I have been interested in this area ever since reading the British philosopher J L Austin’s ‘How to Do Things with Words’ as an undergraduate. This work questions the traditional view that language is about stating facts or making propositions, suggesting instead that language’s core purpose lies in its performative ability.
Over time in the light of this, I have developed my thinking on how we might use words in ways that are more than simply inspirational or informative. I believe that by weighing them carefully, we can achieve better outcomes for ourselves and develop stronger and more mutually beneficial relationships with the people around us.
Austin challenges the notion that language merely describes the world by introducing the concept of ‘speech acts,’ the theory that words are not just vehicles for information, but actions in themselves. When we speak, we do not merely state facts or relay ideas; we perform acts such as promising, apologising or commanding. Austin offers a couple of examples of this in his paper Performative Utterances (1956): “When I say ‘I name this ship the Queen Elizabeth’ I do not describe the christening ceremony, I actually perform the christening; and when I say ‘I do’ (take this woman to be my lawful wedded wife), I am not reporting on a marriage, I am indulging in it.”.
Take the simple phrase, ‘I promise’. At face value, these words convey a commitment, but Austin argues that they also enact something, they create an obligation. By saying this phrase, we commit ourselves to a future course of action. Similarly, when a judge states, ‘I sentence you to ten years in prison’, the words carry not just descriptive meaning but legal and social force, altering the reality of the person being sentenced.
This performative aspect of language underscores how words operate on multiple levels: they convey literal meaning, express intention and can even reshape the social fabric. This layered nature of language highlights how words can initiate change and influence behaviour, often in ways that are both subtle and powerful.
In our daily lives and at school, we witness how words can have unintended effects because of their layered meanings. A well-meaning compliment like ‘you’ve done well’ may be taken as encouragement or condescension, depending on the tone, context, and relationships of the people involved. Similarly, an apology such as ‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ might seem conciliatory on the surface but could come across as dismissive, leading to tension and bad feeling.
This multifaceted nature of meaning is why communication can be so difficult to get right, both in our close relationships and in our interactions in school or with colleagues and acquaintances. Recognising the layers in something said and noticing the listener’s perspective is key to a commitment to achieving a positive outcome.
Austin’s philosophy also sheds light on how words can instigate action. A rousing speech, a carefully worded request, or a heartfelt declaration can motivate people to take action they might not have considered otherwise. Think of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. His words were more than inspirational; they were performative. They stirred hearts, empowered people and altered societal perspectives, ultimately galvanising the civil rights movement.
To read the full entry, please click here.
Mr Rickman
Deputy Head Academic
The week ahead
Monday 9 December
Reading Week (Fiction)
Tuesday 10 December
Christmas Celebration Year 3 to 6
Wednesday 11 December
Cross Country: U9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 & 18 @ Courteenhall
Christmas Dinner Day
Thursday 12 December
Christmas Jumper Day
Year 13 A Level German Trip to the BFI in London
Junior School Christmas Party
House Plays
Christmas Carol Concert
Friday 13 December
Ski Trip departs
House Plays
End of Autumn Term (Half Day)
Charity Christmas Fayre a huge success!
Welcoming families, friends and associates of the school, Northampton High was thrilled to commence the festive season with our annual Christmas Fayre. Embracing the joys of Christmas, guests from across the Junior and Senior School came together to celebrate the occasion and raise money for charity.
Taking place on Friday 29 November, Dr Lee opened the event with a wonderful speech, encouraging guests to enjoy the evening and all the activities taking place throughout the night. This Christmas, Northampton High School is supporting the Hope Centre and we were pleased to welcome Kyla from the charity to the event, who explained how the charity delivers vital services to support those experiencing problems of disadvantage and marginalisation.
The night’s festivities began with a series of Christmas carols sung beautifully by the Senior School choir, led by members of the Music faculty. The atmosphere was buzzing from the moment doors opened, with tuneful sounds spilling into the Theatre Foyer to greet arriving families. The evening saw the opening of the fabulous Christmas Market to friends of the school, following an extremely successful lunchtime opening for students. Each stall consisted of wonderful items – including knits, bakes, jewellery, artwork and more – all of which were popular with visitors. Staff and parents also had the opportunity to host stalls and it was fantastic to see many members of the school community involved.
We also hosted a bottle tombola, festive games, a Christmas raffle (prize winners below) and a silent auction on the night, offering guests the chance to win many excellent prizes! The raffle, which featured lots of valuable treats, was kindly supported by local businesses who generously donated vouchers and gifts to help our fundraising efforts. This portion of the event was extremely popular, with nearly all attendees getting involved and staking a claim for a prize. The silent auction consisted of experiences donated by staff and gave pupils the opportunity to bid on prizes such as ‘Head for a day’ and ‘Have your homework done by the Deputy Head’!
