12/01/2015
Dreams do come true...
Last week regular readers will recall that, like Wizzard, I was wishing it could be Christmas every day. Dreaming...
On reflection I now realise that being part of the Park House community means that it really is!
You see, our students constantly reward us with their achievements; with the positive way in which they engage with the myriad opportunities offered to them by an incredibly dedicated and innovative team of staff. And, of course, by the way in which they so literally 'live' our core values: Excellence, Inspiration, Courage, Determination, Respect, Friendship and Equality.
So, 2014 was another year of highlights across so many areas of school life. They included...
Our Sixth Form debating team were crowned Debating Matters champions in Berkshire and the South and went on to perform brilliantly at the National Finals at their first attempt.
The amazingly creative George Chaffey being named as Young Fashion Designer of the Year and now further flourishing in his first year at Central St Martin's College of Art.
Being joined by Team GB rowers Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins to celebrate so many achievements at our ex-Year 11 Prize Giving. The Olympic and World champions truly inspired with their presentation on teamwork...
Teamwork personified by students like Annabel Chaffey and Codie Burnett who have both been selected to train and compete with the British Bobsleigh squad. A truly stunning - and unexpected - thrill for all of us!
Cara Brincat and Carys Cox both achieving selection for the South West Divisional Rugby and our Year 10 team reaching the National Finals at their first attempt, placing the women's game at the forefront of our thinking about aspirations...
It was no accident, therefore, that our girls were also selected to speak to BBC Radio 5 Live about their positive experience of school sport in shaping wider ambitions and positive attitudes to learning.
Park House becoming Purple House for a day in support of the End Polio Now Campaign with Newbury Rotary Club.
Holding our first Charity Fun Run, which raised over £4,000, setting a benchmark for our future community fundraising events in the area.
And I am now again as excited as I would be on Christmas morning as a huge cast of our students readies itself for this week’s performances of Fame at Arlington Arts...
The first present of 2015 is about to be unwrapped...