Celebrating Success at Lower School Prize Giving
The Lower School community enjoyed a full day of celebration with a Prize Giving ceremony, picnic lunches and Sports Day competition.
The day began with Lower School staff, pupils and their families gathering in the marquee on Doncaster Close for a Prize Giving ceremony that included two uplifting musical performances from the Lower School choir and three highly accomplished LAMDA performances from individual pupils. As well as prizes being awarded for academic, co-curricular and community efforts, there was the traditional Form 2 graduation from the Lower School, which involved the presentation of commemorative House mugs.
In his final speech as Head of Lower School, Adrian Morris reflected on the question “What is an educated person?” Referring to an essay of the same title by Ernest Boyer, who argued that in order to become truly educated a person must make connections and understand the many ways that humans are connected, Adrian linked these ideas to the IB Middle Years Programme that underpins learning in the Lower School.
Adrian paid tribute to those members of Lower School staff who are moving on to pastures new at the end of the academic year. He also thanked the School community, parents and his family for their support throughout his time as Head of Lower School. Adrian concluded his speech with a final thought that life is about taking pathways. “As we strive to be that fully educated person, we experience more than a few. Some we choose, others by fate, some by design, others by luck.” Reading the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, Adrian finished by encouraging the assembled audience, “whatever the path it should be one that helps you to be a good human being.”
As Headmaster Henry Price thanked Adrian for his five years of service as Head of Lower School, the audience demonstrated their thanks with a standing ovation.
After family picnic lunches on Doncaster Close, everyone reconvened on Farside for Lower School Sports Day. With a full list of track and field events, it was a colourful and athletic triumph.