Headmistress' Conversations
Passion Following my recent assembly on the importance of passion, I have found myself returning to this idea and reflecting more deeply on the role it plays in school life. It is a word we use often, yet one that merits greater thought. In a busy and ambitious school, where achievement is rightly recognised and celebrated, it can be easy to focus on outcomes. Yet what underpins those outcomes, and is just as important, is the energy, curiosity and commitment that drive them. It is passion that sustains effort, inspires growth and gives meaning to success. In my study, I have a card given to me by a colleague which reads, “Do it with passion, or don’t do it at all.” It is simple, but it often leads to thoughtful and engaging conversations with both students and staff. It raises an important question: what does it truly mean to approach something with passion? To have a passion is to feel a deep and genuine enthusiasm for something that matters to you. It goes beyond enjoyment; it is an inner drive that compels you to invest time, improve, and to persevere in the face of difficulty. Passion provides both energy and purpose. When you are passionate, you are naturally more motivated, more focused, and more resilient. It shapes not only what we do, but who we become. Passion is not always loud or immediately visible. More often, it is found in quieter moments: the student who persists with a challenging problem, the musician refining a passage long after rehearsal, or the team returning to training after disappointment. These moments may go unnoticed, but they are often the clearest indicators of genuine engagement. Across learning walks this term, this quieter form of passion has been consistently evident. In a Year 12 English lesson, students approached an unfamiliar text with curiosity and conviction, testing ideas, challenging one another, and refining their interpretations. In another, discussion was sustained largely by the students themselves, with the teacher intervening only to guide and deepen thinking. In both cases, the energy in the room did not come from answers being delivered, but from a shared commitment to exploration, demonstrating that true passion for learning lies not in performance, but in the process of inquiry. This pattern is repeated across the school. In Year 8 Music, groups refined reggae compositions through repeated listening and adjustment, not because they were instructed to continue, but because they wanted to improve. In Languages, students experimented collaboratively, correcting and supporting one another. These are small moments, but collectively they reveal something significant: a culture where it is worth thinking, worth trying, and worth getting things wrong in order to improve.
6
Headmistress' Conversations This culture does not happen by accident. It is created by teachers who care deeply about their subjects and who design opportunities for students to engage meaningfully with ideas. Passion for a subject and thoughtful teaching reinforce one another. When both are present, engagement becomes authentic rather than manufactured. In Sport, passion is often more visible. We see this so often at Habs, it can be seen in the determination before a race, the joy of scoring a goal, or the shared celebration of a team working together. It is heard in encouragement from the sidelines and felt in the energy of collective effort. Passion in sport is contagious; the commitment of one student can lift an entire team. Music offers another powerful expression of passion. While it is often associated with wider benefits it is something we believe should be pursued first and foremost for its own sake. It enriches students’ lives directly, and we consistently see that deeper passion leads to greater progress. With over 100 ensembles, musical life at Habs is exceptionally vibrant. Our busy concert calendar ensures students perform regularly across a range of settings, moving quickly from one project to another. This would not be possible without the extraordinary dedication of our staff, whose enthusiasm sets the tone for the department. Students respond strongly to passionate teaching, and much of our success stems from this shared commitment. Debating provides a different lens. Here, passion is rooted in intellectual curiosity. It begins with asking questions, challenging assumptions and engaging with complex issues. Students immerse themselves in preparation, research and discussion long before they step into a debate. Topics such as climate policy, artificial intelligence or free speech require depth of thought and genuine interest. The growth of Debating across the school has been significant, with over eighty students now participating weekly, alongside increasing success in national competitions. Leadership from senior students and the Debating Committee has been central to this. Passion is also evident in the way students use their experiences to lead others. One of our Year 12 student’s work on the National Youth Monologues is a strong example: having taken part herself, she returned to lead sessions for younger students, supporting dozens of entries and guiding them to regional and national finals. Passion becomes most powerful when it is shared. We also see passion emerging through independent academic work. Students discussing EPQs or sustainable fashion IPQs often speak with ownership and genuine curiosity, showing how interest develops when they are given freedom to explore ideas beyond the curriculum. Of course, passion rarely emerges instantly. It develops over time through exposure, encouragement and experience. It is strengthened through challenge and often discovered through persistence. Some of the most powerful examples we see are when students continue despite setbacks, return after disappointment, or keep going when progress feels slow. At Habs Girls, we aim to create an environment in which every student can discover what motivates them. Through academic study, co-curricular opportunities and wider enrichment, we encourage students to explore widely and engage deeply. Our responsibility is to provide the conditions in which passion can emerge, grow and endure.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR 2025
DR HAZEL BAGWORTH-MANN HEADMISTRESS, HABS GIRLS