Connections Count

When we pause to reflect, it becomes clear that so much of life comes down to the connections we make. The friendships that carry us through tough times, the mentors who inspire us, the family who cheer us on; these relationships are what give life meaning. School is no different. Yes, we focus on academics, but what really shapes our students are the connections they build here: with each other, with staff, and with you as parents.

This year in the Senior School we started with Induction Week, which was a perfect reminder of that truth. Our students worked in groups to create science projects which they later shared with parents. The results were impressive, creative, polished, and insightful, but what struck me most was the way students reflected on the process. Many said it was a challenge at first to work with people they didn’t normally spend time with. But that is where the growth happened. They discovered new strengths in themselves, learned to listen to different perspectives, and made new friends in the process. That is connection in action.

Our trip to The Cube, an escape style activity centre, built on that spirit. Watching students race against the clock to solve puzzles was both chaotic and hilarious at times, but beneath the laughter was something more powerful: teamwork. Those shared moments, the high fives, the collective sighs when something didn’t go to plan, the cheers when the group finally cracked a code, are what bring people together. Since then, we have seen those connections flow back into school life, making classrooms feel more collaborative and school fuller of chatter and friendship.

But connections don’t just happen in induction week. They are at the heart of everything we do. They are in the way students encourage each other during lessons, or rally around their peers on the sports field. They are in the pride we feel when students take the stage in a concert or drama performance, with classmates cheering from the audience. They are in the moments when older students mentor younger ones, offering advice, reassurance, or simply a listening ear. Every day, in countless small ways, our Senior School community is weaving a web of connections that make it stronger.

And then there is the connection with parents, which is just as important. Our Year 12 and 13 Parent Coffee Morning was a wonderful chance to sit down, share stories, and talk about the year ahead together. We have felt your support through the options process, and in so many conversations since. The care, encouragement, and investment parents put into our community is something we don’t take for granted. It is what makes our school feel like a partnership.

Connections matter because they remind us that none of us are on this journey alone. They help us grow, they give us strength, and they make life richer. As I look around the Senior School, and the wider school in general, I see those connections being formed every day, in laughter, in hard work, in moments of kindness, and in the quiet determination to keep moving forward together.

And if there is one thing I hope our students take with them, both now and long after they have left us, it is this: the connections we build are what truly shape our lives.

Sara McNab

Secondary Assistant Headteacher 

Head of Senior School