“We do not just measure greatness by the peaks that we climb, or the heights that we reach, but rather by the positive impact that we create for ourselves, our communities, and our planet. Our goodness to each other is what makes us whole, and what endures for generations beyond our physical feats & achievements.”
Conrad Anker
It was halfway up the climbing wall that I realised I might well have been a little too ambitious in attempting to keep up with our Year 8s. Many proved themselves to be more adept climbers than me, to be expected I suppose. This is not my usual Friday afternoon routine, and for Year 8 it isn’t either. Year 7 weren’t in lessons this afternoon, they were busy with accrobranching activities, and Year 9 took a more combative approach at a local paintballing centre. Our aim was not to end the week with an afternoon of fun, but to conclude this first fortnight with a purposeful ending. All of the activities were designed to create a greater degree of cohesivity in the year group community. But teambuilding is but one aspect of this exercise, there is so much more to this than being an end of the week treat.
Education is often regarded as being a competition. A race to get the top mark, to finish first and to be the best. All are excellent goals, we want our pupils to be unashamedly ambitious, we will support, teach and encourage. But it is important to consider other qualities of character which may be equally important if they are to be successful beyond school, qualities which might not be seen as aiding the advancement of the individual. In this we may well need good team players, but we will also require leaders and visionaries. We are proud of our academic curriculum and the results that we achieve, we are equally as proud of our offer around academic endeavour. We provide opportunity for development through an activities programme that may never be the subject of an examination but is no less important. Today on the climbing wall there were opportunities for individuals to demonstrate excellence and there were similarly valuable chances to demonstrate community spirit, empathy and to give encouragement.
As we start the academic year we will encourage pupils to take advantage of new and different experiences as well as to reinforce their talents. As adults we need to allow space for our young people to experience some difficulty, some challenge. Sometimes they are best left to solve problems independently. If young people grow up without the experience of overcoming obstacles, then we do them no great service. Sometimes helping others to achieve their aims can be as formative as succeeding ourselves.
Beyond this I have to say that I was glad to be told that I could make it to the top by some enthusiastic and supportive pupils… I didn’t, but I was well supported. Maybe next year.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
