like competing in a sprint, others are academic, like working on a piece prep you don’t understand and some are mental, like trying to work out what to say in a speech. However, there is one type of challenge that I would like to dedicate this moment to. It’s one that encompasses many different skills, problems, personalities and ideas. It is at the centre of any group and almost every experience you have with other people. It is, of course, the challenge of leadership.

It’s important to first start by focusing on the leaders in this very room as I would like to congratulate Henry and Olivia on the great term that they have had in their Head of School positions and thank the headmaster, senior leadership team and everyone who has allowed me to stand here today. I believe that it is actually in the school community itself that we can learn the best lessons about such topics either from teachers or, more often than not, from friends and other students. I can certainly say that this was the case for me.

But, this was accompanied by multiple experiences that truly shaped me as a person and have taken me away from being the shy and slightly strange Third Former that I once was. The most notable experiences are almost all cadet courses and trips. Whilst not only forcing me to socialise, they placed me in an environment unlike any other, the third day of a field training exercise. By this point, most people are sleep deprived, hungry and fed up. The true colours of individuals shine through and, whilst some crumble under the pressure, others rise up to it. It creates an opportunity to see respected and experienced leaders at work in an atmosphere in which they thrive. Over time, I began to develop my own ideas of what I saw as a strong leader from these experiences. It created a set of standards that I attempt to hold myself accountable to and I would like to share some of these key principles with you today.

An idea that is central to earning respect is to lead by example and, where you can, from the front. This is embodied by one of my greatest idols, a US Marine officer known as Chesty Puller. He famously leaped up out of the trenches to attract machine gun fire at close range just so the enemy could be identified and was always known to be the loudest and the proudest. He firmly believed that if he couldn’t do it, then he certainly wouldn’t tell anyone else to try. This selfless behaviour brings me to my second point, extreme ownership. It is the idea of taking full responsibility for not only every decision you make but, most importantly, for everything that happens to the people that you command. You will inevitably end up processing every decision in greater detail and take more care for your team. Finally, and this goes for everything you are faced with in life, you must have the ability to stop and think. I learnt this the hard way. On one trip that I went on, we were tasked with a night navigation exercise. Believing that time wasn’t on my side and that I knew what I was doing, I immediately set off for the first checkpoint. I couldn’t find it. If I would have just taken no more than thirty seconds to locate it the best I could and plan a thorough, fool proof route then many of my mistakes would have been avoided. It was a true example of learning through failure.

And so, I hope that just for these few minutes I have given you something to think about. What standards do you hold yourself to and how will you perform as a leader in the spotlight? Please take the principles I’ve mentioned, build them, change them and make them your own so that you can also rise to the challenge that leadership is.

And, as tradition, I will finish with a quote by retired Navy Seal Jocko Willink, ‘A leader must be attentive to details, but not obsessed with them. They must be strong but have endurance. A leader must be humble, but not passive. They must be close to subordinates, but not too close… They must have nothing to prove, but everything to prove.’

Thank you.

Charlotte P:

Good afternoon school. I hope you have all had a good start to the term and new year. Firstly, I would like to thank Mr Thomas and the rest of the senior management for giving me this opportunity, and many congratulations to Fil as well.

I’m standing here today not just as one of the Heads of School, but as someone who, like all of you, navigates the ups and downs of school life. With this being my last full term at SVS, I just wanted to reflect on moments and experiences which this school community has taught me.

One of the things I’ve learned from taking part in school plays, is that everyone’s uniqueness adds something incredible to the performance. When we’re performing, each of us brings our own energy to the stage. And just like in real life, the show wouldn’t work if we all acted the same, dressed the same, or thought the same way. We need those differences to make something meaningful. And the same goes for us as a school community. Our individuality is what makes us strong—it’s what helps us build the SVS community.

Another important part of school life, is sport. Even though this is not my strongest suit, I have still enjoyed always having a laugh with friends on the pitch. Sometimes, we miss the chance to appreciate the process: the challenge, the improvement, the friendships, and the satisfaction of giving it our all. Sports, and school life, should be a chance to push yourself, but it’s also about enjoying every moment, doing something that connects you to your team, your peers, and your own sense of achievement.

Even though we are all surrounded by positive friends and people, it is easy to dwell on knockbacks and the failures, whether it is a low mark or negative comment. In moments like these, I find that reassurance from friends always seems to help. It reminds me of the many amazing people around me who offer constant support. Some of my most cherished memories at SVS have been made alongside my friends, and these moments highlight the importance of surrounding ourselves with positivity and kindness. So, I encourage you all to always be kind and maintain a positive outlook—it truly makes all the difference as a kind act can always have a positive effect.

As someone who struggles academically, it can always be difficult to reach out and ask for help. From past experience, I find talking with friends or asking a teacher for advice is always helpful. No one expects you to do everything on your own, and sometimes, the hardest thing is just reaching out. At SVS, you’re surrounded by people who genuinely care and want to support you. It’s important to remember that seeking help doesn’t make you weak, it shows strength and the willingness to grow. So, if you’re ever feeling stuck, don’t hesitate to ask for advice.

With that being said, I encourage you to always be kind, seek help when you need it and just enjoy every moment.

And as tradition, I will finish with a quote, by Maya Angelou

‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’

Thank you for listening and good luck to all of you in fixtures this weekend.