News from Mr Grady
13th September 2024
Hello Everyone!
And a huge welcome back, although we’re already coming to the end of week 2. I do hope everyone had a restful break, that you had time for family, friends and fun.
And now we’re back. And welcome to our new year 7 students, to our joining year 12 students, and to new colleagues. I hope you enjoy the RHS community and get as much out of it as we all do.
I always think working in schools gives you the chance for two “new starts” a year. We all get a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, but in schools we also get the end of one academic year, as we wrap everything up and close the school for a bit, and then a new academic year, to kick things all off again. New shoes, new pencil case, maybe a new bag, perhaps a new hairstyle, and in my case, new reading glasses, which I’m still smarting about to be honest.
My ageing aside, there is something wonderful about the start of a new academic year, as you get to have the reset of priorities, the chance for a few resolutions on how this year is going to be different to last year: You’re going to get your work done faster, your grades will be higher, and your overall performance will be stronger. And of course that’s all very well, if you have a plan, and some specific things you’re going to address.
For those of you paying attention, you’ll see that I’ve been watching the Olympics over the Summer, and the constant thing one hears when listening to athletes post event in their discussion of goals, their aims and what they’re striving for. They will also talk in detail about the ways in which they’ve achieved this. They won’t simply state: I want to be faster, higher, stronger, nor will they state something so obvious as “I want to win Gold.” They will have their own very specific aspiration, that may involve a medal, but in most cases it is about maintaining the level of their performance and perhaps, following hard work, training and focus, better their personal best. Irrespective of the aim, they have a careful plan with which to achieve it.
So as we all make a start back in this academic year of 2024-25, rather than some generic words that equate to “I want to do the same, but better,” there’s the chance to really reflect on what actions we might take, what realistic goals we might set, and how we might maintain that approach across the year.
We’ll have the chance to hear from our very own Olympian, Lauren Henry, later on this month when she visits the school, and we can hear how she really was faster and stronger than the opposition, and how she achieved such a wonderful victory.
Meanwhile, as I gaze myopically at my computer screen, typing this newsletter, I wonder if my +1 prescription might need to be a wee bit stronger.
Stay well and safe everyone,
With all best wishes,
Mr Grady