In true Christmas spirit, Santa had graciously accepted an invitation to the Fayre and dedicated his evening to meeting families in the Christmas grotto. Along with the arrival of two real-life donkeys, which brought plenty of joy and entertainment to all, Santa’s attendance made a magical addition to the festivities and was a highlight for the Junior School children!
After another successful Christmas Fayre, we are delighted to share gratitude with staff, students and families for their participation in the evening’s activities and for their continued support with fundraising events. We now look ahead to another successful year of fundraising, and look forward to updating you on the full total raised at this event!
Raffle prizes to be claimed (please take your ticket and claim your prize at Senior School Reception):
White: 942
Brown: 656
Pink: 47, 280, 331, 353
Blue: 183, 229, 353, 609, 627, 871, 894, 958
Christmas Concert: Thursday 12 December
We are delighted to invite you and your families to our School Christmas Carol Concert on Thursday 12 December 2024 at 7.00pm in the School Theatre.
The evening will be a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit, featuring carols, readings, orchestra and ensemble performances, choirs, and solos from Northampton High students from Years 7 to 13. The event will showcase our students’ talents, and evidence the many and varied opportunities offered by our school’s vibrant musical community. Please join us for festive refreshments in the Dining Room from 6.45pm and feel free to bring along friends and family members for an entertaining evening and a mince pie or two! There will be a bar available both before the concert and at the interval.
To book your tickets, please click the link below. We would be grateful for any donations, which are entirely at your discretion. Funds raised will support our general school fund and, alongside revenue from commercial lettings, will contribute towards the planned refurbishment of our school library in Summer 2025.
We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the season together.
Head's Commendations
This Thursday, Dr Lee was delighted to present the latest round of Head’s Commendation awards to students for their outstanding achievements over the course of this term. Nominated by their teachers, we are excited to congratulate this term’s well-deserving recipients:
Sahitya B, Amelia H, Caoimhe HT, Mya K, Lucy-Mae L, Aiyven M, Amelia N, Shruthi P, Varnikaa S, Anusha S
Well done everyone!
Inspiring Futures programme
At the end of a busy term, I’d like to take this opportunity to update you on all that has been happening in our Inspiring Futures Programme as we help students of each age group consider and prepare for their futures, whether that involves exploring career options, developing practical skills, or considering different pathways. Here’s a round up of what’s been happening across the school. To enhance recognition of the programme, we’ve launched a new logo. This will help students and the wider school community identify events and initiatives under the Inspiring Futures banner, from career talks and university guidance to sessions on managing personal finances.
Please find below some highlights from each year group:
- Year 7: When making choices about the future, self reflection and self awareness are important attributes. Year 7 students have been exploring the theme “All About Me” in PSHE and have written autobiographies in English.. These activities encourage them to reflect on their strengths, experiences, and aspirations.
- Year 9: Conversations about GCSE options have started and will continue in more detail next term, with information evenings and consultation evenings to follow in due course.
- Year 11: While GCSEs are the priority, students are also giving serious consideration to their post-16 options. This has been supported by PSHE lessons, an information evening introducing Sixth Form opportunities, and individual consultation meetings giving the chance for in depth conversations between students, parents/guardians and members of the teaching staff.
- Year 13: Again, whilst preparing for A Level exams is key, members of Year 13 are putting plans in place for when they leave school. Most students have submitted their UCAS applications, if university is their chosen pathway, and are starting to receive university interviews and offers.
To find out more about Inspiring Futures, including information on some upcoming events and benefits, please click here.
Book Review: The Authority Gap by Mary Ann Sieghart
Imagine living in a world in which you were routinely patronised by women.
Imagine having your views ignored or your expertise frequently challenged by them.
Imagine people always addressing the woman you are with before you.
Now imagine a world in which the reverse of this is true.
The Authority Gap provides a startling perspective on the unseen bias at work in our everyday lives, to reveal the scale of the gap that still persists between men and women. Would you believe that female US Supreme Court Justices are interrupted four times more often than male ones… 96% of the time by men? Or that British parents, when asked to estimate their child’s IQ will place their son at 115 and their daughter at 107?
Marshalling a wealth of data with precision and insight, and including interviews with pioneering women such as Baroness Hale, Mary Beard and Bernadine Evaristo, Mary Ann exposes unconscious bias in this fresh feminist take on how to address and counteract systemic sexism in ways that benefit us all.
High Sports
2nd XI vs Nottingham, 28 November: On a very cold Thursday afternoon, the Senior Hockey side hosted Nottingham. We started strongly with the run of play, and were unlucky not to convert our effort into goals. Some highlights were the mix of Year 10 and 11 girls forming a very firm unit in the midfield and working well despite only playing together once before. The first half ended 0-0. A firm team talk at half time seemed to gel the team into showing their silky skills to the max, and Isla H slotted home our first goal with a sweet strike. We had plenty of chances in the second half and some disallowed goals, but the match ended in a 1-0 victory. Congratualtions to Player of the Match, Anna C, and Coaches Player, Issy S.
