25th May 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

 

The English summer sound of leather hitting willow announced the start of the cricket season this week, delayed so badly by the rain. A win against Bethany and two nail-biting, final over defeats against Eastbourne College and Dover College have allowed our boys to display their competitive spirit and skills in different age groups. At the same time, the girls enjoyed a win and a loss in Rounders matches and we take on Vinehall at Athletics this afternoon. The heat is on.

 

Talking of cricket, the Dads have been dusting down their cover drives, square cuts and googlies in the nets at Horntye in preparation for the annual, and this year, centenary Dads v Lads cricket match later in the term. Crowhurst Park is the delightful venue for this event on 24th June.

 

The Abbot’s Hall was full on Sunday afternoon for the Centenary Service, when the anthem written especially by Kevin Anderson, with music by John Langridge, to commemorate our hundred years, was given its world premiere. The Choir did full justice to this special composition. At the book launch three weeks ago we were privileged to receive her Majesty’s good wishes for the future of the school and very fortunately her senior representative in the county, Lord Lieutenant Peter Field, was a highly supportive attendee at the service with his wife.

 

I wish you all a good weekend in the sun!

 

Best wishes

Roger Clark

18th May 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

A third Battle Abbey baby arrived in the third week of May! This time it was me, who had the opportunity to celebrate the miracle of new life, as I became a grandfather to William, who weighed in at a healthy 8lb11ozs, born very magically on his mother’s birthday.

May 14th will be a doubly special day in my family in future!

In a Centenary year, we are able to celebrate both the past hundred years and the new beginnings at the start of the next one hundred. We look forward, while learning from and being grateful to all that brought us thus far.

On Sunday we will remember our school in a special service in the Abbot’s Hall, led by Father Kevin Taggart, the Benedictine Abbot of Worth. Battle Abbey was a Benedictine foundation and we are very privileged to have Father Kevin with us to lead our worship. We are also delighted to welcome the Lord Lieutenant and his wife for this special occasion.

Best wishes
Roger Clark

11th May 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

 

Another week, another baby! Aaron Pawson, our wonderful Catering Manager, has become a father. Rufus and Mrs Pawson are both doing well. It offers us another brief moment to reflect on what is important in life.

 

At the end of this week, I am enjoying meeting some of the excellent candidates who have been selected for interview to fill the posts left vacant by the departure of Mrs Heasmer and Mr Patel, in terms of his PE commitment. I have been very pleased with the strength of the field and we are of course looking for the person who is the very best fit for our school. I will be able to share the news of the appointments with you next week. Whilst it is always sad to see high quality staff leave us, it is also very exciting to see new faces and the school looks forward to the different expertise and enthusiasm that new staff inevitably bring with them. A certain amount of staff movement is very healthy for a school, which must be a dynamic organisation to function at its best.

 

This is the time of year when the Art and Textiles examination classes are producing their final pieces and it has been a privilege to see some of the astonishing work being produced at the moment. My room has always been used as a mini art gallery and visitors are able to admire the latest creations of our students. There will be an opportunity for all parents to see samples of this year’s work at a special Centenary Art Exhibition at the end of term.

 

Best wishes

 
Roger Clark

4th May 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

Every cloud has a silver lining and at the end of the wettest and dullest month of the year so far, the school can celebrate another birth. Dr Demoncheaux and Beatrice celebrated the birth of a baby boy on May 1st, saying goodbye to the month of April and heralding in new life and hope. Pierre-Eric’s adventure starts now and just like your children, he will be the most precious part of his parents’ lives. It serves to remind all those who work at the school of the enormous responsibility that lies on our shoulders, as well as on the parents’ shoulders.  From this very fact arise some of the great joys of parenting and teaching but also some of the inevitable tensions and disappointments and the closer that we can work with each other, the better the result will be for the young people in our care.

In May, the more silver linings we can discover, the less influence the clouds will have on us. Our best way is to go back to the children, who are naturally optimistic, laughing and smiling. They are the ones who make teaching so fulfilling and compensate for a dull April, with its hosepipe bans and its flood warnings!

Best wishes
Roger Clark