3rd February 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

You will appreciate, I am sure,  that part of achieving the excellent things your children do achieve here involves self discipline and training and I thought this week I would emphasise that the school cares greatly about  your children’s behaviour and the way that they respond to the rules of the school.  I was delighted to congratulate the school this morning on how smart they were all looking.  Many, many children automatically have their top button done up all day long, their tie straight, their shirts tucked in and those who push to flex their teenage muscles are constantly reminded by staff here of the need to take pride in their appearance.  We remind them, as I am sure you do, that when they are in Battle High Street or on public transport, wearing their school uniform, people make judgements about their appearance.  
 
Going back to my school days I remember being taught the maxim “judgements of great importance are often based on very superficial evidence”, which ties in with the other rather trite saying: “you only have one chance to make a first impression.”  On a very regular basis as prospective parents walk round the school for the first time they comment on the good manners of our children, the welcome afforded to them by the teachers and the friendly atmosphere that they perceive exists within the community.  This apparently lucky balance of relaxed, good behaviour is achieved as a result of
constant effort.  The rigid discipline, commonly associated with military life, is not something I have ever wanted to be associated with a school, that I have been in charge of.  I believe in high standards of behaviour, I believe in good discipline but in the ideal world these are achieved as a result of mutual respect which actually lies deeper than the threat of punishment or reprimand and is more difficult to achieve.
 
So we will continue, just as you do, to remind your children about their behaviour and we will pull them up if they break the school rules but, as I have just said, the easy charm and natural good
manners that so many of our pupils and your children have in abundance, comes, I believe, because they care about each other and we care about them in the family of the school.

Best wishes

Roger Clark
Headmaster

27th January - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

 

I spent much of last weekend in the Boarding House. I was delighted and almost humbled by the determination displayed by the Senior Boarders to make the most of their academic opportunity at our school. A member of the boarding team walks round every half hour to ensure all is well. It was clear that the Upper Sixth and Lower Sixth students were studying very hard and taking sensible short breaks as well. Nearly all of them have faced AS or A level papers this week. Their work ethic is admirable, and will be the reason for their future success. (I am sure that many day parents are witnessing the same levels of application at the moment).

 
It is also the custom in the Boarding House for the senior boarders to tutor the Junior boarders both in academic subjects but also in some cases the acquisition of the English Language – an aspect much admired by our recent Inspectors.
 
At the end of the weekend, Mr Patel had arranged for the boarders to celebrate the Chinese New Year with a special meal and the excellent catering team swung into action. I was honoured to be asked to present all boarders with a small red purse with money in and to wish them happiness and prosperity for the year ahead.
 
It is the Year of the Dragon, the king of the animals. The dragon is not to be feared as in Western mythology but to be respected and seen as the bringer of good fortune.
 

I hope this year brings you all good fortune too, in the widest sense of the word.

 
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
 
Best wishes

Roger Clark Headmaster

20th January - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

Much planning is going into the centenary events for this special year in the school’s history. The calendar of events is being
finalised and members of the various school’s communities are being mobilised.

For instance, Founders’ Day this year will see the return of former pupils from all over the world and we are looking forward to
performances from former pupils in our two special music concerts.
I look forward to sharing more news with you as we draw nearer to the various events and celebrations.

As we look back over one hundred years many interesting things are emerging. We have discovered that Battle Choral Society, aided by Battle Abbey School pupils performed the first ever live
broadcast of Mozart’s Requiem in St. Mary’s church in 1931 on BBC Radio. The then school Director of Music lead Battle Choral Society in the same way as John Langridge today leads our school music and Battle Choral Society. We will be performing extracts from Mozart’s Requiem in our Centenary Concert this term. John, coincidentally, used to be a music producer for BBC Radio.

Back to the present and I am aware that many of our senior pupils have been working very hard for the academic challenges of this term’s examinations and we are, of course, trying to support them in this and will continue to do so in the crucial months ahead.

I am also pleased to report that I am seeing many prospective
parents and pupils, who are seeking places here in September.

Best wishes

Roger Clark Headmaster

13th January 2012 - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents
 
Happy 100th Birthday Battle Abbey School!
 
This is the beginning of the year in which we celebrate 100 years of the school’s existence. It is a year to look back with gratitude on all the pupils and staff who have made up that extraordinary tapestry which is our school. It is also a year in which to look forward to all the excitement of education on this ancient site in an ever-changing world. Gratitude and ambition can go hand-in-hand as we move through the year. We can be proud that we are centenarians and proud of the traditions, values and people who have delivered us safely here. We can be ambitious for the future as we work together to improve. No complacency here!
 
