Senior Reflections 6 February 2026

Dear parents,

I hope you have all managed to stay safe and relatively dry through what has been a challenging week in terms of weather. In spite of the conditions there has been more to celebrate this week at school. Following our Oxford successes earlier this month, we were also delighted this week to receive the news that three pupils have secured offers from Cambridge, bringing our total to six offers this year. Congratulations to Cadan, Henry, Lali, Max, Max and Tyler. It is particularly pleasing to see such a wide range of chosen courses, from pure sciences and engineering through to law and classics. Thank you to all the staff who have supported these pupils on their journeys; I am sure there will be even more success this summer, with many pupils applying for highly competitive courses at top universities.

I also want to say a big well done to all those pupils in Lower Fifth (Year 9) and Middle Fifth (Year 10) who took part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge this week. It was wonderful to see so many pupils engaging enthusiastically with demanding mathematical puzzles beyond their usual curriculum. We now await the results with interest.

On Wednesday it was a privilege to listen to the thoughtful contributions of pupils on our EDI Committee. Miss Rose led a challenging and thought-provoking meeting exploring different types of neurodiversity, the use of labels, issues of equity, and how the school can continue to support all pupils more effectively. Wednesday also saw a wonderful informal guitar concert. The repertoire was truly impressive, ranging from David Bowie and Bryan Adams to Polish folk music and traditional Japanese pieces. It was heartening to see such strong support from staff, friends and family, and I was left with plenty to whistle to myself on my walk home that evening.

My thanks this week also go to Mrs Szender and her team for organising a busy and bustling careers convention. It was great to see so many senior pupils engaged in lively and purposeful discussions with such a wide range of exhibitors.

Thursday brought a special study skills afternoon for the Upper Fifth (Year 11), followed by their parents’ evening. I hope it proved to be an informative occasion and encouraged pupils to reflect carefully on the advice offered by their expert subject teachers. A reminder that Thursday 5 February is the deadline for both Upper Fifth A Level choices and Lower Fifth (Year 9) GCSE choices.

Tonight, quite the change of pace, as I am very much looking forward to seeing our sixth form enjoying themselves at their Winter Ball. It promises to be a memorable occasion.

I want to wish good luck to all our sports teams this weekend; especially to our U16 netballers who travel to Bournemouth for the South West Region Finals and to our cross country athletes taking part in the rescheduled Devon Cross Country Championships. I expect to see lots of very muddy (and hopefully very happy) pupil photos from the event. Ten Tors too will, I am sure, provide the usual mix of training and challenge on the moor as pupils experience another overnight, this time camping at Heatree.

Also, on Saturday we are welcoming pupils to the junior school assessment day. It is set to be a busy morning, and fingers crossed the weather holds so the children can have some fun in the playground.

Next week, we hope to welcome many of you to our next parental forum. We will be updating parents on our plans for the shape of the week from September and, in particular, exploring with parents of neurodiverse children the strategies we are putting in place to ensure pupils continue to receive the expert care and support they need during these changes.

Next Friday also sees our Exonian Lecture. We are delighted to welcome Alex Leger, the man behind Blue Peter, who has travelled the world meeting remarkable people, including members of the Kayapo tribe in Brazil. Alex will share stories from his time at Exeter School and explain how these experiences helped set him on a path towards an adventure-filled career. The lecture will take place from 6.00pm to 8.30pm. If you would like to attend, please complete this form.

Finally, a reminder that tickets for the Choral Society concert are still on sale. I hope to see you there.