Senior Reflections Week 34 June 2025
Dear parents,
Upper Two play
This week has been a riot of fun for the Upper Two pupils – with three versions of The Wizard of Oz, one for each form group, being held in the drama studio throughout the week. The pupils have worked exceptionally hard on their production this year and it was a fantastic celebration of their artistic talents, as well as their friendship, determination and commitment. The familiar story of Dorothy’s adventures on the Yellow Brick Road with the tin man, cowardly lion and scarecrow served to remind us of the importance of friendship, developing our character through the challenges that we face in life, and also that (in the unseen wizard) you should take a healthy dose of scepticism to those who claim to be all powerful! Huge congratulations to all the children involved in the shows, and to Mrs Polly Wopshott and Mr Jonny Titchin who have led, supported and rehearsed the pupils, with so many of the junior school team to pitch in and help along the way. Well done to all!
Changing times
We have been planning for the future this week, with candidates for the headship post here to visit the school and get to know us. I know they have all been incredibly impressed by what they have seen, and by your children in particular, and I hope that if your son or daughter was part of one of the pupil panels, that they enjoyed the chance to meet the candidates. You will, of course, hear news on an appointment from the board as soon as we have it.
Mr Graham Bone, meanwhile, is preparing for next year as he steps up to his Acting Head position. The communications team have interviewed Graham and I am sure you will enjoy finding out more about him, and what is on his agenda for the year to come. I particularly like the Lego version of Mr Bone – and I think, secretly, so does he! It is a very good likeness!
Click here to watch the interview with Mr Bone
And this week, I have spent a few days in The Hague, visiting my new school and getting to know my new team and the school community. This will be my eighth school and will, doubtless, bring individual challenges and unique aspects to my working life in the years ahead. What always strikes me when I reflect on school communities though, is how fundamentally important some common aspects are; and I am sure that as I get to know the British School in the Netherlands better, I will find that the community, character and commitment that I find there, will feel very familiar indeed.
Open house
On Tuesday, we welcomed about 50 families to our final open house event of the academic year. As ever, the pupils who toured our visitors around were brilliant advocates for all that Exeter School stands for, and our visitors were extremely impressed. Our site and buildings do have a real wow factor (especially in the sunshine!) but it is always the people that put the heart into our school and it is these interactions and relationships which bowl over prospective parents and, indeed, anyone who visits. We remain buoyed up by the consistently high levels of interest from prospective parents in the school and feel reassured that these admissions events are so well attended. You will have read of school closures around the country and we are very aware of the additional cost pressures that we all face, not least due to the addition of VAT on school fees, and the possible impact on numbers going forward. It is important that we remain aware, agile and alert, and that we focus on making the school run as efficiently as we can, to secure our Exonian community for many decades to come. Please be reassured that this is exactly what we are doing.
Field day
I am sorry to have missed the spectacle that is everyone heading off on their field day activities on Friday morning! Summer field day is always great fun and runs into Thursday and the weekend with a gold DofE practice expedition for the sixth form on Dartmoor and an overnight army exercise on Woodbury Common. In addition, the RAF cadets are off to Blackrock, the Lower Fifth bronze DofE will be completing their assessed expedition at Widdecombe on the Moor, Fourth Form are off to Paignton Zoo and Third Form are on an English trip into Exeter. We also have silver DofE on expedition in the Quantocks, a Lower Fifth group headed to the Aerospace Museum in Bristol, the community service group are taking a trip for the elderly to Saltram House and the sixth formers who are involved in the Arts Gold Award are also off to their trip to the city centre. Finally, sixth form CCF cadets from the naval and RAF sections are off to Raceworld and our roving musicians in Swunk are playing at St Leonard’s School. Phew! The logistics of such a complex day are impressive and Miss Rose oversees all the activities brilliantly. Many thanks to all the staff who are leading and assisting with this year’s summer field day activities and I hope that everyone has a great time, and stays safe whilst out on activities in the sunshine.
Sport this weekend
As well as the expedition and outdoor activities over the weekend, we have a full fixture card on Saturday; our athletes are off to the Exeter Arena for the Southwest Schools Track and Field Championships, and in addition we have cricket fixtures at home and away to Wells Cathedral School for the boys and Millfield Prep for the girls. I wish them all a great weekend and fantastic competition in their sport.
The sun is set to shine brightly on us in the days ahead and I wish you a lovely weekend.
