Thoughts from the Study
Celebrating 150 Years of Broomfield
Last Friday morning, as parents arrived at drop off, we quietly began our year of celebration by sharing handmade Broomfield biscuits, a small gesture to say thank you for being part of this wonderful community. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting way to begin marking 150 years of our school than by celebrating the people who make it what it is, our families.
It has been a very busy few weeks of welcoming prospective local families into the school for tours, and I have found myself telling the same story again and again, that while Broomfield may be a small and boutique school, it has a global reach. It’s surprisingly common for me to meet Broomfield alumni (or Bloomfieldians, as we like to call them) who are more than happy to share their fond memories of being here.
As you will hopefully know, this year marks an extraordinary milestone,150 years of Broomfield. We are immensely proud of our rich heritage, but equally of our forward-thinking spirit, which allows us to honour long held traditions while continuing to evolve, innovate and prepare children for the world they are growing up in.
Over the course of the year, we will be hosting a range of events, activities and community initiatives to mark this brilliant occasion. We will also be actively reaching out to our alumni to hear their stories and memories of the the people, teachers and moments that shaped their lives. Our school’s history is made up of thousands of these individual stories, and we are excited to share them as part of our celebrations.
One such story found me quite unexpectedly earlier this week. As I stood on the gate on Monday morning, a car pulled over on Princess Road and beckoned me over. Expecting a parking query, I was instead greeted by an ex-parent whose four children had all been through the school. What I thought would be a brief exchange over parking turned into a lovely conversation and an invitation for her to come in soon for tea and to share her memories, something I very much look forward to. Moments like this remind me how deeply people’s connection to this school runs, often spanning generations.
I am often asked on tours what makes Broomfield different from other schools in London, or what our USP is. My answer is always the same, it’s culture and community. These two almost intangible pillars are what make Broomfield so distinctive. They define who we are, how we teach, and how we treat one another. But, of course, it is also your children. Your children amaze us every day, they are brilliant, funny, curious, determined and happy in school. It is a real privilege for all of us here to teach them, to encourage them and to inspire them, just as they inspire us.
This year also coincidentally marks a milestone for me personally, with it being my 20th year working in education. From starting out teaching in an inner-city senior state school in the Midlands, to teaching GCSE and A Level in a 3–18 independent school, to working at a Harry Potter style boarding school in Sherborne, Dorset, I can’t help but look back and feel immensely grateful. The last six years for me in London have been spent at what I truly believe is the very best prep school in the world. I absolutely love my job, and a big part of that is the sense of togetherness and shared purpose that defines this community, the purpose to give your children the very best prep school experience possible.
Earlier this week, I also spoke with a Broomfield alumnus who now holds a senior role at St Paul’s Boys’ School. James attended Broomfield House before moving to Colet Court in 1985, later becoming Captain of Golf and a 1st XI cricketer at St Paul’s. After graduating from St Andrew’s University and working in event management, James moved into the charity sector before returning to St Paul’s as Associate Director of Alumni Relations. Incredibly, he was part of the support team for Row2Recovery, a group of injured soldiers who rowed 3000 miles across the Atlantic and raised £1 million for charity. It turns out that’s how he knows my brother, another Mr Anstey, who was one of the rowers!
Stories like these remind me just how far Broomfield’s influence extends, and how the spirit of kindness, courage and connection continues long after pupils leave our gates.
That same spirit is reflected in our mission to be a force for good in our local community. It is evident in all you do as parents, through your support of the PTA (we have a superb PTA!), your generosity at school events, and the way you look out for one another. Next week, we will celebrate one of Broomfield’s most cherished traditions, our Harvest Assembly. This is always a highlight of the first half of term, as our Year 6 prefects (that’s every member of the class) deliver our beautifully hand packed harvest boxes to elderly members of the Kew community, in partnership with The Kew Society.
For some of our local residents, this small gesture is the highlight of their year. It makes such a difference to morale and that sense of being thought of, when our children, dressed smartly in their heritage red uniform, knock on their door and hand over a box of delicious goodies. In the grand scheme of things, it might seem a small act, but it is these small acts of kindness that create the ripple effect that flows through our community. If we all do more acts of kindness like this, we contribute to something much bigger and a genuine sense of flourishing for all.
Over the coming months, both the school and the PTA will be in touch with details of our 150th anniversary celebrations, and we would love as many of you as possible to be involved.
Finally, if you or someone you know is a former Broomfieldian, we would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch to share your stories and memories, they are such an important part of who we are and what makes Broomfield so special.
All the best for the weekend,
Mr Anstey
Heasdmaster
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