Tag: school

The Personal Touch

May 5, 2025

On a daily (and, increasingly, hourly) basis I am bombarded with emails and LinkedIn messages from people contacting me about all manner of different products and educational services with lofty claims of transformational impact, which tend to be followed up persistently and regularly (either by themselves or an automated scheduler) with a ‘just checking you’ve received my last email’ or ‘if you’re not the right person in your organisation please let me know who I should speak to’, or indeed any number of other such follow up strategies, some of which border on the aggressively forceful. In the age of enhanced contactability and multiple communication channels, I suspect most of us suffer from a similar scale of ‘cold calling’ clogging up our inboxes.

Set against such a high volume of sales pitches, the only response as recipient is to simply ignore and delete. Rude though it may be to not reply, if I don’t know you and I’ve not actively sought you out, I’m afraid I simply don’t have time to send a polite ‘thanks but no thanks’ response to everyone who contacts me.

One individual did, however, break through the impenetrable barrier earlier this year. It was in such stark contrast to all other contact I had received that I felt compelled to respond, and indeed write a blog post about it!

For a start, this wasn’t an email nor a LinkedIn message; it was a handwritten letter. Now for those of you who’ve read some of my previous blog posts (thank you to all three of you…) you’ll know that I am a big believer in the value of a handwritten note, and in spite of my handwriting being barely legible (“I think it’s actually got worse,” my Deputy Head Academic informed me last week with palpable concern on his face), I make time each week to write handwritten Forte Award notelets, cards of thanks to colleagues, or birthday cards to pupils and staff.

The letter writer – Philip Morrow from Morrows Outfitters – was blessed with far more grown up handwriting than I, and had spent time writing a full two pages having been recommended to contact me by a mutual acquaintance. Unlike most of the uninitiated contact I receive, there was no ‘hard sell’ within the letter, but there was a clear sense of the passion that Philip had for a family business that began in 1873 in Liverpool and, as the fifth generation of the family to act as custodian of the business, there was a compelling sense of his ‘why’.

The letter was accompanied by two pairs of rather splendid striped socks as an example of their produce and, what’s more, my initials had been embroidered into them as well.

As it happens, whilst I’ve not met Philip before, I have previously purchased a pair of similarly-styled socks from Morrows (in the Chocolate & Gold colours of the boarding house in my previous school where I was a Housemaster) so it wasn’t a complete out of the blue contact (and I should add, said socks are still going strong 10+ years later, so I can certainly testify to the quality and durability of the product!). But I’m not sure that a simple email or LinkedIn message would have had the same impact, and would likely have suffered the same terminal fate of the vast majority of the rest of the contact I receive.

The socks were a nice touch, (and have drawn approving looks around campus from pupils and staff alike, yes, even, my Deputy Head Academic…) but what struck me most was the personal touch that was so evident in the effort, time and consideration that went in to the communication; for me, that made all the difference. As the writer EM Forster implored: ‘Only Connect’.

It’s the Thought that Counts

My birthday last year was another such occasion when I was reminded of the personal touch, and the truth of the old adage that ‘it’s the thought that counts’.

Coming into school in the morning, I was greeted by my colleagues at reception with a number of gifts (entirely unnecessarily but nevertheless appreciated!), one of which was a large, square box wrapped in sparkling red wrapping paper.

Intrigued, as I opened the box and unwrapped the tissue paper lining, there inside was an item of clothing .  It was a waistcoat, but not just any waistcoat; this waistcoat was made up in the Oswestry School tartan with the same school-crested silk material that lines our green school tweed blazers. 

A lot of effort will have gone in to contacting our school uniform supplier, getting the material ordered, and making it up into a waistcoat that perfectly fits (with a little sneaky assistance from my wife who poached a waistcoat from my wardrobe for them to use for measurements). That’s a lot of thought, a lot of forward planning, and a lot of effort. And regardless of where you stand on tartan waistcoats (as a Scot, for me it is surely the ultimate in sartorial style!) it was- and is – a really, really special gift that I’ll treasure, and it is literally (at least at the moment) completely unique and a one of a kind.  It’s the thought that really does count.

A Culture of Gratitude

This term, we began our staff INSET with an invitation to pause for a moment or two to express gratitude to a colleague who had gone above and beyond, or helped in some way, or – in simply being them – had made the difference. Blank Postcards of Gratitude were placed on the chairs of the seats in the hall, which were soon filled in (enthusiastically I should add) and posted into a specially-designed postbox following which they were delivered to their intended recipients.

Whilst it had the potential to be perceived as a bit of a gimmick or a token gesture, I’m a firm believer in the confidence that comes from collegial gratitude. Don’t just take my word from it – the great Roman statesman Cicero once declared that “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”- and in our case, it was a really positive way to begin with words of encouragement that provided a spring in our step as we embarked upon the new term.

Positivity and gratitude resonates and reverberates. Within a relatively small school community such as ours where individuals – and individuality – are valued and encouraged, I see it (and hear it) each and every day, where kindness and compassion are part of the very fabric of the place, and where pupils and staff alike take the time, effort, and care to look out for one another, support one another, and celebrate one another.

That, perhaps, is the ultimate personal touch. Long may it continue, here and everywhere!

Just to prove that the personal touch really does work, I share with you the website of Morrows Outfitters with their range of fine UK-produced apparel. And, no, I’m not receiving commission! https://www.morrowsoutfitters.com/.

