This week in assembly I began with three pictures on the screen, a buffalo, a stick of rock and Dr Seuss, and I explained that there was something linking them all. That link is the idea of being yourself. We began with the buffalo, who always move together in a herd. It reminded us how easy it can be to follow others without thinking. Dr Seuss gave us a wonderful reminder: “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you.” Every child is unique, from their fingerprints to their personalities, and that is something to be celebrated. Like the letters that run all the way through a stick of rock, our values should run through us, shaping the way we live and the choices we make. The challenge is to hold onto those values, even when it is tempting to copy others. My message was simple: be yourself, stand out, don’t just follow the herd.

At Derby High School, knowing the individual is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that understanding each child, who they are, what matters to them, and what shapes them, is the foundation for helping them flourish. When we take the time to truly see and listen to each pupil, we create the conditions for them to grow with confidence, purpose and integrity. It is this commitment to understanding and valuing every child that underpins all we do as a school and makes our community a place where individuality can thrive.

To read more of this week’s Primary High Notes,  please click here.