There is a certain cocktail of joy and terror served up when staging a whole school photograph. 

Yesterday, the entire Abbey community took a sip of that very cocktail, as we aimed to assemble a human tapestry spanning an age range of over 70 years between the youngest and oldest present. Placed in, for some, a nauseating position at the top of the scaffolding, nearly an hour before the shutter clicked, the exercise effectively doubled as a masterclass in resilience and stamina for a batch of our Sixth Form students; whilst an audible “Ahh” echoed through the entire school as our Little Knellies arrived to take their places.  

This moment of sweetness distracted me from my own dark thoughts. Firstly, whilst some members of the assembled school worried about what a very faint breeze may have been doing to their hair, I recollected that, four years ago, the final print revealed that my own bald head rather stood out: I cursed myself for not chalking it this time round. Secondly, it struck me that if anyone were ever inclined to rob a school, this would be the optimum window. With almost every one of us accounted for outside, the corridors were deserted. A thief could have happily walked out with laptops, stationery supplies, and my teaching colleagues’ snacks from the staff room! 

This grand tradition is deeply woven into the school’s history. In our museum, the oldest whole-school photo on display dates back to 1920. It’s a fascinating historical artifact, not least because it features a hearty handful of boys and a Jack Russell Terrier, both of which seemed entirely incapable of actually looking at the camera. 

Yet, for all the logistical headaches, threat of robbery, and our urge to repeat traditions, there is something special about these actual moments. Our wonderful school typically moves at a dizzying pace – our days are dictated by timetables, clubs, rehearsals, sports fixtures and meetings. Having the opportunity for us all to gather in one place and pause, even if only fleetingly, is increasingly rare and these moments should be cherished.  

As we did just that yesterday, I wondered what the photographer looking back at every face saw and thought? I hope he saw what makes us special as a school: from the wide-eyed nursery pupils just beginning their journey, and the poised young adults already looking towards their next steps, right up to our most experienced and long-serving staff members, yesterday was a powerful reminder and statement of the enduring strength, continuity, and shared spirit of The Abbey.