Dear OFS Community,
On Monday we looked at the relevance of wearing a poppy and how Remembrance Day is evolving. It is right to remember those who gave their lives in order that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have. The Remembrance Boards in the school library that display 73 names of Orley Farm children who grew up to fight in France, but never to return, needs to mean something to all of us – they are a poignant reminder of the cost of our liberty.
With the death of Harry Patch in 2009, we no longer have witnesses to the horrors of World War 1, but sadly it strikes me that we cannot escape a sense of futility as we turn on the news or open a newspaper. The horrors of conflict and war are all too vivid and present across too many lands, peoples and faiths.
Through our Service, we explored past views on conflict. It’s strange to imagine that the message of ‘an eye for an eye’ was moderate at one point, against the backdrop of extraordinary mass persecution in Roman times as a way of keeping the peace, this request for the ultimate restraint appears impossible. The easy path is to meet aggression with yet more, to project power and strength.
However, I am mindful that the next message on this subject requires superhuman strength – the idea of ‘turning the other cheek’ means meeting anger, pain and loss with forgiveness. I believe this can only be achieved through a truly extraordinary faith and each of us will only know whether we possess this in the darkest of times.
I like that this day is evolving, I like that there are different coloured poppies, especially one that promotes peace. As we gaze at sepia-toned photos from the past, I hope and pray that when future generations reflect on our roles as they examine more recent photos, they recognise that we had the courage to confront hatred with forgiveness and, ultimately, love.
Let us strive to be a beacon of hope and compassion in a world still plagued by conflict and strife.
HMQT
It was fantastic to have a live link from the House of Lords (Green Screen Room!), as members from our School Council interviewed Mrs Patel, our HR Officer, Mrs Hirani, a member of our SEN team and Mr Harrington, a Teaching Assistant in Middle School. These ‘informal’ interviews offer such a remarkable opportunity for pupils to generate conversations that enlighten our audience in St George’s Hall. It also offers them a chance to use our tech, think about scripting, presenting and running a short live TV show...
...we also bring pupils and adults closer through these interviews. When I dropped into the studio before the show, there was real excitement and it’s great that children can be a part of something like this.
Diwali Dance Workshop
Year 3 came together for a fantastic morning exploring the messages around Diwali – seeing them dancing and completely immersing themselves in the stories was uplifting. In the greyness and rain that Storm Ciarán left in its wake, this was an event of warmth and light! Mrs Marsden shared a few reactions from excited pupils below!
Sophia
My favourite part was when we were being the graceful Sita.
Alex
I enjoyed learning about the different Hindu gods and learning how to dance while acting out the story of The Ramayna.
Anay
My favourite part was when we were pretending to be a golden deer and used our hands for antlers.
Shaan
I liked it when the class lined up, then jumped and tried to make a firework!
Kian
I really liked pretending to be fireworks for the celebration of Rama and Sita’s arrival.
Hockey
Our girls were out on the Astro playing some cracking hockey. I saw some stunning saves from fully committed goalkeepers as well as sharp passes and great stickwork. The girls have come a very long way with their hockey, and speaking to spectators, they love coming to watch – they're not just here for tea and cake!
I remain in awe of the way that our pupils choose to engage with the most complex of issues, accessing so much at different levels. We continue to live in remarkably turbulent times and certain events act like rocks in our lives, but I am also proud that we are looking forwards, finding solutions, seeking understanding, making mistakes but also learning from them and above all, learning to be thankful for all that we have.
Tim Calvey