It isn’t the acquisition of material goods or always getting their way. Deep happiness comes from self-knowledge and awareness; to know that they can endure when faced with any challenge. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from those challenges. It's like a bouncy ball! When you drop it, the ball bounces back up. 

The ball is designed to bounce, but human beings are not. Pupils need to learn and the only way to learn is to fall, to fail, to be outside their comfort zone. This might be achieved by coming into school unaided, coming into school when they might not feel like it, or understanding that they are going to play rugby this term even though they aren’t keen on the cold! 

The fact is, the world can be a really tough place and it is the resilient who will have the greatest chances of success and ultimately, happiness. 

When does this learning start? Now, surrounded by caring adults who can help the children stand back up and we, as parents, must learn to let our youngsters fly solo. They might feel sad or angry for a time, but they will learn not to let those feelings stop them from trying again.

Craig McCarthy
Headmaster