A video showing the highlights of the year can be accessed below, as can my Graduation Address, given in Chapel on Friday, 8 July 2022.
At a recent event, I fell into conversation with a parent about fleas, not you understand about hers or mine, rather about those hosted by a dog that used to belong to a previous member of staff.
Now, I am sure you know that fleas can really jump, but did you know that if we could jump just as high as fleas, scaled in flea units, we could all jump as high as Big Ben? I am reminded of a famous experiment conducted with fleas which showed that we might unwittingly have more in common with them than we had imagined.
This experiment involved putting fleas into a jar with a lid on for three days. After three days the lid was removed, and it was discovered that these fleas were never again able to jump above the height of the jar. Even stranger, the scientists discovered that even children of these fleas could not jump higher.
What I believe we learn from this experiment and that links us to these fleas, is that by putting a lid on our ambitions, by saying 'we can't', we don't. Just as the fleas forgot how to jump high, we also forget how to try. Does this mean we can do anything we put our minds to? Probably not, but by trying, we get closer to and sometimes reach our goal. Even more important is that we exceed our own ambitions and goals, demonstrating that, in the words of Kurt Hahn, "There is more in you than you think".
Research into what is called the 'growth mindset' confirms this and suggests that in the long run, wanting to learn (or having no lid), accepting challenge, carrying on when things get tough, learning from mistakes and criticism, rather than ignoring it, finding inspiration in the success of others, rather than being threatened by it, actually count for much more than the abilities we are born with.
I think these are really exciting lessons and well worth learning. But, how are they relevant as we reflect on the term past? Just as fleas are capable of jumping as high (in human terms) as Big Ben, our students, too, have demonstrated that they can jump higher than they or we believed they were capable of, and, crucially, through their own grit and desire. This is how I reflect on the academic year and, especially, this term.
These young people are capable of great things, and what follows are a few examples of where they have demonstrated the power of lifting the lid.
In September, we welcomed 32 three year olds to start their journey with us, and become our first cohort of PYP students starting in Kindergarten. The growth they have shown over the year has been remarkable, demonstrating the importance of these formative years. Through their 'Units of Inquiry', exploration and socialisation, these young people are almost unrecognisable in just ten months.
And as we progress up through the Pre-Prep, guided by the wonderful teachers and teaching assistants, this rate of development has continued. Students in Reception beginning to understand how their brain works through the Mind-Up programme; children in Year 1 identifying the unfair treatment of cocoa growers in West Africa ('Unit of Inquiry' on food production - how we organise ourselves), and going one step further - thinking about solutions to this. Year 2 taking it upon themselves to write to the author of a book they have read ('Dear Earth'), before then writing their own hopes and dreams for the world; Year 3 considering the issues facing towns and cities, and what can be done to meet the growing demands of people living in them.
All of these ideas generated by the students themselves. They have all reached above and beyond what they believed they were capable of.
Across our Prep School Faculty, again supported by the class teachers, our students have demonstrated key skills in their approach to learning: thinking skills; social skills; communication; and self-management skills. These have come across both in the PYP 'Units of Inquiry and through the St George's Award.
Year 4 have particularly enjoyed using the apartheid to consider the following questions: 'What makes a community'; 'What are the different systems in a community'; and 'What challenges communities face'. Their exhibition for the St George's Award Pioneers demonstrated an understanding of working together with kindness to solve problems.
Year 5 have been been very topical this term - exploring trade and demand, and how this is such a complex global operation. They, too have developed a strong understanding of service learning as they moved onto the Explorer section of the St George's Award.
Year 6 have considered how society is affected by leadership and how cultural nuances can impact the success of leadership. It has been wonderful to see our Year 6 students grow as individuals this year. Those who move into our Senior Prep Faculty will have developed a strong attitude to learning to embrace the PSB.
The International Baccalaureate brings a new way of learning to the students of St George's. Defined by developing a deeper understanding and developing skills and mindsets for learning, I have seen the students extend their horizons, question things much more and develop more of a love for their inquiry. This came out very strongly in our recent survey of parents and staff, and I am delighted that the IB approach now underpins the journey we are on as a school.
