Blog
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 11
Have you ever seen one of those memes that make you feel really old?
“Someone said ‘30 years ago’ and I thought they meant the 70’s - but they actually meant 1995 - and now I need to lie down!”
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 10
One of the first people I met when I moved to England was a young man who told me he worked for ‘Comic Relief’. Now, as I was in the middle of an English degree, I was only too familiar with the use of ‘comic relief’ and had some firm favourites amongst the Shakespearean characters responsible for said ‘comic relief’. But that hardly constituted a job, let alone one that might generate a salary.
It Is Easier To Build Strong Children Than To Repair Broken Men
Stephen Graham’s searing Netflix drama Adolescence has, quite deservedly, garnered rave reviews. It is by no means an easy watch. At its centre lies an act of unspeakable violence committed by a thirteen-year-old boy who has become both radicalised and lost in an online vortex of misogyny, pornography and violence. It is a gut-wrenching and unflinching portrayal of every parent’s worst nightmare. It grapples with the question of what we teach boys - both at home and at school. It would be easy to imagine that the sort of toxic masculinity espoused by ‘influencers’ such as Andrew Tate has little impact when measured alongside the positive impact of growing up in a loving family home.
Headmaster Appointment
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew McBride as the next Head of Rossall. Andrew is currently Deputy Head, Co-Curricular of the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. In that role for the past three years, he has been instrumental in taking RGS's co-curricular provision to a level which matches its enviably high academic one. Educated in the maintained sector in County Durham, he has a 2.1 in Sport, Health and Exercise from Durham University and an MA in Education from Northumbria University.
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 9
“I made you wonderful!”
That is this year’s theme for the World Day of Prayer, which we celebrated in chapel last week, just before International Women’s Day at the weekend.
World Day of Prayer is a wonderful international and ecumenical event, which enables us all to hear the thoughts of women from across the world, including their hopes, concerns and prayers. It is also a call to action for global peace and justice - starting with the girls and women in our own school.
Denis Wick (1931 - 2025)
The name Denis Wick may not be known to you unless you are a brass player, but if you are familiar with the opening titles of Star Wars, then you will have heard his dazzlingly brilliant playing. For more than thirty years, (1957-1988), Denis was the London Symphony Orchestra’s principal trombonist. Alongside the legendary trumpeter Maurice Murphy, Denis was responsible for the gloriously distinctive sound of the LSO brass which had a reputation for power and virtuosity.
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 7
This morning, some of us took these words from Matthew’s gospel to heart and launched our ‘Parent Prayer Group’ for all things Rossall.
It was a lovely opportunity to take a few minutes before heading into the business of the day to get together with other parents - and to see that many of us share similar joys and pleasures as well as troubles and concerns for our little (and not so little) ones.
In Defence of Liberalism
Failure is often seen as something to avoid, a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Yet, it is an essential part of the learning process and personal growth. The fear of failure can hold us back, preventing us from taking risks or trying new things. However, when we reframe failure as an opportunity to learn, we begin to see its true value.
The North Star
"The North Star (Pole Star)...!!!
It's a beautiful star.....somewhat isolated in the sky, and has important roles to play: in astronomy and navigation, not the least...
Latin trip - Thishani and Yesenia y12
On Wednesday 12th February, we went on a Classics Department trip to London. We set off early in the morning, taking a relatively short train journey into the city. When we arrived, we walked over to the British Museum, taking in the sights of the city along the way
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 6
Happy Valentine’s Day!
There is nothing quite like the shout of ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, Miss!’ to begin the last day of the half-term. I am not a great follower of Valentine’s traditions, but this still made me smile. So do the cards, flowers and Instagram posts that some of our students flood each other with.
Facing Fear, Embracing Challenge: Building a Growth Mindset for Lifelong Learning
Failure is often seen as something to avoid, a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Yet, it is an essential part of the learning process and personal growth. The fear of failure can hold us back, preventing us from taking risks or trying new things. However, when we reframe failure as an opportunity to learn, we begin to see its true value.
With Love From Chapel - Lent Term - Week 5
Do you own a Bible?
Somewhere in your house? Hidden in a drawer?
Chances are that you do - probably a little red one that you got given when you were starting secondary school? Maybe you had forgotten all about it and it is sitting in a box in the garage, but maybe - just maybe - some of you have opened it on occasion. Because receiving it was almost like a Rite of Passage.
Rossall Inspires Presents Mr Bignell - Generations
One of the things that I really love about being in a school is the fact that multiple generations cross paths on a daily basis; Schools provide the perfect location for the sharing of knowledge, experiences and passions and I am not just talking about lessons. It is our everyday interactions and the information goes from school staff to students and from students to school staff.
Almost Eight
Alister was almost eight years old - not seven or even seven and a half. He was almost eight and these distinctions matter when you are almost eight. Possessed of an infectious chuckle and a scampish sense of humour, Alister was a typical boy in so many ways. He loved playing with his favourite toys and he adored music. Alister enjoyed being outdoors and relished the feeling of water upon his skin or the wind rushing past his rosy cheeks. Above all else, Alister liked to play with his big brothers William and Arthur and to be held in the loving arms of Kierra and John, his mother and father. After all, he was, as Keirra often observed, their ‘lovable rogue’.
Chemistry Society - Thea Y12
Over the last two weeks, the Chemistry Society hosted two engaging and educational events for students in years 10 and 11. From advanced IB and A-Level practicals to exciting demonstrations for younger students, there has been something for everyone to enjoy!
Weekly Wellbeing
Wellbeing this term in the senior school has had a focus on recognising kindness as well as self-care. These themes were identified by our team of student Wellbeing Ambassadors as being important areas to tackle in January, which can sometimes feel like a long, dark month.
Rossall Inspire Presents Mr Dixon - Making Connections Not Walls
In assembly this week I told the School that friendships can hurt, and cause pain, but that they are worth it.
The Headmaster had reminded the School that connections within our community are special, with the relationships within Rossall being an aspect which makes it special. I very much agree, but it is easy at times to hide away for fear of hurt, and want to perhaps not connect in case of hurt.