From The Head - Friday 1st March 2024

From The Head - Friday 1st March 2024

Julia Langford, Headteacher of The Ryleys School, a private school in Alderley Edge, Cheshire

It's been wonderful to return to school after half term and finally reach March which feels like a huge turning point in the year. The month of March symbolically represents new growth, fertility, and creation.

Its meaning embodies a kind of reigniting of the hearts and when we can once again enjoy the lighter mornings and evenings resulting in longer days, it certainly makes a difference to our wellbeing and mindset. By the end of February, I think everybody is just about hanging on!

Across cultures, light is an ancient symbol of understanding and intellectual thought: it is the opposite of ignorance, or darkness. Almost universally, the dark is considered to be frightening and sinister, associated with things we cannot understand. Light is said to conquer darkness and to bring order out of chaos.

Light is often used as a symbol of hope because it represents illumination, clarity, and the possibility of new beginnings. Witnessing nature spring back to life with the leaves and blossom on the trees, and shoots pushing out of the ground, really does make everyone feel more hopeful and brighter.

We are really looking forward to the lighter (and hopefully warmer!) months ahead and making the most of our lovely outdoor spaces in a variety of ways with the children. There is so much to look forward to!

Have a lovely weekend.

Julia Langford
Headteacher