Weekly Newsletter

A warm welcome back!

I’ll admit it, I really do have the greatest job in the world. There is nothing quite like the first day of a new academic year, full of possibility and excitement, to remind us why we are here and our purpose for the year ahead which is to give every child a world class education and experience.

Over the summer, we have invested significantly in our site and completed some exciting projects. Designing innovative school spaces has always fascinated me, and I can’t recall a summer in the past 20 years when I haven’t been part of a major development.

Innovation is often associated with technology, but just as powerful is the role of design thinking in creating environments that inspire learning. At Broomfield, we have embraced this approach over the past five years, re-imagining our environment while preserving the history and traditions that give our buildings their unique character. From refurbished Early Years classrooms, the library and now famous ‘pond patch’, to communal areas, full classroom makeovers, and enhanced technological capability, each project has been guided by empathy for the user, our children and teachers, and a belief that (as we teach the children) challenges can be reframed as opportunities.

Just before midnight on Wednesday, we put the finishing touches to the new Harrow House spaces. In my experience, no one is more honest than a three year old, so I confess I was anxious to see their verdict. Thankfully, the children are delighted (Phew!) and we are now officially home to, ‘probably the best toilets in any school, quite possibly in the world!’.

Thoughtful design fosters engagement, collaboration, and joy. Every detail matters, because children deserve the very best conditions in which to flourish. At its heart, this is design thinking in action, with a touch of Farrow and Ball for good measure. Having spent more hours than I’d like to admit in their design stores over the summer, if I were ever called onto Mastermind (unlikely), their colour chart might just be my specialist subject.

Over the past five years, sustainability has also been a key strategic priority for us. We have been on a journey to make the school far more energy efficient, with the aim of eliminating our reliance on gas across the site. I am therefore pleased that the work completed this summer brings us much closer to that ambition. We now have only two small boilers remaining and a single gas oven, which will also be replaced soon. We will continue to focus on improving the sustainability credentials of our school site, ensuring that progress in this area remains a central part of our long term vision.

This term also marks the opening of our new Rising 3s space, where we are thrilled to welcome new families and new colleagues. Joining the Early Years team are Mrs Audrey Bradley and Mrs Ann Wong.

Mrs Bradley, who will be based in Pre-Kindergarten and the Rising 3s, brings over 18 years experience in Early Years education, most recently as Lead Teacher and Head of Training at Sheen Montessori Nursery. She is a fully qualified teacher with an International Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy and a Montessori leadership coaching qualification, and completed her teaching induction at University College London.