Dear OFS Community,
I can’t believe that we still have our heating on, this is not the return to the summer term that I was hoping for! However, the warmth came back into the building on Monday as our staff team returned with a wonderful sense of energy as we look ahead, beyond the coming term.
We traditionally use these days to revisit our School Development Plan ensuring that it is rooted and centered around student growth and experiences that truly enrich our whole community.
We started by looking at the fantastic engagement from our recent parent survey, we had a staggering 2,964 responses from 288 families! Starting with our 3 pillars, we teased out key questions to inspire stories and get us talking.
Pastoral Life:
How do we actively enrich the experiences of our community to heighten awareness of difference, diversity and belonging?
Academic Life:
How do we empower a community of independent, deep thinkers to navigate their own learning?
Opportunities:
How do we broaden the pursuits and interests beyond the curriculum that can lead to partnerships beyond our boundaries?
Some interesting and exciting conversations followed across this week that will inform bold plans, more to follow as we unpack these questions, but my mind is already racing with possibilities!
Meadow School
As part of our staff training, our Middle School Team had a day out at a Forest School as we extend our own unique version - ‘Meadow School’ - beyond Pre-Prep. The weather wasn’t going to stop us getting straight into this programme. Outdoor learning is key to so many powerfully positive outcomes and I am delighted that this continues to go from strength to strength.
Leather & Willow...
Despite the chilly winds it was great to see our girls and boys getting out on the pitches and into their bowling technique and development of shots. I love the numerous names that capture informal cricket – Backyard Cricket, Gully Cricket, Corridor Cricket, Street Cricket, Beach Cricket and so on...at Orley ‘Quad Cricket’ leads to about 100 balls being lost on the many roofs of the school! Here’s to the weather allowing us to get onto the pitches!
The magic you’re looking for is in the thing you’re avoiding…
I am always looking for home-grown stories within our community to inspire. Last Saturday I met Stevie, Dad of Teddy and Lennon, as he cycled past Orley. He told me that he was running the London Marathon the next day – something that he had vowed never to repeat 7 years ago! This week I saw Stevie walking past my window with a strapped knee - after hearing an inspiring story I invited him to share this thoughts - not expecting him to email such a compelling reflection that very night! Here’s my teaser that I hope encourages you to click the link to take you to his amazing recollection with an interesting punchline!
Join Stevie on a journey through the grit, the pain, and the sheer heart of the London Marathon. From battling through injuries to finding strength in camaraderie, discover a story of what truly drives us to cross that finish line. It's not just a race, it's an extraordinary tapestry of human spirit woven by 50,000 souls, fueled by the relentless cheers of 750,000 spectators. Get ready to be humbled, moved and inspired through Stevie’s wonderful reflection from Sunday...
Go Mrs Thornton!
Talking of stories to inspire, I have added a message from Mrs Thornton who bravely declared in front of the school that she wanted to run in support of our school charity – Imperial Health Charity
My half marathon attempt is this Sunday and fast approaching and I am so aware that I promised the school that I was going to do this, although it feels a little too close and very real right now! I have now raised £685 which I am thrilled about, smashing my £500 goal for such a great charity but I would appreciate any other support on offer! Maybe next year I'll try a marathon... or perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself...
Mrs Thornton, you’ve got this and we’re all behind you...looking forward to hearing all about it on Monday!
Tooled Up
As a Tooled-Up School, we have access to some fantastic resources, do click through on the link below for the latest food for thought: