Mrs Howard led our assembly on Monday this week, referencing the Random Acts of Kindness Week this year, which was in fact over half term. This fitted in very beautifully with ‘Widening Horizons’, our assembly theme for this term. She explained that amongst the many ways we might define kindness, it is likely most often characterised by ‘giving without the expectation of getting anything back’.
Since September Mrs Howard has been carrying out a root-and-branch review of the pastoral care we provide at our School. This is not because she felt there was any shortfall, rather she believes – as do I – that some considered self-reflection alongside some equal amount of scanning the horizon to see what else is out there that is excellent, which ought to be happening here, is characteristic of any excellent thoughtful and forward-facing outfit (which is what I happen to think we are!) At this point in her review process Mrs Howard also shared with the boys the results of a survey she had asked them to take, and it was so thrilling to see how frequently the boys chose to describe our School as ‘a very kind place’.
We learnt what it is that sometimes holds us all back from being kind all the time, then Mrs Howard introduced us to the notion of ‘kindness being contagious’. Random acts of kindness are the perfect way of spreading the kindness contagion of course, and she left us all with the challenge to carry out a few of those acts, well, for ever more! Do ask your children if they have considered further how they might be seeking to act kindly, with no expectations of anything coming back their way. I would be fascinated to hear what they had to say about that…
