Value(s) Added Education I
have shared these words from Janet Gilbraith with various audiences from our staff and students to parents and local Quakers.
The mid-1980s saw a world which was facing many significant crises: from AIDS to Chernobyl, famine in Ethiopia to war in Afghanistan.
In the UK unemployment was
high, the IRA were carrying out some terrible atrocities and the Miners’ strike divided the country between 1984 and 85. So perhaps it is no great surprise that Gilbraith considered the world to be one where despair and pessimism were easily found. And yet, Gilbraith’s message is not one of doom and gloom. She gives an upbeat and hopeful message to educators of the world: ‘Teachers are optimists. We would not be teachers if we did not have confidence in the future and in humankind. We trust that, given the right opportunities, children will grow up into responsible adults capable of making good choices and of saving the world from disaster. Perhaps the most important thing we can do today is to transmit to our pupils that sense of hope.’ In these words I
believe that Gilbraith captures the essence of what we aspire to bring to a Sibford School education. Given events in the
The two qualities which are most important to children of today are hope and imagination. Hope to believe they can change the world they live in and imagination to find ways to do so. Janet Gilbraith (1986) Quaker faith and practice 23:85
Sibford Head Toby Spence is pictured with wife Jill and children Oscar, Eliza and Isobel. Over the last year, as Head of
‘Teachers are optimists. We would not be teachers if we did not have confidence in the future and in
world around us today ~ from conflicts and environmental disasters to political and social instability both locally and internationally ~ it strikes me that her words are no less significant than they were in the mid-1980s.
humankind.’
Sibford School, I have met many prospective parents and, whilst reasons for wanting to join the Sibford community do vary enormously, a common theme of understanding and appreciation of the values which underpin our approach is very clear. We articulate our values in many different ways, from our 3Rs of Respect, Resilience and Relationships to our motto – Truth, Honour Freedom and Courtesy. However, the reality is that we live and breathe our values within the common
ground of ‘Sibford Spirit’ – underpinned by a shared belief in ‘that of god [good] in everyone’. This makes Sibford a rather wonderful place to live and learn.
We are proud that we are non-selective, we are proud of our family values and holistic approach to education, we have high academic and pastoral expectations for the youngsters in our care and we look after them very well indeed. Our recent achievement of
‘Sports Mark Gold’ (see page 9) is a fabulous endorsement of the range and depth of sport we have on offer which mirrors the achievements of our music, art, drama and wider extra-curricular programme. Over and above this however
are the qualities and life skills that we instill in every Sibford student. From hope and imagination to resilience and respect I see a school which offers a truly ‘values added education’.
Toby Spence The Sibfordian / 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
