“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”– WB Yeats
I hope this weekly message finds you well. We held the first of our Admissions Events, our Open Morning on Saturday, 23 September, which was a great opportunity to celebrate our school and the wonderful education it provides.
In this respect, Marymount is somewhat of a unique offering; being an RSHM school which is part of a Global Network, all-girls, boarding and day, IB, and an international school. Each of these elements brings great richness, and together they form a unique recipe for a powerful education which prepares students for life.
As an RSHM school, we live daily the vision “that all may have life and have it to the full.” This vision compels our students not just to discover and develop their talents but to use these to make a positive impact on the world.
As an all-girls institution, our environment is tailored to empower our students to thrive educationally, emotionally, and socially. Here they are not restricted by the constraints of stereotypes. They can break boundaries in every realm, be it in the Sciences, the Arts, Leadership, or any other passion they choose to pursue.
Being a boarding and day school adds a very distinctive dimension to our community. A school that is also a home to students is special place. Our boarding community is a vibrant one where sisterhood flourishes, independence is nurtured, and valuable life skills are instilled. On Thursday evening, the Boarding community hosted their first Family Dinner of the year, where students across the grades dined together on designated ‘family tables’. The atmosphere was heart-warming, with real bonds being formed.
We regularly extol the values of the IB, and there is no doubt this is an education which reaches far beyond examinations. Through balanced and contextualised learning, we foster critical thinking, global awareness and a deep sense of purpose. Our students graduate with the knowledge, skills and values needed to make a meaningful impact on a complex and interconnected world. In the UK there is much discussion surrounding reforms to the National Curriculum. Much of this debate has centred around a move to a more baccalaureate style of education. As the first all-girls school in the UK to offer the IB back in 1979, it would seem that we were well ahead of the curve!
As an international school, we value greatly the richness this diversity brings. We foster international-mindedness; an approach which seeks to understand and value different cultures, embrace diversity and recognise that different perspectives have a great deal to offer. At Marymount, we are fortunate that international-mindedness and a global perspective are very much part of the fabric of our school.
This weekend, we witnessed the beauty of true education, one which nurtures our students to their fullest potential. I felt so blessed to be part of such a magnificent educational institution and community.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.
Warmest regards,
Mrs Margaret Giblin
Headmistress