We’ve been in the grip of school-pay fever this week: uniforms have been cast aside, making way for stripey tights, black eye-liner, and white powder-puff; routines have been eschewed, with last-minute line-learning, tech runs and curtain-calls the order of the day. The nervous energy has been palpable all week and – exhausting as it can be for those involved – we all cherish these moments in the school year. These are the times we remember, the times at which we see the school community at its best.
As Mr Lias-Russell commented at the end of the show, ‘The Addams Family’ was a triumph of collaboration, involving all facets of school life: the students were simply superb (both on and off the stage, taking on not only acting roles, but roles in make-up, lighting, choreography, sound and music); more teachers took part than ever before (signing up for roles in tech, music, programme design, crowd control, costumes, front-of-house and t-shirt distribution); and parents came out in force (we had parents designing, building and painting the set, parents serving drinks and snacks).
I’ve often wished that we could bottle the Brighton Girls spirit generated on these special occasions, or package it up neatly, or even capture it in words…
Happily, I have found a way to do just this.
It was my great pleasure last week to interview Year 12 students for roles in next year’s Student Leadership Team. Six brilliant and brave individuals threw their hats into the ring and engaged in a process that involved letter-writing, speech making and a final interview. For me, the moments of magic came during the interviews when we asked each candidate this simple question: “What are the best things about our school?” Their answers provided me with neat, pithy summaries of the Brighton Girls experience. Epithets to treasure; so good that I wrote them down to share with you.
Many comments celebrated the supportive nature of our community: “the community is the best thing”; “… everyone is welcoming”; “you feel that support bubble that surrounds you”; “staff are always there to help”; “it feels like a big family”. Another theme was the feeling of inclusivity and belonging, with one student commenting, “I have never felt so accepting of myself due to the environment I am in.”
As I watched the cast of ‘The Addams Family’ singing, acting, playing and dancing their heart out last night, happily inhabiting weird and wonderful characters, completely at ease with outrageous wigs, props and radio mics and seemingly delighted to be dressed as mini Miss Havershams, I couldn’t help but cast my mind back to those neatly packaged phrases from the Head Student candidates.
There was one comment that will remain lodged in my memory, and it’s the one that felt most apt as I watched another outstanding school play and the culmination of another very special team effort.
Question: “What is the best thing about our school?”
Answer: “It feels like you are being lifted up”.
