https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk%2Farchived%2Dhead%2Darticles Juniper Education Content Management System (CMS) Version: 4.5 (junipereducation.org) Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:29:08 GMT Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:29:08 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/summer-reports-season This week’s article will be necessarily short as I have spent much of my time writing reports for all the boys.

]]> Sat, 1 Jul 2023 13:31:09 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/summer-reports-season https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/be-useful-and-keep-moving-forward Arnold Schwarzenegger is the holder of arguably the most famous quote of all movie history: “I’ll be back”; but this week I have had two other very simple Arnie quotes running around my head.

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 20:41:56 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/be-useful-and-keep-moving-forward https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/step-out-of-the-comfort-zone Continuing a recent theme, I thought I would write this week about another hidden gem (though this one is not necessarily Pilgrims’ specific), which is the teacher's perk of getting to go on residential trips.

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:26:59 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/step-out-of-the-comfort-zone https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/another-hidden-gem I wrote a few weeks back about how one of the hidden joys of being at Pilgrims’ was getting to sing hymns every week. [There was one on Monday that I really didn’t know; I was a bit lost! Still, what you don’t know today often becomes something you love next week]. 

]]> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:29:08 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/another-hidden-gem https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-importance-of-being-a-gracious-winner In assembly this week, I talked to the boys about competition, and competitiveness.  

]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 10:33:23 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-importance-of-being-a-gracious-winner https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/important-women-in-history-redressing-the-balance It is right that historians from time to time revise our interpretation of the past, specifically rethinking what previous historians believed and wrote. 

]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 10:17:59 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/important-women-in-history-redressing-the-balance https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/small-things-matter A recent assembly began with this conundrum: which are the most dangerous animals on earth?  The answers, though debatable, are not always what you would expect.

]]> Mon, 1 May 2023 10:01:37 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/small-things-matter https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-benefits-of-singing-a-hymn As a teacher, the start of every term comes with mixed emotions. 

]]> Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:40:11 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-benefits-of-singing-a-hymn https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-engine-room The end of term is upon us; and what a term!  The school has been a buzzy and busy place, but perhaps even more so than usual. It has definitely lived up to my description as the 'Engine Room' of the year. 

]]> Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:23:43 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-engine-room https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/taking-mental-health-seriously I’m sure some may tire of me recommending sports documentaries (that is not all I watch – honest!), but I want to start this week reflecting a little on Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes, which can be seen on Amazon. 

]]> Mon, 20 Mar 2023 10:26:50 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/taking-mental-health-seriously https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/why-dont-you I have completed my one-to-one appointments with Year 5 parents to discuss future schools; it has been fascinating, and I love these meetings. 

]]> Tue, 28 Mar 2023 12:34:19 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/why-dont-you https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/sometimes-taking-time-out-is-just-what-we-need After the completion of the inspection last week, I felt the need for a bit of a break, so I took some time last weekend to get stuck into a Netflix series that I have been very keen to watch: Full Swing.  This is a brilliant documentary following players on the golf PGA tour during 2022; I gorged myself on four episodes in just a little over 24 hours!

]]> Tue, 7 Mar 2023 14:08:45 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/sometimes-taking-time-out-is-just-what-we-need https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-student-voice This week in assembly I fed back to the boys the things that were shared at the Student Council meeting held just before half-term. 

]]> Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:26:40 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-student-voice https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/music-scholarships-good-news Music has been much on my mind recently.  Over the last week or so, we have been receiving the results of our boys' Music Scholarship auditions, there has been a lot of good news, and a lot of very happy boys.

]]> Mon, 13 Feb 2023 11:07:07 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/music-scholarships-good-news https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/shepherds-not-engineers I had Year 5 parents’ evenings last week, Year 7 parents’ evenings this week, and I have started my Year 5 Future Schools meetings (potentially 42 half hour meetings in three weeks – phew!); I have spent a lot of time talking about pupils’ progress and potential with parents in the last 10 days.

]]> Mon, 6 Feb 2023 09:37:40 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/shepherds-not-engineers https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-bob-ross-effect One of the presents I received from Mrs Duncan at Christmas (and is sitting on my desk as I type), is a Bob Ross page-a-day desk calendar.

]]> Mon, 30 Jan 2023 09:29:43 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-bob-ross-effect https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/loyalty Is it better to be Steve Bull or Cristiano Ronaldo? A provocative question I know, but bear with me.

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2023 10:30:45 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/loyalty https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/starting-the-lent-term-positively As we reach the end of the first week of the Lent term it has been wonderful to see the boys again.  All seem to be getting back into the swing of things after the shock of the first few days (this is true for teachers as well as the boys!).

]]> Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:01:02 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/starting-the-lent-term-positively https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-final-week-of-the-christmas-term Another Pilgrims’ term draws to a successful close. In our final assembly on Wednesday, I thanked all the boys and the staff for making it such a good and productive term.

]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:35:41 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-final-week-of-the-christmas-term https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/christmas-at-pilgrims This will be strikingly similar to a Pilgrims’ Way article I wrote in the summer! It will also be necessarily short as I have spent much of my time this week writing reports for all the boys.

