A few memories created before the serious business of exams
On Monday the GCSE and A Level exam season begins. I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone and my strong desire is that our Year 11 and Year 13 students are ready to do their very best and achieve everything they are capable of and more. They are incredible young people who deserve success and the right to a good life. They have worked with us over the years and understand their responsibility to make that a reality more so now than ever.
Last week we held our Prom nights for Year 11 on the Thursday and for Year 13 the following day. Both events took place at the Mercure Bankfield Hotel and were a huge success. I tend to think about the success of these type of events in very simple terms. Firstly, did our students have a wonderful time and create lifelong memories and secondly did they represent themselves, their families and Beckfoot brilliantly. For me they were even more amazing than I thought possible.
Both evenings began with the usual array of entrances. Some arrived in vintage cares, some in cars that cost 
more than most houses, some on foot, one or two in an ambulance and then there was Harvey! They came dressed in style too and each of them looked wonderful. These events matter to them and they want to spend a fantastic evening in each other’s company for possibly the final time. They talked, they danced, they laughed and cried and they made sure they would remember their evening for years to come. They were respectful, considerate and kind and I felt very proud to lead a school full of such amazing young people. As I said earlier, they deserve the very best life has to offer them and I hope the next few weeks will be full of opportunities for them to shine.
On Friday we then took our Year 11 students to Flamingo Land in North Yorkshire. They had the most brilliant time and loved the fact that they did not have to queue for anything. They spent time with each other away from the pressures of the looming exams and were free for a few hours enjoying all that the park had to offer. We asked them to have a great time and to respect other visitors and the park. They did that and so much more and, again, I felt proud knowing that they are ready for their next steps and will be able to navigate the next few weeks and months with ease because of how they have grown and matured over their time at Beckfoot.
I want our students and families to know that they are ready for whatever the next few weeks will bring. I want you all to know that we will be with them every step of the way and we will look after them no matter what. They are ready for the rite of passage that are exams and they know what to do. Whilst we cannot sit the papers for them, we will make sure that they don’t need to worry about anything other than being ready to demonstrate their knowledge on paper and believe in themselves and their abilities.
In other news I want to thank our LRC staff for the visit of children’s author, Matt Oldfield, who came to school on Tuesday. Matt is best known for his Ultimate Football Heroes books which are hugely popular with so many of our students. He spent the day talking to students and leading some ‘bouncing back from setbacks’ creative writing workshops. He signed books and shared his experiences in a way we could never do. He was kind, had time for each student and his energy was something to behold. He loved the school and will, perhaps, come back to see us again soon we hope. These types of experiences are very important and special because we know that for at least one student, his time with us will inspire them to greatness and for that we are grateful.
Finally, I want to share with you a moment for me as headteacher. It may seem odd but I want to briefly mention our fire alarm practice last Wednesday. You see, for me, such a practice is a clear indicator of culture. It involves approximately two thousand people and is, therefore, one of the few whole school opportunities I have to really examine what we stand for and the impact of our work on every member of our school community. We evacuated the building in four minutes, in silence. Our students lined up in their tutor groups and allowed staff to take the all important registers. They waited patiently again in silence until the signal was received that we could return safely to the building and then, they walked back to their classrooms in respectful silence to get on with the rest of their day. It was very special and easily the best such practice I have ever been involved with in 30 years. Interestingly, we had a number of visitors in school that morning each of whom had never witnessed anything quite like what they saw from our staff and students on that morning. I know we are not perfect here and that I/we make lots of mistakes but we get such a lot right and Wednesday was yet another reminder that we get to work with wonderful young people who are more self-actualised than I have ever known. A small thing that is worth sharing.
Have a great weekend and take care.
Simon Wade, Headteacher
