This term began with a celebration of last year’s success. On 19 September, almost 100 students were invited with their families to celebrate at a prize giving. Each year, students in the lower school are awarded for either progress, academic achievement, endeavour, or our school Aude Sapere prize, a prize devoted to resilience and triumph.
The evening started with welcome drinks served in our new constructed bar area in the Centenary Hall, paid for with the money raised through the school musical. This has transformed the atrium area into a real venue. Accompanied by some vibrant jazz from the year 11 quartet of Thomas Grogan, Isaac Hutchinson, Oscar Garbett and George Thorne, there was a really exciting welcome vibe to kick start the celebration.
Mr Lawrence introduced the award giving with a famous clip from Educating Yorkshire (where a Musharaf experiences a turning point in his education as a teacher opens up his ability to speak, overcoming a stutter, by listening to music), to highlight the power of education to transform lives, and what happens when talented teachers work with dedicated students.
During the award giving, Heads of House awarded special certificates, and coveted gold star lapel pins to the winners, along with perhaps something even greater to cherish; a special individualised tribute was given to each person in turn. Much of the school’s success, and the success that students go on to achieve at the end of school and beyond, comes from strong pastoral relationships between staff and students as they work together through each student’s educational journey. The evening demonstrated that Heads of House know their students, their strengths, motivations and goals, reinforcing the power of our house system.
Congratulations go to all the prize winners.
We look forward to celebrating success further at the upper school evening on 31 October.
This is a video
