Introducing our whole school purpose and values
At the start of the new academic year, the Headmaster introduced Senior School pupils to the Whole School Purpose and Values. You can read his Assembly address below.
Our shared values help to forge a sense of identity and belonging, and if they are good values – and I hope that these are really good values – then they undoubtedly serve the greater good and have the power to bring happiness, confidence, success and a sense of worth that can last a lifetime.
martin boden, headmaster
Good morning and welcome back to a new academic year. I hope that you have had a lovely summer, whether at home or abroad, action-packed or chilled, spending time with family or friends, or possibly even all of the above. It’s lovely to see you all, and I hope that you are raring to go at the start of what I am sure will be a busy and exciting Autumn term. I should particularly like to welcome all those of you who are new to King Edward’s Senior School, which is around 175 pupils across different year groups, as well as some wonderful new staff, whom I will introduce later. I wish you all the best for your KES career, and I very much look forward to getting to know you and to following your progress in the months and years to come.
For me, one of the most exciting aspects of the long holiday if you are lucky enough to travel abroad is the opportunity to explore and enjoy a different culture and a different language. I have to say I was impressed yesterday when I asked one of our new Year 7 pupils whether or not he had spoken some French when on holiday in France over the summer. Yes, came the quick reply, accompanied by an example, no less: “L’addition, s’il vous plaît”, which means ‘Can we have the bill, please?’ The fact that the young man in question happily let somebody else in the family pay the bill is besides the point; he’d made an effort to speak the local language, which I’m sure was duly appreciated, and as a linguist myself I heartily approve.
Many years ago, I recall on a trip to Germany coming across a sign – written in German, of course, which is one of the languages I teach – in the old BMW Museum in Munich, which has since relocated to newer, even more hi-tech premises. This is the same BMW famed for automotive efficiency and for building, in their own words, ‘the ultimate driving machine.’ The sign was next to the area where you could hang your coats and leave bags on entering the museum and it read: “Für Wertgegenstände keine Haftung.” Now the translation of this should properly have read: “We accept no responsibility for your valuables.” Instead, what the English sign below it actually said: was “We accept no responsibility for your values.” This was, of course, just a translation error, and an almost missable one at that, but to this day I still find it amusing to speculate on the alternative meanings that could have been intended. Whose values were they talking about? Those of the visitors or the employees? Did it mean that you could behave in an uncivilised manner in the museum and the BMW directors would simply turn a blind eye or wash their hands of all immoral conduct that may take place on its premises? I imagined a group of visitors running riot, trashing historic motorcycles or graffitiing over old jet engines, with the onlooking staff shrugging their shoulders and saying: ‘If only somebody would take responsibility for their values!’ Of course, it meant none of the above, but I did find the thought of the values that one holds possibly being somebody else’s responsibility quite intriguing, and this leads me to what I want to talk to you about this morning.
What are values?
So - values: what are they exactly, and what does it mean to live one’s life by a certain set of values? When we talk about our values, we are describing a series of internalized beliefs and standards, as well as judgements about what we think is important in life. Our values act as a roadmap, or possibly a moral compass that guides us and steers our decisions and actions. They can often appear to be quite abstract ideas – concepts such as integrity, authenticity, kindness and respect, for example – but they are also designed to have practical value in support of the greater good. If someone were to ask what are the values by which you try to live your life, what comes immediately to mind, and would you say that you are successful in following these? And if so, is that all the time, most of the time, perhaps only sometimes? Hopefully not ‘never’! And where do these values come from? Parents and grandparents? Friends? Role models from different walks of life? Politicians, lawmakers and other groups in society? You don’t have to answer that! And whilst I would certainly not contend that headteachers should be solely responsible for writing the moral and cultural blueprint for how we live our lives, I do believe that schools have a very important role to play in shaping the values that we would wish to adhere to and that, when these values are shared and acted upon by everybody, they can be an incredibly powerful force for good.
