The Future Looks Bright
Marie and I hope you all had a blessed Eastertide with your families. It's been lovely to welcome everyone back to the Valley and the Trinity Term is happily underway, the students and the staff focusing on studies and all the co-curricular opportunities in a responsive and pleasing way.
The future looks bright with the great participation of many of the Year 12s in the leadership course which started last Saturday evening. This annual team-building exercise was even more upbeat this year through doing it jointly with All Saints School in York, one of our Partnership schools within the Middlesbrough diocese. Our pupils are working towards the ILM Level 3 Diploma modules in Leadership and Management. My thanks to Col Blackford who arranged these exciting two days.
On Tuesday at Assembly in the Abbey I spoke about the importance of everyone giving of their very best this crucial last term of the academic cycle. We must all work together to ensure we 'do good'-and being passionate and committed about our studies across all year groups is the best way to go about this intention. All pupils can help the efforts of the Year 11 and 13s facing important public exams by their attitude to the classroom, their prep and to the wider academic life of Ampleforth with clubs, lectures, debates, and other enrichment activities. There is a strong and inclusive academic focus this term and there is no doubt that with a team effort towards the success of term, we can achieve so much, supporting each other, respecting each other. The peaceful but purposeful atmosphere we create this term will embrace our commitment to Benedictine scholarship and the holistic education we provide. I also highlighted the importance of two of our core values - Equilibrium and Respect: balance, not stress, and support of our peers.
On Wednesday, Marie and I had the pleasure of hearing members of Schola sing in a professional performance of Handel’s Messiah to a packed Cadogan Hall. They will have learnt so much from the experience of performing at such a high level, all under the inspired baton of OA Charlie Grace (O92). The concert was in aid the Charlie Waller Trust, a wonderful mental health charity that provides education, training and resources, aiming to dispel stigmas about mental health and to work to prevent suicide amongst children and young people. The Schola were, as ever, outstanding and they, along with all the performers, received a standing ovation - I was a very proud Head that evening.
Looking ahead to the weekend we have the Ampleforth Mile Race - a chance to let off steam before the busy term ahead.
All best wishes,
Peter
