Leadership Likes: Mrs Bradshaw

In a world that sometimes seems to be changing more quickly than we can cope with, the word zeitgeist takes on new meaning.

Originally from the German words Zeit, meaning “time,” and Geist, meaning “spirit”, so literally ‘the spirit of the time’, it was first used in the UK in 1835. Many have argued, in my opinion successfully, that the zeitgeist of any period can only be truly judged in retrospect.

It makes me wonder how those who come after will judge the unprecedented few years we are living through currently. Douglas Murray, in his book Madness of Crowds, makes the point that every generation does something that is later considered unwise or ill considered. And he encourages us to consider now what might be our unwise or ill considered idea. Of course that is probably a little like telling a teenager that something they wear now will one day, in retrospect, cause them to laugh or cringe. Is that not part of the natural order?

Last week at a climate summit world leaders were making it clear that they would not be the country that had stuck their head in the sand about climate change. Could a lack of focus on the climate be the thing we will cringe about later?

If the zeitgeist of our time is indeed about taking action on climate change, then Croydon High is well set up to do their bit. This year sees the first environment prefects appointed, with both Shayna and Abi making convincing proposals to Mrs Pattison about the benefits of the new role. Shayna and Abi will lead a ‘Discussion and Action’ group on sustainability in school which will also liaise with the well-established ‘Plastic Free Team’ in Junior School. Some key members of this D&A group are likely to come from the Climate Change Elective in Year 10, run by Mrs Howgego, who have already successfully petitioned the school for funding for a planting project aimed at encouraging pollination within school grounds.

So as I head home to tell my teenage daughter that puff sleeves (yes apparently they are back) are no better now than when I was 8 and being forced into a salmon pink bridesmaid dress, I will do so also planning to take out my recycling.

Mrs Bradshaw

Deputy Head (Sixth Form and Operations)