The Headteachers Blog Issue 5

The Headteachers Blog Issue 5

As we reach the end of another jam-packed term, I wanted to share a short reflection from the house carol assemblies this week. Supported by the brilliant musicians in the school these provide opportunities for us all to pause, breathe, and mark the season together before we head off for a well-earned break.

In the assemblies we touched upon the message of A Christmas Carol. We talked about how Scrooge, in the face of adversity and disappointment, slowly curled inward until he shut out the world. It’s a feeling many of us recognise at times, when life gets heavy, it’s tempting to close the door and draw the curtains.

But, as the story reminds us, transformation is possible. And nothing captures that better than the clip we showed of Michael Caine singing “Thankful Heart” from the Muppet Christmas Carol (no better version exists on film of Dickens tale for the ages). The song captures in an admittedly cringey way the very moment Scrooge realises he doesn’t have to stay in the dark. I think we all need that lift sometimes and positive spirit particularly when life does not always deal us the best hand.

In the assembly, we linked this spirit to our own school values: Respect, Participate, Reach. This term, those values have been alive and well. We’ve seen “respect” in the way students support one another, “participate” in abundance through concerts, debates, field trips, and house events, and reach demonstrated beautifully in sports competitions, performances, results days, and all the small triumphs that don’t always get a headline but absolutely deserve recognition.

We have also celebrated this week one of our most vital traditions: writing thank-you cards. A simple gesture, but one that fits perfectly with Scrooge’s realisation in the song: that gratitude unlocks something in all of us. Thankfulness is a kind of light.

Across the year, from trips that stretched horizons to musical evenings that filled the hall with talent, from outstanding sporting achievements to the delight (and relief!) of results days, we’ve had plenty to smile about. These moments give us purpose and joy, the very things Dickens would have said pull us back toward the warmth of community. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, another tradition, or simply cherish the break, we all share that universal hope through our community for peace, rest, and a bit of brightness in the winter months.

Thank you for all you’ve contributed, students, staff, families, and everyone who supports our school. As Scrooge himself finally learned: a thankful heart is a happier heart.

Wishing you all a peaceful, joyful, and restorative holiday and a very Happy New Year when it arrives.