A Grateful start to the school year

The 2025 school year began a little differently for me this year — not in my ‘own’ school, but with the privilege of joining an excellent team of educators and administrators at St. Saviour's School in Lagos, Nigeria.

Every school has its own unique blend of staff, each with their own pace of learning and preferred ways of engaging. When you work within your own community, you come to know these rhythms well. But stepping into a new environment — especially straight off an 11pm flight the night before — brings with it a degree of uncertainty. It feels, I imagine, much like a stand-up comic stepping onto stage, hoping that preparation and experience will be enough to connect with the audience.

I need not have worried. From the very first session, I was welcomed in every sense of the word by a group of engaged, knowledgeable, patient, and warm professionals. How fortunate the children and families of this school are, to be supported by staff who bring such enthusiasm, commitment, and openness to professional growth, even during the busiest time of the year.

As the week has drawn to a close, colleagues have been generous in sharing their reflections, highlighting where our work together has supported and inspired their practice.

For that, I am grateful.

Those of us who teach must also remain learners. This week, I’ve not only had the privilege of working with excellent educators in a new context but also the joy of reconnecting with old acquaintances and experiencing a vibrant new part of the world.

A humbling and energising start to the year — and a timely reminder of the power of shared learning.