February 14th 2026
Wednesday was a memorable day at Moulsford.
We were delighted to welcome Emily Scarratt to school as our guest speaker for the 100th High Performance Lunchtimes talk. For those who may be less familiar with her, Emily is one of England’s most accomplished rugby players. A Rugby World Cup winner and multiple Six Nations champion, she has represented her country for many years and is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in the women’s game.
Her talk was excellent. She spoke with honesty and warmth about mindset, resilience and responding positively to disappointment in sport. She described the reality of elite performance and the importance of attitude when things do not go to plan. Her message to our pupils in Y3-Y8 was clear. Setbacks are part of growth and how you respond matters most.
Reaching the 100th HPL talk is a significant milestone. The initiative was conceived and is organised by Mr Weeks, whose commitment has enabled our pupils to hear from a wide range of inspiring speakers over the years. It was entirely fitting that this landmark occasion was marked by Mr Weeks receiving some well-deserved gifts in recognition of his work, including a very large cake!
Emily was incredibly generous with her time. She led a kicking session with a number of boys and later joined a Year 3 rugby coaching session for boys and girls in the afternoon. I joined in as well and thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn from someone operating at the very highest level of the game.
Sport and inspiration continued in assembly on Thursday, where 6SM delivered an excellent presentation on the national anthems of each of the teams competing in the Six Nations. They explored the history and meaning behind each anthem and then did something rather special. They encouraged us all to sing them. It was a lovely example of music and sport coming together, and a reminder that sporting events carry culture, history and identity with them. They finished by reminding us that when the men’s Six Nations concludes, the women’s tournament begins, an important message that reflects the growing profile of the women’s game.
Yesterday also highlighted the strength of our whole Moulsford community. With Papplewick’s pitches waterlogged, 13 fixtures were reorganised and hosted here at short notice. Thanks to the Games staff, Grounds Team and Catering Team, every pupil was able to play. The site was buzzing throughout the afternoon and everything ran smoothly despite the scale of the task.
What stood out most was not simply the number of matches, but the spirit in which they were played. We lent players where needed, rotated teams to keep games competitive and ensured that the experience remained positive for all involved. That commitment to doing things properly, and in the right way, is something of which we can be very proud.
Tiffany Squire
