When I was on my first maternity leave with my daughter, I was buying nappies for her at the supermarket. There was a woman with a baby of a similar age who was also purchasing nappies, but she was counting her money and putting some back. At the checkout, I bought extra packs and handed them to her as I left. However, when I got home, I couldn’t shake the feeling of what she would do the next time she needed supplies for her baby. I felt really grateful to be able to provide what my daughter needed, and I kept thinking about how stressful it would be to be in that situation. When I had my second baby, a son, I decided to use some of my time to volunteer for a charity. I had been aware of and supported this charity with occasional donations. They were looking for a new volunteer, so I joined their team, and now I occasionally work with them to raise their profile and launch their campaigns. The charity’s mission is to support young families in crisis.

Next week, during my assembly address, I will talk about the concept of ‘paying it forward.’ Since I started at Bromley High School, I have consistently been overwhelmed by the generosity of spirit demonstrated by the girls on a daily basis. They donate their time through volunteering, organising cake sales and coat drives, and, more recently, collecting food through our harvest festival. All of this activity aligns with our core value of compassion. Bromley High School will be donating produce to the Bromley Food Bank, and I will speak to the girls about why we help others. I, too, was helped last week by a Deliveroo driver who saw me stranded by the roadside. He asked for no repayment, except that I pay the favor forward. Paying it forward involves doing something good for someone in response to a good deed done on your behalf or a gift you’ve received. When you pay it forward, you don’t repay the person who did something nice for you; instead, you do something nice for someone else.

Since then, I have paid for the hot drink of the person behind me in the queue. I’ve asked my parents for a donation instead of a birthday gift (my birthday falls in October). I’ve also left some change in a parking meter. Over the next few weeks in school, we have many opportunities to be generous. Our diversity carnival will support the Sickle Cell Society, the Halloween fancy dress will raise money for a children’s cancer charity, the Junior School will have a pyjama fundraiser for Children in Need, the Poppy Appeal, and we will continue to support Kami and Kamikazi in Rwanda.

Last week, I joined the HMC at Stratford-Upon-Avon to hear from a range of inspiring speakers and to share knowledge and ideas about best practices in educating our students. In recognition of Shakespeare’s place of birth, I have placed ‘Romeo and Juliet’ on my reading table, a play that I have not read since my own GCSE journey. Alongside it is ‘The New Art of Headship 2020’ by RSA Academics. There are some similarities between the two texts; a time of unrest, concern, and the challenges of leadership. Equally detailed in the RSA text are the positive aspects of leadership and the new art of leadership that is emerging. This includes engaging stakeholders, long-term strategic planning, and embracing change. The next few years will require adaptation, but as school leaders demonstrated throughout the Covid years, we can come together as communities and keep moving forward.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our Junior School colleagues involved in the Neurodiversity Champions initiative for winning the prestigious nasen Awards 2023 in the Co-Production Initiative of the Year category. This award is a testament to our school’s commitment to creating a nurturing and diverse learning environment for our pupils.

As we approach the half-term break, I wish you a restful fortnight. We have much to look forward to in the second half of the term, from fireworks and concerts to our Christmas market.

Mrs Emily Codling, Headmistress