10 December 2021

We have ended term in a riot of wonderful Christmas events.

On Monday and Tuesday, we were incredibly fortunate to be able to celebrate Christmas in the splendour of Dorchester Abbey, for our Junior and Senior Carol Services. Readings re-telling the Christmas story, exceptional musical performances and hymns sung by the whole congregation, made for an enchanting event, highlighting a sense of community and festive cheer. We were delighted to be able to live-stream the services, reaching extended family too. As ever, the stars of the Carol Service were our pupils, who performed with staggering confidence and skill. This event is always magical and truly heralds the start of Christmas for me, but it felt even more special this year after missing out 2020.

Also on Monday, our youngest performers took to the stage for the first time in the Willow Theatre, for the Nursery Christmas sing-a-long. Having practised extensively in the weeks before, the children were all incredibly brave and excited to perform to parents. All the songs were brilliant, with Jingle Bells a firm favourite with the audience!

Our Key Stage 1 pupils put on an excellent performance for their Christmas Show on Tuesday and Thursday. The energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by all was tremendous, each performer shining brightly as the audience watched on in joy. We listened to some wonderful singing as the pupils, dressed in magnificent costumes, retold the story of the nativity.

Wednesday saw all Junior School take part in a trip to Reading to watch ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at the Hexagon. The children had a brilliant time, watching the larger than life characters perform this much loved fairy tale, complete with the obligatory slapstick humour, plenty of audience participation and catchy music!

I think it is fair to say that Christmas has truly erupted today, with the whole school community looking particularly festive in a glorious technicolour of Christmas jumpers on this last day of term! We were all treated to some of the best musical interludes from the shows and performances over the last few weeks, from pupils across all key stages, in our Whole School Assembly this morning. Our catering team put on an epic Whole School Christmas lunch and this afternoon has been all about Junior Christmas parties and Christmas quizzes.

I hope you all have a restful and happy Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

James Raymond

Headmaster