Dear Parents,

The Summer Holidays beckon and this letter marks the end of another busy and vibrant Summer Term. Habs is an incredibly exciting and uplifting place to be. From the Pre-Prep and the Prep right through to the Main School we are lucky to be nurturing some of the brightest and talented young minds in the UK.

You will sense a new dynamic about Habs as the drive for the highest of standards permeates every aspect of school life. Your sons have gone about their business with their usual talent, verve and good humour. Their academic endeavour, their creative energy and their personal potential is a source of great pride as they continue to enhance the school's local and national reputation in many fields. Every term brings its own highlights and I have a host of fond memories since April. I shall pick out just a few events that struck me personally and of which we should all be proud. There are many more moments worthy of recall and they are to be found on the school website which now changes almost daily.

The sense of a growing and involved community is important to us. I shall remember particularly the surprise visit of Matt Lucas (OH) who spoke brilliantly to the boys, was made an Honorary Prefect as well as receiving his Russell’s house tie and announced at 4 o’clock in the Coach Park, in his own inimitable style and to hundreds of bemused boys and girls, the departure of a new route to Peru. Then there was the recent Fraser Bird Cricket match where a memorial tree was planted by Fraser’s widow to commemorate a fixture of nearly 40 years in which hundreds of Habs cricketers have been played; this was followed days later by the CCF Annual Reunion Dinner, another institution whose many and varied activities mean an immense amount to hundreds of former and current pupils and staff. I have also very much enjoyed the Work Experience visits I made to various organisations in the City seeing how our Year 11 boys had adapted to a different regime and learning just how highly thought of they were.

I shall remember too an engaging Junior School dramatic performance of Grimm Tales and a blood-curdlingly professional Middle School Play, Sweeney Todd. I have fond memories of Mencap Funday showing the Habs community at its pastoral best; of the brilliant Music Festival won by Leland Hui; of the Year 7 to Year 10 Sports Day which was a typically fine end to House competition, exemplifying the spirit of mutual support to which we aspire; of a packed programme of summer sport with Cricket and Athletics enjoying very fine seasons in our sports grounds which have never looked more attractive thanks to our ever attentive and expert groundstaff.

We continue to be as busy as ever with new initiatives. I am deeply grateful to all of you who took the trouble to complete the Parent Questionnaires which we shall analyse carefully when the reports are received and use to help direct our future strategic planning; similarly I was pleased so many of you were able to attend the Parent Forums arranged in the Prep and Main School as your comments have been invaluable in enhancing decision-making in the areas of teaching and learning which are so important to us; your sons will notice an immense improvement in our ICT infrastructure as new hardware is installed throughout the school, our network stabilises further and our new information management system beds down.

Exceptional boys need exceptional teachers and a number of exceptional colleagues leave us this term, some for retirement, some for promotion. I know you will join me in wishing them all well. The contributions of long-serving staff such as Michael Morrish and Kay Francis have been immense. Between them all they have genuinely changed lives and I thank them for that.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to wish the 41 boys and 4 members of staff much success and enjoyment as they embark on the Rugby Tour of Chile and Argentina from 31st July until 16th August.

I hope you all enjoy an invigorating summer break and I look forward to seeing you next term.

With warmest good wishes,

Yours sincerely

Peter Hamilton
Headmaster

Click here for the routine reminders letter