You might not recognise it but this is the Message version of part of Psalm 1. As a school we’re more familiar with this version of Psalm 1v3:

“They [our children]… are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither– whatever they do prospers”

There’s something special about being outside. Any bad feelings quickly dissipate and a kind of calmness fills your soul. Those of us on the 5&6 residential this year had a beautiful moment together one evening. We went for a walk at 9pm and spotted an orange glow on the horizon- it rose higher in the sky and this orange orb glittered its reflection onto the inky blackness of the sea below- we discovered this was a phenomenon known as the harvest moon where the sun has recently set and its dying rays are caught by the rising moon. In that moment every child and adult was entranced by nature’s spectacle. It could only happen because we’d decided to go outside and embrace the elements around us.

Psalm 1v3 speaks to me about our children and where we’re planting them. Sometimes, it’s tempting to think of our school as a greenhouse completely sheltering our children from the elements outside.

My journey with BCS began when my eldest daughter Sara began nursery here. I’d just trained as a lawyer but my heart pulled me towards teaching and I’ve now been part of this thriving community, as an English teacher and a parent, for the past 5 years.

I’ve come to realise that our children aren’t in a greenhouse. Yes we shelter them from what we can but they see and hear Life’s comings and goings- they share in its sadness and heartache as well as its moments of great joy and excitement.

So if it’s not a greenhouse, what then, is our school? I believe it is fertile soil, it is a place where living water is flowing.

The verse says that the blessed man is ‘planted by streams of living water’- planted suggests a planter- someone- YOU have decided this is where your child will flourish- this is where you’re going to plant them.

What are these streams of living water? I believe this is the life that flows through our school whose source is the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit who inspired Mr Moon, 25 years ago, with a vision of the heart of this school. A place where children can grow and flourish and reach their full potential. A place where each child is joined on their journey of faith by different members of staff and other students at each point in their school career who gently show them Jesus and his love for them.

I’m no biologist but I do know that there are 2 types of tree roots.

Surface roots spread out across the surface of the soil and rely on surface rainwater and chemical feeds. The plants can look impressive on the outside but once the surface nutrients disappear or there’s a water shortage they shrivel and die.

However, the taproot system goes deep under the surface and enables a plant to anchor better to the soil and obtain water from deeper sources.

I believe our children bear the fruit of their deep roots When our students go out on work experience or to other schools the feedback is always the same- there’s a maturity, a ‘depth’ to our students- they know who they are. People can tell that the Holy Spirit has impacted their lives in some way.

For those deep roots to develop we ALL have a responsibility as a school AND as parents and carers to nurture our children. We PLANT them, but we don’t then leave them to their own devices. We water and feed them – both at home and at school- we allow them to be themselves and then watch as they grow and flourish and become all that they were created to be.

I want to thank you for choosing to plant your children here. Children/ students I want to thank you for growing so beautifully.

Like a garden you’re all wildly different yet planted together in the same space; equally radiant and bursting with life.

By mrs Taylor, English teacher

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Word form the headteacher

“I was impressed with Mrs Taylor contribution to the 25 year celebration assembly and asked her to write this up in this blog.”