Dear Parents
My admiration for the achievements of our young people sometimes knows no bounds. (What are you doing this weekend?) As I write, 7 intrepid 16 year olds (five girls and two boys), are about to set off for an 80 kilometre hike over Dartmoor, watched remotely but essentially on their own, in unfamiliar territory. They will carry 50lb packs on their shoulders, camp out in whatever weather Dartmoor throws at them and then return to AS Chemistry practicals, performances in the Hastings Festival, participation in the last rehearsals of this term’s musical and much more. This major undertaking is merely the practice for the real thing – the Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition. In preparation for the Bronze equivalent, last weekend another 19 Year 10 pupils were learning the skills of campcraft and navigation. They gave up the whole of their weekend and will have much more training yet, before they too will undertake their Bronze expedition in June.
I am extremely proud of all these youngsters and very grateful to the teachers, Aaron Eckhoff and Charlotte Bryant, who are facilitating this.
As I survey this short period of school history (2 weeks), there is evidence all around me of teachers giving many hours more than I could reasonably expect, of pupils driving themselves physically and mentally to perform beyond expectation and of a resultant sense of success, achievement and endeavour in which we all should take quiet pride. Whether it be our recent victorious rugby and hockey teams; the Year 10 Maths medallists; those who rehearse hours upon hours for their drama and music performances; the evidence in almost every corner of the school of high quality art and textiles; the determined hard work being put in daily by our exam candidates; the many staff who are laying on extra revision classes; the opportunities next week for pupils to go to see "Warhorse"; the 60 pupils who will be going to hear the Last Post at the Menin Gate on Friday – it all adds up to a very positive picture. To accompany all of this, there are the daily smiles and laughter that make up a largely happy and hardworking school community and I am very pleased that the inspection report captured at least some of this.
I would like to finish by sharing with you, somewhat immodestly, what one parent wrote to Mrs Maslin and I. He captured the essence of the report, in just the way that I would hope it would be interpreted:
" Whilst I don’t think I needed a formal Report to tell me what a good start BAS is giving my children, it’s nice to see the core strengths properly recorded and acknowledged. These reports are inadequate in many ways and one should be wary of straying from Kipling’s mantra (treating triumph and disaster just the same..); but I think you should both allow yourselves a congratulatory pat on the back – particularly in relation to the quality of your pupils’ personal development. When all is said and done and exam results long forgotten, such is the true measure and legacy of the learning experience you deliver. Outstanding!"
Best wishes
Roger Clark Headmaster
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