The trees are up, the lights are switched on in the Quad and Little Beacons have (charmingly) performed their Christmas Showcase…so the Festive Season can officially begin. Cards are in the post as of today and their arrival next week will coincide with the completion of our Beacon Christmas Display 2025 on School House…no spoilers but Amersham Road is in for a real yuletide treat this year…
As much as the Christmas wave of excitement prevails, the boys remain fully focused and standards are not slipping in all aspects of Beacon life. On Tuesday I watched the U9s put in a dominant display against Davenies to remain unbeaten, Year 8 and Performing Arts have surpassed their own high standards with a mesmerising production of Emil and the Detectives, Year 5 (and their parents…and their teachers) fully committed to dressing up yesterday for World War II day and my own Year 5 Geography classes have been completely ‘on it’ and firing on all cylinders this week. My personal highlight though was probably yesterday afternoon, when our Chess Team took part in the inaugural IAPS Online Chess Championships. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of children more fully focused, and the skill and concentration on show was a sight to behold. With many of our younger boys too good for the U11 section, they were competing in the U13s but chess is a great leveller with age no obstacle to competition. A fact I found out a few years ago in Late Stay when, bullish about my own chess skills, I challenged a then Year 3 Sebby Rogers to a game…and promptly lost as he took me to the cleaners. Best stick to Geography teaching then…
Nick Baker
Headmaster