They enjoyed coming into school for their Leavers’ Day dressed in their old school uniforms, with some still managing to squeeze into LGJS blazers and dresses! They had lots of good, clean fun and their affection towards each other and their teachers was very apparent. Many have come a very long way over the years, and they leave us with talents and personal qualities in abundance. We have also been pleased to welcome others along the way, and they too have contributed generously to the happiness of our school community. I hope they will take this spirit of service with them, so as to make a very positive difference to the world in which they live. I shared with them some words of Winston Churchill:

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

When I met with our senior prefects last week, they reflected on some of their innovations: community service as an alternative in some cases to detention; a buddy system for new Sixth Formers; form prefecting for Years 7 & 8 (including lots of games of Splat!); and lunchtime pop-up pupil surveys on sexism and mobile phone use, followed by assemblies for the lower years. They and their peers leave a fine legacy, and next year’s group will no doubt wish to introduce their own improvements.

They will have experienced challenges during their teenage years (not least Covid lockdowns), and our hope is that, through parental and school support and guidance, they emerge stronger, prepared for the ups and downs of adult life and ready for their next adventure. On Wednesday, they shared many happy collective memories, and we hope too that they will remain in touch.

Class of 2024, we salute you!

Best wishes,

John Watson
Headmaster and Principal