DIXIT
EDITION 124 14th July 2021
The weekly newsletter for the Holyport College family
From the Head Master
At this time of year, I would normally enter the Summer with an equal mix of exhaustion and exhilaration, fresh off the back of public exams, rites of passage and celebration and opportunities to bring our school community: staff, students and parents together. This year, I share the frustrations of our community that so many of the plans have had to be cancelled, adapted or diminished. That said, I would like to reflect on the opportunities that we have been able to enjoy as a community this year, despite the restrictions on our lives: seeing the smiles on our students’ faces when they arrived in the quad in the sunshine last September and then again when they returned in March; enjoying fireworks on the field with the boarders knowing that so many of our day students and their families were there with us outside the school grounds in the darkness; the comradery which developed between staff and students who continued attending through the long, dark months of lockdown and the joy which reverberated around our community at events such as Nations Day, our Christmas celebrations, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Sports Day. All of the challenges of our times are put into perspective by the devastating news in June that Motunrayo Ajibade, Year 11, had lost her long and courageous battle with cancer. Her strength, faith and bravery, and that of her family, are an inspiration to our whole community.
As we look forward to next academic year, we do so in the hope that, from a school perspective at least, things may begin to look a little more like normal. That said, events in the aftermath of Sunday’s European Cup final serve as a stark reminder to us all that we live in a society where values of equality, mutual respect and community values cannot be taken for granted. Front and centre in our planning for next year is therefore a programme of education for all students as to the values of this community. We wish to become a community which is actively anti-racist; where young people understand and respect the boundaries of healthy relationships between the genders and where respect for all, regardless of gender, race, orientation or religion is inherent and absolute on a day to day basis. With this in mind, and alongside our programme of events and education for the students, we will be reaching out to parents and carers for their support and advice in a number of forums in the Autumn. @holyportcollege
www.youtube.com/holyportal
1
