Living Well, Living Wisely

I have been in touch with Laura Hyde’s leadership of St James Senior Girls’ School for many years. She has developed a school which achieves a rare combination of pastoral and academic excellence; pupils are generous, discretely confident, inwardly strong, courteous, and perhaps most importantly, genuinely happy. The spirit of unity and gentle compassion which pervade the atmosphere are tangible. Her distinctive approach offers a philosophically inspired education which, without proselytising any particular belief or creed draws upon our wisdom traditions to provide intelligent guidance for emerging young adults. She has spent very many years developing a thoroughly effective approach to meditation and mindful practice which underpins the strength of the school. She has so much to offer headteachers who are seeking new ways to enrich the lives of their pupils.

Laura’s background and experience would offer tremendous support and insight to anyone seeking guidance as they navigate their way through life. She truly personifies what she talks about. In twenty years running schools, I have never encountered a calmer or more present head. Just being with her for ten minutes will help anyone become clearer about matters. She is an inspiration.

Laura Hyde was an outstanding and very unusual headteacher. I visited St James Senior Girls’ School when I was Chief Inspector of Schools and was deeply impressed by her calm authority and by the school's very special ethos. A prizegiving I attended sticks in my mind because the students were so impressive in their quiet, understated self-confidence. I have absolutely no doubt that Laura would make a massive contribution to any school which wishes to review its approach to the spiritual and moral dimensions of education. This is an area where there is too much glibness and quackery and where the wisdom and experience of somebody, like Laura, who has thought long and hard about what is really involved in developing a proper rounded education is much needed.

I have known Laura Hyde for many years as a professional friend, and have always been struck by her gifts as a thinker and listener.

Laura is an expert in spiritual education and as a head teacher, has placed this at the centre of school life. Her approach to spiritual development in schools is thus the result of many years of lived professional experience and will be of intrinsic value and relevance to head teachers now, as they help young people prepare for the challenges of the modern world.

Few people today really hear what others say to them: fewer still listen with true quiet attention and thoughtfulness. Laura has this ability, which together with her deep interest in the growth of the human spirit make her an ideal mentor, whether to others with a leadership role or simply to those seeking clarity about their next steps in life.

At the heart of Laura's wonderfully warm and inclusive philosophy is a strong belief in potential.

I worked as her school chaplain for almost two decades. It was soon apparent to me that Laura's ability to extract the very best out of staff and students by example marked her out as an outstanding individual.

This belief in the potentiality of every human person is often seen as the antithesis of a networked generation. Individual gifts can remain submerged or unexplored without the right kind of person to act as a catalyst to discovery and a greater degree of self-awareness.

This is what Laura has offered to me as a mentor and friend.