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Many happy returns Gordonstoun’s three Rs strategy to reintegrate pupils back into school after lockdown will also serve as a blueprint for when they have to navigate the inevitable pitfalls of life, writes Principal LISA KERR
T
he Covid-19 pandemic showed us that we can take nothing for granted. You probably fought to keep your business running and battled with social and travel restrictions. When you did so, what skills did you call upon? I suspect your strength of character and resilience were as important as your intellect. We all had to dig deep. The events of the past two years have demonstrated the importance of the broad range of skills that young people need to succeed. Gordonstoun has always been a pioneer when it comes to teaching skills for life, not just for exams, but when our students returned after lockdown, we recognised that this approach was more relevant than ever. We were honoured to be named Boarding School of the Year in the Independent Schools of the Year 2021 Awards for an approach which involved a very different set of ‘three Rs’.
AN EDUCATION FOR LIFE
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greatbritisheducationmag.com
INDOMITABLE SPIRIT This approach formed the basis of our first ‘R’: Resilience. To help reinforce resilience, we quadrupled our outdoor education team. Sunday rest days were dispensed in favour of coasteering; the local cliffs were rigged with ropes for abseiling, and a pair of resident swans found themselves rudely disturbed by
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Our school, which famously educated HRH Prince Philip and his son HRH Prince Charles
(thereby becoming the first senior school to educate an heir to the British throne) was built upon the idea that young people need to be challenged in order to develop skills such as resilience, responsibility and compassion. Over the years this has been inaccurately depicted as a tough regime of cross-country running and cold showers. But the reality is that pupils learn teamwork on our ocean-going sail-training vessel, develop resilience on expeditions into the Scottish Highlands and grow a strong sense of service to the community by volunteering to be lifeguards or members of the Coastguard. Thus, they develop skills which they can draw upon as they face life’s ups and downs, whether or not they are living through a pandemic.
