Success Means Many Things

As the days get longer and the ‘dust’ has settled from the mock examinations in December, I hope that there is clarity about the goals that we are all striving for.  Success means many things but I would like all of us to feel that we have done as much as we can.  The worst thing to feel whenever we have striven for something is “If only I had done more”.  This is the case in all walks of life: our academic achievements; our work career; our relationships with peers, colleagues, siblings, children and partners.  Very little is achieved without effort and sacrifice.  Throughout, it is critical that we retain our values, our dignity and professionalism.  In order to achieve our Vision,

            “Inspire and support all students to achieve exceptional success”,

it is necessary that we work as a team for the “greater good” of our College. Rousseau talked about this in “The Social Contract”, when he wrote about when things are going well:

“… all the springs of the state are vigorous and simple and its rules clear and luminous; there are no embroilments or conflicts of interests; the common good is everywhere clearly apparent, and only good sense is needed to perceive it….

A state so governed needs very few laws; and, as it becomes necessary to issue new ones, the necessity is universally seen."

I love the quotation from J.F. Kennedy when he talked about personal interests versus those of the greater good,

"My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

During this week, there are more events and visits than at any time during the academic year, listed as follows:

·         The Film Studies students are in Berlin for the Film Festival;

·         The Media Studies students are in New York;

·         Religious Studies students are in Manchester;

·         Science students are at the Hull York Medical School;

·         Students studying English Language will be in London on Friday;

·         The PE/ski trip to Italy leaves on Friday;

·         Students on the flyers’ programme will be at an HE+ event at St Mary’s College on Friday;

·         Creative Writing/English students will be travelling to Whitby on Sunday.

All of the above comes after a week of our first cross-College production of the year, “Sweet Charity”, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The level of commitment, work and talent was very evident - many thanks to all those involved.

On the Tuesday and Wednesday after half-term, our Flyers will be in London visiting some of the prestigious universities in the capital.  Our Spanish students will be visiting Seville and also taking part in a half-day language school.  On 7^th March, we have the visit to Washington by the Politics students and just before Easter, we will have our annual expedition to South Africa.  This week we have our last two Consultation Evenings.  I hope that you are able to attend and that the discussions with the staff are very useful.  The aim is to ensure that you are absolutely clear about what you need to do to improve.

On Monday lunchtime, I was privileged to be able to watch the staff versus students’ netball game.  It was brilliant to see so many taking part and the hordes of enthusiastic supporters.  It doesn't matter who won but it was certainly very competitive and close.  I was particularly pleased to see two members of our Senior Team so involved.  Unfortunately, I missed the concert to raise money for the Peru expedition at lunchtime yesterday but I believe it was also very well attended.  I hope that it managed to raise the much-needed funds for the students that are taking part.

We are all a little nervous about the "staff event” at lunchtime on Friday.  It is all getting quite competitive.  I believe that Chris, Meg, Brenda et al have been busy rehearsing late into the night and have spent £000s on preparing the relevant props/costumes in order to ‘shine'.  Alas, Mark Rothery and the Senior Team have struggled to find the time and have had to contend with rehearsing by text and e-mail.

Anyway, as always, I find it really nerve wracking but enjoy it after the event, much like the bucket challenge and Gangnam.  We shall see, but I hope that as many of you as possible can attend, be supportive and raise lots of money for the building work at the orphanage in South Africa.  Remember, the secret is to work hard, play hard, have fun, and take control of your life.  A verse from Neil Young/Bob Dylan comes to mind from "Forever Young":

"May your hands always be busy,

May your feet always be swift,

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of change shift.

May your heart always be joyful,

May your song always be sung,

May you stay for ever young.”

So what uplifting stories have been particularly poignant for me?

·         My beloved Leeds winning last night and gradually pulling away from the relegation zone.

·         Seeing the wonderful, effervescent, adventurous folk in their endeavours at the Banff Film Festival in Birmingham last weekend.

·         The news that the "super-rich" and their accomplices at the Inland Revenue are being pursued for tax avoidance.

·         That over 75 MPs from all parties have signed the petition on "Drop the Learning Tax on Sixth Form Colleges".

·         That the London School of Economics has opened a global centre for women in war zones.

Have a really good and productive half-term.

