Years 2

Foreword

It is natural to look forward to the future with hope and optimism; however, the challenges of the academic year 2020-21 have encouraged this sentiment more than ever. I have been privileged to have spent time in conversation with a lot of our students over the past few weeks; specifically, students who will form next year’s Year 13 – they have a desire to lead the student body strongly, with optimism and hope, which is so refreshing and uplifting.

Before looking forward to next year, and acknowledging that for some, all you want to do is move forward, we must review and reflect on the academic year 2020-21. It would have been easy to have allowed the events of the pandemic to engulf and consume us. I was, and remain, determined that the School should draw all the positive lessons which we can do from Covid; to not allow any excuses to cloud our thinking, but to make the very best of a bad situation, which in the wider sense, none of us can really control.

We returned to a relatively normal Autumn term, albeit with one-way systems, face masks and hand gel abounding. Significant elements of our co-curricular programme resumed, and lessons took place in classrooms with real (not virtual) teachers.

By the start of the Spring term, we were back in lockdown. By now, we were experts in the seamless transition to online learning. Whilst all the lessons were live on Microsoft Teams and teachers had become increasing adept and skilled at delivering imaginative and inspiring online learning, there was a general feeling of “not this again”. We all knew what we were going into and, I think it is fair to say, many more students struggled with motivation.

It was great to welcome all students back before Easter and as we embarked on the Summer term. The government had decided that teachers would assess final grades for GCSE and A Level students and so the marathon of internal exams and assessments began, as the School and its Year 11 and 13 students built their body of evidenced assessed work. The whole process was tough on students and staff – hopefully, never to be repeated.

Yet, as I write, we maintain a ‘can-do’ spirit: our Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award students are about to go to Snowdonia for the weekend, Sports Day is on, our drama students are rehearsing A Midsummer Night’s Dream on our Somerville Lawn, and our Prep School pupils are presenting their entertainment events to parents.

Each and every one of our amazing staff has played an important role in supporting the education of the pupils. Out of adversity always emerges good – I am very proud of the strong sense of togetherness, of team, of determination to do the very best for our pupils - across all of our Schools, from the three Nurseries to the Prep and Senior Schools. This will be very apparent as you read this review of all the work done during the course of the past academic year.

Congratulations to all of our parents and pupils on emerging successfully from what will probably be regarded, in time, as the most challenging time our country has faced since the Second World War. I remain resolute in the view that the School can and will emerge stronger and happier as a community.

Mr Michael Hall, Headmaster

Alumni

Over the last year we have seen first-hand the strength of our entire Ashford School community and the value of remaining connected with each other.

We have seen some inspirational news come from our alumni community over the course of the past academic year. From alumni raising money for charity, to excelling in their careers, to setting up their own businesses, to winning awards.

Congratulations to those alumni who have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours Lists in 2020 & 2021:

Dr Emma Vaux OBE (Chaucer Pilgrims, 1982) – for services to Medical Education Rae Stollard OBE (née Sasson, Brooke Place, 1963) – for services to the community in Bournemouth Jackie Brock-Doyle CBE (Somerville, 1982) – for services to Sport

Our alumni have continued to support the School community and current students too, and we have listened to several fantastic careers talks including:

Becoming a psychologist, and the role of Health Psychology in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic with Trainee Health Psychologist and PhD Student SJ Stewart (Knights, 2013) A Career in Diplomacy with Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy Tripoli, Fleur Willson (Yeomen, 2003) A Future in Food with Head of Food at KFC Jo Tivers (née Brett, Franklins, 2002) A Career as a Portfolio Musician with Matt Nicholls (Knights, 2016) From Love Island to Wimbledon with Broadcast Engineer Kath Gray (Squires, 2010) Mental Health and Wellbeing with Health and Life Coach Rose Berry (Pilgrims, 2008) A Q&A with Content Assistant at Yoto Maisie Peppitt (Squires, 2016) Working on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with CBE recipient Jackie Brock-Doyle (Somerville, 1982) My Placement Year at Great Ormond Street Hospital with Sophie Stuart (Franklins, 2016)

The Ashford School Foundation has also continued to grow in strength, awarding two additional bursaries for the next academic year, and appointing a new Trustee, Mrs Katie Floyd (née Webb, Merchants, 2003). We hope to continue to grow the resources of the fund so that the Foundation can continue to support more talented pupils to receive an education at Ashford School.