The Stonar Way 18 November 2022

From the Head of Sixth Form

Often when I’m looking for inspiration for my Sixth Form assemblies, I head to my bookcase to see what leaps out at me. Contrary to popular belief the bookcases of teachers are not full of subject specific tomes – my shelves are not full of Atlases, maps and geography text books about ox-bow lakes. Well, maybe there are a few maps there.....Anyway I digress. My search this week led me to one of my favourite childhood books, Richard Scarry’s Please and Thank You Book.

This was a formative book of my childhood where I was taught important lessons such as not leaving roller skates on the stairs or sticking my tongue out at elderly neighbours. In the section entitled ‘Horrid Pests’ it taught me that nobody likes a rude, interrupting pest or a selfish grabby pest. Indeed, such was the impact of this book that even today, when playing any sort of competitive game with my sister, she feels driven to tell me ‘Nobody likes a bad loser!’

One of my favourite parts of the book is the one I want to share with you. It is the story of Pig Will and Pig Won’t. This simple tale tells of two piggy brothers with very different characteristics. Whenever he is asked to do something or join in Pig Will answers, ‘I will!’, whereas Pig Won’t always replies with ‘I won’t’ (and one also has to note, a very grumpy and surly look on his face). Well, one day Daddy Pig asks his sons if they would like to come and help him at the boatyard for the day. Pig Will of course replies with a prompt ‘I will!’ and grumpy old Pig Won’t stuffs his hands in his pockets and mumbles ‘I won’t’. Daddy and Pig Will head off to the boatyard where Pig Will has a simply splendid day helping Daddy Pig build a boat and meeting lots of other animals who he is able to help. At the end of the day they all sit down together and eat big bowls of chocolate ice cream (this was my favourite picture). Meanwhile, Pig Won’t has been at home all day with Mummy Pig, who as an author has spent the day typing away on her new book and Pig Won’t has had a miserable and boring day all on his own.

Pig Won’t begins to reassess his life choices of always saying no to everything as he realises he is missing out. The next time they are asked to help Pig Will says ‘I will!’ and Pig Won’t cries out ‘Me too!’ at which point the boys spend a happy afternoon doing the housework for Mummy Pig and having tons of fun and from that day onwards Pig Won’t is known as Pig Me Too.

Now, I’m not sure that the pleasure of sweeping the floor would be enough to inspire everyone, but the message is clear; If you join in and get involved you have so much more fun than if you opt out and do nothing. It’s often much easier to say no to opportunities rather than yes. Saying yes can be a risky option. What if the activity is hard? What if you don’t enjoy it? What if you can’t do it or you’re scared? What if you’re friends aren’t doing it too? These can all be reasons to say no, to stick to your comfort zone where the risk of failure or disappointment is zero. On the flip slide what are the potential benefits of saying yes? Perhaps you will discover a hitherto untapped skill, a new set of friends, a sense of achievement and adventure or it may just simply be fun.

As this article goes to print myself, Mr Burns and Mr Wicks will be heading to Yorkshire with an intrepid group of 14 pupils from Year 10 to the Upper Sixth. We have all taken on the challenge of attempting the Yorkshire Three Peaks. This is a challenge where the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough are summited as part of a 40km circuit that includes 5,200 feet of ascent (to put this into context Ben Nevis is 4,411 feet high). The whole challenge has to be completed in 12 hours and as we are in November, a significant proportion of the walk will be done in darkness. Everyone who is attempting this challenge is a ‘Pig Will’, staff included.

They have all decided to get up and do something when the opportunity presented itself despite the fact that it is very likely to be hard work, cold, wet, tempers may become frayed and successful completion within the 12 hour window is not guaranteed. Yet, the team is willing to accept those risks for the potential rewards of the feeling of achievement, having a new experience and pushing themselves to see what they can achieve.

At the same time, this week most of Year 9 are at an outdoor adventure centre at Pencelli in the Brecon Beacons. They have all stepped up to the challenge of saying ‘yes’ to an opportunity that has presented itself to them. For many of them it really is a step into the unknown as they take part in activities many of them will have never tried before. I imagine the first evening saw them tackle the ‘Dingle Descent’, navigating the length of an upland river in the dark and blindfolded whilst tied together. Caving is often the activity that causes the most worry and concern as very few pupils have tried it before they go and naturally most people find the thought of being trapped underground in a narrow tunnel absolutely terrifying. I have been taking trips to Pencelli since 1996, and not once have I had a pupil who has been unable to complete the caving challenges. Though they may have started out as a ‘Pig Won’t’ they have all ended up as a ‘Pig Me Too’ and felt all the prouder for it.

I think this is a key difference between the two trips happening this week. The Three Peaks Challenge is full of ‘Pig Wills’. These are confident young people who already have experience of walking long distances and are in some ways proven in the activity. Yes, it may be difficult, but it’s not a complete step into the unknown. The Year 9 group at Pencelli will also contain some Pig Wills, but a large number of pupils will be ‘Pig Me Toos’; pupils who have no previous experience but have seen the benefits of giving something a try and getting involved. They may have to step further out of their comfort zone, but the payoff is often that their sense of achievement is greater than those who have faced a lesser challenge.

But being a ‘Pig Will’ or a ‘Pig Me Too’ is not just about physical outdoor challenges (that I admit are not everyone's cup of tea); it’s about the everyday opportunities that are presented to us. On Wednesday evening the Sixth Form enjoyed a Pizza and Prosecco night and it was lovely to see about 90% of the Sixth Form there, joining in and getting involved. Mr Smith has been building the choir ready for the Carol Service and each week it is fantastic to see pupils who don’t usually sing come along and join in, give it a go and make a difference. In assembly this week three competitions were mentioned for Biology, Chemistry and Art, and pupils were encouraged to enter and again, get involved. There was even the opportunity for staff to have a ‘Pig Me Too’ moment with the latest charity fundraiser. The call came out in assembly for male teachers to volunteer themselves for a ‘Charity Leg Wax’ - an opportunity surely for many to get out of a literal comfort zone and say ‘yes’!

It is often the ‘Pig Won’ts’ of life who are bored and say there is ‘nothing to do’, but the reality is there are masses of opportunities around us all the time, we just have to change our attitude to become more like ‘Pig Will’. There won’t always be chocolate ice cream at the end of it, but at least you won’t have wasted your time sitting around and doing nothing. I certainly won’t be doing nothing this weekend; with my son on the Three Peaks with me and my daughter at Pencelli, I will be doing lots of washing on my return. I wonder if my two ‘Pig Will’s’ will offer to help?

Charlotte Bennett
Head of Sixth Form