This week has been notable for the selling of poppies in school to mark Armistice Day and a beautifully performed and observed Last Post on Thursday morning. It was also lovely to see those students who are involved in cadets and other organizations proudly wearing their uniforms in school on Thursday. In addition, in the school hall we have a wonderful poppy display that has been produced by the house leaders and captains.  All of these elements are part of our acts of remembrance as a school and demonstrate our respect and values as a school community.

There is a lot going on in school around the Houses and this is great. We are starting to distribute the bronze and silver badges to students for earning House Points. This will initially be to Years 7 and 8 where we have an amazing 495 students on bronze, and 149 on silver – to quote Mr Lyons, “we need to order more badges!”.  Distribution to our very deserving Year 9 students will take place once they have arrived. In another exciting development, the winning bookmarks that were chosen for the Get Reading scheme have finally come back to us printed and they look amazing. Very well done to the winners and everyone who participated. Today is World Kindness Day. House Leaders have posted to all students via Satchel a task for the weekend called ‘A random act of kindness’ and we very much hope that everyone participates and has something that they can describe when they return to school next week.

I was delighted to attend the ceremony to mark the refurbishment of the telephone box next to the school in St George’s Road on Wednesday. A huge thankyou to the volunteers who have given their time to bring it alive again and also to Wallingford Town Council for the idea of doing so and their financial support for the project. If you are passing, please do read the descriptions of local history contained within the telephone box – they are fascinating and a great addition to the local area.

Finally, it was great to watch our 1st XV boys’ rugby team play against Lord Williams’s School on Wednesday afternoon. A great Wallingford comeback was on the cards but unfortunately time ran out; well done to all who played as it was an entertaining match played in an excellent competitive spirit.