Head Master's Weekly Notes - 19th June

This week we have been fortunate to be part of two important anniversaries – the sealing of the Magna Carta by King John on the 11th of June 1215 and the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th of June 1815 where the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon Bonaparte in Belgium.

The History department have done sterling work this week in raising awareness and celebrating with our students the significance of these two historical events -  the Great Charter which has had a profound influence on eight centuries of history in England, Britain and the English-speaking world and the Battle of Waterloo which emphatically ended Napoleon’s stranglehold over Europe. The Magna Carta is and has been part and parcel of the history syllabus that is studied in British schools up and down the country – it formed the basis of the democracy, liberty and human rights that we live by today. But I was astonished to learn that the history curriculum in our schools barely touches on the Battle of Waterloo – forgive me, but I am only a mere chemist. The First World War is studied in great depth, and quite rightly so at this time of the centenary. The battlefields of Ypres and the Somme which our students have been fortunate to visit and experience, bring this part of history to life. But thereafter, it is all about Nazi Germany, Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, particularly Hitler.
Students in schools will have little understanding of 20th-century history and particularly the dictatorships, if they have no idea of literally what happened in the past - Napoleon was the first modern European dictator. I don’t think one cannot understand the modern world without some in-depth knowledge of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I feel that every school student should be taught about the French Revolution - failing to teach this period is denying our students valuable opportunities to enhance their understanding of the birth of the modern European world – and it is this modern Europe that is now coming under intense scrutiny, from the promised in/out referendum to the austerity measures facing Greece’s very existence in Europe. It is sad that students do not study this rich period in any depth, but I understand the limitations of time and the curriculum. The Battle of Waterloo was one of the most decisive battles of modern history – it was a day of compelling drama where one could not predict the outcome between the warring factions. It is hard to imagine any student not being captivated by the extraordinary events of that day. The battle teaches us about strategy, cooperation and leadership with two of the greatest military commanders in history facing each other: the enigmatic Wellington against the flamboyant Napoleon. Students can learn so much from studying these formidable men. The Battle of Waterloo, and the events leading up to and following it (much like the Magna Carta), warrants study in all schools. It would be a great tragedy if the bicentenary were to pass without this void in our school history provision being filled. I am sure the Duke of Wellington deserves better.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 12th June

The examination season is now in full swing, the sun is shining (after an initial downpour, of course), cricket sweaters and summer dress are de rigueur and Mr Cowley sporting his salmon-pink chinos - summer is finally here. And I hope that the weather continues to be kind to us so that we can enjoy all the summer events that are on for the rest of this Trinity term, from the Junior Shakespeare production, art exhibitions, concerts, sporting fixtures, classic car show and the like. And it’s great to see so many of our students engaged in these activities – Acoustic Night on Wednesday is a perfect example and the support shown in assembly to Fela Sowande in Y9, whose art work has been curated and is being showcased at Bruton Museum this afternoon, was exemplary. The number of volunteers we received to accompany our Chinese visitors at the end of this month (more details below) whilst they visit Sexey’s again highlights the enthusiasm and engagement our students have for all things Sexey’s – they are rightly proud of the school (we celebrate 125 years next year) and show strong camaraderie and an unwavering support for our community - I hope they all continue to stay on TRaK in all that they do over the coming weeks.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 5th June

This time last year we had the sound of samba and bossanova ringing in our ears as we welcomed the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Exactly a year on from that and the organisation, which we have grown to love and trust somewhat, has fallen foul to scandal and corruption. It’s a sad indictment of the world we live in and the recent athletic doping scandal is testimony to this. Sport has come under a lot of scrutiny recently, from match fixing to the illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs and rightly so – sport is for all and should be, and please excuse the pun, be played on a level playing field. The global media coverage the FIFA story has received is vast. The question is, should it? You would think all of this is the most important matter facing the world - bigger than climate change, bigger, than the economy, bigger than religious extremism, bigger than world hunger. We have lost some sense of perspective. I know corruption is wrong, I know it should be rooted out, and I know it causes real harm. The perpetrators should be brought to justice. But this corruption is, with all due respect, in the world of sport. It is not something that really matters, or should matter, that much to people. If we were to discover that the World Health Organisation, or HM Treasury, or Google, or even the BBC were systematically corrupt, then, yes, that would matter a great deal, for obvious reasons. Real lives and livelihoods are at stake; real human welfare being perverted for personal gain by some unscrupulous individuals or other. Now I know football is a huge global business – the sponsorship and obscene salaries in our world-beating Premier league reflects this – but it is all rather irrational. However, we can learn a lot from sport at the fundamental level – the qualities of team work, leadership, endeavour, respect, integrity, winning and losing graciously, fair play – true sportsmanship; this is what we should be concentrating on moving forward. Teaching the next generation how to be good sportsman in every respect, both on and off the pitch is vital. With fixtures this past week against the likes of Millfield, Taunton School and Bruton School for Girls, I hope we are instilling those important qualities and building the character necessary so that our students can compete beyond our school gates. I trust the new custodians of FIFA will do the same too.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 22nd May

