By Jen Bennett, Senior Deputy Head (Learning)
One of the most heartening aspects of this session has been watching our new co-educational Senior School community take root and flourish so naturally. While the move to co-education represents a significant new chapter in the life of ESM, the values that sit at the heart of great learning have remained constant. In many ways, it feels as though we have planted a new garden, only to discover that the soil was already rich with all the ingredients needed for growth.
Recent staff feedback on the co-educational classroom experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Colleagues have spoken warmly about their classes and highlighted the many strengths our students bring to their classrooms each day. They describe young people who are engaged, thoughtful and respectful, who listen carefully to one another, and who are increasingly confident in contributing their ideas. There is a willingness to be brave, to test thinking, and to learn from one another, and this is helping to create vibrant and intellectually curious classrooms. This sentiment was also reflected by our Student Learning Focus Group members.
As part of our commitment to excellence, our Senior and Middle Leaders undertake regular Learning Walks and lesson observations. These are structured visits to classrooms that allow staff to observe learning in action, gather insights into students’ experiences, and promote effective teaching practices. Having had the privilege of completing over 40 visits during our first eight weeks as a newly merged school, I have been continually impressed by what I have seen. Across subjects and year groups, students are not merely participating in their learning but actively driving it forward. Their enthusiasm, determination, and resilience are evident everywhere. Particularly pleasing is the quality of the questions they ask! These thoughtful, probing and often challenging questions are the signposts of deep learning, revealing students who are curious, reflective and eager to understand the world more fully.
Behind this strong start lies the considerable professional learning undertaken by staff over the past three years. Like skilled craftspeople refining their tools, our teachers have worked carefully to strengthen the approaches that best support student success. Daily retrieval practice, where students recall previously learned information from memory, rather than simply re-reading or re-learning it, is helping knowledge take root and endure. Effective scaffolding and thoughtful challenge are enabling every learner to make progress, while the wide range of support available beyond the classroom, from teacher drop-ins to the Study Hub, provides an additional safety net and springboard for success. Together, these approaches create a consistent learning experience that feels established, confident and purposeful.
Importantly, our conversations with students, alongside feedback from the recent Senior School Settling In Student Survey, tell a very encouraging story. Students report that they feel happy, settled and connected. There is a strong sense that they belong, that they are known by their teachers and peers, and that they are thriving both academically and personally.
Of course, none of this happens in isolation. One of the greatest strengths of ESM is the partnership between school and home. The routines, encouragement and support that parents provide each day, creating quiet spaces for study, helping healthy habits to take root, celebrating effort and perseverance, and showing a genuine interest in learning, all help to build the foundations on which success grows. We are deeply grateful for the role our parents play in nurturing the conditions that help every young person achieve their best.
As we look ahead, there is a real sense of momentum across the Senior School. The seeds of curiosity, ambition and belonging are already taking hold, and we are excited to see how they continue to grow throughout the year. The future is bright, and we look forward to supporting our students as they continue their learning journey with confidence, optimism and enthusiasm.
