Lent Term

It was good to welcome the girls back to school on Sunday for the start of the Lent Term. It was a pleasure to witness the excellent events of the last couple of weeks of the Michaelmas Term and a special ‘thank you’ must go out to everyone involved in ‘Coram Boy’, the Advent and Christmas Carol Services and the Charity Fashion Show. I know from reading the girls’ reports that participation in such events does not affect their motivation or performance in the classroom; in fact, if anything, it enhances it. Readers of ‘letters to the editor’ in The Times should be reassured that I fully support the notion that a quality education is one in which the ‘development of character and all-round skills’ (not just a menu of examination certificates) will give our students the best possible advantages for higher education and the work place.

 

Our main priorities for the term ahead include: preparation for the new style boarding inspection, which will now be administered by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted, successful recruitment of girls to start in September 2012 at the assessment days on 18-20 January, recruitment of the first group of Choral Scholars to QM, an audit of our buildings and services across the campus including external security and lighting, provision of improved bathroom facilities in Cloisters, a review of staff appraisal and professional development opportunities and the conclusion of a full and visionary digital strategy review.

 

Each term seems to get busier and the Lent Term 2012 will be no exception. Auditions are already underway for girls in Years I-III for the summer production, ‘Jabberwocky’ and a Lacrosse Club (for girls in years I-IV), Football Club (for all) and Model United Nations Society (for girls in years IV-LVI) have been introduced into our weekly calendar.

 

I look forward to welcoming new visitors and long-standing friends to the school over the coming weeks.