Mrs Tear's Thoughts of the Week

With the UK in lockdown and Badminton moving to remote provision, the Term has not begun as we envisaged when we said our farewells and season’s greetings ahead of the break.

However, it has been great to see the whole community adapt swiftly and engage fully. The provision will be modified now we know that this will be for an extended period of remote working and details are being emailed to you directly. 

There remain, of course, so many important events in this coming Term, such as J6 entrance assessments, Year 9 option choices and preparation for GCSE and A Levels, in whatever format the Government defines. We will continue to keep in touch as much as possible, not just by email but also via Teams meetings, so that we can update you and also hear your thoughts and feedback.

As we embark on this new Term, my message to our whole community is the same as I shared with the Senior School pupils in assembly this week – it is based upon Maurice Sendak’s poem ‘January’:

In January it's so nice,
While slipping on the sliding ice,
To sip hot chicken soup with rice.
Sipping once, sipping twice,
Sipping chicken soup with rice.

To me, this poem reminds us to notice and enjoy the simple things in life and, given the lockdown and the pandemic, this is just what we each must do. Picture that wonderful momentary freedom as you glide on a piece of ice (care though - both Mrs Cotterell and I have had icy slips with our bikes as we have exercised this week!) or imagine the comforting warmth of sipping soup after breathing in cold air.

Both are things of joy – I am smiling just thinking about warm soup as I write on this frosty Thursday evening (and am unusually glad for the border terrier sat on my feet because they are warming my toes as I type).

I also encourage everyone (so please encourage your daughters!) to take this idea one step further and to remind each other of simple joys – take the opportunity to celebrate a kind act and be thankful for it, to congratulate someone for their work or activity (especially any Red January efforts) or just to notice the wonderful things that still endure in nature all around us.

Here’s to the start of a great Term, in which I know that much will be enjoyed and achieved; we will certainly work hard to remember to celebrate it too!