Thought For The Day – Thursday 20^th March 2025

Thomas Tuchel,  the highly respected coach from Germany, has taken charge of his first training session as the new England men’s football manager.   Thomas has just twenty four “in-game” hours before the next men’s World Cup in eighteen months. 

This week, we welcome twenty six students and staff, Mrs Seifert and Mr Blatt, from Gymnasium Bleckede, Bleckede, in the Lower Saxony region of Germany.

The school’s wonderful motto is: “Lernen für die Zukunft”. This means “Learn (or Learning) For The Future”.   A motto we also can learn from for our future.

Interestingly, on their “You Tube” site, their school video guides us through each academic subject.  “English”  is surrounded by iconic images in London.  “Religion” is a key subject also.  Yesterday, on their calendar, they had the “Hugo Cup” , a football tournament.  Today, they have the ”Kangaroo Mathematics Competition” and an “Information Day”.  Tomorrow,  “The Story of Lena” drama will be performed.  A truly all-round education.

From their school website, the school was opened in 2006, following a council resolution twenty years ago in 2005.  The school is attended by students from the city of Bleckede and an extraordinary forty other towns and communities.  Many students have a very long commute, by bus, showing their great love for the school, resilience and sustainability .  Students in the Amt Neuhaus district even use the bus and, to cross the beautiful Elbe River, the ferry each and every day.   A very early start!   A love of learning.    We do not have to do this with the River Stort.  Careers education is prominent on their website, just as it is key, with Mrs. Jonas,  at TBSHS.  

Clearly, Gymnasium Bleckede is a brilliant, caring and inspiring school.  “We treat each other with respect. We foster a supportive working environment characterized by mutual appreciation, consideration, and helpfulness”, the school state, and the school does.

Exchanges are an absolutely essential part of TBSHS.   They make us better people,  a better community and a better world. Thank you to all host and visiting staff, students and families in both schools. From TBSHS, thank you to Mr. Alexander, Mr. O’Sullivan, all the Languages Department at TBSHS, and, as always,  to Mrs. Kitching for every  educational visit.

There are so many wonderful schools locally, nationally and internationally.   Each school is proud of what they do.  A key part of “The Black and Gold Spirit” is staying humble, learning from others and being outward-facing.  

We built a new school for our exchange partners. We hope they like it. 

Herzlich willkommen an TBSHS.  Welcome to TBSHS.

Die Schwarz-Gold-Geist.   The Black and Gold Spirit.