With the College back in full swing after what I hope was a restful Half Term, thoughts are quickly turning to the final sprint to the end of the year. We are amidst the pulse and intensity of GCSEs and A Levels but, for those not facing the rigours of the exam hall, there are other challenges and achievements aplenty to enjoy.
Last week saw another play, Speaking in Tongues, performed in the evenings in the magic of the outdoor theatre. We had two recitals in three days, our longstanding German exchange partners opened their week-long stay with us, and we are building up to Challenge and Enrichment weeks for the Third and Fourth Forms too. A particular highlight has been the Junior Scholars’ Symposium, an event where we were joined by 40 pupils from four of our neighbouring schools in the state sector. We will be continuing this new-found tradition in the years to come.
A sprint to the finish line seems a particularly apposite term given all the athletic exertions on a magnificent Founder’s Day afternoon. This followed the grandeur and celebrations of our Founder’s Day service, speeches – including from our guest, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone – and the cheering on of our prize-winners.
In the consciousness that many of you could only come to part of the day, and that some were forced to miss it altogether, in a few days you will be in receipt of a highlights film which focuses on all the fun of the afternoon’s festivities. We hope you will enjoy getting a flavour of the day.
Founder’s Day is also the annual opportunity to hear strategic insights from our Chair of Governors, Martin Slumbers OL. This year’s message spoke to the challenges facing the sector when it comes to rising costs and potential political headwinds, our resolute focus in ensuring the very best education is provided to our pupils, and the need for the College to talk about its contribution to the world in our locale and far beyond. On that latter point we will shortly be sharing our Impact Report with you. I won’t rehearse the details here, but you will see that Lancing’s transformational power is not just about what we enable for our pupils but that we make a big and positive impact on far-ranging economic and social fronts. All of us in the Lancing community are thoroughly and proudly embedded in broader society.
