BOARDING SCHOOLS
Lighting fires
“Education is essential
to change, for education
creates both new wants
Positive
and the ability to satisfy
them.”
Henry Steele Commager
“In preparing for battle,
I have always found that
about
plans are useless, but
planning is indispensable.”
Dwight D Eisenhower
“Wise people learn when
boarding
they can; fools learn when
they must.”
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
Wellington
“Efficiency is doing things
right; effectiveness is doing
the right things.”
Peter F Drucker
“The best way to teach
people is by telling a story.”
Kenneth Blanchard
“Once the game is over, the
king and the pawn go back
in the same box.”
Italian proverb
Got a quote? Send your quotes to
editor@sec-ed.co.uk
stumping up the boarding fees for vulnerable students, “That’s part of the magic of being a boarding school
he believes boarding schools can provide a safe and where you’ve got the education, the activities and life
positive alternative for children on the edge of going all in a same place.”
into care. It is this quality of life and focus on community as
He said: “There is a kind of default position about well as education that the school in Sudan is hoping to
Headteacher's
boarding schools which is they are either Eton or achieve when it opens next year.
Tom Brown’s Schooldays, but one of the things about Situated in the south of the country, the school aims
state boarding schools is that there are a far boarder to improve a level of education that has suffered terribly
spectrum of schools and pupils within those schools through years of conflict.
PA of the Year
than you would ever imagine – not least because of the Mr Roffe fell into his role advising the project
work schools are doing to provide places for vulnerable after being contacted by someone from the charitable
children. foundation setting it up.
“Schools themselves and charitable trusts have a Since then he has advised architects on where to put
Awards 2009
tremendous track record of providing opportunities the school blocks and on how it should be run.
for children from the most dreadful circumstances to “Designing this boarding school from scratch has
come here and to other state and independent boarding been a great opportunity to put into practice a lot of An opportunity to recognise and celebrate the people
schools. what I have learned in this country – but in Sudan
who are at the heart of a successful school
“We know that the outcome for children in care is we’ve had to take account of unexploded weapons and
not great, but part of the trick in using boarding places is even the possibility of crocodile attacks.”
that it works for children on the edge of care. Despite his absolute engagement in teaching, Mr
One of the most vital jobs performed in
“This absolutely provides a very positive alternative Roffe claims it is also something else he fell into, rather
any secondary school is that of the PA to
for them. Unlike going into care, going to boarding than taking a positive decision to pursue. Toying with the headteacher. The PA is invariably the
school is an aspirational thing itself – children come politics early on his career he was a town councillor at confidante of the head and a key link with the
here feeling they have achieved something rather than the tender age of 22 and even stood for election as an staffroom, the governors, parents and pupils. Good PAs are
that no-one wants them.” MP in Corby in 1992 before teaching and the welfare of
an invaluable asset and few schools can operate efficiently or
The 2007 Ofsted report for Wymondham reads children became his passion and vocation.
effectively without them.
like a glowing school report, littered with the word “I fell into teaching. I left university not knowing
“outstanding” and noting that children achieve good what I wanted to do. I thought I’d train to be a teacher
In acknowledgement of this essential and important role,
exam results while also feeling valued and cared for. because I’d always have that to fall back on, but I
This reflects Mr Roffe’s belief that education is as realised I quite liked it,” he said.
SecEd is proud to organise for the fourth year running, in
much about bringing a positive quality to children’s On the day he received a letter offering him his first
association with the DCSF International School Award,
lives as it is about A and B grades on sheets of paper. teaching position, he was also told that he had made it
which is managed by the British Council, the SecEd
“We have a saying at the college: It’s not just about through to the selection board to work for the Foreign
Headteacher's PA of the Year Awards 2009, which will
grades – it’s about life. The life you lead in college and Office. However, he decided a positive job offer was
celebrate the achievements and success of the modern
the life you lead when you’ve left.” worth more than the possibility of a position as a civil headteacher's PA.
Extending an air of calm authority and a gentle servant. What started as an opportunity has ended up
openness, his educational philosophy appears to be as a vocation. Only personal assistants to the headteacher of a
a quite simple one – concentrate on the positive and By the age of 36, he was given his first headship
secondary school, state or independent, may be
eliminate the negative. at Old Swinford Hospital School near Birmingham. It
entered. Nominations will only be accepted by the
“If you ask more of children then they will always was the first time he had come across the little known
head or deputy head. To enter, a statement
achieve more than you ever think they will in the first phenomenon of state boarding schools.
of not more than 700 words must be
place. There’s no doubt about that,” he continued. Now, less then a decade on, the 45-year-old father-
“Part of the problem we have with the portrayal of of-two – whose son and daughter attend Wymondham
written, explaining why the
young people in the media at the moment is that the College – has a network of contacts that expands much
nominated PA deserves
story is virtually always a negative one. further than the 80-acre school he is in charge of.
the award.
“I really worry that this creates a negative feedback They reach to the centre of government, to the
loop, because there is a sense if people say we are Sudan and across the world via the BSA; they reach
Nominations should be
rubbish then we’ll be rubbish. If people think we are throughout his Norfolk school and into the lives of the
sent to Pete Henshaw by
threatening then we will be threatening.” children he is charged with providing pastoral care and
no later than October 1, 2009.
“I’ve known a good number of children over an education for – hopefully helping them move on to
For information and guidance for
the past seven or eight years where they’ve come to lead positive lives. SecEd
nominators is also available.
boarding school from very difficult circumstances and
Email pete.h@markallengroup.com,
found security and aspiration in the school. Or less • Sara Dixon is a freelance education journalist.
write to SecEd, MA Education, St. Jude's
spectacularly – but still importantly – maybe somebody
who is a little timid or unsure of themselves and the
Further information
Church, Dulwich Road, London, SE24 0PB
school has managed to catch the thing they are good at Boarding Schools Association: www.boarding.org.uk
or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk
and really develop it. Wymondham College: www.wymondhamcollege.org
pa 2009.indd 1 23/3/09 15:49:07
SecEd • July 2 2009 9
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