The View from My Study – 19 January
Did you know that, statistically, storms with female names are more dangerous than storms with male names? This is not because they are stronger; it is because people are lulled into thinking a storm is gentler if it has a female name and therefore they take more risks with equipment, clothing and activity. They need to remember that the female of the species is often more deadly. (Actually, this fact is probably not true as the statistics upon which the research was based included a period where all storms carried female names. Plus, of course, I would never seriously suggest that females are more deadly; Mrs Jones would kill me if I did.)
There was a ‘Storm Gareth’ once, in 2019. Granted, not a terribly frightening name for a storm (unless you’re stuck on a hill in the Brecon Beacons) and it was a bit odd to suddenly become associated with damage and devastation. But then I realised that with a storm comes the after-effects – the loose bits have been blown away and what’s left can enable the green shoots to flourish.
During the Monday morning assembly each week I like to award a cup to the ‘Group of the Week’ and I invite nominations from staff. This week I awarded it to the Grounds and Maintenance teams for the way in which they have looked after the community. The rain and winds of recent weeks have been replaced by freezing temperatures all of which have provided challenges to our environment so I want to thank them for the gritting, sweeping, trimming and clearing they have done to help us go about our daily lives. The debris has gone and the school once again looks great; fresh and ready for the year ahead.
We want to develop global attitudes in the children at BG but we have to start with them thinking more locally. We know that children do not always consider their immediate environments and it is fair to say that certain areas such as the changing rooms could be better so we have had a big focus on this theme this week. We are doing our best through investment to improve the environment but we cannot do it all at once overnight; the real magic is in the little things that everyone does to look after their own spaces which, in turn, connect together to make a smart, positive and purposeful environment as a whole, where everyone feels safe, secure and looked after.
HM’s Breakfast will be served tomorrow from 8.15 as usual after which I hope as many of you as possible will attend the talk about Online Safety by Alan Mackenzie. This is an important talk – however much we think we know, there is always more to learn. It starts at 9.15am in the Ravenscroft.
If I don’t see you, happy weekend everyone!
Gareth Jones, Head
