I
am grateful for the invitation to contribute something brief to this edition of
the Old Clayesmorians' Newsletter.BACK TO NEWSLETTER 2000 CONTENTS
I
am grateful for the invitation to contribute something brief to this edition of
the Old Clayesmorians' Newsletter.
First of all, may I say how sorry Eleanor and I were that the fuel crisis prevented our autumn gathering taking place earlier this term. We were all very much looking forward to welcoming the many OC's who hoped to attend, and, indeed, to viewing the Scadding art works and hearing the OC choir in their concert and at chapel the following morning.
One particular contact with the Old Clayesmorians that we have thoroughly enjoyed this term was the Piano Recital on 20th October by Marco Martin. Marco gave us an outstanding evening and we are very grateful for your sponsorship which enabled him to perform here. It was a special pleasure that evening to have your Chairman and Newsletter Editor with us, but also to welcome Lachlan Burn (64-69) who, with his wife and family, was paying his first visit to Clayesmore in many years and has been closely involved with promoting Marco Martin's musical career.
This has been a frantic term for Clayesmore's eighth Headmaster, in that I have been functioning as Head of the Prep School in addition to my responsibilities in the Senior School. Thankfully, our new Preparatory School Headmaster, Andrew Roberts-Wray, will arrive in January to take up his new post. We look forward to welcoming him, his wife Charlotte and their four young children, to the Clayesmore family.
I am sure that many members of the Society are very proud of their old school and, I hope, are able to look back with happy and fond memories. As I look at the names of many, immortalised on those slightly forbidding wooden honours boards outside my new study, I often wonder what you all think of the place. I believe that if you came to see around the school in detail as many parents do each week as they seek an excellent school for their young children, you would be impressed. My greatest joy this term has been getting to know the young men and women who are currently following in your footsteps. Many I have known before at the Prep School, but it is certainly true today-and I am sure it was in the past-that Clayesmorians have great qualities of friendship, concern for others, and an over-riding sense of fun. Our current pupils are simply delightful.
The modern Clayesmore prides itself in offering all that is good in a small boarding and day school. In practice, that means that pupils come to us from our Prep School or from further afield and continue to take part in the sports, the music and the drama, in the way they are accustomed. In larger schools, it is too often the case that pupils vanish without trace. We try to prevent that happening at Clayesmore. We also set out our stall as being a family school. What does this mean? I think there are two aspects to this. Firstly, it means that the Head knows every pupil and is able to take an interest in what he or she is doing both academically and beyond. We also aim for there to be warm relationships between staff and pupils so that our girls and boys can flourish in the supportive atmosphere. All of that must be a good thing for everybody. Secondly, because we are very unusual in having a Prep School on the same site as the Senior School, we can educate the whole family and keep them together as a family. The girls and boys pass seamlessly on to Senior School but are easily able to keep an eye on their younger brothers and sisters who may still be in the Prep School. Whatever else that may mean, it is certainly easier for parents to have their offspring all in the same place, especially for special occasions.
I very much look forward to meeting up with many Old Clayesmorians over the years ahead and I hope you will try to maintain or strengthen your links with the school. Come to Clayesmore when you can-you are assured of a very warm welcome-and Eleanor and I will look forward to joining you for the London Dinner in January.
Martin Cooke