Revereor Vitam
Our motto and logo originate from the earliest days of the School opening in the 1970s.
To have a reverence or respect for life works as a basis for all we do at Darrick Wood on several levels.
Walk around the School site in the early hours and you will hear the birds, including woodpeckers and almost certainly come across other woodland creatures such as squirrels and foxes.
The School’s setting, on the edge of the London Borough of Bromley means it is surrounded not only by residential areas but also by woodlands and fields where the local wildlife, including the lesser spotted woodpecker thrive, but only if London’s Greenbelt land continues to be protected and we have a respect for life and the environment.
It is said that the School’s first Head Teacher, Mr Turner, was keen to select the woodpecker as our logo since it was not only a reminder of the School’s setting but liked the idea that the woodpecker is an industrious bird that works hard to build its home. Working hard is something he felt was essential for educational success and we continue to emphasise this to this day.
When Ofsted visited the School in 2019, the inspectors noted that our pupils are impeccably dressed and proud of their uniform. Its distinctive colours certainly mean our pupils are noticed wherever they go and its origins have a 1970s feel (dark brown with ‘honey gold’).
The important thing is not the colour, but the logo, the motto and the fact our students dress smartly and are proud of their school.