OD Union

https://youtu.be/8Xl1pB72P80?si=56DVWyc0MdJysBSo

Congratulations to Tristan Leyds (2015S) on being named World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. This prestigious award is recognition of his outstanding performances on the international stage and a testament to his dedication, skill, and hard work. We are immensely proud of Tristan's achievement and wish him every success for the future. “Tristan gave us many reasons to smile during the 2026 season and all of us involved in South African rugby are very proud of this humble and hard-working young man,” said SA Rugby president Mark Alexander.

The UK branch of the OD Union took on the Old Etonians in a cricket match at Sheffield Park yesterday, with honours ending even in a hard-fought draw.
After the match, players and supporters gathered around a braai to enjoy the beautiful weather, good company, and the friendships that make occasions like these so special.
A special thank you to Anthony Pickering (1990F) for organising a memorable day of cricket and camaraderie.

While most countries push children into formal academics earlier and earlier, Finland takes the opposite approach. Finnish children don't start school until age 7, yet they consistently outperform their global peers in literacy, mathematics, and overall wellbeing. Their secret isn't more pressure or earlier academics—it's protecting childhood for what it's meant to be.

Those early years are filled with forest walks, open-ended play, and unhurried discovery. Teachers focus on the child, not the test. Recess is treated as a right, not a privilege. Homework is minimal to protect rest and family time. This isn't just cultural preference—decades of research from experts like Pasi Sahlberg and the OECD show that unhurried play builds executive function, problem-solving skills, and emotional regulation. These are the very foundations that drive later academic success.

The question isn't how we can push children to get ahead earlier. It's how we can protect their natural pace and joy so learning can bloom organically. Childhood isn't a waiting room for real life—it is real life. And when we honor that sacred time for play, nature, and genuine connection, we're not holding children back. We're giving them the strongest possible foundation for everything that comes next."

https://youtu.be/z84GRhw_eIs?si=LvjR3nWZFqTQATeo