Thought For The Day – Thursday 20^th November 2025

Pictured above:  Mr. Solomons with former T.B.S.H.S. student Eli Haines on a Sixth Form Leavers’ Day, and “The Darren Solomons Memorial Bench”, now here at Beaumont Avenue,  pictured this morning.

Today we remember former teacher and member of staff at The Bishop’s Stortford High School Mr. Darren Solomons, who passed away on this date in 2017.  Sir had been in hospital for a few weeks prior to his passing away from this life.

Very appropriately, Mr. Reeve wrote the following at the time: “Mr. Solomons was loved and respected by staff and the sixth form students he worked with. Mr. Solomons embodied ‘The Black and Gold Spirit’.”

There were three particularly extraordinary things that happened after Mr. Solomons passed away from this life.

First, a very large number of former and current students, and staff,  attended Sir’s funeral. Following the beliefs, and practices, of Judaism, there were twenty-four hours’ notice before Sir’s funeral. Students came from far and wide. One student, Jonathan, was at university in Plymouth. Jonathan said he arrived at Bishop’s Stortford railway station at midnight, staying with his family,  to pay his respects at the funeral the following day. Jonathan said he had to be there.

Second, there was a special assembly a few days after the funeral in a packed School Hall at London Road. A detailed assembly, led by Mr. Reeve and organised by the then Head of Sixth Form, Mr. Stark, featured current, and former, students giving happy, and very moving, tributes in equal measure. Everyone wanted to say thank you.

Third, all students talked in the same positive way about Mr. Solomons. A student working in a local supermarket in Bishop’s Stortford at the time, spoke in Bishop’s Stortford one evening of Mr. Solomons, when Sir had just joined T.B.S.H.S. at the beginning of the spring term, in the same appreciative, devoted, and positive way as students in what would be Mr. Solomons’ final year at T.B.S.H.S. and in this life.  A consistency of standard. A consistency of respect.  Over time.  Heart and soul.

Today, and always, our deepest thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Solomons’ family will always be proud of Mr. Solomons, a very special person.

And our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with those students, now former students,  and staff who Mr. Solomons worked with and cared for.  The students will be leading in the world now,  but Mr. Solomons’ massive influence, and inspiration, will always be with them, and their families.  Mr. Solomons was, and is,  loved.

Apart from what is legal, respectful, and safe, rules which always need followed,  there is not one way to be a teacher, there is not one way to be a student and there is not one way to be a carer or parent.

Everyone approaches life in their own unique, and authentic, way.

Respectful diversity and variety greatly adds to, and enriches,  life’s character and colour.

Some people in life are more extrovert, others more introvert.  And, beneath the surface, beneath what is seen,  the extroverts can be introverts and introverts can be extroverts. Some are quieter, happy to be team players.  Others are more vocal, happy to help lead.  Some are the appropriate life and soul of the party. Others happy to talk in the corner, blend into the background, or indeed stay at home.  Some have very significant challenges, journeys which only they and their family truly know about.  Whilst everyone has sunshine, colours, showers, and storms in their picture, painting,  and masterpiece.  Our environment too, our heritage,  and our roots,  are a key part of our story.

Ultimately, it takes everyone and everything.

In time, and through challenge and resilience, we establish, and nurture, our identity, and that of others,  learning who we are, and becoming what we become.

True impact is not really, and ultimately, measured quantitively,  but qualitatively.   To make a positive difference to just one person, to just do our best,  is enough.

In so very many ways, Mr. Solomons, who taught at The Bishop’s Stortford High School for seven years, particularly teaching, and inspiring,  the Sixth Form,  represented, and understood, all different character types and people.

Mr. Solomons was always authentically, honestly, and humbly himself.

Mr. Solomons always encouraged people to be authentically, honestly, and humbly themselves.

And this is, no doubt,  what Mr. Solomons would want for all of us.  He would be the first to shine a light on everyone else.