“Autumn Leaves”

This wonderful time of year always shows the College in all its seasonal glory – even though the leaf debris seems never ending for our hard working gardening team!

The first half of term has passed quickly and as always there has been great activity in all areas of the College. On the last day of half term Aldford football team enjoyed an excellent home win against Prenton Prep in the Umbro cup; it was a great match and well supported by parents.  Well done Mr B and Mr Dearling for coaching this ever improving team and I wish them well in the next round. Congratulations also to our touring footballers who spent a highly successful week of coaching and playing in Malta over half term.  Not only did they return with two trophies their conduct and behaviour was exemplary throughout the week both on and off the pitch.  In the choral arena Olivia Hunt was runner up in the Radio 2 Chorister of the year finals held at St Paul’s Cathedral – an outstanding achievement and we are very proud of her success.

September and October are always busy with Open Day, Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions and our annual Speech Day and Prize Giving.  It was pleasure to welcome back last year’s leavers for their certificates and prizes to hear about their first few weeks at University too!  Our Guest Speaker was Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation and he thoroughly enjoyed meeting pupils, staff and parents. After presenting the awards he spoke of the importance of young people living by a code of behaviour that reflects respect, honesty, fair play and decency; attributes that the Golf Foundation tries to develop in their Youth Programmes, as we do at Abbey Gate College. Congratulations to William Hockedy and Hayley Oakes (Heads of College) on their excellent review of the year presented to a hall filled with over 700 people!

We held our important Remembrance Service yesterday looking back to the sacrifices made by so many in the Great War (and other conflicts), contemplating the present with the troubles in Afghanistan and looking to the future as we prayed for peace in the world.  Staff and pupils from J5 to our Upper Sixth all showed their respect and the College wreath of poppies this year has been laid at Saighton village memorial by our Heads of School.

Our young people are the future and with honesty, integrity, respect and tolerance – with these qualities at the heart of our aims – we will not go far wrong.