I’ve so enjoyed meeting our new students and families over the last two weeks and welcoming back everyone from last year. So much of that pleasure comes from the words of new parents and pupils who just love to get engaged with what we do here. One of my favourite events is always our Clubs Fair. I do understand how annoying it is when you are trying to organise your child’s after school activities and we insist on having a real life fair where the students go round different stalls to engage and sign up. It is one of the highlights of my year seeing the range and plethora of clubs available. Much of that is because it reflects the wonderful individuality and authenticity of our students from bees to Maths, Debating (over 160 sign ups there!) to biodiversity and climate change to Amnesty International. They are nearly all student-led (supported by staff, of course) and it’s a joy to see Year 8 pupils leading clubs on their passions and persuading others to engage. As I wander, I often wonder how many future entrepreneurs started at an Oxford High School GDST clubs fair? I must ask at my next alumnae event.
As a part of my new additional role as President of the Girls’ Schools Association I’ve been asked what girls schools bring – and my answer is that a great education is not just about finding out about the world outside, but also about oneself and how you react in the face of new challenges. In my view Oxford High School is not a haven from the ‘real world’ but, on the contrary, a place to experiment, lead and learn the skills and strategies to take through their lives. Whether you are behind a stall table or organising the whole fair, as our Co-curricular Prefects have. We give our students the opportunities to have a go.
And that’s not just in our clubs fair. Our brand new Sixth Formers experienced their own Challenge Day on the first day of term, where they walked into rooms and were expected to engage with activities as varied as dancing the Argentinian Tango, cryptic crosswords or Beatboxing. It’s not about the activity is it? It’s about the courage to try, to fail, and to have fun. After all, as John Shedd said: ‘a ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for.” That courage to strike into the unknown, to stand up for what you believe is right and the bravery to put yourself and all you stand for into the public arena without thinking of the personal cost has been much in my mind this week. I am full of admiration at the courage it takes and pride in the contribution that schools such as ours make to that process.
Ad Lucem
Mrs Gardiner Legge