"Our motto has resonated with students and staff,
both past and present, for the last century"
Encapsulating the beliefs or ideals of a school in a single phrase isn’t easy. However, our own school motto ‘Fortuna Favet Fortibus’ has resonated with students and staff, both past and present, for the past century. It is surely as relevant today as it was in our founding year, despite the world being a very different place and the approach to education having transformed during this time.
In just a few short words, our motto creates a collective sense of purpose and successfully captures the very essence of our unique school. It helps guide the whole School Community and we hope, willcontinue guiding our children long after they have left Pembroke House.
Fortune can have a myriad of meanings. Some perceive this to be monetary wealth and assets, whereas we take the view that fortune means ‘richness’ in a wider sense. Fortune is less often found by luck or chance, but created by hard work, a positive ‘can do’ mind set and by being brave enough to take a leap into the unknown.
Every day, our children display bravery. Despite being located in the heart of Kenya, this doesn’t mean fighting lions or wrestling snakes! A Pembroke House education certainly gives them the opportunity to try new skills, whether camping in the bush for the first time, jumping off river banks into waterfalls below or climbing mountains. But it’s not just about the outdoor, adventurous bravery.
Pembroke House children are also brave and bold enough to learn from their mistakes, know when to apologise if they have acted inappropriately or admit when they are wrong. They are also brave enough to show loyalty to their friends, put up their hand in class to voice their own opinions or conquer their fears of a subject they find challenging.
Sometimes, this bravery could be as small as trying a new food in the dining hall or reading out a match report during assembly, other times they show enormous bravery by saying goodbye to their parents after an Exeat weekend, knowing that they won’t be reunited for a few weeks.
In whatever context, we truly believe that Pembroke House lives up to its motto and in doing so, helps enable our children to achieve a fulfilled and spirited life. We see the successes of those children that are brave enough to become leaders, entrepreneurs and create their own sense of purpose by helping the communities and conserving the environment around them.
