18 September 2026: Endeavour

I have asked the senior prefects to lead an assembly each week on one of our school values. I am deeply grateful to School Captain, Lily Baker, for giving the first talk on Endeavour. Lily spoke about the importance of striving for our best, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on the stage or in everyday life. Drawing on her own experiences, she encouraged younger pupils to persevere through challenge and uncertainty.

Lily's reflection prompted a question that I then posed to the students: “When was the last time you did something that made you feel uncomfortable, not because it was unpleasant, but because it stretched you?” Speaking in front of others, trying out for a team, joining a new club, asking a question in class, or simply sitting with someone new can all require a surprising amount of courage. As parents and educators, we know that some of the most important moments in our own lives have come when we have stepped beyond what felt comfortable and familiar.

Human beings naturally gravitate towards what is familiar. We enjoy routines, established friendships and the reassurance of knowing where we belong. Yet growth rarely happens within the boundaries of comfort. Genuine development almost always asks something of us. It requires us to take a step into uncertainty.

Saint John Henry Newman reminds us that education is not simply about accumulating knowledge or achieving examination results. It is about becoming the people we are capable of being. Newman famously observed that “to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” His insight reminds us that growth and change are inseparable, and that both require courage. 

Endeavour, therefore, is not merely about working harder. It is about embracing challenge. It is choosing perseverance when something does not come easily. It is being prepared to make mistakes. It is resisting the temptation to stay only within the safety of what we already know.

I also shared a passage from Theodore Roosevelt's famous speech, The Man in the Arena. Roosevelt celebrates not the critic standing on the sidelines, but the person willing to step forward, strive, fail, learn and try again. His message is a powerful reminder that character is formed not through perfection, but through participation and perseverance. 

Perhaps one of the most important forms of endeavour for young people today is the willingness to move beyond established social boundaries. Schools provide extraordinary opportunities to encounter different perspectives, interests and talents. Some of life's most important friendships, lessons and opportunities often lie just beyond what feels familiar. 

My challenge to students was simple: take one small step beyond your comfort zone this week. Speak to someone new. Volunteer for something unfamiliar. Take a risk in your learning. Be willing to make mistakes and, through them, grow. 

Ultimately, endeavour is not about never failing. It is about having the courage to enter the arena in the first place. That spirit of persistence, curiosity and courage remains one of the most important qualities we can nurture in our young people. If we can foster that spirit of persistence, curiosity and courage, we will not simply produce successful students. We will help form young people of character who are prepared to contribute generously to the world around them. That, ultimately, is what endeavour means at The Oratory School.

#OratoryEndeavour #OratoryCuriosity #OratoryConfidence #OratoryIntegrity #OratoryRespect #OratoryJoy