On the 17th and 18th January, Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School was delighted to welcome Bill Jennings to address boys and their parents/mentors. Bill is the founder of Time and Space, a company working in schools around the world, to encourage open, honest, trusting conversations between boys and their parents. Bill worked with Year 7 boys and their Mums/Female Mentors on Monday and with Year 8 pupils and their Dads/Male Mentors on Tuesday.

Through a series of guided conversations, both generations were encouraged to explore their current relationship and to think about ways in which this might develop. The activities were guided by Bill but led by some outstanding members of the Sixth Form. We are also grateful to some parents, who had experienced the Time and Space evenings before and volunteered to lead groups and be members of a discussion panel this year.

These evenings leave a very positive impact and boys are reminded to have similar conversations with their parents on a regular basis – Time and Space will send a reminder email!

As part of the event, boys and their parents brought secret “treasures” – physical items which represent the strength of the relationship between them. Treasures were revealed to each other on the evening and then displayed for all to see at the climax of the event.

Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School has worked with Time and Space for three years. We recognise the importance of the relationships between parents and their sons as well as between home and school and these evenings serve to reinforce those relationships. Thank you to all the boys and parents who participated.

On Friday 12th November, a group of sixth form students at the Boys’ School gathered to debate the most significant issue of our time: climate change.

This was part of a week of activities arranged by Ms Robinson, our Biology Technician, and Mrs Croxton with the help and support of the Eco Committee, to tie in with the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

As the world powers sat down to decide their final commitments on Friday, our group of representatives did the same. Each form had been allocated a different country on Monday and asked to research their climate change issues and commitments. Delegates arrived representing countries such as Ecuador, Brazil, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Russia and the USA, to name but a few.

What followed was an impressive, well-informed debate as the boys demonstrated their superb understanding of the key issues surrounding climate change, whilst accurately representing the concerns of the countries that they had been allocated.

There were some tense exchanges between Russia and the USA, but in the end the Model UN were able to agree that they would cut carbon emissions, end deforestation, and contribute financial aid to countries affected by climate change. Well done to all the boys who took part, it was a fantastic debate.