A remarkably calm start to the new school year this week. Not that we expected any dramas, but I suppose there was an element of anticipation as to how the school would adapt to its new cohort of girls. Only three days in of course, but all sems very organic and normal and why shouldn’t it? I said throughout last year that The Beacon was first and foremost a great school; the fact it used to be all boys and is now boys and girls is a change, but not a fundamental one. A few visible changes though – Mr Robinson, Director of Sport, strolling through the arch into the Quad with clipboard in one hand and two Year 3 girls holding both his hands for no other reason than his approachable demeanour and smiley face. And a few audible ones; our Wednesday hymn had a slightly different pitch to it but definitely with the same enthusiasm as before. As Mrs Sandy emailed me on Wednesday, “Hello Nick! Just heard a beautiful little (female) voice coming out of one of the toilet cubicles singing ‘Amazing Grace’. So lovely to have girls here.”
A remarkably calm morning yesterday as well for the grammar school 11+ Transfer Test. Our Year 6 strode in confidently through the gates and, whilst there was a tangible relief as they exited to break, there was a definite sense of ‘it will be what it will be’ and together, we will manage all outcomes. I well remember sitting the same test over 40 years ago. In those days we weren’t told of the date of the three tests, of which they took the best score of all papers. A fairer approach without the jeopardy of one test maybe, but the fact it is now all done on the second day of the school year does have its merits. As a parent of two with one who got 121 and one who didn’t, I can genuinely say that it does not define your child or negatively influence future outcomes or character; there is a lot more to education and child development than one test for one type of school.
Nick Baker