This week, Deputy Head Alex Kingsbury spoke with the school about the true meaning of community. It was a message centered on the idea that being part of Yarm is both a gift and a responsibility - a sentiment we are sure will resonate with our Alumni and community across the globe.

Whether you left Yarm last year, or decades ago we thought you might like to read and reflect on what Yarm and our Yarm community means to you.

Alex began by sharing the history of the word "Community"

“It comes from two Latin roots: Com, meaning "together," and Munus. In the Roman world, a munus was a gift given to the public - like a festival or a game - but it was also the duty of a citizen to provide it. Philosophers argue that this is the very essence of a community. It isn't just a group of people standing in the same room; it is a bond of reciprocity. You receive the gift: in our case, the safety, the friendships, and the resources of Yarm. But you also owe the duty: the responsibility to contribute to the atmosphere and keep that community alive and thriving. A community cannot succeed and you cannot have the gift of belonging to it without the duty of contributing.”

We hope you continue to feel that sense of belonging. Whether you volunteer, attend events, or simply keep in touch, you are the reason our community lasts long after the final exams are taken. 

Alex shared that community is defined by its language and we have our very own dialect here at Yarm. Many of you will remember; the Paddock, Pink Squad, the Dovecote, the Gazebo, or the Marquee and the Snack Shack to name a few. 

“Then there are the "Yarm-isms" - those weirdly specific things that make us who we are:

• Summer dress 
• It’s a vacation not a holiday.
• House Drama rivalries.
• Ex prep pupils’ obsession with cutting the margins off bits of paper that you give them for their books
• Pretty much total silence during Fire Drills
• Creating the Phoenix shape with our hands after a fixture 
• The silencing of the pupil body by the School Captain with just two words
• And of course, that classic phrase: "Will the school please stand."

As Alex rightly pointed out, the lived experience of Yarm stays with you long after the ink on your certificates has faded. It’s where we learned to hold the weight of a friend’s disappointment, or how to hold our ground in a debate without being unkind. It is a space where we were allowed to strive, allowed to fail, and allowed to laugh at ourselves.

Alex sent a short survey out to students and colleagues, asking them for their reflections: what does Yarm mean to you? Here are a selection of the responses: 

To me, Yarm is 'Busy fun!' It’s being motivated as a team to dedicate hours to reach our greatest potential in national sport competitions, the dance showcase, and annual ski trips. It’s a community of ambitious people.

After being here 15 years, it’s been my whole life pretty much. It has given me surreal experiences to express myself and allow myself to be the best version of me. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

It’s an environment in which people can feel safe and understood. It’s the genuine warmth you feel from almost any group of people you find yourself with.

It’s all I’ve ever known and now I’m educated for life

We’d love to hear from you, what "Yarm-ism" did we miss? What phrase or place name instantly transports you back to your time here?