GDST Day of Dance, 2 December: On Monday, students attended the GDST Day of Dance at Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden. The event featured workshops in the dance genres; Commercial Street, Contemporary, Jazz, and Musical Theatre. These were led by top professionals; Christina Andrea (who featured in Jessie J’s Price Tag video), Ella Gilling (star of The Next Step), Katrina Lopes (Jazz teacher and aerialist in Harry Potter & The Cursed Child), and Sophie Camble (star of Cats the musical). The dancers from Northampton High shone in their favourite styles and embraced the challenge of trying less familiar genres, earning praise from the coaches for their enthusiasm and outstanding skill level. There was even a little leftover time to see the Christmas lights in Covent garden. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this unforgettable experience, including Miss Sinead and Mrs Saunders-Wall!
U12A vs BGI, 2 December: On Monday we enjoyed one of our best games of the season, with everybody playing well! We played quarters which is a little unusual for us, but we enjoyed the extra team talks and having the opportunity to try new tactics in the game. We enjoyed an amazing 12-0 win – we had a lot of possession and took the opportunity to practice movement into space to make triangles so that we could pass the ball well, keeping it away from the opponents strong side. One highlight in particular was a great team goal that used triangles, culminating in an excellent first time sweep hitting the backboard loudly. This was scored by Luisa P, but nearly every player had a hand in the build up through great passing and teamwork! Annabelle R was awarded Player of the Match, voted for by the opposition. A huge well done everyone! Hester L
Senior Tennis Tournament Oxford, 3 December: On Tuesday we saw a dominant performance from the Senior Tennis squad at the tournament in Oxford. Emma and Rose both won their singles matches dropping just one game, and then teamed up for the doubles – again only dropping one game. Lucy and Frankie had a tougher time but came out with a 6:1, 6:3 win respectively, then went on to win their their doubles match 6:0! A lovely performance by all, and a fantastic warm up for Thursdays match!
U14 Hockey vs Thornton, 3 December: On Tuesday, Northampton High School U14’s played a match against Thornton College. Even though we were nervous because it was our last match of the season, we still managed to score our first two goals this year, courtesy of Mimi H, winning the match by 2-0 in the process. The team played great but special mentions go to Clara, the Player of the Match, and Lucy who also played really well.
1st XI vs Royal Latin, 4 December: This Wednesday saw our final game of the season, and for some of our most senior players, their last Hockey match for Northampton High having represented the school since Year 7 or even back to their Junior School days. Thanks for the commitment and the memories; Shruthi P, Emma N, Laura C, Vice-Captain Ruby CF and Captain Hattie F. It’s been a pleasure.
High Sports: External success!
It is always a thrill to learn of the success stories of our students away from school life, and this week we are delighted to congratulate Teshvi and Poppy for their recent achievements:
Congratulations to Teshvi, who achieved an outstanding silver medal in the DK Way Badminton England Under 13 Women’s Singles Tournament in November! This medal is testament to all of Teshvi’s hard work and perseverance and we are so proud of her!
A huge well done also goes to Poppy as she recently achieved 3 distinctions for Grade 3 Tap, Grade 3 Ballet and Grade 2 Modern. As a result of this, Poppy has been put forward for an ABD scholarship day in February and if successful, she will be shortlisted to compete for the opportunity to attend the Theatre Dance Council finals in Blackpool in August. An unbelievable achievement – well done Poppy!
GCSE Food trip to Borough Market
This week, we were delighted to attend the annual Year 10 GCSE Food visit to Borough Market.
Our day began at 9am where we got on our coach and drove down to London. Once we got there we split up into groups to look around Borough Market. We all loved the different types of food we saw there, and the chocolate covered strawberries were definitely a favourite among the students! We also had lunch there and our group all shared paella which was delicious.
After two hours of looking around and eating, we went off to our cooking class which was at Bread Ahead bakery. Our baking instructor, Manuel, helped and taught us a lot. We spent two hours there making and baking biscotti and focaccia. We learnt all about how to make a perfect focaccia and the science behind mixing all of the ingredients and their functions. Overall we all had an amazing day with lots of eating, baking and shopping.
Celebrating Nikloaustag!
This Thursday, our Year 7 students enjoyed their second German taster session.
In this session, we explored how Nikolaustag (St Nicholas Day) is celebrated in Germany, and the girls wrote their own Wunschzettel (wish list) to leave out for Nikolaus. Luckily, the girls have all been well behaved so they don’t need to worry about getting a visit from Krampus!
Harp lessons now available!
We are delighted to now be able to offer Harp lessons in school on a 1-1 basis.
If you are interested, please contact Miss Witts for more information.
