Finally signs of Spring are here and the seasons are shifting. The days are feeling a little longer, and warmer days are creeping in. Our magnificent magnolia tree here at The Abbey has buds just waiting to blossom. There’s a wonderful sense of anticipation, including for events ahead – Speech Day, Gym and Dance shows, alumnae reunions, and our prestigious Jo Trott Memorial Lecture to name a few. It also means that exam season is approaching, our Upper Sixth are edging towards the end of their time with us and the start of the school year doesn’t actually feel that long ago. 

As the seasons shift, I’ve been thinking about the constants, and how much they unite us as a community. The deep roots grown from spending time at The Abbey that become embedded within us, intertwined and can weather all seasons – just like the magnolia.

Constants that keep us grounded, often without even realising, when we’re in constant motion. And that is where I invite you to make time to soak up the little things, things we often take for granted, which actually shape core memories and give us an anchor in the wonderful community that is The Abbey. 

There was a joyous, surreal moment during alumna Jenni Falconer’s first return to The Abbey after 30 years. Jenni had generously given up her time to talk to students about her hugely successful broadcasting career and it had been an inspiring evening with a wonderful, warm atmosphere. Dr Tullis and I were walking Jenni out at the end of the evening, strolling along the corridor from Richards Hall to Hardcastle Hall without giving it a second thought, only to turn around and realise that Jenni was completely overjoyed by the corridor. In that moment, she was being flooded with memories and associations with The Abbey and you could literally see the joy that connection was giving her.

During her talk, Jenni shared a memory about queuing to use the payphone in the Hardcastle Hall at lunchtimes. So many people started chatting about this phone box after Jenni mentioned it, that we went in search of a photograph of it which we posted on our alumnae Facebook page. It was amazing to see so many comments quickly posted in response. Who knew a simple payphone could conjure up so many shared, entertaining memories and connections! 

It’s the simple things, the day-to-day actions and places on which we spend time which, perhaps without us even realising, imprint so deeply and unite us in shared moments and memories. When you walk around school at lunchtime you can see the places that friendship groups always gather, the areas of the sixth form centre where you know you’ll always spot the same students. As the school bid farewell to Stan during a special assembly before half term, you could see the impact he had made on students and the power that his daily wave and smile at the start of a day on the gates had on hundreds. 

So soak it up – the smells, the favourite spots, the routine, the people you pass every day. These moments are creating lifetime connections and memories that will always help you to feel grounded, safe and at peace. 

We will all pass through so many seasons, including personally – seasons of growth, consolidation, difficulty, success – but The Abbey sets students up to weather them all. The roots and connections that you grow here allow you to blossom, as well as establish a community for life. Friendships that can last a lifetime, the confidence to follow your dreams, a love of learning to set you up for success, the support of teachers that made you believe in yourself. Our shared experiences and memories make ties that never leave you. 

The doors of The Abbey are always open to our community. In a couple of weeks we will be welcoming back alumnae on our annual Magnolia Tea & Tours. It will be a pleasure listening to the memories shared on that day, triggered from walking into old classrooms, the gymnasium and lunch halls. Appreciating the little things that years ago felt so routine, and yet, beautifully tie us all together as a community for life.

So as Spring starts to take hold in the midst of another busy, exciting term, I invite you to take a moment to pause. Consider what are the day-to-day things in your life that you haven’t stopped to think about how much you appreciate for a while? They may be what you value most in thirty years from now.

Julia Wootton, Head of Engagement and Development