The school has needed to change and adapt to stay strong but we have also needed to maintain core values to stay upright and focused. The sense of family, with all that this implies, which lies at the heart of the school is still a guiding principle and the belief that each individual has it in them to succeed is there too in strong measure.
 
I have the privilege this year to teach both Year 7 and Year 9 and I know that the school’s future will be safe – what a great group of young people they are – disarmingly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (similar to the Upper Sixth Formers too!). Sharing in the development of these young people is what the school exists for, helping them to discover the very best of themselves and sharing in their awe and wonder, as they discover the world and go on to improve it. Sometimes they will need to stumble to grow but we will be there to pick them up and always there to celebrate their success.
  
Enough reflective and speculative romance and back to reality!

I hope the New Year brings you health, happiness and success in equal measure and I look forward to many opportunities to work with you and to meet up.

Best wishes
 
Roger Clark Headmaster

December 9th - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

 

The sounds of Christmas are ringing in my ears and through the school. On Tuesday evening, a packed house enjoyed Carols round the Fire – the smell of log smoke, the Choir of 71, the wind and string ensembles, all gave us an evening to remember. Every year group in the school was represented and over 80 pupils had a role to play in making Christmas music. The programme was varied with an extract from Handel’s Messiah, which was outstandingly performed, as well as an extract from Blackadder’s Christmas and other brief readings, interspersed with congregational hymns. Many Battle residents again joined us for this special celebration.

 

Yesterday the whole school sat down together for Christmas lunch and after the excellent meal, provided by our high class catering team, the traditional paper fight and the singing of Christmas songs brought fun, laughter and a sense of belonging to a special group – the family of the school. The Upper Sixth were as excited as Year 7. "Tis the season to be jolly" and we jolly well were!

 

Now, as I write, the Sixth Form are putting on a marvellous entertainment for the rest of the school and I am looking forward to the Carol Service.

 

The week began with Richard Malewicz and Rob Mercers Year 10 Modern Nativity. Amidst much humour, a serious message was put over and nearly £500 raised for the homeless this Christmas.

 

It has been a term full of good things, high achievements and happy days. Behind the scenes there has been also enormous hard work and some tensions, which are inevitable as the hectic programme of school life unfolds. It has once again been a real privilege to lead a dedicated and highly experienced team of teachers and support staff on three sites, to work with wonderfully supportive parents but above all to be part of the education of some remarkable young people of whom I am very proud. We are handing them back to you for Christmas. I hope the season brings you great happiness and good cheer and that the New Year is filled with health, happiness and prosperity for us all.

 

Thank you, parents, for all your support.

 

Warmest wishes Roger Clark

25th November - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

 

As the end of term approaches, the very busy life of the school is especially emphasised. I look forward to seeing parents at a variety of events, starting next week with the senior production of "The Sea", followed by Carols round the Fire and the Christmas end of term Carol Service. There are other exciting Christmas events at the Prep School as well of course, which I am very much looking forward to.

 

The academic programme remains in full swing. Our first batch of Oxbridge candidates are off for interview very soon. Year 11 pupils are to be treated to a very important, formal "Mock" examination at the very start of next term and work that they do now and in the holidays will help us all get the best picture of their present academic status.

The Sixth Form Christmas dinner, in all its Hollywood splendour, will be enjoyed by over 80 pupils and staff this Saturday and I am very grateful to those pupils who have organised this annual event so very well.

 

On the last Monday of term, Year 10 under the dedicated leadership of Mr Malewicz and Mr Mercer are putting on a Modern Nativity. We look forward to this interpretation of the Christmas Story, which will be introduced by one of our Governors, the Revd George Pitcher. I am really pleased with the very positive way in which our form teachers use their form time each week to supplement and broaden the pupils’ curriculum.

 

With my very best wishes

 
Roger Clark

18th November - Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents

Last Friday, the school observed the two minute silence as part of a service of remembrance led as usual by Mike Ansar-Carver. The adults and children shared a truly reverential experience. Mr A-C always brings a moving, historical dimension to this most important service and skilfully takes us out of our everyday lives and makes us concentrate for a while on those who have died in the service of their country and the many others who have suffered in war. He mentioned among much else the very few "grateful villages", where there was no loss of life in the first World War (only one village in the whole of Sussex, East Wittering) but used the local village of Wadhurst to illustrate the norm, where over 600 from a population of 2,000 in 1914 did not return.

On Monday I chose to speak to the school on the theme of forgiveness and some of the themes expressed in the Sermon on the Mount - "Blessed are the Peacemakers". Let us hope and pray that the generation of young people leaving school in the next few years will eventually make a better job of guarding the planet and tolerating each other than their predecessors have done. I also hope very much that some of the lessons your children are learning here will make a small contribution to that. I think that we could all rejoice, if that were the case.
 
Best wishes, as always, Roger Clark