Celebrating with the Class of 2022

One of the most regrettable ‘losses’ caused by Covid was the denial, to thousands of children, of access to traditional rites of passage. The most obvious examples are all those Year 11 and Year 13 students who never got a prom, or even a leavers assembly in 2020. The university students who didn’t get a proper graduation, and the year 6s who never got to say a proper goodbye to their primary school. These things are traditions (or have more recently become traditions in the case of the latter) for a reason – they matter to people, and are part of who we are.

I remember that saying goodbye to the class of 2020 in March that year, the morning after Boris had announced a lockdown for the following Monday, was the most challenging assembly I have ever delivered. At the time we reassured them, and ourselves, that we would get them all together when covid was over and mark their time at the school. That never happened of course, and life moves on, but I regret we couldn’t do it.

Therefore it’s been genuinely lovely to be able to give the class of 2022 the full leaver’s experience. They were utterly superb on Tuesday for the leavers assembly and ‘foam on the field’, and last night (Thursday 30th) we had a wonderful time at the leaver’s Prom. The new venue of the Concorde Lounge at Manchester Airport was brilliant, with students and staff alike enjoying the surroundings and a free tour of the plane to boot! It was a lovely evening and a fitting way to say goodbye to a year group who have been through so much.

I’m aware that the majority of readers of this blog won’t have a direct connection to the class of 2022, but showing younger children what awaits them is all part of the journey and I’m hoping that they too are looking forward to their rites of passage.

Best wishes

Joe Barker

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