Newsletters

News from Mr Grady

Hello Everyone!

I am sitting here with a beaming smile on my face as I listen to the recording of the School Anthem that has been produced for our “Virtual Foundation Day.”  Mrs D’Souza (and her singers) have produced something really lovely and that will make the occasion feel very much like our usual Foundation Days.

Although we’ve had to pass by a few things in our calendar due to Covid restrictions, and continue to do so, we were determined to make sure that the celebration of student work and achievements were still a key part of our calendar.  I shall talk more about Foundation Day in the next couple of weeks, but what struck me about listening to the recording was the fantastic sense of the ensemble.

Due to restrictions, Mrs D’Souza has pretty much had to record each singer alone or in very small groups and then blend the voices into a virtual choir.  I was one of those voices.  You can just hear me if you try very hard (something I will have to talk to Mrs D’Souza about, although listening back to my solo voice without accompaniment, I think I should probably be thanking her…)

That of course, is the point of an ensemble.  The individual parts might not make a great amount of sense, or indeed work particularly well on their own, but together, blended and working in harmony, the finished result is something far greater than the sum of its parts.

That of course is a perfect metaphor for what we’re doing here at RHS.  As an individual you might think “ well, what I’m doing doesn’t always count, or matter,” or “no-one will notice if only I do this…”

But, of course, you and I are simply individuals in the ensemble of RHS.  What you or I or any individual does contributes to the whole.  On the simplest of levels, your contribution might be making sure that you do take care of “hands, face, space” as you go about school, because that contributes to the health and well-being of our community, or you might choose, even though you’re not feeling super-happy today, to push on, show some resilience, and enter into cheerful conversations.  You might choose to watch how you talk to your friends and colleagues, making sure you show the kindness, care and respect that we value so highly here.  When you do all of these things, you contribute massively to our ensemble, and each, individual action means the RHS community is a kinder, warmer and more positive one: It becomes greater and more powerful than the sum of all its individual parts. 

You have great influence and responsibility as a member of the ensemble, student, staff, governors and parents alike – what you do every day and how you do it contributes to the continued success of RHS, so never forget that!

Stay well and safe everyone,
Mr Grady