Head's Words Summer Term Week 12
o here are my last Head’s Words of the academic year - next week our Principals will take over the reins and will write to you about the school year as a whole.
And what a year it has been! Our pupils, your sons, they are the next generation of role models, inventors, philanthropists, musicians, professors, artists, actors, sportsmen……...I could add to this list for the rest of the day. They are the ones who have excelled in their own right, they have made new friends, have had to learned to be patient, to be resilient, to share, to stand up for themselves, to discuss, to question, and to be their best selves. As lovely as our grounds and our buildings are at Claires Court Junior Boys School, it is the people that create the culture, the ethos and the atmosphere within. Those people all play a part in making our school what it is. The boys, the teaching staff, the non- teaching staff, and the parents - this is the community that I try my hardest to serve…...especially the boys! My talks on Tuesday and Wednesday at the various productions (don’t worry, I won’t be talking for long!), is entitled ‘What part do you play?’ and I hope it will illustrate how the Claires Court team works, in which you as parents play a major part.
I am indebted, for example, to Ruth Henley and Debbie Parker in our school office who between them manage not only to run the entire administration of our school, a school of 267 boys, they also tend to keep me sane when things go a bit off track. Sometimes, things can go a bit off track, such is the nature of a busy working school! You learn a lot about your team in how they react to a challenge, and I am sure you would agree that Ruth and Debbie know how to keep their cool when the script changes slightly
It is all about the boys when we talk of our community, and I am so proud and privileged to have the opportunity to lead them through their junior education. Our current Year 6 boys have just one week to go with us, and I am very aware that a number of our parents are as upset as they are to be leaving CCJB. But let me assure you, you never leave Claires Court once you have been part of this family, and I would hope that our fundamental Golden Rules will stay with the boys through their exciting challenges in life. This has been such a wonderful Year 6 group. A group who embody our school principles. Parents are saying that they may be a bit tearful at leavers assembly. Let’s just say there may well be some staff who will find it emotional as well, having spent so many years with your sons and with you as parents.
But let’s be happy!! I love the last week of term, and not just because it is so close to a holiday! I love it because you get to see the boys enjoying their drama and music, as well as enjoying a slightly less formal set of lessons . As I write this I can see our Reception boys and staff preparing for their Graduation Party……...these are pupils who joined us nine months ago as very little boys. They are now writers and mathematicians and cricketers and charity supporters and…….I am sure you can imagine, this is also an endless list!
On Wednesday at Speech Day, I have invited one of my great friends, Mr Tony Blakeley, to give out our prizes. He is retiring this year as Deputy Head of the Senior Boys school, and having had two sons go through the Claires Court system, was delighted to have the opportunity to share in our celebrations.
I would like to thank all our parents for your support of our school this year. It has been a challenging year for me personally (they always say second year of Headship is the worst!) and losing the tireless work of our wonderful Deputy Headteacher, Susan Payne, to such a horrible illness has been a real drain on the staff. However, as always, they have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that the learning environment that your sons have received has been the best ever. Judy Nott who has become my Deputy Head in Susan’s absence and Eric Leuzinger, my Assistant Head have been particularly brilliant in their work and I would like to thank them for their endless patience!
But the news that Susan is due to be arriving back home tomorrow has given us all the best end of year gift we could ever receive. I spoke with her on Wednesday evening during our Year 6 Caribbean Cricket tournament…..she told me she was checking up to see if we had burnt the BBQ sausages again, and had we sorted all of the speech day prizes out! Nothing changes!
I am sure I will see you all at one of the events this week before we break up. I wish you all a very restful and enjoyable summer break. I am driving my family down to Spain for three weeks for a bit of relaxing getaway - if you are travelling abroad or within the country I wish you all a safe journey, and a little bit of sunshine!
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