It was good to see so many of you at our February Family Assembly last week. Congratulations again to our three musicians on the piano and violin and on speaking with them after their performances, they said they felt proud and full of confidence. Public speaking and performing in front of an audience is key to building self-esteem and helps eradicate the fears that many adults experience when asked to speak to an audience. Being able to speak without anxiety allows us to form connections, influence decisions and motivate change, as well as entertain and make an impact. Above all strong communication can help us win over the crowd, motivate people, and inform other arounds us. It is my strong wish that all Wetherby-Pembridge students can practise these skills during their time with us and conquer those underlying anxieties and see the very real benefits of the fine art of communication. So many have already made such a good start on this important life skill.
I was proud to announce the winners of the 2022 House Logo Competition at the Assembly and did promise that we would showcase the winners and their design on my front-page article. Once again, we congratulate Chloe Podolej-Shifrin from Russet, Caitlyn Foster from McIntosh and Leo Valaoritis from Braeburn, and I am sure you will all agree that the designs are very eye-catching. These logos will now be transferred to t-shirts for sports day and to our new flags which will be showcased at the sports event in May at Asphalt Green.
I have recently read a super book called ‘The Fourth Bottom Line’, which is written by Paul Hargreaves and focuses on compassionate leadership. As you know, this key theme is something I am very interested in and the way we develop leadership skills in our students and ones that are built to last and make a fundamental difference to their lives and to those around them is central to all we do at Wetherby-Pembridge. Whilst I would not recommend this book to our students (just yet!), so many of the daily readings and aspects of leadership are accessible to the children in our care. Gratitude, self-awareness, trust, empathy, an ability to elevate others, and so many more characteristics are mentioned throughout the book. A move away from the ‘command and control’ style of leadership to a more positive, proactive, and purpose-led style. It is certainly a wonderful book that helps inspire a genuinely dynamic and human leader who’s driven by principle, purpose and passion and I think these are key messages for your children and ones they fundamentally currently embrace, without realising. Compassion, empathy, and a desire to embrace the greater good must be poignant messages for us all at this time. I recommend the book and hope you enjoy its gentle wisdom.
