A View from the Common Room

Neil Ward (Staff 2008–present)

It was not until I was sitting in the staff pews in Chapel last week, listening to a solo hymn from one of our talented Fourth Form, that I realised how much I had missed such occasions. With so much of our focus on the challenges of delivering the academic curriculum under the restrictions imposed on us by this pandemic, it has been easy to overlook the impact of not having these events in our weekly routine. As I mentioned last year, Fettes, for me, is first and foremost about the community. In times like these, missing opportunities to bring us together, to reflect and support one another, has been a significant loss.

The school’s 150th anniversary celebrations came as a welcome reminder of what this place represents to so many,

Although we have faced challenges as a Common Room this year, it has been impossible to ignore our privilege when comparing to others’ experiences over the last 18 months. After a Summer Term online, we were delighted to be back in the classroom in September. The new challenge of blended learning was upon us and while this proved logistically demanding, the new IT skills we had developed made it possible to achieve. It was lovely to see everyone in person, even if it was from a distance and with masks muffling our voices and obscuring our facial expressions. The school’s 150th anniversary celebrations came as a welcome reminder of what this place represents to so many, and that hard times have been overcome before to get to where we are now.

Sadly, the Autumn Term also brought the announcement that two of our longest serving colleagues, Andrew Shackleton (Staff 1985–2021) and Robert Harrison (Staff 1991-2021), would be retiring from teaching at the end of the year.

Andrew Shackleton leaves us after thirty-six years’ service in the Classics Department, a member of the 100 Club as Rob Harrison put it when describing the achievement of teaching more than a century of terms. For nineteen of those years, he has had the enormous responsibility of Director of Studies, a job he has done with obvious success. Often known by colleagues for asking difficult questions at interview and his hilarious leaving speeches, he is loved for his straight talking, self-deprecating wit, and eye for detail. We have been incredibly lucky to have had someone of his calibre and experience help lead us through this challenging period.

Rob only narrowly misses out on the 100 Club himself, having given thirty years of his life to this place. Like his wife, he is Fettes through and through, and has contributed so much to every aspect of life here; English teacher, hockey coach and Housemaster to name but a few of his many roles over the years. Many of us have had the privilege of being taken through the staff induction process by him. Within moments of first meeting him, it was clear that this was a special place to work and somewhere that you wanted to be part of, such was his warm welcome and infectious passion for the place. As President of the Common Room, he brought the staff together in so many ways. His humorous speeches will long be remembered, as will his roles directing and acting in the staff plays.

The Spring Term saw us back behind our computer screens. Although the novelty had worn off for many, we were far better equipped and able to produce a great variety of online lessons. This has always been one of the most high-pressured terms academically and it stretched everyone to their limit, particularly when it came to supporting students through the completion of practical coursework. As the exams were cancelled, the prospect of producing teacher assessed grades became a reality. It signified another stressful term to come where we would once again need to pull together and ensure we did our absolute best for the students involved.

The Summer Term was indeed incredibly challenging for all, but in true Fettes style, we adapted and made the most of what was allowed within the restrictions. The summer weather helped brighten the mood. With chapels and sports fixtures returning and the sound of piping drifting over Bigside, the place seemed a lot more familiar. One highlight for many was viewing the film production of Much Ado About Nothing. As Vikki Chandler and Peter Jenkins stated in their director’s notes, sometimes adversity offers opportunity. To produce such a film, a first for Fettes, under such circumstances epitomises what this place is about and once again reminds us of what a special place this is.