Our Senior Prep Faculty is perhaps where the greatest changes have been made. The onus is now on the students to take full ownership of their learning (of course, guided, and at times more of a nudge, by the teachers). With the PSB now recognised as a leading model and actually taken on as their curriculum by Bradfield College, Rugby, Stowe School and Ashford School (with some key senior schools to follow), we are in an exciting place with this area of school life. An audit of our provision took place in June, with the inspection team concluding "The PSB had been embedded with commendable energy and commitment to the students' learning".
There has been a marked shift in the attitudes to learning from our Years 7 and 8 students. The core skills are explicit in all areas of the curriculum, and as endless rounds of mock examinations have given way to discussion, debate and a widening of an antiquated taught curriculum, there has been a sizable increase in their readiness to learn. This has been shown in a study of 1000 students, where PSB schools showed 80% of students had a readiness to learn, as opposed to 30% in non-PSB schools.
The students have not disappointed, either. Our Year 7s going further than they ever imagined they would across the curriculum (this has been specifically commented to me by Sheila Hoover, our Language and Literature Coordinator); demonstrating commitment to their Tenner Challenge entrepreneurial programme; and producing a powerful exhibition for the St George's Award.
Year 8s are the first year group to be presented with their PSB certificates and leave us to a wide range of senior schools, including ACS, Egham; Bradfield College; Charterhouse; Eton College; Luckley House; Teddies; Wellington and Windsor Boys' School. Their TEDx talks, held in Windsor Castle in June, were inspiring. All completely devised, written and presented by the students, these were passionate, powerful, relevant, and demonstrated the power of one's inner determination and commitment to a project. No exam can replicate this, and very soon I believe the education system will become so much more relevant to the real world.
Of course, it isn't confined to the academic programme that our students have jumped higher than they believed they could. Every week there are examples of student-led activities where they have performed at their very best: students fencing; Castleside Radio, an entirely student-driven initiative; students participating in musical activities outside school; our Year 8s working in a peer-mentoring capacity with Pre-Prep students; our ambassadorial programme for the senior-prep. The list goes on.
The Years 7 and 8 production of As You Like It, performed in the school gardens, was an exceptional contemporary take on Shakespeare's classic. Under Gaëlle Stark-Ordish's creative and colourful direction, the students grappled with contemporary issues such as gender identity and climate change anxiety. An incredibly complex production to stage, the students did themselves justice, navigating a challenging script and stage direction. So much was student-driven, including the technical set up and stage management.
The calendar of musical events has been packed this term, with highlights including: Fauré’s Requiem performed in Windsor Parish Church to raise money for Ukraine; our Gala Concert, which included an ambitious programme of instrumental and choral music; Vivaldi's Gloria in Windsor Parish Church; two evening concerts of exceptional quality; and impressive results in the ABRSM exams. Whilst James Wilkinson inspires the musical output here, he couldn't be as ambitious were it not for the high level of aspiration shown by the students.
It has been wonderful to return to the residential programme after a three year gap. The feedback has been unanimously positive from our Years 5 and 6 students, who came together as a group, displayed teamwork, grit and determination and have developed key skills from their experience.
Years 7 and 8 braved the Scottish Highlands (and a 14 hour journey) to the Ridgway Adventure Centre, five miles from Cape Wrath.
A five day survival course with the following mantra:
- Positive thinking
- Self-reliance
- Leaving people in places better than when you found them
This taught the students so much about themselves, and there is no doubt they realised they were more capable than they thought.
The 'Night on Survival Island' is perhaps the pinnacle of the adventure course: the groups taken by boat to a remote sea loch island, equipped with bare essentials, to survive the night alongside one another.
A test of their strength and capability.
Our Sports Days bring the community together; generate a sense of friendly rivalry between our houses; foster teamwork; and, most importantly, encourage our students to be their best selves.
Our sports programme, based around a set of values includes 'pursuit of excellence', an ambition for our students to progress their skills and show themselves what they are capable of.
Boarding has never been more popular, due to the sheer fun of sleeping over here, but also the key value of developing independence, self-reliance and teamwork. Led by our brilliant Houseparents, Jonny and Ally Onions, we are delighted that so many students are eager to be part of this community.
And there is no bigger commitment for a young person than taking on a choristership. With the discipline, hard work and determination needed, our girls and boys in the choir equip themselves with a sense of achievement. As was said in the emotional speeches from our leaving choristers, this is a journey that shows what a young person is truly capable of.
