We are naturally social animals. From this flows so much of our development: the ability to communicate and hence to speak, to manipulate tools and work together and hence to develop more inventive brains, to see well and in colour so that we can develop imagery and art…It is all there. Hence, we can cooperate and collaborate, and even compete, in sophisticated ways.

However, for all of our sociability, we are also individuals and have responsibility for what we say and do. In fact, we only really can control ourselves. This is one of the great challenges for parents, as they watch their children grow: to realise they have their own minds and we can only do so much to help and guide them. Still, personal responsibility is a great thing. It allows us to improve ourselves and our actions, as the Dalai Lama says.

Here at Rokeby, we come to the end of a full and vibrant term. Whether seeing boys compete or cooperate, or even both (teamwork!) and improve their ‘personal bests’, we can see that they are really helped by those around them: teachers, staff and parents as well as their peers. We really do need each other, even as we seek to become better than our previous selves.

We have a great responsibility to this planet as human beings. I like to imagine all of the animals around the stable in the Nativity Story wondering what exactly the child would bring. The outcome for our world is ultimately down to us: a collection of individuals working together to a better end.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

J. R. Peck – Headmaster