The Stonar Way 30.01.26

January can be a tricky month: grey mornings, busy timetables, and the long stretch before spring. So when I asked Mrs Tilley if there was anything she wanted in Assembly this week, her answer was: “Something fun and inspiring — it is January, after all.”

I realised I needed some music for an introduction, especially with Ms Budd, our Director of Music, away in Castellón, Spain, with some of our musicians performing at the Globeducate Music Festival. Those arriving at Assembly were greeted by an ABBA medley playing in the hall. The reaction was immediate: smiles, raised eyebrows, a few spontaneous dance moves, and an unmistakable lift in the atmosphere. Music has a remarkable ability to change the mood of a room — and this particular music clearly struck a chord.

The choice had a perfect historical hook. This week marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s Mamma Mia reaching number one in the UK charts. As a History teacher, I have a daily “This Day in History” alert, and when Mamma Mia appeared, it felt too good to ignore. The idea was reinforced days earlier when I met a German family visiting the school, whose father — named Björn, appropriately — had been to see ABBA Voyage the evening before. Sometimes ideas nudge you until you pay attention.

The Assembly was interspersed with short ABBA clips and I was certainly enjoying myself! Beyond the glitter, harmonies, and irresistible urge to dance, ABBA’s story is quietly powerful. They faced setbacks, were initially dismissed by critics, and spent years refining their sound. What carried them through was persistence, collaboration, and belief in what they were creating — even when others were unconvinced.

There is something in that for all of us. Joy, creativity, and optimism are not trivial; they are sources of resilience. The reaction in the Assembly reminded me how contagious a positive atmosphere can be. As we move through the first half of this term, inspiration can arrive in a familiar tune, a shared smile, or a moment of unexpected lightness. If ABBA can teach us anything, it is that confidence, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace joy can leave a lasting impression — sometimes for fifty years and counting.

And if it leaves us humming Mamma Mia for the rest of the day, all the better.

Abba Medley (go on!):