18-Aug-2010
Prize Giving Speech 2010
Mike Bolton MBE, Undermaster Sevenoaks School
To read the speech made by Headmaster, Philip Oldroyd on Speech Day 2010 please click here.
Headmaster, Staff, Parents, Boys and Girls
Thank you for inviting me to your Prize Giving. I must say it is a pleasure to visit the school again and I would like to thank Oliver and Daniel who took me on a tour of the school earlier. They were delightful company – friendly, confident and clearly very proud of having been here. If this is the type of pupil you produce then I’m not at all surprised that the school has such a good reputation. It is a privilege also to be asked to award the prizes and be part of your end of year celebrations.
I am sure that most of you, even the very youngest, will have heard of the Duke of Wellington. Although he eventually became Prime Minister he is remembered as one of our greatest soldiers, the General who almost 200 years ago defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He had a reputation for iron discipline and he terrified his men. Towards the end of his life, when he had long retired from soldering, he was once asked what he would have done differently as a General if he had his time over again. His answer was quite simple. He said “I would have given my troops more praise.” I think there is a lesson there for all of us, parents and teachers; we all need to be told every so often that we have done well. So I want to congratulate all the prize winners on their success. They all have worked and played especially hard to achieve something a little bit special.
But I also want to commend everyone else who I am sure did their best but didn’t quite get a prize on this occasion. Don’t worry if you are not top of the class – very few can be. Of course examinations are important, and when you go to senior school they will be even more so, but Alan Sugar isn’t just looking for brains; if you have been watching Junior Apprentice on television you will know that he is looking for other qualities too: hard work, resilience, motivation, the ability to communicate well and he wants people who are flexible and adaptable. Even more critically, he wants people who are good team players who can get the best out of other people – all the skills which I am sure you are developing here at Sevenoaks Prep.
One of the things I’ve learnt being a teacher is that young people develop at different rates. They have the most amazing talents too, but they aren’t always obvious and sometimes need unlocking. I suppose in a few cases I’ve been able to identify from an early age that someone was going to do exceptionally well, but in many cases teachers get it spectacularly wrong. How many young people have been virtually written off, but subsequently become great statesmen, artists, actors and writers. I meet lots of former Sevenoaks students and I’m amazed by the careers they have ended up in and the success they have had. In most cases I could never have predicted it.
So my advice to all the parents here is to be patient. What I’ve noticed over my career is that parents have become increasingly involved in what their children are doing at school. Of course that is all to the good, but there are dangers. We can sometimes have unrealistic expectations of our children and sometimes their schools too. It can mean that we heap too much pressure on them. Don’t get me wrong, having high expectations is important. We have it in my school and you have it in this school – you have a can do philosophy which is so important and you aim for everyone to develop their talents, but this takes time and careful nurturing. There is no magic quick-fix in the education business.
Perhaps I can make an analogy with cooking. If you want a top class meal then, as every top chef will tell you, good preparation is the key. First of all you need plenty of good raw materials, preferably fresh, locally sourced ones – I can see a lot sitting in front of me who would be just right. Having the right equipment and resources is also a help – well my tour showed me that you have this. But, to my mind, the skill of the cook is perhaps the most important factor; they need to know how to mix the ingredients. They also need patience because timing is all important. As Delia Smith tells us, and I’m a big fan of Delia, she says the secret is in the cooking, and, as we all know, cooking times vary. Personally I recommend a low heat – let’s say between gas mark 1 or 2, or 130o if you are using electric.
Of course, once you have started cooking I find it’s a mistake to open the oven too often and whatever you do you mustn’t get too anxious. Equally don’t let everything boil away; you will only regret it later. Certainly you may need to add a little seasoning from time to time and I recommend a good prod with a wooden spoon, especially if you find the ingredients sticking to the pan. On, and finally, don’t forget to keep your fingers crossed or, better still, say a little prayer. Having followed these steps I think you can expect success – all being well when your children are ready to leave Sevenoaks Prep, although, as I’ve said, it could well be later.
Well finally I would like to wish all those students who are leaving good wishes for their new school. Today marks a really important point of transition. I’ve no doubt that you will feel a twinge of sadness at leaving and a mixture of apprehension and excitement about starting somewhere new. But although you are leaving Sevenoaks Prep, in a real sense you will be taking part of it with you because everything you have learnt, the experiences you have had, the friendships you have made and the values the school has given you will be with you when you start afresh in September.