You will know that we have had the school inspectors in this week for three days, our last full inspection being in 2019. They spent lots of time in lessons, meeting with staff and pupils and studying all the surveys. I want to pay tribute to everyone who contributed to this process, to the staff who worked so very hard and to our wonderful children – who were their brilliant selves, as they always are.
The full report will be published early next year and I will share it with you the moment it lands. Suffice to say it was a very encouraging feedback session with the inspectors last night. Your Headmaster is smiling today, if a little weary.
Of the many exciting learning activities this week – and there have been so many, despite the inspection – there were two that caught my eye especially. The first was our kind-hearted senior school Physics teacher, John Fielder, visiting our year 5 class to read some Tolkien. This is what being in an all-through school is about, sharing our passions with the children and inspiring them. The second was our fencing workshop in the gymnasium; seeing rows of children wearing masks and learning to fence was truly a sight to behold. We hope to generate enough interest to add fencing to our ever-growing list of clubs. Early signs
are it will be a packed club.
We stage our very first ‘Christmas Variety Show’ this afternoon at Oberon, and at the time of writing, preparations and rehearsals are well under way for what I’m sure is going to be an absolute Christmas cracker.
Final thanks this week must go to our marvellous school chefs who put on the most wonderful Christmas lunch for us all on Wednesday. It was a dazzling affair in the Grove with all the trimmings and Christmas jumpers and hats to boot. We continue to make memories here at HSW, and so we should.