Dear Parents,
And that was The Beacon Autumn Term 2024. As the longest of the three terms, we took that opportunity to fill every week with all manner of events and initiatives that make this school such a vibrant, exciting and enjoyable experience. If one was looking for a reference point to typify The Beacon, look no further than this past week’s Christmas concerts and Carol Services – as enjoyable and polished as you could wish to see. My mother, who attended the Middle and Upper School Carol Service was suitably impressed. That means a lot to me boys so thank you; we always want to make our mothers proud…
Another example of ‘The Beacon at its best’ was on show last Saturday with the BPS Christmas Fair. With over 1200 in attendance, the school lends itself so well to those sort of events and it was great to see so many parents, staff and boys helping out with a whole variety of stalls. Early indications are that over 15k was raised which must be some sort of record. Apologies for my malfunctioning payment machine for the Christmas photos. If you are on Joseph’s ‘IOU’ list, please either pay the money directly into the BPS account (Account name: The Beacon School Parents’ Society; Sort code: 30-91-91; Account number: 19914268) or come into the front office and scan your card on the brand new, and working, payment machine.
We say au revoir today to Madame Fiona Jones after 16 years at The Beacon and encourage her to keep in touch with our school having been such a large part of its recent history. Next term we welcome Madame Corinne Labourdette as her replacement as Head of MFL, and also a welcome back to Mrs Jane Voneshen who returns from maternity leave to work part time, alongside Mrs Alicja Knap in the Music Department, who has done such a splendid job in Jane’s absence.
I wish you all a happy holiday. As I continually say, with our family having now been 11 years without one, I would like a dog for Christmas, preferably another Tibetan Terrier, just like Alexander Leaf’s in 6TP. I won’t get one of course, Brigid says our life is too complicated as it is, but I will settle for having Patrick home from university so the whole Baker flock is back together. Thank you for your friendship and support this term; my colleagues and I are very fortunate to work with such great people in the common aim of creating the very best educational environment for your boys. My thanks, as always, to our ever enthusiastic, creative, capable and entertaining staff who make working here such a pleasure. Enjoy your brilliant Beacon boys over the next few weeks; they have been their usual superb company this past term and we all look forward to being together once again in 2025.
Merry Christmas!
Nick Baker