Conclusion

Easter is very late this year and, as a consequence, Ash Wednesday is not until the 9th March. This will, however, give us the opportunity to offer all our young people the choice of receiving ashes. There will be no compulsion, but our Ashes service will be emphasising the importance of Lent to all of us in considering where our lives are going. Yes, we will be encouraging your sons and daughters to give up their packet of crisps a week and donate the money to our CAFOD charity. This is traditional in Lent, but we will also be looking at much more fundamental issues. Lent is somewhat of a sombre time and, particularly with young people, it can be depressing if one harps on about how life is short and how little time we have on earth, regardless of how long that time is. This is not what we will be doing. What we will be doing is suggesting that in this precious life we have, when it is over it is not the two or three houses we have, the two cars we own or the three or four holidays a year we enjoy, that we will be remembered for. We will, however, be remembered for what we did for others and how much we contributed to the quality of life of other people. That is not to say we must not enjoy life ourselves, but we must also be aware of our responsibilities as part of a community and part of a family. Bringing peace and happiness to others, as well as to ourselves, is a Lenten intention that many of us could benefit from. We won’t always succeed, but what is important is we try and if we do fail we pick ourselves up and try again. This is the message we will be giving your sons and daughters, and we hope you can join us in persuading them that this is the recipe for a successful and fulfilling life, even more than all the material goods many of us enjoy.

On a personal note, many thanks for all the prayers, good wishes and cards I have received. Both myself and my family are so grateful for the support of the St Peter’s community through what has been a difficult 2010. I hope to be back at school in the not too distant future and I hope then I will be able to have an uninterrupted run of working with your sons and daughters. I trust you have also noted that the school has not suffered at all from my absence. Philip Rush, the senior team and, indeed, all the staff, have done an absolutely magnificent job in ensuring that my absence has not been missed and that it has not, in any way, affected your sons and daughters education.

Yours sincerely




Lawrence Montagu
Headteacher