This week, I began my conversations with Year 13 students who are ready to press “send” on their UCAS applications. It is always a joy to hear their decisions, the courses they have chosen, the universities they are excited to join, and the preparation they have undertaken to make their applications as strong as possible. Reading their references is a moment of pride, it matters that they hear the genuine admiration and care their teachers have for them.

These meetings are a powerful reminder of just how well-prepared our students are for the choices ahead. They are guided by excellent support and advice, yet ultimately choose individual pathways that truly reflect who they are and where their strengths lie. That confidence comes from knowing themselves well, having explored their interests deeply, and understanding what matters to them.

This reflection feels especially close to home this week. At the weekend, I took my own daughter to Durham University to begin her own journey. Last year, she sat where our Year 13s sit now, weighing possibilities and making choices that would shape her future. This final year at school truly does pass in the blink of an eye. Yet she made the decision that was right for her, and she is already flourishing in her new setting. Watching her step forward with such confidence reminds me why this stage of school is so important, to prepare young people not just to take the next step, but to take it with clarity and courage.

This year, our Year 13s stand where so many have stood before them, full of questions, hopes, and dreams. Soon they will be walking their own paths, carrying with them the support, guidance, and self-knowledge they have gained here.

To read all of this week’s Senior High Notes, please click here.