HEADMASTER’S BLOG – FRIDAY 23RD FEBRUARY

Year 8s will have slept well last night, having put their all into scholarship and mock exams this week. For those that have been based at Sedbergh, I have already heard some great reports from Senior School staff, impressed by the way our pupils conducted themselves. Some quotes from the children at breakfast this morning:

As temperatures dropped here this week and we finally saw proper snow in School, the alternative winter sports programme began at break time to great excitement. It seems fitting, therefore, to turn our attention towards the 2018 Winter Olympics which begin today in Pyeongchang. Here are my favourite Winter Olympic stories and the lessons we can learn from them!

“It was amazing. All the older girls were so kind and welcoming.”

“The exams were challenging but the entire experience was exciting.”

Congratulations to the U11 and U13 cross country runners who took four out of four of the team medals on offer at yesterday’s Catteral Shield at Giggleswick. It was absolutely no surprise to read in Mr Gorst’s report of the grit and determination shown by our pupils, given the time and effort that they have invested over recent months. Tellingly, the team wins come not just from the individual stars who step up onto the podium, but from the battlers in the middle of the pack, who realise that every place gained is another point for the team.

The culture of adventure and connection with our environment is perhaps best summed up by the Wilson Run at Sedbergh Senior School. Those in the know will appreciate the series of qualifiers – the ‘Epics’ – run on Wednesday afternoons throughout the Lent Term and this week the fells and blue sky provided a glorious backdrop for the older runners. If you don’t follow the various Houses on Twitter already then I would encourage you to do so!

School House – https://twitter.com/SchoolHouse_Sed

Winder House – https://twitter.com/WinderHouse

Sedgwick House – https://twitter.com/Sed_Sedgwick

Hart House – https://twitter.com/Hart_Sedbergh

Evans House – https://twitter.com/Evans_Sedbergh

Powell House – https://twitter.com/Sed_PowellHouse

Robertson House – https://twitter.com/Robertson_Sed

Carus House – https://twitter.com/Carus_Sedbergh

Lupton House – https://twitter.com/Lupton_Sedbergh

I have yet to see the Wilson Run itself in progress and so I am very much looking forward to the spectacle on the last Tuesday of term. This year, we plan to bring pupils from Years 5 through to 8 up the road to be part of the occasion and draw inspiration from their fellow Sedberghians.

We have enjoyed the company of four Chinese guests in Year 4 this week, all winners of an English language competition in their native country. They have been absolutely wonderful ambassadors for their home and I was pleased to hear this morning that in the space of just a few days, “Sedbergh feels like our own school.”

Have a great weekend,

Will