Listen to the hats! A week of Assemblies

This past week, we had the privilege of delivering assemblies to the entire secondary school—one year group at a time—over five days. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with students, challenge their thinking, and share a message of deep listening and love.

To kick things off, I brought in my favourite hat. Just one. But then I also brought a huge pile of other hats—ones gifted to me by well-meaning people who assumed that because I had a favourite hat, I must love all hats! This set the stage for our theme: the difference between hearing and listening.

Hearing is easy—’oh, you like hats? Great, have another!’ Listening, however, is about paying attention to the details—understanding that I don’t just love any hat, but a specific one. We explored this idea through active listening exercises, helping students think about what it means to be truly heard, accepted, and loved. And as a Christian, I shared how I believe that’s exactly what God does—He listens, knows us fully, and loves us completely.

The assemblies were filled with energy and laughter. One of the biggest highlights was pouring an entire dustbin full of hats onto a table—only for them to spill onto the floor in a glorious cascade. The students loved it, and the room filled with laughter and engagement. It’s always great when a room of teenagers are so caught up that you can hear a pin drop! Teachers later shared their appreciation, and we received plenty of thank-yous for the sessions.

A particularly encouraging moment came when the assistant head shared a story from a past assembly. During an Estyn inspection, one of our assemblies was described by an inspector as “one of the best assemblies they had ever seen.” It was a humbling and joyful reminder of the impact we can have through these moments.

We’re incredibly grateful for the relationship we have with the school and the chance to be part of their journey. It’s a privilege to share meaningful messages with young people in a way that’s fun, thought-provoking, and full of life. Here’s to many more opportunities to listen well, love well, and maybe even spill a few more hats along the way!