Celebrating Achievements The Chairman of Governors’ Prizegiving Address Sir Clive Martin, Headmaster, distinguished guests, parents, members of staff and all students present. Good evening and welcome to St Albans School Prizegiving 2010.This year we have a record number of prizes to present.We have cleared out the local Waterstones and the remainder section of Tesco for those who have chosen cer tain recently published political memoirs. We are an independent fee paying school, providing bur saries where needed. Socrates said that “an education obtained with money is worse than no education at all” – needless to say, we didn’t invite him. We did, however, invite – and it is our pleasure to have with us – Sir Clive Martin OBE DL TD OA, who will be presenting the prizes tonight. We a r e h e r e t o c e l e b r a t e t h e achievements of students at St Albans School. Year on year the exam pass rate seems to go up and there appears every likelihood that soon more than 100% of our students will achieve higher than 100% of available marks. Our Headmaster will give a ‘State of the Nation’ address and the very impressive exam results have been published elsewhere. Whilst here to celebrate excellence and to award prizes to worthy winners, those who are not recipients tonight are no less worthy and well-regarded and all contribute to the success and well-being of the school. Education is always in the news – exam results are constantly queried – too easy, not enough distinguishing features between the good and the very good. This year we have the uncomfortable spectacle of over 100,000 students failing to gain a university place. Academies are the new ‘educational kids on the block’. Indeed yesterday, the first two items on Radio 4’s Today programme featured education items. I want to go off message for a moment. I am against education! It is what has caused my daughter to move home. Last Sunday, my wife and I and a full removal crew took half her belongings to university – thirteen pairs of shoes, a shed full of clothes, posters, cocktail shaker and glasses, pots, pans, pasta bowls, blue tack, hair dryer and toaster – and one book! I miss her already.
Of course I am in favour of education: If an empty mind can be replaced with an open one… If it is to learn what you didn’t even know you didn’t know… So long as students can be given problems to solve and not answers to remember… then education is the finest legacy we can bestow upon our children. Mind you, education hasn’t worked for everybody: Mark Twain said that he never let his schooling interfere with his education and Winston Churchill said something similar when declaring that his education was interrupted by his schooling. Cynically, Albert Einstein said that it was a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. Whilst celebrating the achievements of the students, I wish to take a moment or two to thank those who have made a significant contribution to the achievement of our prize winners: The Headmaster for his vision, drive and determination which has steered this school into the well-deserved prominent position it currently occupies.
Chairman of Governors Stephen Eames
The dedicated team of teachers without whose devotion and hard work this evening would not be so impressive.
education is the finest legacy we can bestow upon our children. All of the above would recognise the significant input of the support staff to include admin, ground staff and bursary, under the guidance of our Bursar Derek Todd. You parents for your decision to place your trust in this school, to assist in the production of educated and worthwhile citizens. To the students here and at home and in clubs and pubs across the region! Last but by no means least, the Governors. We have this year streamlined our governing arrangements and made them, I believe, fitter for purpose. We have a dedicated Board and an Advisory
Council to which have migrated a number of our ex-officio Governors to include the Mayor and the Dean. I wish to make special mention of those who have retired from the Board this year, all of whom have made huge contributions – Geoffrey Dale, David Pepper and David Lindsell. I paid tribute to the hard work and dedication of my predecessor, Ian Jennings, who was absent last year but is present tonight to have his significant contribution recognised. I am ver y pleased that the following Governors are present tonight – Janet Mark, Andy Barnes, Rosemary Phillips, John Barber, Chris McIntyre, Richard Blossom, Richard Munton and Gordon Myland. If I could give them a prize I would. It is now my pleasure to introduce to you your Headmaster, Mr Andrew Grant. Professor Pat Thomson, Director of the Centre for research in Schools and Communities at Nottingham University School of Education, carried out a study of nineteen fictional head teachers. He found that nine are portrayed as evil or authoritarian, a further six are remote figures of power and just one – JK Rowling’s Professor Albus Dumbledore’ is a positive role model – so Welcome to Hogwarts!