School year in review
Dr John Price Headmaster
When I started my post as Headmaster of Worksop College and Ranby House, I certainly couldn’t have predicted the roller-coaster that would be the years ahead. Within my first three years, the cards we were dealt have been trying; from national lockdowns and remote teaching, to year group bubbles, we have certainly faced our fair share of challenges. Despite all this, it has been a pleasure to witness the resilience and adaptability within our community which never ceases to amaze me, and I cannot help but be filled with pride. As the light at the end of the tunnel began to shine brighter, we saw the return of our usual traditions. Sports fixtures resumed on the pitches, the Chapel was filled with voices and normality was restored. Our traditions have stood the test of time, and are what makes Worksop College and Ranby House such a special community. As well as our inschool events, we are very much looking forward to OWs reuniting once more – it will be great meet many of you finally.
“Our traditions have stood the test of time, and are what makes Worksop College and Ranby House such a special community.”
It wasn’t only social events that suffered the effects of the pandemic, but normal exam procedures also had to be altered. For our GCSE and A-level students, their results were calculated by their subject teachers based on a combination of mock exams and coursework. Despite their challenging year, nearly half of our A-level students received grades A*-A, and nearly half of GCSE grades awarded were 7-9. The students’ display of resilience during their disrupted school year, and the results they achieved regardless, show the qualities of true Worksopians. It is no secret that I believe education is about human flourishing rather than the flight towards academic success, but our results show how students can succeed when their strengths and talents are encouraged. Our unique approach to education recognises that every child has their own set of skills and abilities, and we want as many children to be able to benefit from this as possible. For this reason, we strive to support a number of bursaries at both Worksop College and Ranby House. Undoubtably, the past few years have affected the wellbeing of young people from every corner of the globe. Here at Worksop College we have introduced mindfulness training to our curriculum, with the intention of improving our students’ ability to handle stresses, while also being able to acknowledge the positives within their lives. The course offers them a clear understanding of optimism and self-esteem. We can certainly see a difference in the general atmosphere around the College. As we head into 2022, our focus remains on keeping our students, old and new, happy and healthy. I want to thank the whole Worksop College and Ranby House community for their continuous work to keep our family as strong as ever. As OWs, you are all very much part of this and I appreciate and value your continued support. Stay safe and please keep in touch - you are always welcome back, John Headmaster, Worksop College and Ranby House
4
