80 Years on – The Country Commemorates the D-Day Landings
As world leaders and veterans gathered in France and the UK this week to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, in Chapel we heard a poignant and moving story from our Head of Operations, Mr Garth Wray, about his Grandfather who was directly involved in this momentous and world-changing event. We remembered those that served their country with honour and dignity. The photo of the memorial in Cloisters reveals that Saint Felix played its own crucial role in this historic event that enabled the Allied Forces to begin to break through the Atlantic Wall; this begun the process leading to the final capitulation of Nazi Germany the following year where they combined with Soviet forces working through Eastern Europe to Berlin. As you can see, some of the most important planning and preparation prior to the invasion took place at Saint Felix School in our buildings in the early months of 1944.
It was a real pleasure to be able to present to many of you on Tuesday evening, the future curriculum for Saint Felix School. Underpinning these changes, is a desire to create a truly holistic educational experience for our students combined with more focused pastoral support via mentoring and clearer co-curricular pathways and opportunities. The changes to the shape of the day and week are intended to create greater coherence, maximise teaching time and to ensure that the co-curricular and pastoral elements have sufficient emphasis. All of this recognises the broad intake that makes Saint Felix unique that enables every individual to flourish and thrive according to their own abilities and passions, whilst also beginning to harness the beautiful rural and coastal location and the local community that surrounds us. I hope that you are as excited by the changes as I am; please find attached a copy of my presentation. Here is a link to the recording: Saint Felix School Curriculum Evening
One of the great joys of this year has been the opportunity to welcome so many different groups from Europe and Asia, adding a real sense of globalism at a time when some would like to shrink their borders and take a more insular approach. We live in a highly connected world where the digital age has created possibilities for collaboration and communication that were previously thought unimaginable. This week, we welcomed our first group visit from India with students from Chennai and Hyderabad’, two of the leading cities in the fastest emerging global economy. It is a pleasure to have them with us and, in the same week, we have also been fortunate enough to have a visit from our French partner school, where students have been writing to each other in the more traditional form over the past year. As we look to build on our trips, tours and visits, we hope that many more opportunities for collaboration with other international schools will emerge, not least as we look to gain accreditation as a Round Square School.
The PTA continue to do a magnificent job in representing the views of the parents as well as organising uniform sales and some excellent fundraising initiatives; one of these is an auction of pledges which will go online to raise money to help some of the smaller development projects that are planned. If there are any further donations to this cause, please fill in the attached document and return to Cathy Pitt at cathyPTA@pitt.me.uk. In addition, we will be holding a raffle at the Golf Evening and Fish and Chips and Cathy would, I am sure, appreciate any further donations for this as well. I do hope that many of you will be able to join me that evening for either Golf, Supper or both. Please can I encourage you to book using the following link: SAINT FELIX SCHOOL PRE-PARENTS’ DAY GOLF EVENT
I am also looking forward to welcoming you all on Saturday 6th July for Parents’ Day. Please can you ensure that your sons and daughters are in school by 10.15 a.m. There will be coffee and pastries for parents on arrival before the main ceremony starts at 11 a.m. in the Sports Hall. This will finish by 12.30 p.m. at the latest and will be followed by a drinks reception and outdoor lunch provided by the school for everyone to enjoy in the grounds. The day will formally draw to a close at 2.30 p.m. A formal invite will be sent to you all next week.
Yours sincerely,
Matthew Oakman
Head
