A word from the Principal This new monthly newsletter is a chance for my Senior School colleagues and I to keep parents up to date with events at the Senior School as term progresses. Within it we have included a round up of just some of the many activities and events to have taken place in this first half of term. I hope you find it accessible, interesting and informative and that it serves to provide some of the soft information that has perhaps been lacking in the previous twelve months as so much of our communication has necessarily focused on issues to do with the pandemic.
T
his autumn term began in stark and positive contrast to the last, with a full Senior School assembly in the sports hall. It was brilliant to be able to properly convene again as a community after the enforced social distancing measures of 2020-21. I used this first assembly to outline the mission, vision and values of the Foundation, as refined over the summer by the senior team. I was pleased to be able to outline the revised SPF mission statement: to educate and inspire the contributors to tomorrow’s world: intelligent young people with the creativity, compassion, confidence and conviction to question, evaluate and improve society. I also spoke about the vision and values of the Foundation emphasising the core values of scholarship, kindness, diligence, humility and social and environmental responsibility. One of our two Co-Captains of School, Connie, also addressed the assembly, encouraging the community to make the most of the post-lockdown re-found freedoms, to get involved in all there is on offer at school, and to reconnect as a community from the outset of the term. Connie’s message appears to have resonated with Senior School pupils and it has been hugely impressive to see our Year 11 student House Captains engaging with those in younger years and supporting the running of House events, as well as sixth formers visiting assemblies to promote involvement in activities like the Model United Nations. We will be continuing to create opportunities for greater vertical integration between pupils in different year groups in the months and years ahead - I see it as hugely important to provide our younger students with excellent role models, older pupils they can look up to and learn from, as they grow up with us at the Senior School. For the older pupils, such opportunities help them to develop important skills of communication and leadership that will serve them extraordinarily well in their time beyond school. We have also very much enjoyed welcoming parents back onto site for new parent events and for concerts. We look forward to seeing you at further events this term. A reminder of upcoming events in the second half of term, is included in this newsletter for your reference. In line with our revised mission, vision and values we are proud to be taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge for the first time this December. This will commence on #GivingTuesday, 30 November at midday and close on 7 December at midday. This event is to raise essential funding for bursaries to support students and families in our community. All donations made online at The Big Give, whilst the challenge is live, will be doubled! Please help us spread the word about The Big Give amongst your family, friends, colleagues and wider networks and remind everyone that one donation will make double the impact to our bursary fund this Christmas. We will send more information about how you can make a difference nearer the time and we are hopeful that this will become an annual fundraising event across the Foundation. - Richard Girvan, Principal
Issue 001 - October 2021