1646 – Issue 4

When I think back to my days at school, my recollections inevitably lead to me smiling; apart from the odd blip, they were great years. I was at a good local comprehensive, with plenty of friends, teachers who cared and lessons I enjoyed. Many of my happiest memories – indeed, perhaps my most formative experiences – centre around the opportunities that staff provided outside the classroom. I’m not sure what we called it then, but today it’s the ‘co-curricular programme’ and it’s an essential element of a strong education. Indeed, I’d go so far as to say that without it, an education is impoverished. I am writing from the beautiful Peak District, where our Year 10 students are currently involved in walking, abseiling, ‘weaseling’ (think caving, but amongst boulders) and camping, all part of their Activities Week experience. Other year groups are surfing in Croyde, kayaking on the Wye, sailing in Weymouth, trekking in Snowdonia. Alongside activities at school, or cultural visits more locally, this week is a culmination of the Adventure Education programme they undertake during the year, all of which seeks to provide challenge and fun, perfect conditions for developing teamwork, resilience, courage, compassion and determination…….’character’; essential, but easily overlooked assets in one’s armoury through life. You know Blue Coat well, and most of you will have benefitted from experiences like this yourselves while you were here, along with many others. As Headmaster, one of the greatest pleasures is watching students throwing themselves into sport, or music, or drama, or public speaking, or Model United Nations, or a plethora of other opportunities that staff enable because they are committed to this rounded development too. Do you remember the first performance you gave on stage? Helping coach some sport at a local primary school? Or the final bow to a standing ovation as the production’s run ended? Maybe it was the satisfaction of drafting and crafting a speech; determined efforts that enabled you to progress through grades; the camaraderie on the team bus to and from a game, whatever the result? For a few, it might actually be all of those! The links between those opportunities and the benefits to a young person’s positive personal development are well documented. And interestingly, at a time when our well- being has never been more closely examined, it is purposeful activity with others, focused on objectives other than ourselves, that so often reaps the greatest personal rewards. I am so grateful for the time my teachers gave to enrich my education and for all I see the staff at Blue Coat giving to this generation of pupils. These are the future leaders, heading into relationships and work that as well as providing great pleasure, will demand much too. The world is changing and, along with strong academic results that push open doors, those ‘character’ traits developed and honed as muscles cry out or the choir sings out, will help change to be embraced and navigated successfully. Pete Thomas Headmaster A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER 14 20 10