Well, it has certainly been a busy few weeks since Christmas. My thanks to all the staff for their continued dedication and hard work, arriving in the dark and going home in the dark, putting in the hours and spending evenings and weekends preparing engaging lessons for their classes.

Special thanks must also go to our pupils and their families! As I stand on the gate every morning and experience the sights and sounds of a very busy Wimbledon, I am always struck by how early our school day starts. Whether they are commuting by train, bus, car, bicycle or on foot, our students navigate their way through busy queues and traffic-laden roads to arrive at the oasis we call HSW.  Some may have rushed their breakfast, some may not have had any breakfast at all; and still they manage to find a smile for me when I wish them good morning. Early starts in Winter are hard, but Spring is coming and what a difference the morning sun makes. We will soon be returning home in the light too and having an evening once again!

Of all the achievements we have seen so far during this busy term, I am most proud of the numbers of students attending the many new clubs we are offering after school – from trampolining to Lego-building, archery to basketball, woodcraft to Minecraft, and many more. Committing to a club can be challenging, especially when you have had a long day of study and home beckons. But you get out what you put in. Participativeness is a long and rather clumsy word, but it is a very important one in education. When students are actively participating in group activities, we know they are showing the self-worth and self-discipline that will stand them in very good stead for the future. Turning up, getting involved, seeing progress made across the group, finding new skills we never realised we had, these are the things that define our education, beyond the grades. At HSW, we have well-attended clubs and that means teamwork is alive and kicking.

I hope that everyone enjoys a well-earned break next week and finds time to participate in leisure activities beyond work! I look forward very much to welcoming our students back again, for the most promising and optimistic time of the year – the Spring.

A J Hammond