I have blinked and we are almost at the end of the first half term!
I am not quite sure how that happened but as they say, time flies when you are having fun. The boarders are very much looking forward to a well earned rest, as are my team and I wouldn’t often admit to this, but me too!
This first half term has been much about establishing relationships, adjusting to new routines, learning how to respect one another and generally enjoying living as one big family. I am sure they will all be pleased to share with you some of the laughs we have had over the past six weeks.
It has been a pleasure getting to know our boarders this half term. I especially enjoy witnessing the enthusiasm that oozes out of them in so many different areas. We have exceptional football players (boys and girls), we have musicians that grace us with their music regularly, we have table tennis players that show an elite level of commitment to their sport. The boarders are so fortunate that they can enjoy such a wide variety of extracurricular activities to fill their evenings that complement their academic studies.
Last week, we appointed our Boarding House Captains and Council. This was an incredibly proud moment for me, and for them. It is important that they have a voice, we can only make changes if we know what to change and I am sure they will help steer things in the right direction.
This week marked our annual Founders’ Day. We celebrate the day the school was founded with traditional activities such as charitable contributions, local walks in the countryside and, of course, bangers and mash to finish the day!
We have celebrated a few birthdays this month. Our catering team provide each boarder with a lovely cake on their birthday and we all sing happy birthday in our morning meeting. It is always a lovely way to start the day when there is a birthday to celebrate.
Lastly, I would like to talk to you about the CCTV system that we have installed on all the main entrances as you enter the boarding house. This is not revolutionary, in fact, most schools are now adopting the same level of security. The cameras are being installed as an additional security measure to assist the electronic keypad system. The safety of our boarders is paramount and I am pleased to share this update with you. The CCTV policy can be viewed on our website.
I would like to wish you all a restful and happy half term!
Nicola & The Boarding Team