Senior Reflections 19 June 2026
Dear parents,
There are weeks in school life when the calendar looks less like a timetable and more like a particularly ambitious game of Tetris. This has certainly been one of them, with the levels only increasing pace in the time remaining this term.
Last weekend saw a superb Channel Swim event at Topsham Pool, with three teams collectively swimming the length of the Channel. Beginning late on Friday afternoon and finishing on Saturday morning, the event brought together pupils from Third Form (Year 7) through to Lower Sixth, alongside pupil lifeguards who played an important role in making it all possible. Dr Robb was not only the mastermind behind the event, but also a guest swimmer himself. Huge thanks go to him for his vision, energy and commitment.
Today is another special day: Field Day. Third form (Year 7) will be completing a creative walking tour of Exeter, and I am very much looking forward to reading the stories inspired by it. Fourth Form (Year 8) are exploring conservation and environments at Paignton Zoo. Lower Fifth (Year 9) will either complete their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expedition or visit the aerospace museum in Bristol. Middle Fifth (Year 10) and above have joined their Friday 8 activities, with pupils involved in an extraordinary range of experiences. Our community service pupils are visiting Ellen Tinkham School, CCF cadets will be engaged in a wide variety of different team-building and leadership-development activities including paintballing, exercising on Woodbury Common or spending time on the water at Haven Banks. Swunk visit Wynstream Primary School, Arts Gold pupils are off to Bristol, Duke of Edinburgh groups are completing their Silver expeditions in South Devon and on Dartmoor, the Exonian team will be working hard on next year’s edition, and finally our sports leaders will be supporting our own junior school sports day.
Phew.
Days such as these matter enormously. Learning beyond the classroom helps pupils develop confidence, character, independence and curiosity. It builds friendships, strengthens links with our local community and gives pupils the chance to serve as role models to others. I am hugely grateful to all the staff who have led, supported, transported, encouraged, organised and, in some cases no doubt, gently cajoled pupils through such a rich range of activities.
This week, as is our tradition, we have also enjoyed wonderful performances from our Upper Two (Year 6) pupils in the junior school, who took to the stage in the drama studio for their end-of-year play, Sherlock and Cinders. It was a real pleasure to see every pupil involved, whether in a large role, a smaller part or as part of the wider ensemble. There is something very special about watching each form group coming together in this way: growing in confidence, supporting one another and clearly enjoying the chance to perform. My congratulations to all the pupils and staff involved, led fantastically by Ms Cox. Rehearsals for our Lower School production of The Wind in the Willows are also in full swing. I have seen a few short snippets, and it is already looking wonderful. Tickets are available here:
Click here to purchase tickets for The Wind in the Willows
On Wednesday we enjoyed our final informal concert of the year, and it was an absolute delight. These concerts are among my favourite moments in school: they bring together pupils just beginning their musical journeys with those who are already performing at an astonishingly high level and knocking on the door of being professional musicians, all supporting one another and celebrating effort and progress. The programme was wonderfully varied, with impressive Rachmaninov, powerful Beethoven, joyous Joplin, popular songs from Sia and Cohen, and even a little Star Wars for good measure. It was impossible not to smile. Superb.
The exam season is now over, and I would like to thank Mr Butler and the exams team for ensuring the exams ran smoothly. Yesterday saw our Lower Sixth parents’ evening, an important opportunity to reflect on recent exam outcomes and to benefit from the expert guidance of subject teachers as pupils begin to think seriously about ambitious university applications, apprenticeships or exciting gap year plans.
On Tuesday, we held another parental forum, this time on homework, led by Mr Fennemore. My sincere thanks go to all the parents who contributed. Parental insight is invaluable as we review and refine our processes, and we are grateful for the time and thought so many of you give to these conversations.
Elsewhere this week, we have had a Lower Sixth film night led by Mrs Culley, Mr Masters supporting an excellent pupil-led twilight MUN session, Mrs Daybell leading Lower School pupils on a local litter pick, a chemistry masterclass led by pupils for local primary schools, EDI committee meetings, a drama ‘combat’ workshop (yes, this was as good as it sounds!), a golf tournament, and numerous cricket and tennis fixtures. A typical week, really…
A reminder that next week we have our Speech Day events. A great opportunity to look back and celebrate the varied successes of pupils this year, both inside and outside the classroom. All parents are welcome, regardless of whether your own child is a prize winner or not.
I would also like to thank parents again for your encouragement and backing of all that we do here at school. On a personal note, thank you too for your very kind words about my change of role for next year. I am sure I will say this again with three weeks to go, but it continues to be a great privilege to serve as Acting Head, and I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity.
Enjoy the weekend.
#gochiefs
