Thought For The Day – Monday 21st July 2025
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Former student of T.B.S.H.S., Georgia Mann, pictured above, a presenter on “BBC Radio 3”, introduced “The First Night of the Proms” on Friday evening on BBC2.
“Proms” is the shortened version of “Promenade”. This originally referred to outdoor concerts where the audience would walk around gardens whilst music was playing. Today, “The Proms” is a classical music festival held annually in London, primarily at the Royal Albert Hall, that will run throughout the summer holidays, until September 13th, whereupon we will all have been back at T.B.S.H.S. for one week of the new season.
Music will no doubt be a key feature of, and soundtrack to, our summer holiday. Our summer holiday begins on Wednesday 23rd July, after another celebratory Final Assembly. Final Assembly will feature a musical interlude and the singing of “Jerusalem”. “Jerusalem” is also traditionally sung at “The Last Night of the Proms” in September at The Royal Albert Hall.
We wish you a happy, healthy and safe summer, when it arrives on Wednesday afternoon. We do not have to travel very far to have an enjoyable time. The opportunity to relax, rest, recharge, reflect, read, listen, communicate, connect and spend time with others is enough. The little things in life often make the most difference in life.
Even more importantly, we look after others going through challenging times, and we look after ourselves, staying respectful and safe in person and-online. We remain mindful of all in need locally, nationally and internationally.
As one season closes, thoughts and dreams turn to the next season. Pre-season training builds the foundations of autumn, winter and spring success and progress. Everyone will have their moments and opportunities.
The formal political season is also ending, though political leadership, decisions and democracy are always on-going, both local, national and global. As regards the Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and Members of Parliament in the House of Commons will “break up”, or recess, for their own holidays on July 22nd, though there will still be Parliamentary staff and civil servants working diligently behind the scenes. Just before break-time on our non-uniform day last Thursday, it was announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as part of a number of proposed historic changes in voting, that the Government is looking to lower the voting age to sixteen years of age at the next General Election, subject to Parliamentary approval.
It has certainly been a ground-breaking and historic year at The Bishop’s Stortford High School.
This time last year, we had hosted an emotional final “Final Assembly” at London Road, whilst, in an outstanding example of teamwork, all staff cleared, and packed up, equipment, materials and resources in “Race To Beaumont Avenue”. It was not so much a promenade, or walk, as a run.
All staff would return, in hard hats, and high visibility jackets, in September to help complete the transition from the past to the present and the future. “Respice, Aspice, Prospice“ in action.
It certainly was, and has been, a unique time, and one which future present and future generations will greatly benefit from.
Mr. Reeve, Ms, Engel, Chair of Governors, Mr. Fordham, all the Governors of T.B.S.H.S., the Senior Leadership Team, the caretakers and the cleaners, an unimaginable and unquantifiable amount of work took place last summer, as they had done previously, to complete, and give the opportunity for, the regeneration. We will never fully appreciate what was involved. Mr. Cooper and the catering team also, as ever, were a vital part of the tremendous and transformative transition.
Let’s have a great finish to an epic year.