]]> Mon, 5 Dec 2022 11:32:19 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/christmas-at-pilgrims https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-world-cup-gathers-us-all-together I hope that you have been enjoying the first week of the World Cup. There is, of course, some controversy around the staging of this World Cup that has perhaps made it difficult to feel as enthusiastic about it as we might normally do.

]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:18:30 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-world-cup-gathers-us-all-together https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-importance-of-community It has been a great week to be in our community. Last week's fireworks display was a wonderful community occasion. To enjoy an event like that, together, was special.

]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2022 09:44:34 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/the-importance-of-community https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/being-great-isnt-always-about-being-the-best An interesting article on BBC sport  here caught my eye last week. James Milner is one step away from his 600^th Premier League appearance; if he plays this weekend (as he well might), he will join an illustrious list of just three players to have reached that milestone – Frank Lampard (609), Ryan Giggs (632) and Gareth Barry (653).

]]> Mon, 14 Nov 2022 13:59:51 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/being-great-isnt-always-about-being-the-best https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/cultural-capital It is too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that education is a narrow concept confined to the three Rs; Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmatic! I know that I am preaching to the converted, but I wrote in my last article about something called Cultural Capital, and I would like to expand on what it is and why I think it is important.

]]> Fri, 4 Nov 2022 15:47:35 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/cultural-capital https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/moments-in-time Tuesday this week saw a significant anniversary: 11 October marked 40 years since the raising of the Mary Rose.  After 437 years on the bed of the Solent, Henry VII’s flagship returned to the surface.

]]> Mon, 17 Oct 2022 09:49:38 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/moments-in-time https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/never-give-in It may have passed you by, but one of my heroes died this week: Jim Redmond. You are unlikely to know who he is without help, but when I say that he is the father of Derek Redmond, and many recognise him (and Derek) as being part of the one of the most inspiring Olympic stories of all time, you might remember who he is.

]]> Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:23:34 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/never-give-in https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/catch-the-momentum As I left the house this morning, for the first time this academic year I reached for my winter coat.

]]> Fri, 30 Sep 2022 17:43:59 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/catch-the-momentum https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/duty-service-respect A picture tells a thousand words, or so they say.  In the case of the picture above, I certainly think it would be possible to manage a thousand words on it. 

]]> Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:38:31 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/duty-service-respect https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/importance-of-respect In the start of term assembly last Thursday, I spoke to the boys about the importance of respect: showing respect to one another, respect for each other’s things, and respect for their wider environment. I could not possibly have expected that they would get such a lesson in it as we have experienced over the last week.

]]> Tue, 20 Sep 2022 11:57:56 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/importance-of-respect https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/reflections-on-mixed-emotions Alistair Duncan, Interim Head at Pilgrims', reflects on mixed emotions in the 48 hours after school resumed, following the summer break.

]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:27:55 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/reflections-on-mixed-emotions https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/talent-in-all-areas This week’s article will be necessarily short as I have spent much of my time writing reports for all the boys.

]]> Tue, 5 Jul 2022 11:44:52 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/talent-in-all-areas https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/passionate-teachers In this article Mr Duncan, Pilgrims' Second Master, considers the privilege of being a Prep School teacher and how a passionate teacher can, within reason, connect with any age group.

]]> Tue, 28 Jun 2022 10:33:34 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/passionate-teachers https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-head-1 Last Friday was one of the seminal days in the Prep school calendar. The Common Entrance boys finished their final exam. Firstly, well done to all of you; we are very proud of you. The results are all now in and shared with the boys – what a wonderful set of performances. Secondly, well done to all the other boys, who have waited supportively these last few unusual weeks whilst they wait for their mates to be free too!

]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:25:32 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-head-1 https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-head I hope that you all enjoyed a fantastic extended Bank Holiday Jubilee Weekend.  As I expected, it was amazing to see what a bit of national pride can do to bring people together as a community; and that community spirit was equally palpable at our own Pilgrims’ Platinum Jubilee picnic on the Friday before half-term.  

]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:12:30 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-head https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-second-master I have been thinking a lot this week about ‘community’ and the things that bind us together. 

]]> Wed, 1 Jun 2022 11:16:09 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-second-master https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master-3 The last two weeks at school have been full of success. If you’ll allow me to go back to Saturday 7 May, I returned from a (successful!) cricket match and popped down to the main pitches on my way home. 

]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:15:14 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master-3 https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master-2 In a recent assembly, I took some time to make this point to the boys and I asked them to strive to get better at healthy disagreement.

]]> Tue, 7 Jun 2022 15:18:55 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master-2 https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/what-is-academic-success I've recently had time to reflect on what academic success means. To see Year 8s, some of whom I have known for a very long time, wait nervously for their results in the cloisters at Winchester College, or in the Pilgrims’ Hall, it is hard not to think about how much they have achieved and how I, and we as an institution, feel about them.

]]> Tue, 24 May 2022 11:25:23 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/what-is-academic-success https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master The Summer Term is such an exciting time for schools. Alistair Duncan, our Second Master, explains why.

]]> Wed, 20 Jul 2022 12:23:25 GMT https://www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/from-the-heads-desk/from-the-second-master