THE HEADTEACHER'S BLOG - THE BURFORDIAN, ISSUE 9, 2024-2025

This is the Headteacher's Blog which was first featured in issue 9 of The Burfordian, published on Friday 17th January 2025.

If you have come to reception in the last couple of months, alongside the usual warm welcome from Zena, you will receive an (imperceptible) nod of acknowledgement from Blue the bear. Blue is a gorgeous little teddy bear. He was beautifully crafted by Angela Newbery, one of our examination invigilators. A dependable and kind soul, Blue brings joy to everyone he meets, radiating a calming presence that is essential to any meaningful relationship.

They say trust is difficult to build, easy to destroy and difficult to repair. Which is why, for many, putting trust in a teddy bear is easier than with people. You know what you get, and they will always be there. It explains so much about the human condition that we imbue in teddies such hope and belief. And though we understand children will use their imagination to build worlds of safety and joy, as adults we never really let go of the comfort derived from the belief that a cuddly toy is a living creature who can cut through an otherwise complicated and confusing world.

I have written about my love of Paddington and the message in the story, yet of course Winne the Pooh came first. The wonderful words of A. A. Milne are a great place to find inspiration. In fact, Benjamin Hoff built his fortune on explaining Taoist philosophy in “The Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet”. So, although I could go off at many tangents from this point, I will simply stress the power of constancy in building trust whether through childhood or indeed adulthood.  

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. ‘Pooh?’ he whispered.

‘Yes, Piglet?’

‘Nothing,’ said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. ‘I just wanted to be sure of you.’”

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne, Chapter 3, "In which a search is organized, and Piglet nearly meets the Heffalump again."

Please do say hello to Blue when you next pop in.