Week two of the term is almost over and we’re really getting up to speed in what is always our busiest term! A thank you in advance to those of you who have offered to help at Open morning tomorrow, there still time to volunteer or join us on the day. The weather looks set to be fair and I’m excited to welcome prospective pupils and parents and show off the best of Hollygirt.
Next week is school photo week, Senior school pupils will have their individual photos on Monday, Prep school pupils on Wednesday and there is a whole school photo on Thursday. Please ensure pupils are in full school uniform on these days; any pupil with PE on these days should bring their PE separately to change into later.
This week the Year 6 pupils took part in the ‘Junior Hustings’ as part of the selection process for the Heads of the Prep School. All of Year 6 wrote speeches and five pupils decided to put themselves forward on the voting ticket. Each of the five spoke clearly and confidently, providing well-structured speeches with clear reasons and evidence as to why we should vote for them. I will leave it to Mrs Wright to reveal the candidates selected but will say I was impressed by all and casting a vote was very challenging as a result.
In the Senior School, pupils have been getting used to a few classroom changes and settling back into the routine of school life. For several pupils this has also involved taking up opportunities to support the school. A number have volunteered to be tour guides at the Open Morning, I have a selection of musicians working with Mr Duik to provide entertainment for you all at Prizegiving, and Houses are starting to think about the importance of the Harvest season to the farming community and collecting food items to donate to local food banks.
Finally, I’d like to share with you some thoughts on Dr Holbrook’s first assembly. Dr Holbrook addressed the Senior school on Monday about the crowd effect and how individuals can suddenly behave in dramatically different ways once they are in even a small group. It made me think of all the times in my teaching career I’ve been aware of teachers and parents at odds over a child’s behaviour and the comment “they’re not like this at home” has been used and become a source of tension. Of course, both sides are experiencing a truth. I will be encouraging staff to consider this in any contact they may need to have with parents or in speaking to children at school, and to consider how children’s behaviour can change just by the presence of others, they don’t even need verbal persuasion.
Hopefully, you will have received your Prizegiving invitation by now, this is not a ticketed event, so feel free to bring along Grandparents if they would like to be present.
Ever Onward and Upward
Ms Purdy