It has been tremendous to see our after-school clubs resuming again this week, with yet more new activities on the list: Skateboarding Club and Lego Club, amongst many others. Thank you to everyone who has donated Lego since my request earlier this week!

I have often said that achieving what you want is almost always possible, with self-discipline and plenty of hard work. The difficult thing is knowing what you want in the first place.

This is just one of the reasons why we are committed to providing so many after school clubs, educational visits and visiting guest speakers here at the Hall. We strive to offer multiple opportunities for our students to try new things, discover hidden talents and motivations, and gradually work out who they are and what they want out of life.

I remember my eldest son giving a speech at his final Prizegiving before he left for university a few years back. He insisted on not sharing his speech with my wife and me beforehand, so we nervously sat in the audience as he reached the podium with a confident grin. Although he was Head Boy, he enjoyed a laugh and had a penchant for rebellion – all within the realms of decency and respect, you understand – so we were never quite sure what he was going to say or do on that stage.

He looked over at his fellow pupils and said, ‘Relax, it’s okay. You’ve got time. It’s okay if you don’t know exactly who you are or what you are going to do for the rest of your life before you are even old enough to order a beer!’

I’ve never forgotten that. Let’s give everything our best shot this year, including the examinations, but at the same time let’s not panic if we do not yet know what career path we will follow. The most successful and secure adulthood, I believe, is not built on a calibrated childhood, dominated by the need to grow up and prepare for the future; the most secure adulthood is predicated on a childhood that is untrammelled and filled with opportunities to try as many new things as we can, while we can, free of judgement, sorting or ranking!

Have a great weekend everyone.