Senior Reflections 1 May 2026

Dear parents,

It has been another wonderful week in school, helped in no small part by the glorious weather. The cricket pitches have been buzzing with activity, with both boys’ and girls’ teams making the most of the sunshine. It has also been a busy week academically, with art and MFL oral examinations taking place, and our Lower Sixth BTEC sport pupils sitting their first exam today. We wish them every success.

Next week will be the final few days in school for our Upper Fifth and Upper Sixth pupils before they begin study leave. For our Upper Sixth, this marks their last full week in school with us, which is always a significant and rather poignant moment. We wish all our pupils the very best of luck as they enter this important examination period.

Last weekend saw the final Ten Tors training session, and we now wish all our teams the very best for the event itself next weekend. It is a remarkable challenge, requiring resilience, teamwork and determination, and I know they will represent the school superbly.

Our Lower Fifth Duke of Edinburgh pupils also enjoyed a very successful practice expedition on the Jurassic Coast, learning how to navigate through footpaths and quiet country lanes while developing the independence and problem-solving skills that are such an important part of the Award. Many thanks to Ms Roff and the team for supporting them.

Also on Sunday, Mr Munday and Mrs Van Schalkwyk successfully completed the London Marathon. Mr Munday recorded a hugely impressive time of 2 hours 45 minutes. Mrs Van would like to share her heartfelt thanks to all who supported her or gave generously to her chosen charity, the NSPCC.

On Monday, our Lower Sixth geographers completed fieldwork in the Exe Valley. Fieldwork is an essential part of geographical learning, giving pupils the opportunity to apply classroom theory to real-world environments, develop their data collection skills and deepen their understanding of the landscapes around them. Many thanks to the geography team for facilitating such a valuable learning experience.

Our Fourth Form biologists enjoyed a memorable visit from the Digestion Dome, following the journey of a meal through the body and learning about each stage from fork to sewer. Speaking with pupils afterwards, it was clear that they very much enjoyed this rather unique and engaging experience. Many thanks to Mrs Coe for organising it.

On Wednesday, our Third and Fourth Form mathematicians stretched themselves through the Junior Maths Challenge. This is always a superb opportunity for pupils to test their problem-solving skills, think creatively and tackle questions that go well beyond the routine. Well done to all those who took part.

We are very much looking forward to seeing our Lower Sixth drama pupils perform their component one pieces this evening. Their creativity, commitment and talent are always a real pleasure to witness, and I am sure it will be a wonderful showcase of their work.

Something a little different this week: you may not be aware that I, alongside a number of other staff, serve as school governors for various schools both locally and regionally. The trust to which my school belongs, Exeter Learning Academy Trust, comprising four primary schools in the West Exe area, is currently recruiting Trustees, and I wanted to share the invitation with you.

This is a highly rewarding voluntary role and offers the opportunity to make a real difference to the futures of children here in Exeter and the surrounding area. While the Trust would particularly value people with experience in HR, legal matters and/or risk management, expressions of interest from people from all professional backgrounds would be warmly welcomed. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the Chair of the Trust Board, Suzannah Curtis, at scurtis@elatschools.com to arrange an initial discussion, without commitment.

Finally, this weekend Dr Commin will be leading some of our Lower Sixth pupils out on the water as part of their sea kayaking training. We wish him and the pupils the very best of luck, and fingers crossed for calm waters.

I hope you all enjoy a restful and sunny Bank Holiday weekend.