Exams are well under way at Brampton as the summer weather has arrived in time for the second part of the summer term. I hope that any students taking public exams have had a good experience so far and that their papers have gone well. To any students with exams still to come, stay strong, stay focused and remember, there is still plenty of time to influence the outcome of your A level or GCSE. You can make a big difference to the outcome of a paper if you have a week, a weekend, a day, or even just an hour to spare. Make the most of your time, that means rest and recovery as well as study, but whatever you do, do it well and give yourself the best opportunity when you go into the exam room.
This is the penultimate opportunity I get to write to you all through the Parent Newsletter as my days as Principal seem to be running down quickly. I have a lot to say, most of it quite emotional, about my six years at Brampton and I’m pleased that I have had and will continue to have opportunities to speak to different groups of people over the course of this term. Earlier this month, I got the first such opportunity when we said a fond farewell to our final-examination students who went off on study leave on 7 May. I have such
happy memories of this group many of whom I interviewed, several of whom I worked with to support applications to university and all of whom I have enjoyed speaking to and working with as a group on on a one-to-one basis over the course of their time with us. Their gift to me of a signed football could hardly have been better chosen!
I always enjoy speaking to the students and this was an occasion I was particularly looking forward to. I was, firstly, proud to hand out my final ‘Principal’s Awards’ to Rachel (GCSE), Vanessa (Second Year A level) and Shiloh (One Year A level) to recognise exemplary attitude, resilience and focus throughout their time with us. I wanted to let the students know that, although I have tried to motivate and inspire them, in fact, they have been an inspiration to me during their time at the college. Some of the fortitude, desire to do good, pride and humility displayed by this group of young people is genuinely inspiring and gives me hope for the future. I told them as much! I also hope that I conveyed the sense of privilege it has been to have met and known them and that they deserve every opportunity they create for themselves.
Regularly (as happened to me a few weeks ago) I will find myself at an event and someone will ask what I do for a living – the responses are invariably similar “rather you than me!” “I don’t know how you can work with teenagers!” “they know all their rights and none of their responsibilities!” are among some of the most repeated. I usually just smile and change the subject, but this time, knowing that the end of my period at Brampton was coming I was compelled to respond by saying “Actually, you’re wrong. You
should come and meet them, they couldn’t be any more different to that. They’re incredible. I love working with them and you should be grateful there’s people like them in the world.” I really believe that. The world needs more people like the students we have at Brampton and I’m proud to be sending them off into it with their dreams and ambitions intact and ready to live them out.
At the end of my goodbye speech, I gave 5-tips for success beyond sixth- form. I don’t claim to be the world’s authority on this and people will of course choose their own path in life, but I hope that a few will take something from what I said:
- Remember your Brampton friends – you might never have thought you’d even make any, but you have, and you might just need them one day
- Listen to other people as if you want to learn from them. It’s always worth hearing what others think and say before you speak, act or judge
- Work hard and give your best – life rewards hard workers and it’s the best way to create opportunities
- When the opportunities come, take them, if you regret taking a chance that’s one thing, but it’s usually better than regretting not taking the chance at all
- Be Ready(!) – you never know when something is going to come your way, so when it does, make sure you’re able to take full advantage
Good luck to all families with students taking exams in June and enjoy the summer weather.
John
