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From the head
in OCtOber, We enjOYed CAtCHing up WitH mAnY Ops And friendS in HOng KOng And SingApOre. tHAnKS tO SOmertOn SiO (2006), erneSt tSui (1986) And ALAn CHeung (1995) fOr HOSting
iam delighted that history is a focus for this edition of OP News. Although a geographer by degree I regard myself as a ‘closet historian’, and these days my teaching is limited to a Local Studies course where I minibus Year 7 (first form) pupils around
Cambridgeshire’s historic sites, including the Roman
Road, the ‘pyramids’ at Bartlow, Devil’s Dyke, and the deserted medieval village at Castle Camps. Children must study history because it teaches them perspective, and perspective is something that young people lack, as it comes with life experience.
Today’s pupils exposed to a media diet of global warming, political scandal and economic uncertainty can get anxious and depressed about their futures. The perspective of history is a very helpful antidote for such teenage angst. For in many cases it was worse in the past and we did survive and even thrive. This is something I have to remind myself as politicians of all colours attack independent schools and threaten us with anything from loss of charitable status and VAT on fees, to full-scale abolition and redistribution of assets.
History shows The Perse has survived worse – from the English Civil War and bubonic plague in the seventeenth century, to near bankruptcy and Luftwaffe bombs in the twentieth century.
Necessity is the mother of invention, and as we face uncertain times in the UK we are expanding overseas. Perse schools in Suzhou and Singapore will extend our educational reach and provide benefits for children both overseas and in Cambridge. For pupils in Asia there will be the chance to access a world-class liberal education, whilst for students in Cambridge there will be new exchange and cross cultural learning opportunities. And importantly when Perse UK could be facing political and economic hardships, Perse overseas will provide much needed funds to finance bursaries, outreach, capital improvements, and to keep a downward pressure on fee increases to help preserve affordability.
With best wishes,
