Senior School

Legend has it that upon the foundation of Winchester College in the United Kingdom over 600 years ago, its founder Bishop William of Wykeham said that the kind of young man his school would produce would be, “useful at a dance…indispensable at a shipwreck.” In doing so he spoke not only to the skills and social graces his pupils would learn, but also to the character they would grow. 

As is so often the case, I have been impressed this week by the obvious skills our students possess and show us on a daily basis, but more importantly by the ongoing demonstration of their character. Over the weekend a significant number of our students participated in ANZAC Day Services across the Blue Mountains, rising at the crack of dawn to lay wreaths at local memorials, lead music, prayers and readings, and our School Captain Tom Delaney reminded Leura residents of the important place ANZAC holds in the hearts of the younger generation in his ANZAC Day Address at the Leura Red Cross Service. I was also deeply impressed to see many of our students dress in their School Uniform to attend services with their families across the region as a mark of respect. 

No less a demonstration of character, our Year 8 students braved the cold this week in a two-day excursion to Bungawarra, engaging with local Aboriginal Educators as well as our Science, Humanities and Wilderness Education Teams. Our F1 in Schools Teams have impressed a tough panel of judges with their designs in the National Finals over three days, and two outstanding casts have performed in this year’s Senior Production, Much Ado About Nothing. I have no doubt that were Bishop William of Wykeham to see our outstanding young men and women, he would be as impressed as I am. 

Mr Owen Laffin

Deputy Head - Head of Senior School