For me, U6 was a year of lasts: last play, last gig, last OSCAR broadcast, last CCF session, last debate and so many more. It was a sad time for me because I was saying goodbye to places and events that had been a part of me for the last seven years.
Ever since I joined Oundle in First Form, I knew that I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunities that it could give me, with all the extra-curricular activities available. I can proudly sit here in my armchair writing this article and say that I did that, and that it was the best decision that 11-year-old me could have made.
I’ve done 15 plays, 14 radio broadcasts in various roles, and countless concerts with the School. Of course, there have been ups and downs, as there are with everything good in life, but my experiences have taught me so many valuable skills. Organisation, prioritisation and leadership are all things that I know will stand me in good stead wherever I end up going in the future.
I am not an anomaly. Even though I took my involvement in extra-curricular activities to the ultimate extreme, I cannot take credit for the notion of being busy in Oundle bringing satisfaction. Ask any experienced tutor, HSM or teacher and they will all be able to tell you about their pupils who were determined to do everything possible. This School is founded around being busy and getting used to managing time and different responsibilities. Of course, it can be a steep learning curve (one on which I have been at all points) but that is one of the many benefits. Because Oundle offers so many activities, there is a lot of support for getting involved. Tutors are always on hand to help if the balance becomes too much or if timetables haven’t been communicated. HSMs have seen every type of Oundle experience before and this wisdom is invaluable when they can talk to others and get you the support you need to achieve everything you want to.
I think this Oundelian attitude of keeping busy and getting involved was perfectly summed up by my GCSE Physics teacher. We were sitting in his classroom during the last lesson of the term before the holidays and the class was talking about general life in Oundle, and he said something which has stuck with me ever since:
‘Ten years after you leave, you’ll be talking together about Oundle and you might not necessarily remember the content of your lessons, but you will remember the experiences you had and the people you met.’
For me this is one of many things that have shaped my mindset about education. I love learning and I have loved this School and I think I will be forever glad that I managed to balance both sides of the coin. I’m walking into my last term of Oundle with good predicted grades, offers from universities that excite me, and many, many memories to carry with me when my A levels have passed.
"I am living proof for both the parents and the pupils reading this that it is possible to get totally and completely involved while also maintaining good grades and keeping up with work."
I’m not trying to say that extra-curricular activities are the only important part of an Oundle life. To be able to take full advantage of them, one must have a solid academic basis and be willing to put in the effort. Academic study takes priority and I’ve definitely had moments where it doesn’t all work together, but I am living proof for both the parents and the pupils reading this that it is possible to get totally and completely involved while also maintaining good grades and keeping up with work.
There is one further myth that I would like to dispel in this article: the idea that at Sixth Form, the workload increases so much that extra-curricular involvement is not possible as much as it was at GCSE. I would argue the total opposite.
I’m not going to sit here and deny the workload increase, especially in Upper Sixth, but it is both important to maintain the balance and to realise that PRs are gifts when it comes to work management. There have been many times since the beginning of Sixth Form when I’ve been so glad that I have PRs because it means that I have that little extra time to get my work done.
I was Deputy Stage Manager for Chicago this September, and this meant that I was at the theatre from 5-10pm every evening for over a week. In the past it would have been difficult to manage my work around this and I would have asked teachers for extensions. This year, I knew that I had to use my PRs productively to juggle everything and I am very proud to say that I did the entire play week without a single late prep. For me, this is true proof that getting involved gives valuable skills and that it is possible to do A levels and have fun.
Finally, I would like to reflect a little bit on the last seven years. I arrived with stars in my eyes and a dream that seemed irrational at the time, to take all possible opportunities and make the most of this School. I can proudly say that I achieved this; the walls of my room at university will be full of photographs of my friends from these events and I will have many stories to tell about how much I genuinely loved my school experience, through the ups and the downs. I will forever be grateful to my parents and teachers for letting me take all the opportunities I wanted and for supporting me with the academic side. I’ve met so many amazing people, had wonderful experiences and grown so much as a person. While I will miss this School and the opportunities it has given me, I am so grateful for those “lasts” and to have something to miss now that I am moving on.
"I’ve met so many amazing people, had wonderful experiences and grown so much as a person."
Finally, I would like to reflect a little bit on the last seven years. I arrived with stars in my eyes and a dream that seemed irrational at the time, to take all possible opportunities and make the most of this School. I can proudly say that I achieved this; the walls of my room at university will be full of photographs of my friends from these events and I will have many stories to tell about how much I genuinely loved my school experience, through the ups and the downs. I will forever be grateful to my parents and teachers for letting me take all the opportunities I wanted and for supporting me with the academic side. I’ve met so many amazing people, had wonderful experiences and grown so much as a person. While I will miss this School and the opportunities it has given me, I am so grateful for those “lasts” and to have something to miss now that I am moving on.
