It was wholesome vibes only on Friday 29 September and Friday 13 October as we held two Lower School Grandparents’ Mornings. This was a first of its kind for Shiplake as we welcomed loved ones and grandparents of our Year 7 and Year 8 pupils to the College.
On each morning, the Headmaster, Mr Tyrone Howe, welcomed the special visitors, however this was very much an informal event. There were refreshments on hand and soon enough, the Great Hall was buzzing with the sound of Lower School pupils and their loved ones meeting and catching up. The pupils then became tour guides as they showed off their school to their relatives.
On the day of the Year 7 Grandparents’ morning, the beautiful weather provided an excellent opportunity for everyone to have photos in front of the magnificent Skipwith building on the terrace, and whilst the Year 8 morning started with rain, it stopped just in time as the tours came to an end.
The tours were a wonderful opportunity for everyone to visualise the College after hearing so much about it from our youngest pupils. For some it was their first visit and others had only ever seen certain parts of the site. Some had already had a long history with the College having been current Shiplake parents themselves, with their Old Viking children now current Shiplake parents themselves. For others, it also gave them the opportunity to view the College in a different light and context after visiting the grounds for other reasons such as weddings. Seeing the College on a school day with pupils around adds to the feel and atmosphere that defines what Shiplake College is all about.
We've received some wonderful feedback from the grandparents on how much they enjoyed their visits, including one commenting: "Thank you for the most wonderful opportunity to visit the school. I was so impressed by the inspiring talk by Mr Howe and on walking around by the smart appearance and behaviour of the pupils. [My granddaughter] obviously loves her new school and she is indeed very privileged to be a student there."
Our first Grandparents’ Mornings were a big hit and the initiative has quickly become one of our favourite occasions; we can’t wait to hold one again next year as this feel-good event is sure to remain in the calendar!
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