Berkhamsted pupils ready for a new year of learning

The sun may not have been shining, but spirits were still high today as our pupils arrived for another lively year at Berkhamsted School. Across the prep and senior schools, we saw the return of many excited faces, alongside new pupils ready to get involved in school life.

At Prep, pupils hugged their parents good-bye amongst the downpour and entered their new forms with anticipation. Luckily, it did not take long for teachers to help each student settle in. Within the space of 20 minutes, each classroom had transformed into a happy, smiling group ready to embark on their new year.

Yesterday’s induction had left an infectious excitement in the air for our new Year 7s. Ready to make the leap into the senior school community, one pupil expressed her eagerness to ‘meet new people’ and ‘make friends.’ Another had decidedly sized the school up already, saying, ‘I think I’m going to like it here!’

House rooms came to life once again with the reunion of old friends and the welcoming of fresh faces. At Castle, Bartrum and Greenes have been revamped with fresh floors and a lick of bright paint. At Kings, Stephenson was also renovated, with its sunny yellows offering a pleasant contrast to the rainy weather outside.

Another renovation which had Castle buzzing with interest was the unveiling of the new Chadwick centre. Pupils bustled into the canteen, jostling to experience the open, modernised space and the delicious roast dinner on offer!

Pupils in the boy’s and girl’s senior were also treated to an inspirational assembly to set the tone for the new term. At Castle, Mr. Hockedy encouraged the boys to ‘believe,’ and the importance of hard work in developing your abilities in and outside of the classroom. At Kings, the new head Mrs. Vila shared her passion for empowering young women, sharing inspirational stories of girls as young as eleven who were changing the world.

Elsewhere, the new Zaha Hadid Sixth Form building celebrated its first, ‘first day of school,’ with Year 12s and 13s spilling into the café’s open space to reunite and socialise after a long summer away.

While starting a new year- and for some, a new school- can be daunting, our students showed their adventurous spirit as they embraced their Berkhamsted community with enthusiasm and confidence. We cannot wait to see what they will achieve this year!