One More Step

March 27, 2025

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

I was reminded of this ancient proverb during our recent 24 hour fundraiser in aid of the new Performing Arts Centre at Oswestry School, an incredible weekend of collective effort and community endeavour, and one of the highlights not just of the term but of the school year as a whole.

At 2pm on Friday 7 March, the entire school joined together for the countdown to a non-stop challenge that would see hundreds of pupils, parents, staff and alumni throw themselves into a vast array of individual and group endurance challenges and creative efforts that would take us all the way through the night and on into the following afternoon.

A particularly special moment came right at the end of the event as Head of Lower School Mr Will Taylor concluded his epic 55 mile ‘Sea to School’ trek along Offa’s Dyke from Prestatyn to Oswestry, a feat of endurance that his feet won’t have thanked him for! Having walked through the night, over valley and stile, up hill and through brook, those final miles from the Old Racecourse down to the school were painful and slow ones, but as he neared the school, a group of pupils and staff went up to join him for the final mile, gathering around him to help him through those tough final moments. And, as he rounded the corner and walked towards the awaiting tunnel of cheering onlookers, he dropped his walking sticks and broke into a run, positively charging towards the finishing line where in front of him was a basin of deliciously cold iced water for his feet, and an equally enticing ice cold beer! It was a wonderful moment of collective celebration and admiration, and just one example of the quite brilliant – and quite inspiring – ways so many within our community threw themselves so fully into the fundraising effort.

Head of Lower School Mr Taylor cools off his feet after his feat of endurance!

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

For my own part, I’d agreed (somewhat foolishly, in retrospect!) to attempt to run 50km on a treadmill, a distance I had never come close to running on a treadmill, and a distance I’d not run for very many years; in fact, the last time I’d raced over that distance was over 21 years ago when I was much younger. And much fitter!

But I was determined to play my part, because this is a project that’s personally hugely important to me; having been persuaded as an 11 year old to audition for the school play (and unexpectedly landing the eponymous main part in Peter Pan), a desperately shy introverted young boy was given the confidence to believe in himself, and it changed everything for me. Above all, it taught me about the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and, for me, it was a first step on the journey towards where I am today. That desperately shy 11 young boy who wouldn’t even dream of putting his hand up in class would not have believed that in his later life he’d not only become a teacher and be the one at the front of the class, but would end up as a headteacher standing at the front of an assembly hall full of hundreds of students. The very thought of it would have struck terror in that young lad, but those first steps on that school stage (yes, green tights and all!) were some of the most important ones in my journey towards believing in myself and having the confidence to do things outside of my comfort zone.

Whilst the 50km Challenge was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done (and I don’t want to even look at a treadmill for a long while!) each and every one of those steps was worth it as a means of playing my part in the collective endeavour, and whilst those final miles were tough – really, tough – I kept in the back of my mind the reason why we were doing it, and the potential transformational impact it would have on future generations to come, youngsters who might in turn find their forte – and find their confidence – on stage and in the performing arts.

Barely standing at the end of the 50km Challenge!

Building a Legacy

As we gathered on the quad on that Friday afternoon in front of the Memorial Hall, we were joined by Chris Wylie (OO) and his wife Judith. Chris had been a pupil at the school when the Memorial Hall was opened on 11th December 1954 just over 70 years before. He remembered the occasion well, and reflected on just how fortunate he and his peers felt to have this brand new facility, one that – very poignantly – was built to commemorate those from the school who had given their lives in the two world wars. The building was funded almost entirely by donations from alumni and friends of the school, and was a campaign spearheaded – and delivered – through the determination and passion of a group of individuals who fervently believed in a vision for a legacy facility to benefit generations of youngsters in the years to come; that the sacrifices of those who had fallen would not be in vain.

As a school whose motto is We Learn Not For School But For Life, the Performing Arts plays a central role in the development of the skillsets and mindsets that will enable our youngsters to thrive – and flourish- in their adult lives.  After all, there is no better stage than the theatre for developing confidence and communication skills.  No better stage for experiencing collaboration and teamwork.  No better stage for developing resilience, agility, motivation and self-awareness.  Leadership; empathy; attention to detail; creative thinking (all of which, as it happens, are on the World Economic Forum’s list of Top 10 Skills of the Future).

Members of the Oswestry School Dance Academy which this year celebrated its 10th anniversary and has grown to a company of 115 members from 21 local schools

The vision for the new Performing Arts facility is all about making a life-changing impact to generations of youngsters in the years to come, and to make a difference to the local community in which we live.  A theatre and performance venue within walking distance of the town would be an exciting and significant community development for the town of Oswestry and is one of the main reasons why the Town Council were unanimous in their support for the project.   With residential housing for the elderly directly opposite the Memorial Hall, it is exciting to think of the difference we could make to our closest neighbours with regular weekly informal concerts within the new foyer space, or exhibitions of artwork, or talks from visiting authors and speakers.  For young and old, this new facility can – and will – really make a difference.  

Striding Forward

The 24 hr Non-Stop Challenge has raised just over £30,000 at time of writing – a phenomenal total and a demonstration, too, of what can be achieved through shared vision and collective endeavour. It brings our total fundraising to just shy of the million pound mark which will be a significant milestone in the campaign when we get there.

When we set out on this journey, the £1.5million fundraising target seemed like an almost impossible dream, but having taken that all-important first step, with each step, we get closer to the destination, and closer to the dream.

The journey – no matter how long, and no matter how hard – will be well worth it in the end!

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/pacappeal