‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members’. Coretta Scott King
You will know, I hope, as frequent readers of this newsletter how passionately we believe that, lucky as we ar,e to have food, water and to know where we are sleeping tonight, that it is vital for us to use our voices to speak for those who are not so fortunate. This newsletter is full of the different ways that our school has given back to the community. As varied as the young people we educate, I love reading and celebrating the thoughtful and original ideas that our students have. No other school that I have ever encountered has been quite so dedicated in supporting those ideas to become solid.
Our online conferences where our students encourage (badger?) speakers to contribute, which are then streamed out, for free, to tens of schools and hundreds of students, are perhaps the most widest application of this but the weekly club started by pupils to pick up litter does it on a small scale too but for no less impact on our local community.
It isn’t just giving back, as precious as that is, but about the generation and practice of the vital skills needed in the workplace. Whether it’s contributing to raising money for charity by having fun (the Colour Run), or raising your voice in support of a country in a hypothetical situation (Mock United Nations), listening and hearing from those who have gone before how to prepare for medicine (in our Medic’s conference), our students are making the most of the opportunities as they arise. And those opportunities really are extraordinary.
On the 22nd of April 2025, a team of four students from Oxford High School GDST will be presenting their proposal on how to generate, store and transport oxygen for the lunar communities of the future. The only team in the United Kingdom to have made it through to the international final I am so grateful to everyone who has supported them. I am so lucky to work with the most wonderful staff whose thoughts are constantly on how we can support every single student to aim high and give back so that they lead rich, meaningful lives.
To you all I wish you a restful peaceful holiday and look forward to greeting you again at the start of the Summer Term.
Ad Lucem,
Mrs Gardiner Legge