Hello Everyone,
I’m extremely excited to be talking to you today.
Unfortunately, due to the current circumstances surrounding
covid 19, I could not be with you all for Leavers Evening.
Firstly, I would like to thank Miss Sawyer and Miss Rivers for
the opportunity. I can’t believe it has already been a whole
year since I left SPS. I still think fondly about my days at SPS
and cherish the memorable moments, which I’ll never forget.
I want to congratulate you all on your hard work getting
through year 6 which I’m sure at times would have been
challenging given the circumstances. I’m sure you all did your
best.
When I knew my primary school days were over, I knew a
new chapter was about to begin in my life and that is the
same for you. I am sure you all have worries about going to
Secondary, same as I did when I left Primary. I had the same
apprehensions about settling in a new school, making new
friends, knowing the teachers and adjusting to new
schedules, be it travel or homework. I was in exactly the
same place as you.
One of my main worries was whether I would be able to
make friends quickly. There was only one other girl I knew
that was going to my school and she wasn’t even in my class.
Luckily the school had many group activities organised for us
as oppose to starting lessons straight away. This included a
day out at Thames mariners which made us all gel together
really well as a group.
The teachers were incredibly understanding and they fully
appreciated our concerns and helped us settle in and find our
way around the school. They were very lenient for the first
few months whether it was being slightly late coming into
school or submitting homework as they understood this was
a challenging time for us while we were settling into a new
routine. Of course, with time, the workloads increased but it
was always a smooth transition which made it easy for us to
adjust. Our seniors also made us feel welcomed and were
always there to help us if we needed help or had any doubts.
Independent travel is another aspect which I’m sure some of
you might experience for the first time. It took me about a
week traveling along with my parents before I could do it
independently. But once I started traveling on my own it
made me feel responsible and a lot more confident. I never
felt lonely even in the early days as I always had someone
who lived close by who became my travel buddy. Later on, as
I made more friends from my form and year to travel with,
the experience became even more exciting.
The main advice I would give is to stay confident, relax and
do not worry too much. It’s a very exciting journey and there
will always be someone to help you at every step. Lastly,
never forget your friends, always keep in touch with them
and cherish your memories at SPS. I wish you all the best for
your future and I am sure you will all go on to do great things.
All the very best for this exciting journey.
Thank you.