Back to School Reflections

Coming back after the summer break always feels good, but this September it feels especially purposeful. I spent part of the holidays in Australia - family first, of course, but also visiting schools (because even on the other side of the world I can’t resist peeking into classrooms). The best thing I brought back wasn’t jet lag, but a phrase used in classes in New South Wales: “See me before you teach me.”

It’s so simple you wonder why it isn’t plastered on every classroom wall. Every child in a uniform is still a child with a story. Unless we see and connect with that, the learning simply won’t take root.

That message feels especially sharp after the year we’ve just had. Highs included a glowing ISI report that affirmed everything we stand for; alongside that came the challenges and complexities facing the independent sector, which we continue to navigate with care. Through it all, one constant - the staff, governors, and parents who went above and beyond to keep this community strong. For that, I’m grateful.

So, this year’s focus is clear: connection first. We were reminded at our staff inset, connection before correction. It’s the corridor conversations, the playground moments, the quiet “I saw you, I heard you” that give our children the courage to stretch themselves. The earlier we listen, the earlier we can act.

I shared this with parents at the recent Head’s Presentation, but it’s worth repeating: relationships are not an extra. They are the foundation. When we get that right, everything else follows.

We have a lot planned for this year, and I’m excited to see it unfold. Watch this space.