As the sun finally starts to shine and the days get longer, we reach the end of what has been another truly remarkable Spring Term. Both our girls and staff have been industrious as ever, through their work, creative flair, and by pulling together within our strong sense of community. A sense of belonging in any school is the bedrock of learning; when students feel seen and valued, their anxiety fades, sparking the confidence to take risks, embrace challenges, and truly flourish. We run an annual Belonging Survey that includes girls from Year 5 up to Year 13. This year, we had a 97% completion rate, and reading the comments and data further cements in my own mind the importance of our collective community.

  • 97% of our girls feel like they belong – this score was 99% for the Sixth Form.
  • 96% of our girls believe that staff value their views and beliefs, and we know how much teenage girls hold their teachers to account!
  • 97% of our girls believe that we work together to support diversity and inclusion.
  • 95% of our girls believe that they come up with creative ideas and solutions to problems – with SEND girls ranking higher on this question than their peers.
  • A deep dive into the Year 11 data gave a really lovely sense of the community in the school: 98% of Year 11 feel that they belong in the school and with their peer group, and 97% feel that they can be themselves.

The comments that the girls write are anonymous, although we can see which year group they come from. The messages were overwhelmingly positive, with key standouts around how the girls feel they are represented by the role models we present, the curriculum we teach, our Minerva Lecture series, author visits, and the culture of celebration through our different school events. This is fantastic, as it has been a key priority since I arrived, and I am thrilled to see how well this has been delivered.

This data does not happen by accident, but through our intentional, multi-layered approach to move beyond school spirit and towards an undivided community. Every one of our girls has a place in our school. In the past week alone, I have seen so many examples of how we do this:

  • Our four Houses, which run from Reception up to Year 13, create an exciting and energising cross-phase connection, and our House Shout this week was a spectacle to behold! Whilst I’m not sure I can attest to the musical quality of this event (!), the fun that was had through the dancing, costumes, and props brought the girls together in the true sense of low-stakes competition.
  • We had our School Council meeting, where the girls were working with our Catering Manager, steering decisions and demonstrating that they have agency to shape our school environment.
  • Reviewing the final designs for our Neurodiversity Hub, where the girls have designed the garden space to include a community-based local produce stall, showing that every learning style is celebrated and not simply accommodated.
  • Meeting the Heads from Crofton and Southborough to relaunch our SHINE programme, which will now focus on financial literacy for girls in the Middle School age groups. Our pupils will work alongside theirs in a series of leadership lessons, teaching our girls that they are part of a wider local ecosystem.
  • Our annual Cultural Catwalk, where girls wear national dress and walk/dance the catwalk to music, waving their flags and revelling in the cheers and encouragement from the assembly hall.
  • Our GDST LEAD team took to the stage at LSE and pitched their entrepreneurial business idea to a panel of judges. Throughout this whole process, they have demonstrated teamwork and camaraderie, which was recognised on the day as they won ‘Best Financial Performance’.
  • Multiple BHPA activities, including movie nights for the girls, but also events that reach out to our extended parent community, such as our Mother’s Day gifts and the Comedy Night (I remained completely incognito and was spared being called out by the comedians!).
  • Seeing our Charity Prefects run a bake sale in memory of our wonderful Brontë, raising money for Guide Dogs for the Blind, was so touching, and I really appreciated the gesture.

On the topic of four paws, there is an update that I would like to share… After the Easter break, our school family is growing, and we will be getting a new school puppy. She will be joining us to provide comfort, joy, and plenty of wagging tails during the school day. I have already signed her up with Pets for Therapy – the incredible charity that Brontë was also registered with – who provide lots of training to ensure that our new puppy is just as well behaved and acts as the perfect pastoral pet. The girls have been suggesting lots of names for her, and we just need to decide on the final winner!

As always, my gratitude goes to colleagues for their tireless dedication, the girls for their energy and focus, our BHPA for their unwavering support, and you as parents for all the backing that you offer to our school. Relationships are everything in a school, and together we are stronger than the sum of our parts.

Whether you are preparing for a quiet family break or travelling further afield, I hope the next fortnight provides a well-earned opportunity for rest and reflection. To those students continuing their revision: find the balance. Hard work is essential, but so is the clarity of mind that comes with a walk in the spring sunshine.

I look forward to welcoming everyone back for the Summer Term, ready to embrace the final chapter of this academic year.


Mrs Emily Codling, Headmistress