Enjoy it? It Made Mondays

Every town and city, and many villages too, are brimming with groups and organisations known both within and beyond their boundaries;  known for an approach, a rich enthusiasm, a directness focused on a subject of their choice; a subject and a group with a positive reputation, and often driven by someone with passion.  Such organisations often attract new members and fresh interest from people who often pass similar organisations closer to home.  Key individuals in these groups  are able to fire up enthusiasm and keep the flames of energy going.

These wonderful groups achieve a critical mass of members who are seemingly able to maintain the organisational energy for ever, or so it appears.  But there is a risk.  Everyone with flair and skill plays their part, but we all have a natural time period, after which we move on to other interests, move away or fail to find sufficient other members to support them.  Succession, or lack of it, is that greatest risk.

Among the organisations which consistently create projects, departments, activities and skills are schools and colleges.  Somehow there are teachers out there who push harder in their professional lives and develop something new, or enhance what might otherwise have been expected in the curriculum.  These teachers, often aided by dedicated parents or governors, produce an approach which stands above the expected in the life of the school.  They make their school shine brighter,

Today, many secondary schools and academies are specialists in one or more areas of the curriculum, so we tend to expect something extra in those areas.  Often, however, it has been the specific dedication of individual teachers who, beyond the curriculum, have enabled the reputation of the school to be more widely appreciated in the locality.  This may be curriculum enrichment via language courses in other countries, or developing an enthusiasm for healthy eating or healthy exercise in a wider range of sports or foods.  Performance skills are often used to build confidence and for the enjoyment of participation in its own right.

Lest we gain the impression this is a very modern concept, the idea of "doing something extra at school" is probably as old as formal education itself; not because it was required, but because head teachers and assistant teachers alike gave their students opportunities to engage in something different, nurturing the interests and aptitudes of the youngsters in their care.  As always, however, the challenge has been to support the costs involved.  It is often for reasons such as this that Parents' Associations were created to help raise funds.

Most of us will recall those special activities which much later enabled us to admit, "if it wasn't for Mr ..., who pushed me to excel in ... I wouldn't be where I am today."  

It would be great to receive details of some of the special projects and activities for which their schools were or are known, why they were engaging and who the key drivers were.  We have usually taken those drivers for granted and it's about time they were recognised.

Recently, while trawling though old journals, the reason for keeping one of them was realised.  A feature article in one of them revealed to a much wider audience a dynamic musical force which inspired up to half of the school; a reputation developed from formative beginnings, and using experience gained elsewhere.

From today you can read about Marshalswick Music by the former Director of Music, Ian Hamilton,  on the main website www.stalbansowneastend.org.uk  The link is on the front page.  We may even pick up a few recollections from former members of the school's choirs, bands and ensembles.  Apart from Marshalswick (now Sandringham) what else was or is out there which ensured there were challenges beyond the curriculum for their pupils and students?