Head’s Blog: Merry Christmas!

Students and teachers alike will be delighted to reach the end of term today. School expects a lot of students – we want them to work hard every day, both on their academic subjects, and on becoming a better person. It is tiring, and at the end of a long term everyone is ready for a break. As the Christmas holidays begin I have shared with students three ways to make the most of the break.

Rest

You cannot enjoy rest unless you have worked hard to earn it. As the students go home from school today, they know they have earned their rest this Christmas. I have encouraged them to make sure they get plenty of sleep, plenty of exercise and plenty of time with friends and family in the real world. At a time when young people’s mental health is spoken about so often, sleep, exercise and healthy relationships help students to retain a positive outlook.

Peace

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace and Christians believe that true peace is only found in him. At Fearnhill, we are a diverse community with a wide range of faiths and world views. Whatever our personal beliefs I am sure we can agree that peace is worth striving for. I have encouraged students to search for peace in their lives; it is better than any gift they might unwrap this Christmas. And I have encouraged students to promote peace in their friendships and families because it brings happiness to others and to themselves.

Gratitude

The strange thing about gratitude, is that the more we learn to say thank you, the more we find we have to be thankful for. Being grateful is good for us. We said thank you and goodbye to Mrs Ahmed and Mrs Bennett, who both leave us at the end of this term. We greatly appreciate all they have brought to our school community.

Headteacher Awards

On the subject of gratitude I want to single out four students who have embodied the attributes of the Fearnhill Student. These young people are a credit to the school and to their families and I was pleased to give them a Headteacher’s Award in our whole school assembly today:
Franek 13ABN – displaying confidence
Emily 9N – displaying resilience
Toby 9H – displaying kindness
Henry 8G – displaying self-awareness

Finally, I would like to thank you as parents, carers and family members of our students. We are constantly thankful for your support of the school as we work to help every young person become the best version of themselves. On behalf of all the staff at Fearnhill School, I would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas break and a peaceful and prosperous 2024.
Tim Spencer, Headteacher