The View From My Study 16th September

Just before the start of term, when I was conversing with one of our new Gappies, I realised that I was not quite as cool as I thought! Said Gappie was dropping in words like ‘dench’ and ‘gains’ and it was like a fog had descended upon my understanding.

‘Dench’, she explained, is a word to describe something you think is really good or attractive and ‘gains’ might describe the actions of someone who has been to the gym a lot. So, one might say for instance, “He is well dench. Must have been on the gains.” (Er, not me).

This got me thinking about the language we use and I realised I need to try harder to be on a level with the children. After all, they had no trouble in the very first assembly, telling me what lol, btw, thx, idk and hand mean. The only one they got stuck on was hmu, standing for ‘hit me up’ which means ‘contact me’. So I’ve decided I will communicate a little bit more in this way with the children this year and I’ve invented a few more, purely for Bilton Grange:

  • bk – Be Kind
  • kgye – Kindness Gets You Everywhere
  • fof – Fear of Failure
  • giag – Give it a Go
  • bp – Be Positive
  • ros – Respect our School

So, this academic year, we don’t want any fof. Instead, we want lots of giag attitude. We want the children to bp and to bk because kgye. And if everyone ros then we will have a fbg (fantastic Bilton Grange) and everyone will have a rsy (really successful year). After all, YOLO!

And, although the mood of the country has been affected by the passing of Queen Elizabeth, an event of educational significance for the children in a number of ways, it has been a positive start to the year for the School. There were many smiley faces on the first Monday morning and that wasn’t just the parents, relieved that the holidays were finally over. As one Dad put it with a spring in his step: “Now off to work for a rest!”

The children have smiled too, eager to be back, re-establish relationships and create new friendships. Any nervousness that was there quickly evaporated, replaced by the excitement of discovering new opportunities as well as the fun of being with mates. With refurbished classrooms, a re-jigged timetable, a new rewards system in operation and reconfigured Activities and Options, it has been lovely to feel the buzz around the School that even the torrential downpours of last week’s rain could not dampen.

It was lovely to see so many parents in the dining hall last Saturday morning for Headmaster’s bacon butties and croissants. This service will once again be provided tomorrow morning from 8.15am. Then from 8.45am, I hope you will come along to the FAB meeting in the Pugin Library to find out about the support the parents association volunteers give to the school, how you might be able to be involved and what events we have planned this term and later in the year.

I wish you all a very good weekend which for many will be extended into Monday.

Gareth Jones, Headmaster

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