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As I wrote in my last Heads-Up! piece, time seems to move especially quickly in schools. For Graeme McQueen, our Head of Development and Alumni and teacher of history, time has passed particularly rapidly. After 33 years’ service to Warminster, Graeme leaves us at the end of this term in order to relocate to France and spend more time with his family who already reside there. In speaking to Graeme, he feels like it was only yesterday that he arrived at the School and yet over three decades later, he is departing. To attempt to sum up Graeme’s full contribution to the School here would be unwise and rather reductive – there will be opportunities to do so in better forums nearer the time of his departure. In recent years in addition to teaching history and being part of the admissions team, it is his work in helping to reinvigorate the Old Verlucian network that stands out. Without Graeme’s charm, affability and knowledge, the School would be in a much poorer place in terms of our alumni engagement. Graeme has taught thousands of pupils in his time and the fact that so many now want to come back and be involved in the School, is a testament to his warmth and character. There will be a considerable gap to fill, and if anyone is irreplaceable it is probably Mr McQueen. I’m sure you will join me in wishing Graeme all the very best when the time comes to make the move to France.
Term is always three weeks underway and so much has happened. We have just said goodbye to our visitors from Zaragoza and Shanghai who enjoyed their time with us; I know our pupils will also have got a lot from the experience. Our ability to meet, work and play with people from all over the world makes Warminster a special place. The diversity of our population which encompasses over 30 nationalities, and our understanding of other countries and cultures, helps us to be a little window on the world in West Wiltshire.
In addition to Spain and China we also have one or two friends from North of the Border, including the aforementioned Mr McQueen. So, in a nod to him and also to fill the gap created by the unfortunately cancelled WSPA event on Saturday night, I will leave you with some Robert Burns. The last stanza of his poem ‘To a Louse’ dwells on the idea that we would be much better off if we could see ourselves as others see us. As we continue to create a tolerant, diverse and compassionate community at Warminster, the idea of self-awareness that Burns espouses is a useful one to consider.
O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An’ foolish notion:
What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,
An’ ev’n devotion!
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