We are certainly up and running with the Summer Term 2024. The weighty cocktail of the opportunities offered at this time of year versus the inevitability of school exams looming is one we all recall, seldom loved at the time, yet we all look back on fondly. It will be the same for the boys one day as the teachers find the balance between competing priorities so effectively.
If I had one wish for the Summer Term it would be that the genius of cricket as a game could be delivered with respect to team selection the same way as rugby and football. Literally the way the game is played makes the actual team a boy plays in just the start of the thought process. From bowling, to batting and to field position we ask a lot of the boys to see the bigger picture, recognise the journey they are in with their development and have trust in the process. But trust they must. Every boy counts and we’re totally committed to striking the balance between their progress and team performance.
On Thursday, we hosted a wonderful conference for senior leaders and heads of boarding from around the country. Compared to 2000, in 2024 there are half the number of boarders in UK boarding schools; yet boarding can thrive, as we see here, if everyone thinks cleverly about how to make it work for modern parents and for the senior schools that value boarding. Day Plus has had quite the impact in our sector and we’re proud that a number of those big hitting prep schools we know well, were interested.
Looking ahead to next week, I am delighted to see the charity fun run make a return, especially after such a successful inaugural event last year. This time around, we are asking that boys embrace the theme and come dressed in a ‘funky’ hat and any bright clothing they might own! My thanks to Ma’am Duncan and the boys in the Charity Committee for their work in organising it.
I’ll hopefully see you all soon.
