Senior Reflections 26 June 2026
Dear parents,
Phew – what a scorcher! It has certainly been a warm week, and I would like to thank you for your support in ensuring that pupils have come to school well prepared. Water bottles, hats and sunscreen have very much been the order of the day, every day.
I am always impressed by the way staff respond in challenging circumstances, and this has not been an easy week. Plans have been adjusted, special adaptations made, and routines flexed, all with the clear aim of putting pupils first. Throughout, colleagues have balanced pupil welfare with continuing to offer challenge, opportunity and enjoyment. I think some bonus House points should be awarded to Goff House, who, months in advance, had planned their charity ice cream sale for today. I suspect it was a sell-out!
Casting back to last week, we enjoyed a very successful Field Day, including Gold, Silver and Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions which continued into the weekend. I want to thank all staff for their contribution, especially those who led activities and those who camped out with pupils.
The week began with an incredible Lower School production of The Wind in the Willows. There was creative stagecraft, superb staging (with thanks to the operations team) and some excellent performances. Whether pupils were helping backstage, running lights and sound, acting as part of one of the three animal ensembles, taking a leading role, or contributing somewhere in between, it was wonderful to see so many throwing themselves into the production. I thoroughly enjoyed the performances. Special thanks, of course, go to Mr Brough, Mr Harknett and Ms Smith for guiding, shaping and encouraging the pupils throughout. I am sure the experience will live long in the memory.
Wednesday in the junior school brought another annual highlight, with Form One’s Roman Day. Complete with costumes, Roman activities and the very welcome shade provided by the Testudo practice, it was a memorable day, and there are some great photos online.
On Wednesday Mr Chu and the team hosted an induction event for our September sixth form intake. It was wonderful to see so many pupils, including many of those who will be joining our community for the first time at the start of next academic year. My thanks to him and to the current sixth formers who shared their own experiences of sixth form life.
Keeping on the theme of sixth form, Thursday evening saw our Upper Sixth leavers’ dinner at the RAMM. It was a great evening, reflecting with pupils on their time here at school, enjoying good food in the culturally enhancing surroundings of the museum.
Thursday also saw our two senior school Speech Day events, offering us the chance to pause and reflect on the year. These occasions matter: they allow us to celebrate effort and achievement, to recognise the breadth of pupil contributions inside and outside the classroom, and to come together as a school community. Our pupils’ achievements continue to amaze, and it was a pleasure to celebrate so many of them. Thanks go to Miss Rose for coordinating the events so expertly, and of course to our guest speaker, Old Exonian Professor Tim Lewens. Professor Lewens generously gave his time during the day, spending time with pupils and prompting them to think carefully about what makes good science, and how we distinguish it from pseudo-science. For those unable to attend, there is a link below for you to watch the services. I am looking forward to junior school Speech Day today.
Click here to watch the recording of the Lower Fifth to Lower Sixth Speech Day
Click here to watch the recording of the Third Form & Fourth Form Speech Day
This week we have also run several carefully risk-assessed trips, with our Middle Fifth (Year 10) artists visiting Plymouth, our Lower Sixth geographers visiting Lyme Regis, and our chemists spending time at Exeter University. Thank you to all the staff involved. Good luck to our MUN delegates and to Mr Masters as they visit Taunton tomorrow for a conference at Richard Huish College.
Looking ahead, next week’s forecast looks rather more typical for this time of year, so we will return to normal uniform. We will, of course, keep a close eye on conditions and revert to our established practice of making “shirt-sleeve order” decisions on a day-by-day basis.
