Dear Parents,
What a weekend of sport that was! The drama of the Ryder Cup seems to capture everyone’s imagination, though I more than slightly regretted announcing to my family on Saturday night during the afternoon fourballs that “I wouldn’t mind USA winning a few points here to make it a contest on Sunday.” Hmmm, that was more of a contest than I had in mind, but a win ultimately for Europe and a triumph and a great example that if you have excellent preparation and complete focus, you will be a very difficult team to beat. We will be looking for more of the same tomorrow with over 50 boys, parents and grandparents competing for the “Beacon Champion Golfer of the Year” at Wycombe Heights. It promises to be dry but with Storm Amy hitting overnight with 45mph winds, the conditions could not be more challenging…though as one competing dad said to me today “just adds to the drama” – good attitude!
All parents (and boys) are welcome to attend our Senior Schools Information Evening on Thursday evening at 6pm. This is a biennial event and with the senior school admissions scene in constant flux, it is well worth attending, whatever year group your son is currently in. Dr Challoner’s Headmaster and Beacon Governor David Atkinson will kick off proceedings with an address on grammar schools at 6pm in the Spinney, and then parents are invited to the Sports Hall where the vast majority of our senior school feeds will be represented; you will have the opportunity to meet the Headteachers from some of the major public schools in the country. Though an old boy and champion of Challoner’s of course, the strength of The Beacon is in the number and variety of schools (24 last year) that we feed. We don’t force you into one particular route or type of school; our aim is simply to put as many options on the table as possible so you can make a conscious choice about your son’s further schooling. And of course, our aim is to support you and your sons on what can be stressful admissions processes. As before, we will be calling all Year 6 parents next Saturday morning to debrief 11+ grammar school outcomes with you. They are your sons of course, but they are also our Beacon boys – we are all in this together.
Finally, I cannot miss the opportunity to thank one of our longest serving colleagues, Mrs Pauline Nangle, who is leaving the school today after over 19 years’ service to our school. A superb colleague in every sense who has touched and enhanced the lives of hundreds of Beacon boys and parents over the years. Thank you Pauline; keep in touch with us here and be assured you will always be considered one of this school’s dearest friends.
Have a good weekend,
Nick Baker