Mr. Garry Russell HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
It is with some sadness, as well as huge pride, that I get to write my last Yearbook introduction as the Head of Secondary. As I move in to the Vice Principal role next year, it is amazing how quickly the last two years have gone. The days and months fly by, whilst the fabulous memories keep piling up. There is a magic that weaves its way through the Secondary School, and the students and staff are the magicians, constantly going above and beyond any reasonable expectations.
This year’ s highlights are, as always, too numerous to mention in their entirety. The Secondary School Production is always a focus of the year and Team Grease certainly put on a great show. Following Sweeney Todd was never going to be easy but the performances showed what can be achieved when mass participation( over 100 students and staff) pulls together under the direction of Mrs Hughes. It was a festival of sound, light and costume, and a celebration of what it means to be a teenager. China Week will be a highlight for many as we celebrated the culture, language and enterprise of the wonderful country in which we all live. There was also a competitive edge as each phase of the school performed their own Dragon Dance with the Secondary Dragon putting in a fine effort, only to be beaten by Year 4!
One of my personal highlights this year has been the success of the ALPS programme, which has flourished under the direction of Ms Chainani. This group of determined young people have shown what can be accomplished when commitment and opportunity meet. It has also been a year where our older students have excelled in their studies with record-breaking university offers from four continents. Driven by Mr Hallas and our excellent 6 th Form teachers and tutors, the students have been very well supported and we are hopeful of excellent examination results this summer.
The students, of course, are always the best people to ask when reviewing the year. From our recent student survey we were told:‘ I love coming to school every single day’;‘ BSG is an amazing school’ and‘ The school just gets better and better’. However, we also received a fair amount of advice and suggestions, including‘ I’ d give it 7 / 10 – pretty good but room for improvement’!
I must wish good luck to those students and staff that are leaving us. The end of the year is always bittersweet as everyone plays their part at BSG and to say goodbye can feel like losing a member of the family. However, change is the only constant and I have no doubt our leavers will take BSG with them and be great ambassadors for the school. I must personally thank Iain Ruck who has been a long-serving member of the BSG community, and did such a good job in setting up the Secondary School. I must also say good luck to Aidan Edmanson, who as Deputy Head, has been key to the success of the Secondary School and has been a great personal support to myself. Equally, we are excited about those who will be joining us in August. As the school continues to grow, so do the
opportunities that we are able to provide to our staff and students.
Finally, I must say thank you to my staff. They are a wonderful group of professionals who are a pleasure to work with and for. I have no doubt they will continue to excel and support the new Head of Secondary in August. The future is very bright and I am certainly looking forward to being a part of it.
Best wishes, Garry Russell
“ Our older students have excelled in their studies with record-breaking university offers.”