Speech Day

This year’s Speech Day and Prize Giving, to pick up on a theme from my introduction, was an example of how we learned to do things differently. It was a step up from last year. Whilst for most of our families, it was still watched remotely (many thanks to Peter Drage and David Simpson for skilfully live-streaming it), we did have the pleasure of the company of Year 8 boys and Prep School staff who were able to witness the event live and in-person.

As is traditional, our Head Boy, Benjamin Cutts delivered a superb speech (which you can read below - one parent remarked that it seemed as though he had been public speaking for decades). In it, he gave a summary of the events of the year, showing us just how impressive our boys have been, and the richness of achievements, despite the more limiting circumstances. We also enjoyed inspiring messages from our guests of honour. First, Emilio Gay (OB), who is beginning to make a serious name from himself at Northamptonshire Cricket Club, and was in the national news at the time of Speech Day after making his fi rst ever fi rst class century against Kent. Boys who play for Bedford Cricket Club will know him as he practices frequently down there, and often gives words of encouragement to younger boys. He talked about the importance of resilience when things go wrong. This theme was developed further by our other guests. Secondly, Olympian Heather Stanning who is a friend of our own Mrs Denny-Morley. Heather is a seriously good rower. She is a double olympic champion, double World champion and quadruple World Cup champion. She and her rowing partner Helen Glover, were, until the summer, reigning Olympic champions and world record holders. She has been ranked number 1 female rower in the world since 2016. Finally, ex Bedford School Head of School, Northampton Saints centre, and member of the latest England squad, Fraser Dingwall (OB) talked about the importance of taking opportunities whilst at school.

Talking of taking opportunities, the boys who provided music at Speech Day certainly took theirs, by playing superbly. Sammy Inman delighted us with Chanson Napolitaine by Tchaikovsky on trumpet; Harry Townsend sang (beautifully) A Brown Bird Singing by Barrie/Wood; on Cello, Fraser Morgan wowed us with Gavotte Humoristique Op. 6 by Squire; fi nally, without music in front of him, Samuel McMurray nailed Rondo by Bartok on Piano.

Following advice from our guests of honour, I left the boys with some advice that has helped me through the years, especially for the Year 8 boys who move on to the Upper School (for the most part). Firstly, a quote from the Duke of Wellington: ‘Wise people learn when they can; fools learn when they must.” One of the things I have learned is that you should always be true to yourself. Know yourself and don’t be afraid to fail. Think forward to the end of things; the end of your schooling, the end of your fi rst job, and decades into the future. What do you want people to say about you? Start work immediately on making that happen. It matters.

I fi nished with some advice from my favourite literary character Winne the Pooh, inspired by Miss Bowis, who has this quotation hanging in her classroom window: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Finally, very well suited to our Year 8 leavers, who are such good friends, Pooh’s thoughts on friendship: “ A day without a friend, is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside!”. I empathise with this as I like honey nearly as much as he does.

Proceedings were concluded by our Deputy Head Boys, Joseph Edwards and Elio Lepore, who shared readings of Friends and Flatterers by William Shakespeare and On Friendship from Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne

WORDS BY Mr Ian Silk, Headmaster