Newsletters

Letter from the Headmaster

Dear St. James’ Parents and Guardians

Given the turmoil of the past twelve months, but with hope now clearly on the horizon, we could be forgiven for wanting to step into Noddy Holder’s shoes and yell “It’s Chrisssssssssssstmas”. It is a time when we would have been celebrating together, instead we must continue to do so at arm’s length.

We have safely made it through to the end of term, and happily, with only minor interruptions to learning in small pockets of the school. This is testament to the spirit in which the St. James’ community has responded to the necessary measures. How we have rallied around one another. How we have protected one another. I most warmly thank the staff and pupils for their stoicism and flexibility.

We have tried, where possible, to preserve the opportunities for pupils at St. James’ and in the run up to Christmas this includes the usual Pre-Prep Nativity, Wassail, Christingle, and the Festival of Nine Lessons. All these events are sadly happening behind closed doors, but happening, nonetheless. We have, or shall, record each event and these will be broadcast online over the coming days.

My congratulations to those pupils in the Upper Sixth who have submitted their university applications and received offers. You will have our full support in achieving these necessary grades, however the summer exams may look.

Well done to those pupils in Year 6 who sat the 11+ exam this term. Passing this exam is far from trivial (220), but with an average score of 245, their quality is clear to see.

Profuse thanks to Sarah Palmer, a current St. James’ parent, who has kindly created the artwork for the School’s Christmas cards. There are two distinct designs of The Rectory and the approach to it; both are wonderful. On the back of the card is a link to more of Sarah’s work.

A reminder that Monday 4th January 2021 is a staff training day and the School is closed to pupils. We look forward to welcoming pupils, staff, and parents back to St. James’ on Tuesday 5th January 2021.

What is on the horizon for 2021 at St. James’? The spotlight will be squarely upon the development of a growth mindset. If we can only teach children one thing, then it should be this.

“In 1984 Desmond Douglas, the greatest -ever UK table tennis player, was placed in front of a screen containing a series of touch-sensitive pads at the University of Brighton. He was told the pads would light up in a random sequence and that his task was to touch the relevant pad with the index finger of his favoured hand as soon as he could, before waiting for the next pad to light up. Douglas was highly motivated, as all the other members of the team had already undergone the test and were ribbing him in the familiar manner of team rivalry.

First one pad, then another, lit up. Each time, Douglas jabbed his finger towards the pad, his eyes scanning the screen for the next target. After a minute, the task ended and Douglas’s teammates gave him a round of applause. Douglas grinned as the researcher left the room to collate the results. After five minutes, the researcher returned. He announced that Douglas’s reactions were the slowest in the entire England team: he was slower than the juniors and the cadets – slower even than the team manager.

I remember the intake of breath to this day. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Douglas was universally considered to have the fastest reactions in world table tennis, a reputation he continues to command more than ten years into retirement.

Often what we know, understand, can do, or perform, cannot be validated by assessment.

Douglas was perplexed by it. ‘Maybe I have a sixth sense,’ he said. But we can now see that the solution to the riddle is simple. In essence, Douglas spent more hours than any other player in the history of the sport encoding the characteristics of the highly specific type of table tennis: the kind played at maximum pace, close to the table. By the time he arrived in the international table tennis, he was able to perceive where the ball was going before his opponents had even hit it. That is how a man with sluggish reactions became the fastest player on the planet.

Excerpts taken from Bounce by Matthew Syed.

Douglas epitomises this growth mindset. It was his focus on improvement, not an innate talent, that delivered his success. We believe this is the lesson all children should learn, and must believe. Learning is a journey, and you will never reach the end if you don’t take the next step forward.

I wish the St. James’ community a magical and merry Christmas, and I pray that 2021 brings more kindness and joy to us all.

Richard Murray, Headmaster