Thought For The Day – Thursday 4^th September 2025

Today, at The Bishop’s Stortford High School,  we warmly welcome: our new staff, Year 7 students and Year 12 students.

Thank you for choosing us. We hope you all have very many happy times at The Bishop’s Stortford High School this academic year and beyond.  Our story, which is now your story, continues. Bring your character to our book.

Year 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 students, and their families,  will be making their final preparations today as their new and next chapter tomorrow, Friday.

We hope you all have had a good holiday. You do not need to do, or have, very much, or go very far, to find happiness, calmness and contentment.

We equally know that this time, or indeed any time, is not straightforward for anyone or everyone.

But in true “Black and Gold Spirit” we support each other.

In our Final Assembly of July 23rd:  Mr. Reeve spoke of the importance of appreciating the world around us, living in the moment; whilst Mr. Hood, pictured above, retiring after over thirty years of service to the school, and very appropriately and symbolically wearing the tie of The Bishop’s Stortford High School, spoke of being grateful for good fortune.

Come to a club in the summer holidays and you will find the unsung heroes who sustain it. Whilst we were enjoying our break, we remember those who were at T.B.S.H.S. throughout the summer, getting ready for the new season:  the caretakers, the cleaners, staff and former students who dedicated so many honours, in the heat, to cleaning, and painting, the school;   the ever-present Finance Team, led by Ms. Engel, including the wonderfully devoted Mrs. Mulholland; and, as always too,  Mr. Cooper and the Catering Team.  Whilst, at T.B.S.H.S.’ Summer School and Sports Camp, staff, and students, were giving a significant amount of their holiday to prepare for the future.

And, with the passing of the years, we should never forget all Mr. Reeve, Mrs. Engel, the Senior Leadership Team, retiring Chair of Governors Mr. Fordham, and the Governors undertook, especially last year, but also in many previous years,  making the dream of the Beaumont Avenue a brilliant reality. An outstanding legacy beyond words. The new all-weather pitch, completed this summer, demonstrates a continuing commitment to excellence and opportunity for school and community.

We must treasure our facilities, not least because we are so blessed to have them.

We also pay tribute to last academic year’s Year 11 and Year 13 students, and their families and teachers, on their wonderful examination results and their outstanding contribution to the old and new T.B.S.H.S. generally.  No one is, or will be,  ever forgotten and we are very grateful for all the exceptional contributions of students, those of their families and all current, and former, staff.

Every generation stands on the shoulders of, and is also guided by, the last.

Very many staff were in the school from in the middle, and at the end, of August and to support students receiving results, and with the next steps on their journey,  including the brilliant Mrs. Price who also retired in the Summer.

We begin again, always mindful of the past, living in the present whilst building for the future.

In the season to come, there will be moments of brilliance. There will also be moments of challenge.   There will be times in between.

But the foundation on “Floor A”, indeed the foundation in and of life generally, is and are our values.

For what makes “The Black and Gold” so loved is that we look after others, and ourselves, with compassion, humility, kindness, resilience and respect, guided by our wonderful values, pictured below,  and driven by the inspirations, personal and collective,  who are both in our heart and all around us.

This continues this academic year.

And will continue in the future.