It feels like just yesterday that we welcomed our 15 new scholars to St. Paul’s School, marking the beginning of an exciting journey. They’ve crossed the halfway point of their first term, so we wanted to take a moment to reflect on their experiences so far.
We invited 2024 entry foundation pupils to share their thoughts on how the past couple of months have been. Lara, who joined us as a Form 1 student, expressed her gratitude by saying, “Everyone here is very kind to me. I have made many friends and have learned many things that I would not have learned in a Brazilian school.”
Arthur, a newcomer in Form 4, has already jumped into extracurricular activities and joined the basketball team. He shared, “I am very grateful for the welcome from my colleagues since day one. The support I found on the basketball team helped me adapt to the new school and provided me with new friendships.” Arthur explained that representing the school in sports has not only increased his motivation but also enriched his overall school experience, creating a positive and uplifting environment.
Lorena, who joined us in Form 3, shared her perspective on the initial challenges: “Even though in the beginning things were new and challenging, I feel myself adapting more every day, and I’m starting a phase where these challenges are pushing me to want to learn even more.” Her words reflect the resilience and growth that many of our new students are experiencing.
The beginning of a new school year can be daunting for many students, which is why St. Paul’s has implemented various practices to ease this transition. Mrs. Michelle Durham, Assistant Head of Pastoral, explained, “Relevant teaching and pastoral staff are alerted when a new pupil joins the school, and Heads of Year meet with all new pupils regularly to ensure that they are settling in well. The Pastoral team meets every fortnight to discuss general year group and specific pupil support needs, focusing particularly on new pupils.” It’s great to see how these efforts contribute to a smooth transition for our new scholars.
Carolina, a new Form 3 scholar, shares a moving testimonial on how her journey has been so far. “I’ve been studying here for nearly three months, and my life has completely changed! Receiving this 100% scholarship was an amazing opportunity for me and my family. From the very first day, everyone has been so welcoming and helping me adjust. The school offers so many things I had never experienced before… There are so many activities and programs that it’s impossible not to feel motivated to give my best. I am incredibly grateful and so happy to be here, making the most of all these opportunities, and I’m very excited for everything that’s still to come!
It’s an inspiring time for our scholars, and we hope to see them thrive and flourish even more as the year progresses.