This is a mere snapshot of the term past, but I hope gives a sense of the achievements of the students on an individual level, but far more importantly, when they join forces with others and demonstrate the power of true teamwork, collaboration and mutual trust and respect.
We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to my colleagues - in all areas of school life: teaching and support staff, for their dedication, care, passion, and sense of duty to the children.
They devote their working lives and careers to making a difference to young people: to my senior team and all colleagues right across the school - thank you.
This year, we bid farewell to a number of staff who have made a considerable impact on the school and the lives of the young people.
Ned Tennet, Holly Sampson and Ben Svenson.
Earlier in the year we bid farewell to Clare Emmerson-Smith, Brian Hooker and Bob Wall.
Colin Foran - Formerly Director of Studies and long-standing Head of Science, who has given 26 years of unwavering loyalty, dedication and outstanding teaching to our school.
And Ian Nicholas - Assistant Head, who has implemented so much here, been a key part of the senior team, and has masterminded our new approach to Years 7 and 8. Ian moves to become Deputy Head at Highfield School.
And so to the future, I lead a school with a restless desire to make education better; to make the lives of our young people better; and, in line with the IB philosophy, to contribute to making the world a better place for our young people to inherit. Therefore, it is with this spirit that we will never stand still. Having embedded enormous changes across the school, we will now take time to deeply consolidate these. To achieve our vision and mission as a school, we will focus on the following areas next year:
- The PYP: we will be applying for accreditation as an IB World School in March 2023.
- The PSB: we will now look at our taught curriculum, ensuring we remain as aligned to the real world. Part of this will be linking the Round Square ideals and the UN Sustainable Development goals to the curriculum.
- High Performance Learning: we are part of the cohort on track to achieve 'World Class School status' with High Performance Learning. This is all about removing rhetoric such as 'ability' and 'potential' from our school - this simply serves to put a lid on achievement. We believe every student is a high performer, and instead of obsessing about lower, middle and higher ability, this is about ensuring the lid is lifted for all our young people. Our new Head of Senior Prep, Henry Knight, will oversee student performance across the school.
- Outdoor Learning: Now is the time to embark on an outdoor education programme across the school, led by David Gaffney, our newly appointed Learning Outside the Classroom Coordinator.
- We are introducing a new PSHE curriculum, which is far more relevant to the needs of our students. This, together with our RSE curriculum, is overseen by Ally Onions, Head of Safeguarding and Mental Health.
- A new strategy for mental health will get underway, which will ultimately mean all staff and as many parents as possible can be trained in mental health first aid.
- A new Maths scheme is being launched from Reception through to Year 8. This is part of a focus on Maths across the school.
In addition to this, the first part of our boarding refurbishment has just begun this week, creating updated bathroom facilities and refreshed dorms. This will continue over the next 12 months.
We are also re-launching the St George's Association (for alumni of the school) in the new academic year, creating a rich network for the students. Once part of the community, always part of St George's.
To conclude, you may well have seen our new website, which was launched last week. There are still some minor changes to make over the summer, but I hope you will agree it is much more in keeping with the school's ethos and ambition. Our Marketing and Communications team - Roz Money and Mary Sandall - continue to do so much to communicate our message and ethos across really well.
May I direct you to our equality, diversity and inclusion statement, which can be found below. As I said in my address on Friday morning, the world has moved on a long way in terms of celebrating our differences, as demonstrated by the 50th anniversary Pride March in London last weekend. However, we will only have a chance of eradicating bullying, racism, homophobia and other types of discrimination and unkindness by calling it out. This starts in school with ensuring those around us are treated kindly and with respect. The International Baccalaureate has a powerful mission to help to create a better and more peaceful world through education, building intercultural understanding and respect.
I believe it is a moral imperative to ensure our students and members of the school community embrace the full diversity of life. This is the very mission of our school, and I very much hope our entire community embraces this for the benefit of the young people we are educating.
Rabelais, writing in the 16th Century, once said: "A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit", and as I have tried to convey in this letter, lighting fires in our students is what gets my colleagues out of bed in the morning, making possible the energy, opportunity and success that we have celebrated this year.
The capacity of mutual support and endeavour is the very spirit of St George's, making it the most delightful place to work at lighting those fires.
I wish you all a very happy summer.
William Goldsmith