Headmaster ’ s Welcome
The Headmasters ’ and Headmistresses ’ Conference ( HMC ) is traditionally held half-way through the Michaelmas term . HMC consists of just under 300 members in Great Britain with 55 international members overseas . It is the professional organisation for Heads of the world ’ s leading independent schools . Last year ’ s 150th anniversary conference was held in London , in the wonderfully appointed Intercontinental London , at the O2 . Like so much else in today ’ s society , this year ’ s event was affected by COVID . I spent the three days of conference in my recently very underused dining room at the front of school , overlooking where First Year parents drop off and pick up the youngest members of Pocklington School .
A different Chair for HMC is elected yearly from amongst the members . This year ’ s conference was chaired by Sally-Anne Huang , current Headmistress of St Paul ’ s Boys School , and former Headmistress of James Allen ’ s Girls ’ School . JAGS ( as it is known ) is the sister school to the school I attended , Dulwich College , in south London , so it brought me back to my time as a student . This year ’ s conference was entirely online ; and whilst I cannot say it was as stimulating as in normal years , Sally-Anne and her team did a fantastic job of curating a fascinating and engaging programme of speakers and events . What , you may ask , is the relevance of this to the Pocklington School newsletter ? Well , if one considers the HMC programme for a brief moment , it is encouraging to see that much of what we are up to at Pocklington mirrors the conference ’ s agenda .
Sally-Anne ’ s opening address included the memorable line “ You don ’ t know what it ’ s like to be the Head of a school in the middle of a global pandemic , until you ’ ve been the Head of a school in the middle of a global pandemic ”.
I suspect this sentiment applies to all of us at the current time , no matter what our occupation . I also know you could replace the words “ Head of a school ” with “ teacher ”, “ pupil ” or “ parent ”: we can all empathise with one another under current circumstances .
We heard from leaders in music , theatre and the National Citizenship Service about the importance of breadth in education – something that is close to all our hearts here at Pocklington . We listened to Nigel Owens , international rugby referee , who holds the record for the most test matches ever refereed . He came out as gay in 2007 and spoke eloquently to us about his experience before and after coming out to the public . We are equally as proud of our LGBT Alliance work as we are of our sporting record .
Finally , we heard from representatives of the Stephen Lawrence trust , the NHS and experts on the theme of decolonisation . All were passionate and thought provoking in their addresses . I am proud of the work our students and teachers have done in support of the BLM movement , last month ’ s Black History Month and the support we offered early on in the pandemic to our local NHS in producing hundreds of visors in our Art & Design Centre .
So , whilst the conference this year was different , I was delighted to see the values we hold here at Pocklington reflected so clearly on my laptop screen as I double checked again to make sure I was ‘ on mute ’.
Have a wonderful Christmas break ; I hope it brings you and your loved ones good cheer .
Chaplain
Just over three hundred words without any mention of C or 19 or L ! But it is time to get ready for X .
I have confused feelings about this time of the year . There is so much hype and commercialism that it almost makes you want to go abroad for the season . Yet I also love the lights and decorations , the mince pies and mulled wine .
It is a time of mixed feelings for many people . There is the joy of parties ( small ones ), gathering together as families and a chance to enjoy the company of friends . Yet others find it a lonely time , when everyone seems to go away , the routine of work and social groups stop meeting and individuals wonder what they will do all alone on Christmas day .
It is also a time when we have a glut of food , drink , and presents , yet no doubt we will also hear on the news of starvation in Chad or somewhere else in Africa . Christmas cards and letters informing you about the events in the lives of your friends , who alas , you only hear from once a year .
The Christmas message itself captures this tension between all or nothing . Everyone snug and secure in their accommodation , while Mary and Joseph hunt for a bed for the night . And Jesus himself , a baby so helpless and vulnerable yet hid within , all the glory of God .
As we look back over the past year , I guess we can all think of times of joy , success and contentment , yet also moments and periods of sadness , frustration and disappointment . Whatever this past year has held for us , the Christmas story tells us that God ’ s presence can bring an element of Gold , Frankincense and Myrrh into our lives . Gold represents fulfilment . This is something we strive for at Pocklington , releasing all the potential within our pupils and staff . Frankincense represents God ’ s seed of hope within us , that good ultimately overcomes evil . Finally , Myrrh , representing God ’ s comfort at difficult times , telling us we are not alone .
God ’ s incarnation into the world of flesh and pain , encourages us all that He desires to bring something of his presence into all of our lives this Christmas time .
I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a joyful New Year .
Canon Dr Bill Merrington , Chaplain
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