News from Mr Grady
Hello everyone,
I’m still a week behind with my newsletter, this week talking about an event from last Thursday – National Poetry Day, and the very exciting trip one of our students took to 10 Downing Street as Poetry by Heart Key Stage 4 Champion.
We celebrated National Poetry Day with some lovely written responses shared in the main entrance on our notice board, with staff and students commenting on their own responses to poems and poetry through a host of post-it-notes. Normally I would mark the occasion through a sequence of drop-ins to different lessons reading a range of subject-themed poems to students, but this year had to rein this in, as wandering round classrooms from year group to year group seemed a little unsafe. This is a shame as I particularly enjoy the reading out of some of my favourite poems to unsuspecting staff and students. Whether they enjoy it is not something I’ve even considered…
More excitingly however, was Year 12 student, Elise Scotney’s trip to 10 Downing Street to recite the poem “Peach” by D H Lawrence. Elise was Key Stage 4 winner in the National Poetry by Heart Competition, and it feels like it’s been a very long road to get to here – as I remember hearing Elise’s “audition” and practice back in Spring 2021 – I think we were doing it all remotely, so if nothing else, it’s a real sign of resilience to have followed the competition through this far. Over the Summer, Elise attended the final at The Globe Theatre in London, and as victor, was then invited to 10 Downing Street to read her poem in the Pillared Room.
Accompanied by Mrs Dermott-Bond who also got to read one of her own poems at the event, I’m told the event was a very special one indeed. They were able to meet the new Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, and extended an invitation to him to visit RHS and see the great work we do here – watch this space!
It really is wonderful to see our students making strides in the world, and having such a positive impact, and the calm good-humour Elsie displayed all the way through this process is a credit to her!
Of course, the key question everyone was asking of both Mrs DB and Elise was: Did you get to meet the most important and famous resident of 10 Downing Street?
I can unfortunately confirm that Larry, the Downing Street Cat was nowhere to be seen.
With all best wishes, stay well and safe!
Mr Grady
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