News from Mr Grady
Hello Everyone,
This week sees our Year 11 and Year 13 students leaving us, as they come to the end of their courses. I have been overwhelmed by the number of students popping in to say “goodbye” or “thank you” or just to have a short catch up and discussion of their time at RHS. It is wonderful to hear how students feel RHS, our staff and our community have supported and guided them, and given them the aspiration to set the very highest of heights in their hearts.
It is particularly sad to see Year 13 off and away today, as this is the year group that were in year 7 when I joined the school in 2014 – I feel like I’ve grown up with them, and they have been quite simply a wonderful year group throughout their time here.
It all got me thinking of those moments that I finished in year 11 and in year 13 back in 1993 and 1995 respectively, and the seminal things I remember about those periods. For me it was the music of the prom and leaving parties that really stuck with me, the things that we danced like crazy to, that quite frankly now, one wouldn’t even admit to having known.
Leaving in year 11, the song that seemed to be everywhere was “Young at Heart” by the Bluebells and in 1995, when I left my school for university, I note with some distress that the number one in May was “Unchained Melody” by Robson and Jerome. Neither are songs that I would play by choice, but the nostalgia they create when I do hear them, is of those final days in school, getting shirts signed, talking excitedly about what we’d do “over the summer” and in general loving the fact that there was a sense of moving onwards and upwards.
It is a real joy to see similar expressions and emotions in our Year 11 and 13 students, who despite the challenges of the last two years will have those leaving rituals in place, to celebrate their time at RHS and to mark 2,5 or 7 years at RHS with kindness and warmth, and to look to the future ready to embrace whatever it may throw at them.
Neither of the songs I mentioned offer much in meaningful lyrics to end on, and although I delighted in Eurovision at the weekend, there was no great philosophy to be found there either. So, I will leave you with lyrics to one of my all-time favourite Queen songs, that has never failed to bring a smile to my face or joy to my heart – I offer them to Year 11 and 13, in the absence of any greater wisdom as: As good an approach as any!
Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time, I feel alive, and the world I'll turn it inside out, yeah, I'm floating around in ecstasy, so: Don't stop me now…
With very best wishes, stay well and safe everyone,
Mr Grady
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