Howzat! And what a wonderful week it has been for sport at Sexey’s. Not only have England registered a win down under with the England Ladies Cricket team winning the first Ashes test in Perth, but our U15 Girls’ Cricket have also triumphed. The A team won the South Somerset round of the National U15 Lady Taverner's indoor cricket competition at Stanchester School this week and now progress to the County Finals in Taunton. The B team came second! This prestigious competition is organised by Somerset CCC Ladies Coach and Ashes winning former England international Caroline Atkins who has also been in this week supporting and mentoring our girls. Captain India Gill (9 KNI AB) has showed she is an all-round sports woman dominating at the crease in cricket and last term on the hockey field. Sport is an integral part of what we do at Sexey’s and the skills and values it develops and encourages should never be underestimated. Not to be outdone, the U15 Boys beat Millfield 3-0 in an absorbing and entertaining football match and the House Netball competition also started in earnest this week. I was also privy to the Primary School Competitions that we host here at the School and this week saw the Basketball competition take place for our local partner primary schools and it was great to see the boys and girls from the likes of Evercreech, North Cadbury, and Ditcheat (amongst others) enjoying the tournament. The Sports Hall was packed and the atmosphere was electric. We host a number of Primary School competitions throughout the year from rugby, hockey, swimming, football, cricket, athletics, rounders; the list goes on and my thanks to Mrs Davis for organising these – participation and engagement are important and everything we can do as a community to help the next generation of hockey players, cricketers, swimmers is vital. Even though the weather has been cold and miserable, there is plenty to smile about here.
In assembly this week, Sam Wilson (9 KNI SW) and Ollie Marsh (10 GLY JM) performed some eclectic drum pieces in front of the school and the pupils sang the school song with great gusto and pride. Mr Kelley, the Head of the Chaplaincy Team, led the assembly and highlighted how we should be thinking of those less fortunate than us in the wake of the excesses of the recent festive season. We also talked about how we should be keeping those new resolutions that we have made with all good intentions at the beginning of the year. Making the resolutions is easy, but keeping them is the challenge. I’m glad to say that I haven’t broken any of my resolutions (yet!) and it has been tough – the food served in the KDR is second to none…
New colleagues have settled in well to life at Sexey’s and Mr Reddick is getting used to the traditions and nuances of the school whilst conducting his numerous learning walks, lesson observations (he watched me today) and meeting the pupils. The pupils have also settled back into the rhythms and routines of scholarly life and there seems to be an atmosphere of purposefulness and determination, especially with the Y11s who have a Parents’ Meeting this afternoon. Whilst on lunch duty, I overhead two girls talking about their revision plans and the type of revision they felt worked best for them – I was impressed that academics was the hot topic of conversation. I have read through some Shakespeare projects too that the Y8s have completed in English over the Christmas holiday and the quality of work was outstanding. Rehearsals for the School Musical ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ’ are also in full swing and last year’s Y13 students (Old Sexeians) returned last week to meet with the current 6th Form and to receive their A-level certificates, before they embarked on the next leg of their academic journeys. Speaking of Old Sexeians, I received a charming letter from a lady whose grandfather was Philip Biggin who was a student at Sexey’s back in 1925 and was taught by the school’s first Head Master, Mr William A Knight MA – Mr Biggin (OS) turned 100 back in December, which I believe makes him the oldest living Sexeian. From the old to the new, we seem to have started the year with the right attitude and in the correct frame of mind – I only hope that the England Ladies continue to do so too.
I wish you a pleasant and peaceful exeat weekend.
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