A Warm Welcome to Our Future Year 9 Students
6th July 2026
The Senior School was buzzing with excitement on Tuesday 30th June as we welcomed our Year 8 students. Soon to become Year 9, for their Transition Morning.
The day began with a welcome meeting in the Library, where students had the opportunity to meet staff, ask questions and begin to familiarise themselves with the next stage of their educational journey. Our new Head of Year 9, Ms Hartley, together with Mr Ogonji-Bricknell, had planned an engaging programme of taster lessons and activities designed to help students explore Senior School life, meet their teachers and settle any first-day nerves.
As always, our exceptional Student Senators were on hand throughout the morning, ably led by Head Senator Janelle and her deputies, Zeyad and Christianne. Their enthusiasm, encouragement and willingness to share their own experiences helped our incoming students feel welcome from the moment they arrived.
One of the highlights of the day was spending time with the students in the Dining Hall at both break and lunchtime, hearing their thoughts about the experience. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. When asked what we could have done better, one student summed up the mood perfectly: "We loved every bit of it." There is no finer endorsement than that.
My sincere thanks go to our wonderful Year 8 students for embracing the day with such enthusiasm, to the Year 8 team for preparing them so well, and to Ms Hartley, Ms Smith, Ms Makena, Mr Yiminyi and Mr Ogonji-Bricknell for organising such a memorable and successful event. We are already looking forward to welcoming this fantastic cohort into Year 9 in August.
Liz Borwell
Headteacher - Senior School
