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And finally... Speech Day


In the summer of 2009, the Headmaster was, as usual, stressing about the End of Year report he gives at the annual Prize Giving ceremony. I pointed out to him that content wasn’t an issue because, as the acoustics in the Sports Hall are so bad, no-one would be able to hear him anyway! That galvanised him into action and the following summer there was a flurry of activity in the Marketing and Admissions Office as we made plans for the last week of this year.


This year’s Speech Day was no exception – but this year it seemed to be so much more of an occasion as we sat in the marquee gazing out at the beautiful setting that Hallfield is so fortunate to lie in – even the passing trains added a certain charm to the proceedings!


Sitting looking across to the Botanical Gardens it seemed entirely appropriate listening to the School orchestra play an arrangement by Tony Mason of English Country Garden that followed III Allegro From Autumn from Vivaldi’s Four Season. Marianne Fitzgibbon sang a beautiful solo - Think of Me from Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera – again, a most appropriate choice for the day she and her friends were leaving School.


The speaker was Mr Richard Atkins, a Birmingham barrister, a Crown Court Recorder and Vice-Chairman of Governors at King Henry VIII School in Coventry where Mr Shackleton was Head of the Junior School prior to coming to Hallfield. He gave us a very amusing insight into his life working with the criminal fraternity of Birmingham and even demonstrated the lengthy process of donning the various articles of clothing required of barristers and judges working in the courts. These special items of office


‘The Tent ‘ as it became affectionately known, was a huge success giving the PA the opportunity to organise a wonderful end of term party with an Abba tribute band, the Year 6 parents a venue for a leavers’ party and, in the case of inclement weather, a shelter for Sports Day. As it turned out it provided an excellent way to shelter from the sun!


Speech Day is always a day of mixed emotions! Relief that another successful year has been completed; anticipation of at least six weeks of rest and recuperation with a stack of books in readiness and projects to complete – hopefully in warm, sunny weather; and sadness as we say goodbye to familiar faces, bound for pastures new.


82 The Hallfieldian


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