This week in our school community: 3 October 2025

...I couldn't be prouder of our wonderful students and our inspirational staff.

 

 

When people ask me what my favourite part of being a headteacher is I always answer with one word, community. This week our community has stepped up to the mark on several important occasions and I couldn't be prouder of our wonderful students and our inspirational staff. After Ms Cusack's funeral on Wednesday, the hearse was driven past St Gregory's where every member of our school family stood in utter silence and respect to say goodbye to our former head. Many of our students and plenty of staff chose to wear a splash of red in honour of Ms Cusack's favourite colour and it was so moving to see everyone commemorate her remarkable life in this way. Thank you to those families and other members of our wider community who chose to commemorate with us at St Gregory's; your presence was felt and appreciated.

We held two important open events this week - our Open Morning on Tuesday and Open Evening on Thursday. Again, our students and staff are the stars of the show. So many prospective families commented on the quality of our student tour guides, many of whom have only been in the school a few weeks but are already speaking so confidently and positively about school life. Our Year 11 1719 Prefects and our sixth form 1719 Society impressed with their hospitality skills. Moreover, our speakers at Open Evening, Co-head Prefects Emily and Tilly and our new Year 7 students Theo and India, spoke passionately in front of a large audience about their school experience. Families also commented on the quality of our teaching staff, the welcoming atmosphere of our school site and the impeccable behaviour on display at both Open Events.

The week ended with a fun and competitive House Cross Country event and congratulations to all winners who have earned House Points for their respective Houses. There are still plenty of House events this year so keep trying your hardest to earn those points.

To end I will leave you with this: towards the end of Ms Cusack's funeral, Fr Richard read a poem by William Ross Wallace about the powerful role of women who make a mark in our world in so many different ways. Here is the opening verse to reflect on as we remember the huge impact Ms Cusack had on our school community:

BLESSINGS on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace.

In the palace, cottage, hovel,

oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it,

Rainbows ever gently curled,

For the hand that rocks the cradle

is the hand that rules the world.

Mrs Melissa George (BA Hons, MA, PGCE) 

Headteacher