Jay

Welcome Back

A Happy New Year and welcome back to the start of the Spring Term.  I hope that you have had an enjoyable, restful break, and that you are prepared for the challenges ahead.  Soon you will receive the results of your mock examinations and I hope that they reflect your commitment and understanding in the subject.  Your subject teachers and tutors will shortly discuss your progress with you and agree an appropriate plan to improve further.  Please ensure that you are fully focused for the remaining five months so that you can fulfil your potential to progress on to the next stage in your career.

You may have taken on specific resolutions for the New Year to improve the quality of your life and your well-being.  If you have done so, good luck and I hope that it works for you.  I don't believe in New Year resolutions but I do believe that we have to take control of our lives and not wait for things to happen, to be done to us or for us.

For nearly a year, I have decided that I want to use my time to become proficient in a new language.  I have been looking for someone to teach me, without success, as it is a non-European language.  So about two months ago, I purchased a series of CDs which I use when travelling to and from work.  I must admit that it has been really fulfilling, "enjoyable" and at times, very mind-jumbling.  Never more so than when I used it for the first time with a native speaker in December and her response was bewildering.  I could feel and hear the cogs in my brain slowly moving to make sense of what I had heard.  I felt somewhat intimidated and daft but felt pleased when I was able to respond, albeit, with a very clipped and short phrase.

Taking control of your life means that you have to listen and be mindful of the advice that you are given:

"Good advice is sure enough hard to come by but bad advice surrounds you constantly",

Gill Scott-Heron.

You have to look within yourself and not be too hasty in making judgements.  There is an old Chinese proverb:

"Criticism comes easier than craftsmanship".

And do remember what Bill Gates said,

"Don't take the mickey out of geeks and nerds.  They may end up being your boss".

Finally, remember to be tolerant and to listen:

"It is better to be thought of as a fool than having it confirmed by opening your mouth",

Mark Twain.

I listened to lots of music during the holidays and was introduced to Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s beautiful rendition of Over the Rainbow as well as Sam Smith (by one of our sons).  I also went to watch my beloved Leeds United lose against Derby County on a very cold evening.  In an odd sort of way, I enjoyed watching the team but it made me realise that we are going to be in a relegation scrap and desperately need leaders on the pitch.

I managed to keep abreast of the news and was heartened by the story of a homeless person, who paid for a taxi to take a young woman safely home, late at night.  Subsequently, the young woman raised over £3000 for the person through the generosity of her family and friends.

Have a great Spring Term and take control of your life.

Jay

Success Breeds Success

Two weeks’ ago on Friday afternoon, I drove home in anticipation of news about our College success.  I listened to "Oh, Lonesome Me" by Neil Young and thought about the pressures on young people to succeed and to make the necessary short-term sacrifices.

"Everybody’s going out and having fun

I'm a fool for staying home and having none."

Clearly, all of you have a lot going on in your life and the temptation/pressure to prioritise the social aspects of life at the expense of academic success is always present.  However, the point I would make is that sometimes it is possible to do both by being well-organised, using your time productively and being well disciplined.  On other occasions, it is necessary to make short-term sacrifices for the long-term gain.  Indeed, recent reports in the press (Institute of Fiscal Studies) clearly show that students with A-levels outperform those without in terms of future earnings and promotions.  It is also no surprise that, on average, graduates outperform in comparison to students who have succeeded at A-level.

So, the message is work hard even if it means that you have to defer things that others are 'enjoying’ at the moment.  We all have strategies to avoid work.  Mine is to decide to tidy my desk but I am now aware of this and when I find myself doing so, I am better positioned to stop myself.

The mock examinations are looming and I hope that you are all revising hard and clear about what you will be assessed on, when and know the structure of the examination.  Please do not be lulled into thinking that it doesn't matter.  It certainly does and will give us a clear indication of what you have learned and how you are likely to do in the summer.

Over the weekend, I learned about the thrilling way in which our netballers triumphed in the Regional finals, our Economists were runners-up in the prestigious Bank of England competition in York and about the 15 students in Year 11 from our partner schools, who were taken to Cambridge University.  I was particularly pleased that these prospective students were shown around the University by our former students, Connor Fowler and Katie Craven.  Long may this tradition continue.  Success breeds success and there is no reason why we cannot have this arrangement at every Russell Group University.

On Sunday evening, I learned that one of our students, through his own endeavour, had won the Hull Entrepreneur of the Year for 2014.  Clearly, this young man has a tremendous future and is one to watch for the future.

