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September 2010                                                          

Dear Parents,

Welcome back for the start of the new school year.   It is with a very real sense of excitement and anticipation that I write to you as Headmaster of Dulwich Preparatory School, Cranbrook.   Since my appointment in the July of 2009, Nicky and I have enjoyed visiting the school, meeting children, staff and parents.   We have had the chance to attend many events, including the Carol Service, Sports Days, Open Mornings and Prizegiving and we have thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of the school.   I should like to record my thanks to Roger Kidney for all that he has done as Acting Headmaster over the last four terms.   I feel extremely lucky to have such a committed, fair, knowledgeable and loyal colleague and I look forward to working closely with Roger as he returns to his former role of Deputy Head.

Last term, over a number of visits, I had the chance to meet many academic staff who have spoken to me individually about their current roles and responsibilities and their future plans and aspirations, both for themselves and their pupils.   Since moving into The Oast in early August, Nicky and I have had a chance to find out a little more about the administrative workings of the school.   We have enjoyed getting to know office and bursarial staff, the estates team and the majority of housekeeping and other support staff, as they have been busy with the important preparations for the new academic year.

We are truly grateful to the many colleagues and parents who have welcomed us to the school over the holidays.   We already feel thoroughly at home and we are looking forward to playing a full part within this special community.

However, I am also conscious that so far I have only really scratched the surface of the school.   I have so much to learn in this first busy term.   I shall enjoy getting to know the children and understanding the school from their viewpoint; I aim to appraise the work completed across the many year groups and analyse and evaluate the shape and pattern of their days.   In this first year, I shall be helping during two games afternoons, one in Little Stream and one in Upper School.   I hope this will allow me to see and get to know more children than merely teaching the odd set of Mathematics – though I may long for the warmth of the classroom once the wind and rain arrives!   I also aim to spend as much time as possible in equal measure in Nash House, Little Stream and Upper School.   Coffee Mornings for Little Stream and Nash House continue to take place on Fridays and Upper School Coffee Mornings are scheduled as per the Calendar.   I hope to meet many parents there.

This term we welcome Mrs. Westcott who joins as Head of Art and Year 7 and 8 Tutor and Miss Fitzmaurice who joins the Science Department in Upper School and will also be a Year 6 Form Teacher.   In Little Stream Ms Kilb re-joins the staff to take on the role of Year 2 Form Teacher.  

In Nash House Mrs. Davies and Mrs. Macdonald join forces to share the Teaching Assistant role in Reception SC.   Mrs. Macdonald will also be working alongside Mrs. Barlow to support Mrs. Rawlinson’s Year 1 class.   Miss Morgan joins the school for a year as a Gap student and we also welcome Mrs. Bourne and Miss Rolfe, two new members of the domestic staff.

In internal moves within the school we wish Ms Wood well on her appointment as Deputy Head of Little Stream.   Mr. Schuldt takes on the role of Head of P.E. in Little Stream, Mrs. Ansell takes over as Head of Year 4, Mrs. Adams moves to Year 1 and takes on the shared role of Assessment Co-ordinator with Mr. Ford.   Mrs. Moody moves to join Year 3 and leads our new 'Green Eco-Committee'.   Mrs. Brock now has an additional role as our first School Archivist.

Within the boarding community, Mr Thompson and Ms Kilb join the Lodge and Manor boarding teams respectively, and have moved onsite to Orchard Lodge.   Mr. Arkley joins the Lodge boarding team, living in 2 Crane House, with his wife and sons.   Mr. Brown, our Estates Co-ordinator, will shortly move into 1 Crane House with his young family.  

I am sure parents will wish to join us in congratulating Miss Vesma and her partner, Simon, on the birth of their son Harrison during the holidays.   Congratulations are also due to The Rev Steve Bennett on his ordination at Canterbury Cathedral at the end of last term.   We are delighted to have Mr. Bennett as our School Chaplain, in addition to the work that he already does in the Music Department and in Lodge.   He completed the Diploma in Applied Christian Theology – a three year course run through the University of Kent and the South East Institute for Theological Education.   Miss Millard also receives our congratulations as she has been awarded a BA (Hons) having followed a part-time course in History with the University of Kent.

Over the last term staff have attended training courses as follows:

All Staff - Managing Severely Allergic Pupils in Schools; All Nash House Staff – An Introduction to Makaton; Mrs. Bradley – Unleashing Learning;   Mrs. Eckersley – Child Protection Training; Mr. Settles – Independent Schools' Inspectorate Training; Mrs. Huish – ASD Awareness Training;   Mrs. Scanlon and Mrs. Huish – Understanding and Responding to Children’s Behaviour; Mrs. Bryant – Teaching Music to Early Years and Key Stage 1; Mrs. Douglas – Paediatric First Aid; Mrs. Steel – Level 2 Lacrosse Coaching Course.

As you will no doubt have seen over the last few months, the newly developed staff accommodation, aptly named Little Stream Cottages, has been virtually completed apart from some minor landscaping work to the surrounding areas.   I am grateful to the Bursar, Mr. Scanlon, and to our Estate Manager, Mr. Clarke, and his team who have masterminded these works alongside their regular maintenance of the grounds.   The accommodation will provide the opportunity for young staff to join the Dulwich community, offering them affordable accommodation to help them relocate into the area.   I am delighted that we already have our first occupant with Miss Fitzmaurice having moved from the St. Catherine's British Embassy School in Athens!   Other important works have continued too, including decorating, paving, and the resurfacing of car park areas and playgrounds.   Again, my thanks to those who have worked so hard on these projects over the holiday period.

Our theme this term is 'Togetherness and Unity'.   Aesop told us that "In union there is strength".   I hope to make the children aware of the importance of the whole school community and that everyone has a part to play.   I would like to emphasise the necessity to work as a team in the classroom, in music and on the games field.   Your involvement in our theme is paramount, as demonstrated by the poem below which is simply entitled 'Unity'.

I dreamed I stood in a studio
and watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a young child's mind,
and they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher; the tools he used
were books and music and art;
One a parent with a guiding hand,
and a gentle, loving heart.

Day after day the teacher toiled,
with touch that was deft and sure,
While the parent laboured by his side
and polished and smoothed it oer.

And when at last their task was done,
they stood proud of what they had wrought.
For things they had moulded into the child
could neither be sold or bought.

And each agreed he would have failed
if he had worked alone,
For behind the parent stood the school,
and behind the teacher, the home.

You will receive a copy of the School Calendar with this letter.   Please do take a moment to look through it to establish the important dates and events, including any Saturday fixtures in which your children are likely to be involved.   Of particular importance at the start of the year are the Year Group Parents’ Social Evenings, when you will have the opportunity to meet staff, and the Tea and Swimming for parents and children in Years 5 - 8 who are new to the school.

Nicky and I look forward to meeting you at these events and throughout the first few busy weeks of term.

With all good wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Paul David.