Headmaster’s Notes: Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity
11th June 21
The breadth of opportunity that Prince’s Mead offers outside of the classroom is designed to develop teamwork, self-reliance, ingenuity, leadership, responsibility and a sense of public service in each and every pupil. This week has been no exception with a veritable feast of opportunities for our pupils; with Year 5 enjoying a residential adventure in Somerset, Year 6 undertaking their bushcraft experience living in a magical ancient woodland location in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds or, closer to home, Year 3 camping under canvas with their Headmaster and teachers this evening. The wealth of residential opportunities open to our children at Prince’s Mead is a reminder of our aim to ensure we value the immeasurable qualities of courage, spirit of adventure, manual dexterity and social skills on an equal footing as the development of academic intelligence, that is a given within our classrooms.
Next week I welcome the General Secretary of the PSB (Pre-Senior Baccalaureate) to explore its utility as an assessment model that has at its heart the development of those values, skills, attitudes and behaviours that we treasure at Prince’s Mead and that are required for our children to succeed and flourish in an ever-changing world. We have a responsibility to ensure that we continue to evolve our model of education so that our children are given an education for life. We advocate the need to re-think the wider fundamental principles of education and reconceptualise the richness of human capacity, towards educating ‘the whole being’. Ultimately, we want all girls and boys who pass through Prince’s Mead to develop an appetite for life beyond the confines of the classroom and be inspired both to develop themselves fully as an individual and also to open their eyes to the rich tapestry of life all around them.
I wish you all a most relaxing weekend.
Mr Peter Thacker
