HEAD’S INTRODUCTION

A WARM WELCOME

Ahundred years ago, in 1922, the appointment of Miss Katharine McCutcheon as the new Headmistress of St Leonards ushered in a huge enthusiasm for sport and games. As well as competing in cricket, hockey, and lacrosse, pupils were required to spend an hour and a half in the playground every day, and even longer over the weekend. Miss McCutcheon believed in giving balance to both the mind and body, though she also had a keen eye for what was aesthetically pleasing. Were she with us today, I am sure that she would have supported the emphasis that we continue to place on balance, not least in our appreciation for our pupils’ artistic creativity, which brings such joy and inspiration to our school community. The outside and inside covers of this year’s Gazette showcase Eva Smeddle’s multimedia collage project, undertaken as part of her GCSE Art portfolio. In this piece, various edifices from our campus in St Andrews find themselves interfacing with backdrops and landscapes from around the world. For me, this work of art embodies so much about St Leonards: our international mindedness, our global perspective, our diversity and our originality. It also reflects the creative thinking and exploration of novel ideas that underpin the approach taken by pupils at St Leonards – they are not afraid to push the boundaries of their learning, and experiment with their conceptual understanding. As I reach the end of my first year as Head, I feel blessed and proud to lead this wonderfully diverse, vibrant, and forward-thinking IB World School, where young people can thrive in so many different ways in our warm, welcoming and inclusive community. As you lose yourself in the colourful pages of this year’s Gazette, I hope that your sense, like mine, is one of belonging to a school that is very special indeed.

Simon Brian Head

For me, this work of art embodies so much about St Leonards: our international mindedness, our global perspective, our diversity and our originality. It also reflects the creative thinking and exploration of novel ideas that underpin the approach taken by pupils at St Leonards – they are not afraid to push the boundaries of their learning, and experiment with their conceptual understanding.