On Wednesday evening, I joined a few other members of our community in attending a ‘meet our student researchers’ event at the University of Warwick. I didn’t know what to expect but ended up in many fascinating conversations on a wide range of topics including phage therapy, the environmental impact of COVID, and the connections between the rise of the Bengali nationalism and food. There are frequent events in our region, many of which are free, that enrich our understanding of the world. This one was particularly suited for Sixth Formers and was an excellent way of developing some of their wider knowledge. We frequently highlight these events and I am always happy to receive recommendations to share. We are very lucky to have two excellent universities on our doorstep, which run outreach programmes; with opportunities aimed at different age groups, for example Warwick run a science Christmas lecture programme that is accessible for the whole family.
As I said in my Open Morning speech last week, these opportunities extend our views and understanding of the world, they teach us important new skills such as working together, they help give us balance in life, they enrich and they inspire. We can’t predict what might spark our enthusiasm and when it might happen, which is why I always recommend that pupils try as many different things as possible. There is so much available both inside and outside the classroom. A pupil, whom I taught a few years ago, watched ‘Yes Man’, a film starring Jim Carrey, where the main character is encouraged to say yes to every opportunity. The pupil decided to bring this idea into school and for a few weeks he said yes to everything that he could. It is difficult to explain in a short blog how, but those few weeks changed the direction of his life. Try and say yes, as often as you can, as you never know where this might lead!
