There is a saying my father used with me when I was growing up: that every child needs roots and wings. Roots to feel secure, grounded, and connected; wings to grow, to explore, and to become who they are meant to be. Growing up is largely about learning how to balance the two. That idea now sits at the heart of Forest as our House Ethos, alongside our motto semper forestia. Meaning “always Forest”, the phrase speaks to constancy, identity, and belonging. It reminds students that their house is not simply a building they pass through, but something they carry with them, an anchor in moments of challenge and a reference point as they grow. Together, roots and wings and semper forestia express a shared belief: that young people flourish best when they feel secure in who they are, and confident enough to step beyond what is familiar, knowing they always have a home to return to.
Our roots are still growing, and that is very much our greatest strength. As a new house, Forest has been built deliberately: from its interior design to its atmosphere, routines, and expectations. Students are not simply joining an established house; they are actively helping to create it. Under the leadership of our Head of House, Jie S., Deputy Head of House, Thomas D., our House Captains, Heresh R., Zi L., Khant N., Khai L., and Tsz L., and our Y13 “uncles”, Ravishanker S. and Aathityasheshan K., the boys have transformed Forest from an empty former Crawfurd building into a place that already feels lived-in and loved. This year we have painted rooms, planted trees, established new traditions, and, most importantly, built memories.
Some highlights include taking the entire house to Skytrex for our first House Spirit trip, where every boy showed courage and resilience in tackling the high ladder, a genuinely intimidating challenge. We turned around a difficult start to House Music rehearsals to deliver a strong Unison performance on the night, with standout contributions from dancers, Thomas D., Cheuk L., Yuki S., and Aathityasheshan K.. House assemblies have featured fiercely competitive games of Carrot in a Box and Split or Steal, including Kwong C.’s now-infamous betrayal of Khant N., an episode that will live on in Forest folklore. A paintball victory over Granville on our second House Spirit trip capped things off nicely, despite Chenghao Y.’s best efforts at tactical “creative interpretation”. Over time, these shared experiences, routines, and relationships are becoming the roots that anchor our Foresters, giving them a genuine sense of belonging.
From these roots grow our wings. Forest House is a place of opportunity, ambition, and aspiration. Students are encouraged to take responsibility, step into leadership, and actively shape the culture of the house. Whether it is Ravishanker S. mentoring younger students, Tsz L. and Zi L. organising and leading weekend social activities, or our House Champions, Kanato K., Qicheng Z. and Minseong K. setting standards and drawing others in, Foresters are consistently encouraged to stretch themselves. Beyond the house, students are making the most of the wider opportunities available at Epsom: congratulations to Aqil A. and Danish M. for their success in tennis and golf competitions; to Zeyi Z. for his dedication in Mandarin Debate; to Jaehoo K. and Haodong W. for competing in a maths competition in Kuala Lumpur; to Zhezhe X. and Yuchen Z. for their early-morning parkrun commitment; to Khant N. for representing Myanmar in a robotics competition; and to Ken W., Khant N., Zi L., and Khai L. for their involvement in Mamma Mia. In each case, our Foresters have spread their wings: learning, growing, and building confidence through challenge. We celebrate effort as much as outcome, encourage ambition, and support students to take risks, secure in the knowledge that they are supported if they stumble. Wings represent independence, self-belief, and the courage to imagine what might be possible.
Mr Harry Hughes
Forest Housemaster