Today, in staff briefing, we enjoyed seeing a short clip of a video when it was announced that we had reached, for the first time, the final of the Law Mooting Competition in Leeds.  Even though we were narrowly beaten by another Sixth Form College, it shows what we are capable of.  I feel so proud and genuinely believe that there is no limit to what we can achieve provided that we believe in ourselves, work extremely hard and aim for the very best.  It is not enough to be very able; what makes the difference is that extra commitment, drive and practice (10,000 hours) that the top performers in all areas put in.

I heard on the news this morning that £15 billion will be spent on the much-needed 'road revolution' and at the weekend, an extra £2 billion for our deserving NHS.  I'm very pleased but cannot help wondering why there isn't a commensurate increase in funding for Sixth Form Colleges.  I feel it is wrong that, despite being one of the most successful and cost effective sectors within education, unlike academies, schools and free schools, we still have to pay VAT on our provision.  The Sixth Form Colleges' Association has launched the "DROP THE LEARNING TAX" campaign and I would urge you all to have a look at the web page, dropthelearningtax.org, and sign the e-petition.

I was delighted with the performance of my beloved Leeds United at the weekend.  The result reflected the power of teamwork and self-belief.  I feel quietly confident and slightly smug, just for this week.

Finally, as the darkness 'draws-in’ and daylight hours appear to diminish, remember to remain upbeat.  You are not on your own.  On the Neil Young theme from 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart':

"When you are young and on your own

How did it feel to be alone?

I was thinking of games

That I was playing

Trying to make the best of my time"….

"I have a friend I’ve never seen.

He hides his head inside a dream.

Someone should call him and see

If he can come out.

Try to love the down that he has found".

Have a great build up to the end of term.

Jay

It is all about using Data

Welcome back and I hope that you have all had a really good break.  Thank you all for such a superb Open Evening on Thursday, 23^rd October, when we were able to show prospective students what a great College we have.  Many parents commented on our achievements, our warm and friendly welcome, our honesty, our openness and our celebration of success.  I certainly felt really proud and honoured to be a part of such a key event.

I read a fascinating article in The Guardian a few weeks ago about Billy Bean.  He is an American former professional baseball player and CEO of Oakland Athletics.  He has revolutionised the way in which data is used to understand baseball and improve performance.  Since 2000, the As have reached the play-offs 8 times despite having

one of the smallest budgets.  So how do the As achieve such success?  According to Bean,

"… it is about using data and detailed analysis to find value.  It means that when it comes to recruitment you have to engage in detailed and lengthy analysis of potential targets, not falling into the familiar trap of recruiting someone because they played well against your team.  It means being open to new ideas and 'being the dumbest guy in the team'".

As I read this article, I began to extrapolate about our College, our performance, our development and, of course, my beloved Leeds United.  Are we "punching above our weight?"  This would seem to fit with the expressions of surprise that I hear when I attend meetings in the South, and for some, they don't even know where our college is.  However, I am certainly not surprised when I see all the wonderful work going on and the 'beautiful' conversations that I have and overhear.

If each of us can understand and begin to use the data more intelligently, then surely we can get even better.  So for example, what does the data tell us about:

how we teach;
how we learn;
the quality of results that we obtain;
taking that small step to get better;
are we receptive to new ideas;
do we make a judgement about someone who asks the most basic question, such as, 'Why are we doing this?
Does it work?" and finally,
what can we do to improve our performance even further?

Hope we all have an even better second half-term and that we can continue to improve.

Powerful and Poignant

Last weekend was spent with some long-standing, very close family friends and we talked about some great lines from films (as one does late into the night).  One that came to mind straightaway was performed by Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner.  In this, the character Batty reflects on his mortality and I love the imagery created:

"I have…seen things you people wouldn't believe… Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.  I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.  All those…moments…will be lost in time, like tears…in…rain."

Wow!  How powerful and poignant.  What, you may ask, has this got to do with our College?  Well, you must remember how quickly the two years pass and before you know it, it will be time for you to leave and move onto the next stage in your life.  Memories will fade "like tears in rain" or "like a river to a raindrop", and you must ensure that you make the most of all that is available to you.  Take control, don't sit back and wait for things to happen to you.  Enjoy your learning, ask plenty of questions and get involved in the wide range of things on offer: debating; Young Enterprise; music; competitions; visits; the college newspaper; the Student Executive; drama; dance; sport and poetry.  Remember, as Oscar Wilde said:

"Education is what is left when all that you have learned in the classroom is forgotten."

