Welcome 2011

This New Year to all we have started the term much more smoothly than twelve months ago when Abbey Gate, Cheshire and indeed the UK were experiencing the ‘Big Freeze!’   Term is now underway with AS and A2 modules in full swing and a very busy time for Admissions with the 11+ and Reception / Early Years applications.  Each year our leavers embark on the wider world but the continuous cycle of school life always amazes as the next group of eager faced youngsters are queuing up to take their place.

Sadly, as Lucy Cavendish writes in the Telegraph, preparing for the move to Senior School with the

11+ Examination can be a very stressful time for parents and their children…she describes her experience of 2007…

“To be frank, it turned me into an obsessed loon. In fact, I became almost deranged. From the moment I realised the test was looming, I became a one-woman 11-plus know-it-all machine. From age nine onwards, poor Raymond was put on the conveyor belt of my academic aspirations. I researched every single facet of the exam….. I looked up the ratio of how many passed the test each year: girls versus boys, early year birthdays versus late year birthdays. On and on and on it went.”

This is surely not an experience any of us would wish to equate with education .… with learning?  As the Government faces intense criticism over its proposed curricular reforms in education, the contentious League Tables are debated further.   I am proud that Abbey Gate has topped the local GCSE tables this year with a score of over 91%; this is a wonderful reflection of the hard work of staff and pupils.  But without wishing to undermine our own success, we measure achievement in a much broader fashion at the College.  Whilst the stress of the 11+ may create pressure, our aim is to ensure that the youngsters who join us do their best, develop strong social skills, enjoy learning and fulfill their potential, whatever that may be…it could be music, drama, science, maths, art, sport or any other avenue.  Diversity is indeed the rich lifeblood of a school.

School should be about learning and development not ticking boxes.  A child’s education is precious and we hope to instill a desire for lifelong learning in all our young people, giving them skills for life.  I sincerely hope that no one sitting our Entrance Examination in January has the same experience as Lucy Cavendish and her son but I’d rather the sentiments in an email from last year’s Head Boy, now studying Mathematics at Durham University… “I knew I’d really miss Abbey Gate and I really have. I loved my time there and will look forward to coming back to visit very soon.”

Health, happiness and success for the year ahead!

LMH 

HeadLines January 2011