Welcome back and a very Happy new Year to you all! I hope you all had a very good Christmas break and are ready and refreshed for a new term. A new year always gives time for reflection and an opportunity to plan ahead. It is a new start for everyone and looking back on last year, we had very strong examination performance, students going to some of the best universities in the country and also an increase in the number of students attending our College. The number of students wanting to attend here has also gone up and we have been asked to take more students in September.

As you read this, we are in the last week of a very busy term. Last week alone there was a lot happening in our College. I’d like to thank you all for your participation in the carol services and for your behaviour, attitude and engagement both in the Church and on the way there and back. The orchestra and music were fantastic – my thanks to all involved. As a College, we welcome students of all faiths and none – in this respect we mirror the society we live in. We have a faith room in College, which will be opened after the Christmas break and is in the AEN corridor. It will be run by Beth Pinder from the Church for two lunchtimes per week and will be open to students of all faiths and those of no faith.