Junior Reflections Week 14 January 2026
Dear parents,
It has been lovely to welcome all our pupils back after the Christmas break, and I have enjoyed hearing about the many presents that pupils were lucky enough to receive; they have all clearly been very good! I have to admit I do miss the twinkly lights that I would see in December on my way to work, but I am also enjoying the crisp frosty mornings, although it is rather chilly. With that in mind please can I ask that your children come to school appropriately dressed as we always encourage them to get some fresh air outside, so being wrapped up is a must.
On Monday, Mr Wood led chapel assembly and welcomed the children back to the new year. On the theme of, “New Year, New Start”, the pupils learnt about the history of the calendar we use today (Gregorian) and its links with an earlier version introduced over 2000 years ago by Julius Caesar. Physics and geography were also involved as the pupils then learnt about time zones around the world, and why some countries celebrate the coming of the new year earlier, or later, than others. The children were also encouraged to consider the Roman God, Janus, who looks back over the old year, and forward to the new year. They considered what they could do to build on the successes of last year, and what resolutions they would like to make for the year ahead. Whatever they may be, I hope they achieve their goals for 2026 and I look forward to hearing of their successes as we progress through the year!
At Exeter School the year brings, as always, new and exciting things to look forward to, such as Dr Rainbow joining the school as Head in September, welcoming new babies to our community, both for Mr Dutch and for Mrs Conway Clifton, new pupils joining the school and finalising our shape of the week and curriculum review project, which we will be sharing in more detail in due course. The review includes a move to hour long lessons to enable more focused time in class learning, and less time lost in movement between lessons. And finally, of course, for me, the dreaded marathon in April… it is going to be a busy year!
In other news, you will have seen Mr Bone’s message yesterday outlining the changes announced at Exeter Cathedral School for the next academic year. While this news brings with it a sense of real sadness, we are also genuinely pleased to be able to play our part in preserving the city’s outstanding choral tradition. If you have not yet read Mr Bone’s message, please do follow the link shared yesterday.
One date for the diary is our Exeter School Quiz night, on Friday 27 February, which is a great opportunity to socialise with other parents and have some fun. If you wish to join us, tickets can be booked at ESFS.org.uk/quiz. It really is a fun evening, with raffles, a game of heads and tails, and I promise that the questions are fun, written by our very own Mr Ayling.
Wishing you all a warm weekend.
