Senior Reflections Week 21 2024
Dear parents,
Last weekend was a tough one for the Ten Tors training team, and they are to be congratulated on the resilience and tenacity shown in some tough conditions. The staff and volunteers continue to give their time extremely generously and with great enthusiasm, not to mention skill. We could not do it without them, and I thank them all for making sure that your children are safe on the moors, despite the sometimes challenging conditions.
Governors
It has been a busy week for the board of governors, with two committee meetings on Monday and a further two on Wednesday. At a time of potential change for the independent school sector, we are lucky to have such good counsel and wisdom on the board; volunteers who give freely of their time, commitment, and expertise to guide the school forward. I remain very grateful to them all for their many contributions to school life and for their support of our aims as a school.
Futures conference
On Tuesday, we had the futures conference for the Lower Sixth. This is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to hear from individuals representing a range of career choices and professions, and this year was no exception. We draw quite heavily on our alumni body as well as parents and friends of the school for representatives of a range of industries and sectors, and it is always wonderful to be able to welcome Exonians back to school to talk about life beyond Exeter School. Mr Luigi Chu, Miss Alice Holohan, and in particular Mrs Melanie Szender are the masterminds of the event, and I thank them for organising it so well and engaging the Lower Sixth in such exciting opportunities. I hope that your sons and daughters enjoyed it.
Ukrainian photo exhibition
Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing our pupils’ artwork displayed on the windows of the ConversationCafé in Paris Street. Our Young Artists’ Collective have been busy working on a photography project to depict what their Ukrainian subjects – members of the Devon Ukrainian Association – have experienced as they mark the two year anniversary of their country’s invasion. The exhibition will still be on display until 15 March if you are passing and would like to view the photographs. There is a video outlining how it all came together here.
Exonian lecture
Looking ahead, the Exonian lecture this year celebrates the work of climate scientist and Exonian, Prof Edward Hawkins, whose work on climate stripes may be familiar to you. Working at the University of Reading, Prof Hawkins leads in his field, and we are very excited to be able to welcome him on Tuesday 19 March in the main hall. I very much hope that you will be able to join us; you can find out more about the event here, and if you want to know more about Prof Hawkins’ work, please explore it here.
Sixth form centre
You may have noticed that there has been some building work around the sixth form centre on the western edge of the building. These are the start of the groundworks to enable the refresh of the centre, which will be ready for September. This will see the layout altered inside, an extension with a café added to the western face of the building, and a refresh of the study and relaxation spaces inside to make it work better for the pupils. This is an exciting project for us all and will, I am sure, enhance the space and the experience in the sixth form for the boys and girls, as well as for those who work closely with them.
This weekend, we have a full fixture card of netball matches against West Buckland and Taunton and hockey against Taunton. In addition, the rugby squad will be playing sevens matches in Plymouth on Sunday. I wish all the players some great competition.