Now, I’ve been fortunate to have led Whole School assemblies at KES for over 16 years, and I have probably spoken in this sports hall on well over 250 occasions, more if you include the various Sector assemblies during that time. And in the vast majority of those assemblies the message that I have usually been trying to convey has been one that relates to a value or values. Maybe not the Christmas Cracker joke assemblies, but certainly most of the others. Sometimes the messaging is explicit, sometimes a bit more nuanced or indirect, but, if you listen, it’s usually there: be nice to each other; be compassionate; value kindness and thoughtfulness; don’t act selfishly; be humble, not arrogant; work hard; cherish your individuality but never forget that you’re also part of a team, part of a community; set the right tone; lead by example; be honest; be loyal; be adventurous; don’t give up; value tolerance; be a good friend; be of service; ask not what your school can do for you, but what you can do for your school (to paraphrase a former US President). And so on. From the beginning of my time as Headmaster, I have always welcomed our new Year 7 pupils with 3 pieces of advice, 3 top tips for success, a mantra of values-focused encouragement that will serve as a template for joy and happiness. Yesterday, our new cohort did a pretty good job of recalling them: always do your best; make the most of all the opportunities that come your way; aim high for yourselves, but never forget to look out for others. And if I’m constantly giving these messages, and if my colleagues are constantly reinforcing these messages – in their assemblies, week in, week out; in their behaviour and role modelling; through our systems that seek to reward and encourage good behaviour and discourage poor behaviour; by creating a landscape of opportunity that reflects the virtues that we hold to be important – then bit by bit, week by week, year on year we help to create and reinforce the values that we hope you will embrace now and long into the future. And this isn’t just happening at the Senior School, but right across King Edward’s – at our Junior School and at the Pre-Prep with pupils as young as 3 or 4.
Our Reworked Whole School Purpose and Values
It was with that ‘Whole School’ perspective in mind that, over the course of last year, many members of the KES community – parents, pupils, teaching and support staff from across all sections of the School – contributed to a reworking of our existing sets of aims and of the different statements reflecting the School’s ethos into a single set of new values, underpinned by a newly framed ‘purpose’. The goal was to frame that ethos, that spirit, those KES values in a way that better captured that whole school perspective and which felt modern, fresh and relevant. So very similar to what we had before, but also a bit different and updated for 2024, which is what I was hinting at – for those of you with good memories and who happened to be listening – in the end of year assembly two months ago when I spoke about ‘plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose’ – the more things change, the more they stay the same; so not just yet more slightly random French.
Anyway, here are our new Purpose and Values, signed off by the Governors of the School just before the end of last term, and which I hope you feel reflect the KES ethos that you know and hopefully love. You can expect to come across these over the coming year in lots of different places and guises – in assemblies, on notice boards, on our website, in various publications and promotions:
Purpose
Through an outstanding all-round education, KES pupils acquire the tools and the confidence to flourish and be happy today and to be ready for whatever the future may hold.
We explore with our pupils, helping them to find their voice, fostering a sense of adventure, curiosity, resilience and ambition, encouraging them to do their best in all things and nurturing kindness, compassion and a sense of responsibility for others and for the world around them.
Value 1 Be the Best Version of Yourself
We believe that everybody at King Edward’s is unique, one of a kind. We see, hear and get to know them and value them as individuals. Through a rich tapestry of opportunities, we help our pupils to become self-aware, to unearth and develop their passions, talents and creativity and to fulfil their potential.
Value 2 Learn Together, Grow Together
Togetherness is at our core. We all belong and we all contribute in different ways to an inclusive and supportive community. We forge our own pathways, but we are also part of the team. Looking forwards and outwards, we believe that together we are greater than the sum of our parts and can make our world a better place.
Value 3 Always Exploring
Every experience in and out of the classroom has the power to enrich us. We believe that there is always more to explore and joy to be found on that journey. We want all our pupils to have a passion for discovery, to value knowledge, think critically, ask questions and challenge mindsets and to develop a lifelong love of learning and enquiry.
Value 4 Aim High, but Stay Humble
We have high expectations and take pride in our achievements. Through aspiration, reflection, hard work and determination come progress and success. We know that we can’t always be the best, but we can always do our best. Whilst our ambitions may be lofty, our feet are firmly grounded. Our community should be rich in opportunities and pathways but never in arrogance or entitlement. We aim high for ourselves, but we always remember to look out for and support others. We recognise our responsibility both at school and in the wider community of Bath and beyond and we embrace this with generosity and respect.
So:
1. Be the best version of yourself
2. Learn together, grow together
3. Always exploring
4. Aim high, stay humble
Our values underpin how we act, the choices that we make, the people that we become. “They are”, according to none other than the great Elvis Presley, “like fingerprints … You leave them all over everything you do.”
Our shared values help to forge a sense of identity and belonging, and if they are good values – and I hope that these are really good values – then they undoubtedly serve the greater good and have the power to bring happiness, confidence, success and a sense of worth that can last a lifetime.
Unlike the custodians of the BMW Museum back in those times of dodgy translations, I do take responsibility for your values – at least some responsibility, anyway – and I look forward to seeing you embrace these new KES values every day – in your words, in your actions, in your choices, in your relationships and, perhaps most importantly, in that vital sense of who you are, just as you always have done.
