Mowden Hall School

Leading Co-Educational Independent Prep School For Children aged 3-13 Years

Head’s Update for the week beginning 16th November 2020

Head’s Update for the week beginning 16th November 2020

Head’s Update for the week beginning 16th November 2020


I do hope this finds you well. I appreciate the final two weeks of November can sometimes feel a bit of a
slog for our children. Christmas is on the horizon, but not quite within their grasp - we will get there!
Thank you very much indeed for all the kind offers of Christmas decorations for the Parade - let’s keep
our fingers crossed for decent weather. You should have now received a google form from Mrs Rooney to
confirm if you would like your child to finish term on Tuesday 15th December. If you have not yet filled
this in, please can you do so at the earliest opportunity. During the Parade, we are very keen to run a
tombola to raise money for our designated charity, The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. Any suitable
donations would be gratefully received. Do feel free to pass them over to us during drop off/ pick up.


I was very interested to recently read an article from the World Economic Forum regarding future job
skills. The article stated that 50% of all employees will need to reskill by 2025, as adoption of technology
increases. Critical thinking and problem-solving top the list of skills employers believe will grow in
prominence in the next five years. Newly emerging this year are skills in self-management such as active
learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility.
The Forum lists the top 10 skills of 2025 as being:
● Analytical thinking and innovation
● Active learning and learning strategies
● Complex problem-solving
● Critical thinking and analysis
● Creativity, originality and initiative
● Leadership and social influence
● Technology use, monitoring and control
● Technology design and programming
● Resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility
● Reasoning, problem-solving and ideation


I am sure much of this is no surprise to read, but it is very important that we as a school do all we can to
pay attention to emerging trends that will ultimately impact our children as they grow and develop. In
many ways Covid has provided the platform for upskilling in a number of these areas, and not just an
increased use of technology. Within school we see so much more creativity, resilience and flexibility on an
almost daily basis as we respond to the ever changing situation. The Mowdenian is always quick to find a
solution to a problem, and their innovation both amazes and amuses me. Seeing situations through a
child’s eyes can be enlightening to say the least.
I hope you all have a super weekend.

Mrs. Kate Martin, Head