It didn’t look too good this morning as I peered through the window of my study and wondered if we were going to call off Sports Day due to the perennial Bank Holiday weather – rain.  However, it had brightened up by break and it was full steam ahead as we heralded in another successful Sexey’s Sports Day on the Elm Field. The Houses were in fine form singing with gusto their various House Hymns building camaraderie and team spirit with staff and parents encouraging our sportsmen and women to achieve to their potential. There is nothing like a good sports day to bring together the whole school community and my thanks go to the PE department for their meticulous organisation, to the Estates team for the finely manicured tracks, House staff (the Hobhouse cupcakes were particularly impressive), the PSA and of course the competitors. The spoils went to Golledge who won the West Midlands Relay Shield, the Macmillan Cancer Support Staff-Student Race (Mr Lawton ran a stunning 100m) and the overall Track & Field Competition. It was a fine way to round off this busy half term and a well-deserved break awaits our colleagues and students alike.

A moving U6 Leavers’ assembly took place yesterday in the 6th Form Centre and it was a fitting tribute to the maturity and diligence of this particular year group. They have been led admirably by Jack Wingate and Annabel Buckland who have encapsulated all the qualities that make a Sexeian – all commented on the friendly nature and warm atmosphere of the school, the life skills they have learnt and the strong relationships they have built which will last for many years to come. Many have been here since Y7, many as boarders and the experiences and opportunities they have gained has been second to none. As Einstein said,  ‘education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learnt at school.’ And boarding can teach students the value of stability in a caring and nurturing environment. The U6 now immerse themselves in public exams after half term and we wish them well in their endeavours as they pursue coveted university places (and gap years) come August. I thank them for the outstanding service they have given to the school – from music, art and drama productions, to a variety of sports teams and to the prefect body for setting the gold standard to the younger members of our community and keeping them on TRaK.

We salute the Class of 2015.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 15th May

The weather (and politics) seem to be the main topics of conversation over the past few days (I believe a tornado was spotted in Bridgwater last night, let alone in Westminster…). However, the weather was very kind to us last Sunday, and long may it continue, when the Head Master's XI took on the mighty 1st XI cricket team. It was a cracking game with plenty of drama and excitement but experience ultimately triumphed over youth. But it’s not all about the winning - it's the taking part that counts which is important and I am grateful to all those who participated and gave up their Sunday afternoon to play, support, umpire and serve teas – a wonderful community event and a great afternoon of cricket. And keeping with the sporting theme, we have seen our girls’ cricket teams triumph against the likes of King Edward’s, Bath and Millfield and our athletics teams competing at the highest level in the English Schools Track & Field Cup at Millfield School. This weekend also see our Equestrian Team take on the might of Stonar School at the Inter Schools One-Day Event and the Duke of Edinburgh expedition to Cranborne Chase with 47 eager adventurers hoping to complete their bronze award (hope the weather stays fine for them!). And of course there is our Boarding Open Morning on Saturday too. Plenty of quality opportunities for our students to get involved in and be challenged by which can only build character and resilience in the long run, qualities employers are always looking for. Personally, I believe that we should be continually challenging ourselves, both mentally and physically. Remaining in our comfort zones is an all too easy option and a culture of complacency could develop as a result.

