Rev’s Round Up July 2026

Welcome to the end of the Summer Term Rev’s Round Up, a celebration and summation of all that has been happening within our school community from my role as School Chaplain.

A Joyful Start: Chapel and Song

One of my favourite hymns is Lord of the Dance, and it’s been delightful to sing it on various occasions in chapel and at TMC recently. The image of God dancing warms this chaplain’s heart.

A Busy Half Term

Whilst this has been a short(ish) half term, and with our Year 11s and Year 13s on study leave, it hasn’t felt any less busy. More like a rollercoaster of events, trips, and services, alongside the ongoing pastoral support I am involved with across the school.

Welcoming New Pupils

At the beginning of June, we welcomed our Year 6s, who will soon be Year 7s, for a taster day. Our lovely ACHE Mentors were there to greet them, and it was a pleasure to get to know some of the new pupils who will be joining us in September.

Residentials and Adventures

A couple of weeks later, I was on the coach heading to Devon with our Year 7s for their residential, which was great fun. I managed to get myself in (and out!) of a kayak without too much assistance and even scored a bull’s eye in archery—but I drew the line at mountain boarding! The children thoroughly enjoyed it all. Trips like this are such a valuable way to spend time alongside them and see how they’re getting on a year into Seniors. We also enjoyed some mindfulness towards the end of the trip, which was very well received.

At the end of that same week, I joined the Year 4 Sleepover at Prep, taking part in the water fight, leading campfire singing, and even joining in with the early morning wake-up dancing on the field. There were certainly some impressive moves on display at 7am from our lively Year 4s!

Puppeteers and Performances

Our Puppeteers went ‘on tour’ again, performing at the Prep Summer Fayre and the School Community Day at the Senior School. They have been a wonderful group to work with this year, including a couple of new recruits just days before the performances, and they all absolutely nailed it. I am incredibly proud of them.

Celebrating Nature and Faith

Pre-Prep enjoyed their sun dancing in the Wild Woods as we celebrated the Summer Solstice and gave thanks for the goodness of the sunshine.

I also took a small group from our Seniors’ Peace Committee and Chapel FM to visit the Cornwall Faith Forum Peace Poles at ‘Dorkemyn’ (meaning common ground). These offer a powerful way to learn how different world faiths work together for peace and find shared understanding. It is hoped that a shelter will be built there soon so that more schools can visit.

World AIMS Day and Service in Action

At the Senior School, we held our annual World AIMS (Action in Methodist Schools) Day on Monday this week. The theme was Rights for All – Having the Confidence to Care, focusing on children whose rights are not always protected around the world. I am so grateful to all who helped make this possible. Our Methodist ethos encourages us to ‘do all the good you can for all the people you can in all the places you can’, and this is truly lived out through World AIMS.

We offer clubs for pupils all year round, and this day brings everything together across the whole school. From September, I will be launching a new Charity Club for Years 7 and 8, alongside the CAT team for older pupils, the eco-committee, the peace committee, and a WAA volunteering option—all open to pupils across year groups.

Celebrating Achievement and Sustainability

A lovely addition to Speech Days in both Prep and Seniors this year has been a new Eco-Sustainability Award, designed and made by two of our Sixth Form DT students, George and Ted. Created using materials sourced on site, these awards beautifully represent the ongoing work of our eco teams across the school.

Chapel Life and Special Services

In chapel this half term, we have explored the theme of being a welcoming and inclusive community, alongside learning about healthy eating and caring for our wellbeing. We have also held a number of special services, including the Chapel’s 99th Anniversary Service, our Year 11 Celebration Service, and the Year 13 Leavers’ Service (with special guest Rev Aubin). Our end-of-year Boarders’ Service was held on the front lawn in the sunshine, as we reflected together on the year in boarding.

End of Year Reflections at TMC

We held our End of Year TMC Service for the whole Senior School yesterday. It was a joy to gather together in such a beautiful building with a strong historical connection to the school. We explored the threads of our year, considering what we have woven so far and which threads we might wish to develop further, reflecting on the words from Colossians to ‘bear one another in love.’ Music included a touch of Guns N’ Roses, Lord of the Dance, and a beautiful Gaelic Blessing sung by one of our choristers, Rupert. Thank you to all the pupils and staff who helped make it so special.

In this week’s TMC service, I shared an embroidery I made while at school, with the words: ‘Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet.’ I encouraged us all to be patient with ourselves and with one another, remembering that we are all works in progress. Our young people here at Truro School are just beginning to weave their own tapestries of life, so taking time, choosing threads wisely, and working together to interweave our stories for good is so important.

Speech Days and Blessings

Speech Day at both Prep and Senior Schools was a delight. My role is to offer a blessing for our community, and this year I shared a ‘Bugsy’s Blessing’ at Prep in honour of our Year 6s.

Looking Ahead

Wishing you all a wonderful summer break, and I hope you make many happy memories with your delightful children. I will be around during the holidays and will no doubt be counting the days until we return in September. My first task of the new term will be to lead a special whole school service in our brand new music school; how exciting! I think we can safely say that God is definitely not finished with any of us yet.

Blessings to you all,

Rev Helen