THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING "WHY?"

In Assembly on Monday, Mrs Cameron spoke of her hopes for students and the ultimate aim of her leadership: to ensure that students leave equipped to live full, happy and fulfilled lives away from Queenswood. Speaking of the emotional roller-coaster that each academic year is for students – with hard work, intensity of examinations, summer days for relaxation and sport, celebrations and farewells - Mrs Cameron said that at some point in the coming years, students will exchange the safety and security of Queenswood for the unknown and excitement of the real world; a real world for which Queenswood students will be prepared, equipped to make good decisions and able to thrive in new communities, able to discern when to lead, support, encourage and be kind and able to make mistakes and learn from them. While students’ academic results will be excellent, Mrs Cameron said that Queenswood students will also develop the characteristics of humility, respect and non-judgement such that they will be able to communicate with royalty as easily as the person next door. Leaving Queenswood, Mrs Cameron said, is only a starting point to a student’s intellectual development as there is so much more to learn through life than can ever be learned at school.

In speaking of the character of Queenswood, which provides an excellent learning environment for students, Mrs Cameron referred to the discipline of school rules which provide a safe, supportive and constructive environment in which to study, live, work and play. Using the school Uniform Policy as an illustration, Mrs Cameron said that this prepares students for life beyond school as it enables students to consider what they wear and when, thus enabling students, by dressing appropriately in any given situation, to make considered decisions and demonstrate the core values of respect and consideration for others. Recognising students’ frustration in being asked to unroll a skirt from the waist band (!) she invited students to see this from the perspective of preparation for life beyond Queenswood and hoped that this would enable students to understand why the request is made.

Focusing on the importance of understanding, Mrs Cameron said that understanding why is vital in education and especially when being asked to follow guidance and rules. Therefore, she invited students who are unsure of why they are being asked to do something, or not do something, to have a good think about it and then ask someone else for their thoughts.

Recognising that students are at different stages of their journey at Queenswood, Mrs Cameron said that in illustrating why there is a need for school rules she hoped students would understand that this is to prepare students for society outside of Queenswood, where the consequences of making the wrong decision can be far greater than a detention with a Head of Year!

In closing, Mrs Cameron wished everyone a wonderful final few weeks of this academic year; she wished everyone well in their end of year examinations and expressed her hope that students be ready and prepared for the challenges ahead so that they feel deserving of the fun and relaxation when it arrives.

Before sharing God’s blessing, Reverend Kate prayed from the Queenswood Chapel Book:

Grant us, O Lord, to know what is worth knowing,
To love that which is worth loving,
To praise what should be praised,
To hate what in your sight is unworthy;
To prize what to you is previous;
And above all to search out and to do what is well-pleasing unto you,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Thomas a Kempis (1379-1471)

ACT OF WORSHIP

For our Act of Worship this week, Mrs Jackson led us in hymn practice.  Introducing some modern songs to our repertoire, Mrs Jackson played a video of 10,000 Reasons, sung by Matt Redman in Times Square which students then sang together. We also sang In Christ Alone and Come on and Celebrate!

In closing, Mrs Jackson prayed the Choristers Prayer:

Bless, O Lord, us thy servants, who minister in thy temple.
Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts,
And what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives.
Amen