Dear parents and guardians,
It is wonderful to be writing to you at the end of our first week of the academic year, and what a week it has been! After a long and hot summer, it was a pleasure to welcome everyone back on Monday and to see the school come alive once again with the energy and enthusiasm of our pupils. I am sure many of your children will be sleeping soundly this weekend!
I thoroughly enjoyed my first assembly with the senior school pupils, which provided an opportunity to share what matters most to me as their new Head. My key messages focused on inclusivity, the power of teamwork and belonging to something bigger than ourselves, embracing school pride, stepping beyond our comfort zones to reach our full potential, and applying the value of kindness in all that we do.
It has also been wonderful to see our girls and boys back enjoying sport and engaging in their music and LAMDA lessons. I particularly enjoyed watching the U18 girls’ hockey team in action against Exeter College on Wednesday, which ended in a well-deserved 2-1 victory.
It was a pleasure to meet so many parents at the Meet the Head events this week. As I mentioned in my speeches, the fourth pillar of my educational philosophy is community, and a central part of this is the partnership between school and home. I very much look forward to getting to know you over the coming years and to working together to ensure that every child flourishes and achieves their full potential.
Having seen the pupils arrive to school in their CCF uniform today, I am looking forward to seeing them ‘in action’ this afternoon. I am also looking forward to joining the Third Form pupils at their induction social after school today.
Looking ahead, next Saturday (19 September) is the school fete, and the Family Society are looking for donations for the hampers (see information below). Please do drop these off at the Main Reception or Bursary, and don’t forget to come along yourselves for a fun afternoon!
I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to Mr Bone for his outstanding stewardship of the school over the past year and for the generosity and support he has shown during my transition. Thanks to his professionalism, attention to detail and commitment to Exeter School, I have been able to hit the ground running. As Senior Deputy Head, he will continue to work closely with me to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the school while helping to shape our strategic direction for the future. His deep understanding of Exeter School, combined with his innovative thinking, makes him an invaluable colleague and partner.
I hope to see many of you at the hockey and rugby fixtures tomorrow and I look forward to hearing the choristers for the first time at Exeter Cathedral on Sunday.
Have a wonderful weekend with your families.
