Invicta Vlogs
Not only have we had a good weekend weather wise, but it has been lovely to sit in the garden and watch a couple of blackbirds go back and forth to their nest to feed their young.
Their charming behaviour is designed to elicit our attention and sympathy to their parents who work so hard to ensure that they are safe and fed. This led me to think about the fledglings in the nest - both how vulnerable they are and yet, how they grow so quickly. I did not know, until I looked it up, that Blackbirds are flightless at first, but within a week, will have learned to fly. By this time, they begin to experiment with foods, learning by trial and error what is edible. As their skills and confidence grow, they begin to explore their parents' territory and range more widely. The young become independent three weeks after leaving the nest! This is such an incredibly quick space of time!
The concept of growth and independence in these birds made me think about how our present Year 7 have absolutely ‘flown’ this year! On Friday, Zara, a student from Year 7 accompanied me to Yalding Primary school to see our ‘new’ Year 7, who will start in September 2015. Not only was Zara confident talking to me, telling me about her family and friends, along with asking me me lots of questions about being a Headteacher of Invicta, but she was a superb ambassador for our school – explaining to the ‘new’ girls her experiences of her first year along with alleviating their fears. Zara has undoubtedly, developed new skills and grown in confidence. I can remember visiting her this time last year at Yalding – quiet and timid; now she is able to hold a conversation with humility and interest, travel to school independently and, with confidence, act as a ‘sister’ to those younger than her. I cannot be anything other than impressed with her empathy of others and her willingness to impart her knowledge. It is such an accolade! This ‘growth’ and ‘independence’ – much like the Blackbird – is amazing. In a similar vein, Mrs Dixon, Lead Teacher of Geography, told me that on the Year 7 Boxley Trip, our girls ‘oozed’ the confidence that we have as a core value at Invicta. They were independent and genuinely exploring their tasks extremely well. I do not think that their independence is quite as quick or as risky as the Blackbird, but one thing for sure, is that they are very much the confident role models for our ‘new’ Year 7. It makes me so proud. As we welcome our Alumni this Friday, I hope that they will also reflect on how they have ‘gown’ and ‘flown’ as a result of the ‘Invicta experience’!
