“Thank you for your creativity, your immense hilarity, your spirituality and your wit” – Mrs Raffray
Upper VI began their last day of school yesterday, Thursday 25th May 2017, with a Farewell Assembly. They began by reciting a poem they had written about their time at the school. Each line celebrated something that they had learned about themselves or the school in the academic years starting in Prep I and running all the way through to Upper VI. They then gave thoughtful gifts to all their teachers, thanking them for the love and support they had provided over the years, and presented Head Girl Erin Costello with flowers. Mrs Raffray thanked the Head Girl and Deputies, congratulating them on “redefining what we expect form our Priory 6 Leadership Team”.
‘Good friends we have to part
but we are all ready for our new start
as we head our own way we look back fondly on our stay
as we stand here and try not to cry
we know it is our time to say ‘goodbye’’
The girls spent the first part of the morning preparing their ‘hands’ – the tradition in which the Upper VI leavers write down their wishes and prayers for the future and, accompanied by Mrs McDermott, Head of Religious Studies, tied the messages to a tree in the field after their Upper VI Leavers’ Mass later in the day. A note on the tree reads “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has equipped us to be our way of life”, from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 2:10.
To give the girls a chance to relax and say ‘goodbye’ before they go on study leave, Ms Hagerty arranged for them to spend the rest of the day singing karaoke, winning the ritual Upper VI vs. Staff rounders match and enjoying a ‘Disco Dome’ and ‘Mega Slide’ set up in the meadow. They returned to school in the evening with their parents for the Upper VI Leavers’ Mass, which was concluded with a hearty rendition of “You shall go out with joy”, complete with clapping. The resonating message around this day was that ‘you will always have a place at the school’.
On the balcony outside the Priory 6 Common Room
Categories: Faith Life Sixth Form Whole School