I really love to see the laughter, fun and enthusiasm on your faces throughout the College.  I have been very lucky in being able to witness this during my "learning walks".  I am genuinely excited about the prospect of our first band night on 15^th October and our participation, for the first time, in the "Shakespeare in Schools" production at Hull Truck on 22^nd October.

Last night I was at our Corporation meeting and was saddened to hear about tales of the 'games' that some of our competitors play to "keep you" at the school: special assemblies; calling in parents for meetings if you have been to our College for an interview; using students who have left our College to inform their peers about how 'bad' it is at Wyke and ensuring that school events are 'organised' to coincide with our Open Evening.  It disappoints and angers me that this goes on but I am delighted that you have seen "through this" and chosen to come here.  I hope that your experience is really positive and I know that you will be really successful.  Ultimately, you will be the ones who will and can challenge some of their lies and through your success, demonstrate the 'beauty of our College'.  The line from Oscar Wilde comes to mind:

"What is worse than being talked about is not being talked about at all."

Clearly, if our College is being talked about then we must be seen as a real threat.  We must be doing something right.  Please continue in the same vein and do not lose that "passion" to learn.

As I look out of my office into the Library, all I see is a sea of people, quietly working and focused on work.  I am lucky that I get to see and comment on so many of your personal statements and that you do approach me, ask about things at the College and my opinions.  Long may that continue.  Enjoy your learning.

What a brilliant feeling!

Today as I stood in the entrance at 8:45 am, I saw so many of our new students coming into College for the first time.  What a brilliant feeling!  I too had butterflies in my stomach – a new place, so many exciting opportunities, smiling and apparently confident faces.  What a wonderful period but also very scary.  I could almost see the 'thought bubbles' full of trepidation:

"Will I make new friends?"

"Will I fit in?"

"What will my teachers be like?"

"Is what I am wearing acceptable?"

Well, if the rest of the year is anything like today, it will be brilliant.  I could sense the atmosphere in the theatre during my talks - the focus and commitment on your faces clear to see.  Remember, believe in yourselves.  You have been accepted on 'merit' and now you will 'fly'.  You are joining a College where it is the norm to be successful, where you will work hard, be pushed and enjoy your learning experience.  Ofsted mentioned the 'amazing culture of learning at Wyke' and you are now part of it.  You are following in a tradition from where students have gone to the most prestigious universities, the top courses and superb employment prospects.  Remember to be yourself, become excited about learning and get involved in the range of experiences that are on offer: music; sport; drama; debating; dance; business; film….

The adage, "you only get out what you put in" is so true.  Our students succeed, not only because of the top grades achieved, but also because of the other experiences and skills that they have acquired.  The words from Coldplay's "Us against the World" come to mind.  Through all the changes, you need to walk a clear path and be confident.

"The tightrope that I’m walking just sways and ties".

It is hard being a young person in 2014 (wasn't it always the case?).  You will have already received many 'invitations' to choose other options.  Hold your nerve:

"Through chaos as it swirls.

It's us against the world".

You have made the right choice and you will now have a brilliant two years.

Tomorrow we welcome back our second years who have been incredibly successful.  I am really looking forward to seeing the happy faces that I saw during results day.  Remember that this year will 'whirl by' and before you know it, you will be preparing to go off to university.  So don't waste a single second, be focused from the outset and be prepared to build on your outstanding AS and BTEC results.

At this time of year, I always remember a close friend of mine who I lost last year and when I heard this from the same track, I felt very pensive.  It made me realise just how quickly time passes and how we need to make the most of each other:

"Like a river to a raindrop

I lost a friend."

So no Bobby D this time and my beloved Leeds United have a "new" team but no manager to lead us to the ‘promised land’.  Perhaps, soon.

At Wyke, welcome back to our staff whose dedication and commitment are second to none.  It is through our team effort that we continue to be a leading College nationally.  Our ALPs grades of 2 (AS); 3 (A2) and 2 (BTEC) place us amongst the highest performing sixth form colleges throughout the country.  Welcome, too, to our new staff about whom we are very excited.  In my fourth year at Wyke, I believe that this year we have our "strongest team”.  This means that not only have we recruited some excellent colleagues (at different levels within the College and some who will join us in January), but that the staff in key roles are best placed to make our College even more successful.

Enjoy the start of the new academic year.

Results Day on VikingFM