Many of you will have noticed that whilst I was at the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) Conference last week in London, I took part in an abseil challenge for the charity Springboard which funds places for disadvantaged children in independent and state boarding schools – thank you for all your support in this (I made it down 100ft in one piece!) and to the Headmistress of Bruton School for Girls, Mrs Nicky Botterill – being continually challenged and being out of one’s comfort zone is a good thing. Whilst at the Conference, I had the opportunity to work with Sir Anthony Seldon (Master of Wellington College) in promoting state boarding and I look forward to more collaborations in the future which will undoubtedly provide further opportunities for our students. There is no doubt there are challenges facing the education sector – it’s high on the political agenda, and the conference was no different. But it is the purpose of education that matters more and I hope that we at Sexey's still teach the right values and the importance of both a moral stance and a respect for those who differ. So in hindsight perhaps, the abseil was worthwhile.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 8th May

I have avoided talking about the General Election in my ruminations over the past couple of months as I am not one to speculate, unlike the expert opinion polls, and decided to comment only once the polling booths had closed. As I watched the outcome of the election unfold in the wee hours of the morning, it was becoming apparent that the UK will be waking up to a new Government; not a coalition but a single party majority - quite extraordinary when you consider that this was touted as the most unpredictable elections in recent times. This has been an election which will have more profound consequences than almost any in living memory. Even our own Mock Elections run by the Sixth Form Govt & Politics students produced results that mirrored the remarkable exit polls and reflected the views of modern Britain and a generation who will now engage in political discourse. Only time will tell if the new Government will be successful and I hope, for the sake of our students, that they will make the right decisions when it comes to the important question of education– decisions that will allow us to continue to provide a high quality, all-round holistic education and excellent pastoral care – we cannot afford to compromise on these. We have the Union Jack flying proudly on the front lawn of the school, not to celebrate the new Government, but to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day, when Winston Churchill announced the end of World War Two and the History Department (they have been busy this week!) marked the occasion with a variety of activities at school. How the world has changed since 1945. We now face a decision about our future in Europe, with an EU referendum almost certain in two years' time and there will also be serious questions about the future of the United Kingdom. It means the future of the Union could yet again be on the political agenda. It is an election which has not just defied all the predictions of the pollsters and the pundits - but which may yet prompt the most fundamental shift of British politics for a generation. Interesting times.

Head Master's Weekly Notes - 1st May

Despite man’s astonishing technological progress, there are still certain events which just seem unsurvivable. The slopes of Mt Everest proved that last weekend, after the powerful earthquake that struck Nepal. I was very fortunate whilst I was at Bedford School to have organized and led an expedition to Everest Base Camp in 2012 with an Old Sexeian (that is a story for another time – the word serendipity and karma spring to mind) and 50 gung-ho students. Our adventure of a lifetime to Everest Base Camp in Nepal was both ambitious and fraught with their own difficulties, but nonetheless an experience that I, and the boys, will never forget – from the strong relationships that we forged within the group and with those who trekked with us, the Sherpa communities we worked closely with and Khumjung School in the mountains we fundraised for back in Blighty. Mount Everest is, and will be, the pinnacle of any boys’ (or indeed girls’) adventure and to reach base camp having climbed over 5000m over the course of 10 days was humbling in many ways. The sense of achievement and camaraderie and that spirit of adventure made for a unique and life-changing experience. When we saw the pictures last weekend of the avalanche triggered by the tremors of the devastating earthquake, sweep through Base Camp – traditionally a safe haven for climbers to recuperate before they embarked on the treacherous climb to the summit - there was no escape. It was a case of bad luck and being in the wrong place on the mountain at the wrong time. Others, by contrast, were able, almost miraculously, to tweet instant news of the fact that they were safe from their bivouacs and high-altitude tents on ridges high above the Khumbu icefall. Luck was unfortunately the great decider of fates on Everest. But in the rest of Nepal, where the great majority of the deaths have occurred, the toll was, sadly, nothing to do with luck. As the grim toll rises, and continues to rise over the next few days, it provides at least some small cheer to see an immediate, expert and heartfelt global response to the Himalayan country’s cry for assistance; the woman pulled out after being stuck under rubble for five days without food or water gives us hope. Sexey’s, in a county wide effort with all Somerset schools, of all phases, will be looking to fundraise a considerable amount for Nepal next week – bringing communities together to help those less fortunate than us. I have yet to hear from our friends in Nepal and we can now only pray that they are safe and sound.

However, it is not the actual earthquakes that kill, but it’s the shoddy man-made buildings that kill innocent people – the millions of houses and structures that have crumpled, the ancient temples and towers that have collapsed are now only a mere memory. Proper help in addressing this issue is the real foreign aid that Nepal needs, if the international earthquake relief teams are not to return again and again.