Well, last week I said England always had one big performance in them at a major tournament so let’s hope that’s now not true and that it turns out to be at least one. If the raucous and jingoistic singing of ‘Three Lions’ in our Final Assembly this morning was anything to go by, The Beacon community seem pretty confident that it could indeed be ‘coming home’ this year. Even if tomorrow ends in defeat, I will forever cherish the early hours of Monday morning as one of my all time favourite ‘father son’ moments. Patrick and I took the opportunity of a delayed kick off to grab two hours sleep and then watched the game live, promising Brigid that I would “try” when she told me, “not to wake her with any loud cheering.” I’ve watched hundreds of games of football with my sons, but none had more up and downs than this one and even though Joseph was watching from a bar in Crete, the constant text chat with us two at home made sure we were in this together. Massive hugs and cheers at the end, almost certainly waking up Brigid, then a quick watch of the interviews before back to bed. Waking up a few hours later in a dream like state in every sense…
If that was a favourite football moment, Wednesday, on the occasion of my twentieth Speech Day as a Head, was definitely one of, if not my favourite, of all of those events. Exceptional set piece performances from the boys and the PA Department, Kerry and Acacia’s moving and professional videos, first class Head Boy Team speech by Rocco, Emilio and Karanveer, my bits landed OK and the whole thing came in ahead of schedule at well under two hours. The event typified the professionalism, efficiency, excellence and good humour of our school. The only slight downer was right at the end when one of the stewardesses took me to one side and declared that, “I just wanted to say that pretty much 75% of the children said thank you as they passed me on the door.” I immediately apologised, as we set very high standards here, but she assured me that it was a genuine compliment as she was mightily impressed with our manners, adding that she’s lucky to get just one thank you from a typical audience. Well done, boys – always so proud of you.
As you read this, we have just said a final and emotional farewell to our leavers in Years 6 and 8; what a super bunch of boys and parents these groups have been. You may be leaving our roll but you will always be considered part of us. The same goes for our departing staff who we will say farewell to this afternoon. Mr Alex Walker, Head of PE and my right hand man (even though he was miles up the road) on our annual bike rides. Mrs Freya Ritchie, Head of Spanish, great teacher who has done so much to raise the profile of that subject at the school. Mrs Jane Madden, one of the most professional and adaptable colleagues who can turn her expert teaching hand to any subject or year group. Mrs Debbie Mehta, who has supported so many Beacon boys over the years and has been our ‘Display Fairy’ with a creativity and attention to detail that has made the corridors and classrooms look as vibrant as an Oxford Street Department Store window…
The best thing about schools of course is that they constantly regenerate alongside a backdrop of consistency and continuity of standards. In September we welcome new, exciting and highly capable Beacon people to our Common Room and, a record in recent times, 92 new Beacon families. We look forward to welcoming all the new members to our Beacon community and trust that they will follow and build on the superb legacy of their predecessors. Until that time, we have eight weeks apart. The Bakers will be decamping to our house in Menorca next week but this time, not as a family of four but as one of six, as now the boys’ girlfriends join us…there are many different stages of parenting it seems, every year brings a new one…
Thank you, on behalf of my colleagues, for your candour, support and friendship this past year. The Beacon is an incredible school, but what defines it is its humility and sense of decency; that comes from its parent body as much as it comes from us. it is genuinely appreciated and makes this such a warm and enjoyable place to work.
Nick Baker