The weather required a change of venue but there was no change in the usual warmth of the welcome extended to our new Year 7 families and those joining us at Stanmore 7-12 from our Lindfield and Wyvern Campuses. Deputy Headmaster, Mr David Roberts joked that the parents took “longer than the boys to quieten for assembly”, when he tried to break into their enthusiastic conversations in order to get proceedings underway.

Welcomed on entry by the staff of the Newington Community and Development Office, families were gifted with a packet of seeds to grow, symbolic of their new relationship now beginning with the Stanmore 7-12 campus. This Office supports the Parents and Friends’ Association and in particular the Support Groups and Associations that work alongside Co-curricular activities. Mr David Sanders the new President of the Parents and Friends’ Association, encouraged parents and carers to sign up for involvement in Saturday sport groups, Creative Arts and New Women as a perfect way to “get to know other families, and to feel a connection to a strong community”.

In the Headmaster’s welcome he too clarified, “Don’t be a stranger. This is the type of school where you can come up and say hello when you see me around…or if you see me at Sport on a Saturday,” and he pointed out the advantages of being in a warm and inclusive community, and in a school that celebrates diversity.  

The Jazz Band set a swing beat throughout the rest of the event for the guests to mingle with each other, and also introduce themselves to members of the Secondary Leadership Team, other Middle Leaders, all the Year 7 Mentors and Mrs Colleen Scalone, who all stayed for the event.  

The Community and Development Office and the Parents and Friends’ Association representatives flagged the event ‘a success’ with volunteer lists filled in and plenty of basil and chive seeds, soon to be sprouting, in Newington families’ herb gardens this summer.