This week has been all about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. On Tuesday morning, I snuck into the back of the hall and found Mrs Hart delivering a brilliant assembly to Year 11. The focus of the assembly was Charlotte Newson’s photo-mosaic portrait of Emmeline Pankhust. Entitled ‘Women Like You’, Newson’s work consists of 10,000 individual images of inspiring women sent in by members of the public; together they make up what is now regarded as one of the most iconic images of the suffragette. Newson’s intention was to celebrate the “extraordinary lives of ordinary women”. At the end of her address, Mrs Hart asked the Year 11s to turn to the “ordinary” person sitting next to them and consider their “extraordinary” qualities, at which point I joined in and asked the girls to consider the person delivering the assembly – because what made Mrs Hart’s story even more remarkable was that, back in 2010, she had been one of the people who had responded to the artist’s request for inspirational women; she had submitted an image of her sister, who is now immortalised in the upper lip of Emmeline Pankhurst – a simple act of kindness that led to something sublime.
As I get to know the community of Brighton Girls, I am finding extraordinary things around every corner: Year 7s who leap into my path to tell me about their interest in Japanese manga; Year 4s who dance with a virtual giant panda during ‘Fun Time’ every Friday; Year 12s who speak with incredible openness and maturity; teaching staff who return from trips bearing biscuits from Spanish nuns; parents with fascinating stories to tell.
This week, we have also been thinking about the next wave of individuals who will make up this extraordinary community. We’ve celebrated those who have gained places in Year 7 (well done to everyone) and we held a riotous Sixth Form Taster Day which combined a champion of women in technology, an awe-inspiring alumna, and a comedy and confidence workshop. There is definitely something in the water here. Even a safeguarding audit threw up some Brighton Girls magic. The auditor’s parting shot to me was to pass on some words from a pupil, who had declared, “This school caters for the unique”.
Earlier in the week, I heard Brighton Girls described as being “like paradise” and, not to be outdone in the hyperbole stakes, I was delighted when Mrs Ashdown presented a paper to the Senior Leadership Team on Thursday entitled “Our Dream Timetable” with an image underneath that read, “Welcome to Utopia. Enjoy Your Journey”. This is no ordinary way to begin a discussion about curriculum issues, but I like it!
