With the end of the first week of our Festival of Education, it has been so energising to reflect on the breadth of opportunity for your children at Prince’s Mead. In this week alone, Year 4 headed off on their residential down to Somerset, Year 2 have been out and about in Winchester studying King Alfred, Year 6 artists have been inspired by a visit to The Grange, nearly 70 children across the school have sharpened their communication skills with three days of LAMDA examinations, all children have enjoyed Chef Tomas’s delicious freshly-baked cakes whilst raising money for worthy causes, year group choirs and musicians have been rehearsing new pieces for next week’s Music Festival, guest speakers have spoken with authority on topics ranging from UN Global Goals to our children’s invaluable role in fundraising for local charities, Year 6 have undertaken a MasterChef challenge and programming rides at the local theme park, the Games Department have delivered their ‘It’s a Knock Out’ challenge across all year groups and our sports teams have come up trumps with some fine results in competitive matches this week, winning close to 90% of all matches played. Quite simply, there has been something to inspire everyone at Prince’s Mead this week.

As teachers are so immersed in helping every child to be the best that they can be, behind the scenes our Governors’ Education Committee has also met. As educators, it is beholden upon us to fix our sights firmly on the horizon and to confidently lead the way. Our virtual Open Day today provided us with an opportunity to share this philosophy with prospective parents. We are utterly committed to providing children with an environment that embraces progress, is both modern and relevant and that retains the firm academic foundations of a Prince’s Mead education. On this note, I am delighted to share with you new appointments to the Board of Governors, Mr Tim Giddings and Mr Charles Gillow. Mr Giddings joins us with a particular focus on our outstanding academic track record. He became Housemaster of Morshead’s in September 2020 and teaches Classics and Div. Mr Giddings came to Winchester in 2009 after finishing a postgraduate degree at Oxford, where he wrote a thesis on reading patterns in Ancient Egypt. He was the resident tutor at the College between 2010 – 2016 and coaches football and cricket. Also graduating from Oxford University, Mr Gillow served for 16 years in the Royal Air Force, 12 years in financial institutions in the City of London, and 12 years as Bursar of Bearwood College, Wokingham and, until the end of the last academic year, Twyford School. I know they will bring much experience and passion in support of the school in their areas of expertise.

I do hope you all enjoy a less-blustery weekend, particularly for our Prince’s Mead sailors!

Mr Peter Thacker