Friday Flyer - 12th September 2025

Dear Michael Hall Families,

With my first full week working in Michael Hall School coming to an end, I am starting to see the rhythms, routines and cycles developing – if only the weather were as predictable! 

Whilst I am constantly seeing things that are new, I am not feeling like a fish out of water. There is much that I see that connects readily with my experience and my educational beliefs. I also instinctively relate what I see to my passions of education, physical education and geography. I look for micro and macro cycles (relating to training cycles in sport), natural patterns in our weather and plants (relating to my geographical interest) and of course the impacts of these cycles on our pupils (education remains my greatest passion). 

The concept of ‘bedding down’ in its figurative sense is important at the start of a new school year. Whilst our pupils arrive back from a variety of home lives, routines, time zones and personal rhythms, we need to create time and space for them all to bed down into the Michael Hall rhythm. We support this bedding down process through consistency as the adults around the children – we set the expectations, we create safe spaces for them to grow, we create boundaries within the age-appropriate norms, we praise when things go well, we challenge where shortcomings are seen, and we do this with a calm sense of care coupled with a strong sense of responsibility.  

The regularity we create ensures that our pupils feel safe, grounded and held in the predictability of school days. They get to experience the cycle of the week and our rich curriculum with the excitement and anticipation of what’s to come mixed with the self-discipline in managing sometimes what’s to come. With our first full week completed, I anticipate next week will be met with a calm sense of purposeful learning by all of our pupils. 

With the idea of bedding down and consistency from the adult world which protects our children, thank you for supporting the school with a routine start, leaving our pupils well rested after a good night’s sleep (8-9 hours), well fed (an army marches on its stomach), well dressed (within the school policy guidelines), well equipped to take full part in all lessons, and on time to benefit from the collective morning verse and registration. 

In a week which has seen a musical trip to London and our first basketball match of the year, it has been fantastic to feel the buzz of early year activity. Thank you to Mr Dyer, Mr Friedman, Mr Kilfiger and Mr Rolton for supporting the pupils in these ‘out of hours’ enriching events. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Stuart McWilliams
Principal