Continuing our theme of enabling students to become confident global citizens, able to study, work and live in community with others, Dr Yuasa – Assistant Head, Personalised Learning and Wellbeing – talked to us about International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She invited the school community to consider the language around disability, which can be negative, difficult to navigate and confusing.

Instead of using the prefix 'dis', Dr Yuasa suggested we use 'para'. This reflects the UK’s Paralympics heritage and comes from the Greek meaning ‘next to' and ‘side by side’, which is where we need to be with persons with disabilities.

Drawing inspiration from the word 'paradox', meaning 'to go beyond', Dr Yuasa encouraged us to move on in our thinking and to view disability more as an issue of diversity, which requires us to be inclusive of people from a range of different backgrounds.

In our services, Chapel Steward Zahra K-E, 9S and Mr Kelley read from the New Testament – Mark 1:1-8. In her sermon entitled ‘Be ready for Jesus by looking good on the inside as well as the outside’, the Chaplain told us that while not a nativity in the traditional sense, the prologue to Mark’s Gospel offers the opportunity for the birth of a new beginning (Judy Yates Siker) in the Good News that Jesus will come to reign, restore and bring peace.

The Chaplain explained that in preparing the people for Jesus, John the Baptist proclaims ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ (v4). As such, we are invited to look inside ourselves, to say sorry for the wrong things we may have said and done and to give and receive forgiveness that we might then be prepared for God, and are better able to receive the love, hope and joy of Jesus.

Please join us in prayer this week for:

• Unity amongst those of different faiths and no faith.
• Students for whom diversity presents them with additional challenges.
• All we might do to prepare for Jesus and the Christmas celebrations.