Advent has begun; the Christmas tree in the Foyer and Dining Rooms are up, and the school community is now turning its attention to those less fortunate than ourselves. The Sixth Form are out in full force tomorrow (Saturday) assisting the local Lions Clubs International branch with their packing and distribution of Hampers, whilst each of our own form groups is putting together their personal Hamper for distribution through St Luke’s Church and the Salvation Army.  We will also be accepting any outer clothing garments and footwear at Mrs Tarr’s front desk here at Senior Boys, again for onward distribution locally during our last week of term. 

Parents and friends are cordially invited to enjoy for either of the two Carol Services we are holding at St Luke’s Church, Norfolk Road, SL6 7AT on Tuesday 17 December, Years 7-9 at 9.30am and Years 10-13 at 10.45am. 

Our Christmas lunch is next Friday, 13 December, which is also a day on which all are encouraged to wear a Christmas Jumper (£1 please) to support Save the Children’s mission to help children all around the world to help them grow up healthy and safe, and get an education, so they can grow up to be who they want to be. Thank you. 

Thank you as well from all here in the Claires Court office for the kind wishes and cards we have received this week. I am reminded of the value of saying ‘thank you’ by the incredible strength shown by Liz and Richard Houghton, whose son Will was killed in a cycling accident whilst a student at Portsmouth University. Will was a remarkable young man, our Headboy back in 2014. Liz Houghton’s story of loss and recovery was featured yesterday in the Daily Mail, an article that captures the grief of loss and the salvation that organ donation brings to the beneficiaries who survive. As Liz makes clear in the article, Will had a strong sense of social justice. He wanted to help the disadvantaged and was sharply aware of how fortunate his own life was. At the very heart of the Will Houghton foundation his parents set up is the wish to keep his shining spirit alive and inspire a new generation of young people to be their very best. If you want to consider supporting the foundation, read more here.

There have been some terrific performances this week at school, and it is always a pleasure to witness the ‘players’, be they our rowers up for national squad selection for British Rowing (last weekend), musicians (Monday night and Thursday House Assembly), Open Morning stewards (Tuesday) or indeed our Rugby players (Wednesday and Thursday - see https://www.clairescourtsport.com for details).

Welcome back one and all from our half term break. At the end of last half term, it seemed we looked as though we were leaving Europe at the end of the month. Now we are back, still part of the EU and all of that to play for, with a General Election in five weeks time, the second half of the term is definitely going to be exciting.

Claires Court Art staff host the ISA London West Art Exhibition each year in the Norden Farm barn, which makes a wonderful exhibition space for the art and design work of the 30+ schools in our region. Judging is completely independent, with the school invisible to the judges; the winners in each of the 20+ categories go forward to the ISA National Exhibition in Leeds in November.

It is all getting delightfully busy around school, what with European Day of Modern Languages, Open Morning, Year 11 Parents Evening and all.

As one of the three writers/creators of the secondary/sixth form timetable, it is always a relief to get to the end of the first full working week to see that the schedules for 100+ staff and 600+ students across our two sites seems to function effectively.