Our Deputy Rector, Mr Davidson recounted a conversation he had this week with the father of one of the new Year 9s, about how his son had found the first couple of weeks. The highlight for his son so far was the swimming sports, and not for anything he had achieved, but the genuine support and encouragement the seniors had displayed to he and his Year 9 classmates.

This is one of the many reminders for me as to the importance of community as the College slipped into top gear this week. The boys had a busy week in and out of the classroom and participated in two other big community days at the Athletic Sports. They are great days for all and superbly orchestrated by our own Mr Gamblin, who is an experienced administrator of Canterbury Athletics Association as well, so the event ran like clockwork. It is an event for boys of outstanding athletic ability but also for those with very little. All compete and participate, and we are most fortunate to be able to stage this event on our front field. It is also a great time for staff to mix with the boys out of the classroom environment. We escaped the hottest days of the week to stage the event, so the weather Gods smiled upon us as well!!

On Tuesday night I witnessed another reminder of our community in action. As well as the normal activities of the boarding school, old boy meetings, sports club meetings and other groups of parents and boys gathered. It was a hive of activity. It was difficult to find a park or a meeting space, and so another reminder to me of the way we tick as a College…. staff, parents and old boys working together to give the present boys in our College the best opportunities in and out of the classroom, to make their experience at St Bede’s as good as it can be.

Earlier in the week the boarding community had their retreat in Hanmer. This is an opportunity off-site for the Boarding School to set the tone for the year. They are taken through a programme with a variety of activities aimed at building strong relationships and building community.

For three days they endured scorching temperatures, but staff and boarders returned unscathed and fortified for the new year. The boarding community is in good heart.

From that community we farewelled Ben Tomlinson last night, who was a boarder here for his 5 years’ of secondary schooling, and then became a much respected boarding master for the following five years as he worked his way through his law degree. His farewell last night was moving and a great tribute to the relationships he formed and the contribution he made to the boarding community. He takes up a position at a law firm next week and we wish him well as he embarks on the next chapter of his life. Yet another reminder to me of the strong community we are all a part of.

Until next week,
Justin