Dear Parents and Guardians,

When you get five minutes, make a cup of tea, grab a tasty treat and watch the video below. It is a life-affirming, joyous celebration of our wonderful students – their energy, their camaraderie and their joie de vivre. No matter what the challenge, an HSW student will greet it with a cheerful smile and a chuckle. Such happy faces tell us a lot about what is going on inside too, where the deep-down-things are quietly coalescing to form and forge our students’ view of themselves and the world around them. 

I am indebted to my colleagues, who have worked tirelessly this year to help our students grasp the outstanding futures that await them. A teacher is so much more than a knowledge-delivery system, and I believe this is especially true at HSW, where we believe passionately in supporting the ‘whole child’ in front of us. It is a privilege for my colleagues and I to watch our students navigate their way through childhood and adolescence, sometimes moving forwards, sometimes back a step, but always supported and always growing and developing and getting stronger. 

A small school need not mean a small offer. I am proud of the breadth of our curriculum and the ever-expanding range of exciting activities we have delivered this year, encapsulated so well in this film. A special thank you to Nalini Chamane, who, once again, has captured the spirit of our school in film and has given us all a wonderful keepsake to round off another successful year together. 

In the coming weeks, our community will be spread across the globe, on holidays and trips that will take us to different places and different cultures. But wherever we are, and whatever we’re doing, we can feel very proud that we are all part of a special place here on The Downs and it won’t be long before we are back together again, rested and rejuvenated, ready to ‘go again’ in September. Whilst I admit a rest will be welcome, I am already excited about next year – and my optimism is justified, because the plans we have in place will ensure our school has a very bright future indeed.  

Take care, stay safe and make memories. I look forward to seeing you again soon.