Headteacher Weekly Bulletin 26th April 2019

Good afternoon

I thought it would be busy this week trying to cram 5 days’ worth of work into a 4-day week but then on Monday I suddenly remembered that I would also be out of School today (Friday) with the Year 9 Bronze D of E group for their practice expedition, essentially, therefore, making it a 3-day week and less time to do what has to be done.  Please don’t think I am complaining; a Bank Holiday Monday off followed by a day spent yomping around Rivington with our delightful students does not constitute a bad week.  I’m merely pre-empting the fact that this will be a very brief bulletin.  I suspect there may be a limited number of items from colleagues too given the short week and so much else commanding their time.

Following last week’s completion of the GCSE speaking tests, our Year 11 Artists have been in action this week.  Miss Grey tells me it has gone well so far.  Good luck, folks, for Day 2! 

It was due to the Art exam that my final assembly with Year 11 was a little more sparsely populated than usual.  I reflected on a number of things; stepping into the unknown, having a ‘compass’ for life and posing the fundamental question ‘who have you become (in your 5 years at Wellington)?’  In answer to that question we considered the School aims and how successful the School and the students themselves had been in meeting these aims.  I left them with this quote, which I very much like:

“Society grows great when old men plant trees the shade of which they know they will never sit in.” 

I had heard it (or similar) before but was reminded of it whilst watching After Life on Netflix, a 6-episode Ricky Gervais series I would recommend (had me weeping and laughing in equal measure).  Anyway, back to the quote; if I wished anything for our students after their 5 or 7 years here, it would that they become these ‘old men’, acting out of a sense of selflessness, doing things because it is simply the right thing to do, not because there is any particular reward other than the intrinsic value of the act itself.  Our School aims state that we want students to go on and contribute to society, to make a difference.  It is very much the privilege of being a teacher, and particularly a school leader, that we get to ‘plant trees’ every day. 

I wished the Year 11s the very best of luck over the coming weeks and assured them that I have the utmost confidence in them meeting the challenges they are about to face; they have nothing to fear. 

Congratulations to Dan Flisk in Year 12 who, I found out today, has been selected to represent England in the lacrosse European Championships in June.  Dan has demonstrated great discipline and dedication to a whole range of sports since he started at Wellington, and his success comes as no surprise to me or his PE teachers. Dan is, undoubtedly, a fabulous role-model to younger athletes in School. I’ve not yet heard how Mr Tomlinson’s Year 10 footballers went on last night in their semi-final; I’m not sure that’s a good sign as he is often very eager to text after a game!

I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave it there as our weekly SLT meeting is about to start and then it’s off to Rivington for 2 days.  I don’t wish to tempt fate but the weather is looking good at the moment; fingers crossed we get todays’ walk out of the way and the tents up for tonight without too much rain.  I must, at this point, thank all my colleagues who are giving up their Friday evening and their Saturday to provide this opportunity for our young people.  Particular thanks goes to Miss Challinor as co-ordinator but I would like to give a special mention to Mr Eckersley, DT technician, who has given up countless hours to rehearse the routes we walk, go on courses and research (in incredibly detail) our brand new camping and cooking equipment; truly ‘above and beyond’. 

Can I wish you all a very pleasant weekend, although it may not be as long or as sunny as the last one.   A full 5-day week next week!  How will we cope?  Fear not, it’s a Bank Holiday on Monday 6th of course. 

Finally, can I remind you again that tickets are on sale for our Summer Bash at the Cresta Court.

S Beeley