Dear Ash Mount Community,
As we come to the end of March, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been, in many ways, an unusual few weeks for our community.
I hope that you are all managing well with the current shift to digital learning and remote working. It can feel unfamiliar and, at times, unsettling, but it is important to remember that this is just a moment in time. Children are incredibly resilient. With the right support and reassurance, they adapt quickly and continue to grow, learn, and thrive.
For families with children in standardised exam years, I also want to offer some reassurance. Schools and principals are in close communication with examination boards, and there is a strong understanding of the challenges students may be facing. We have seen this before. During Covid, my own daughters sat their GCSEs and A Levels under very different circumstances, and everything worked out as it should. There are systems in place, and students will be supported.
Thank you as well to the families who joined us for the Lumii introduction session today. We had originally planned to introduce Lumii later in Term 3 to support students as they transition into a new school environment. However, given the current context, it felt right to bring this forward to support conversations around wellbeing now. Creating space for children to reflect, share, and feel understood is always important, and even more so at times like these.
Throughout March, our focus has been on Educating for Global Peace and Making a Better World.
In many ways, this theme has felt particularly relevant. Education plays a quiet but powerful role in shaping how young people understand the world, how they respond to challenge, and how they treat others. Through our curriculum, our pathways, and our community, we aim to help children develop empathy, perspective, and a strong sense of responsibility.
These are not abstract ideas. They are built through everyday experiences, through how children learn to listen, how they collaborate, how they solve problems, and how they contribute to something beyond themselves.
As we look ahead to April, our focus will begin to shift towards how learning connects to future pathways and real opportunities for students.
This will link closely to the Introduction to Secondary Curriculum Choices session that Tom and I will be leading later in April. During this session, we will explore how curriculum decisions open up future opportunities for students, and how we support them to make thoughtful, informed choices as they move through their education.
Alongside this, our April blogs will also begin to explore what we call the enhanced curriculum at Ash Mount.
This includes the wider opportunities that sit alongside academic learning, our clubs, squads, and academies, as well as international competitions, events, and overseas experiences. We have already secured partnerships that will allow students to take part in a range of opportunities including sport, innovation, entrepreneurship, creative design, and global collaboration.
These experiences are not add-ons; they are an important part of how students develop confidence, teamwork, leadership, and real-world understanding. They help children discover their interests, build new skills, and see how their learning connects beyond the classroom.
You will also receive our March newsletter next week, which will include further updates, including the introduction of our new Head of Language and Literacy, as well as insights into how we are continuing to build the academic and pastoral strength of the school.
I am very much looking forward to seeing many of you at our Open Day 2 on Sunday 29th March. These events are an opportunity for families to learn more about Ash Mount, and for us to listen carefully to your questions and perspectives. This kind of open dialogue is an important part of how international and IB schools continue to reflect and develop, and it also sits at the heart of being a strong community school.
As always, thank you for your continued support, your trust, and your partnership as we build Ash Mount together.
I hope the coming weeks bring a sense of calm and routine back to daily life, and I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Warm wishes,
Abigail Fishbourne
Founding Principal
Ash Mount School
