Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Already Taken – Oscar Wilde
Education is about more than exam results. It is about finding your true self as Oscar Wilde put it so beautifully. With this idea in mind, it was wonderful to hear that Old Felician, Jack Wilmot, rode a 20/1 winner at Cheltenham last Friday. This was Jack’s second winner under rules, but it must have been an amazing sensation to win a race at the home of jumps racing!
Having grown up in a family passionate about the world of horseracing since my father owned a saddlery and an animal health pharmaceutical business, it is a sport that I have followed all my life. I first went to the races at Huntingdon when I was about five years old and with many further trips to there and Newmarket, I was hooked. The beauty of the horses and the speed of the competition were transfixing. I even worked for the Racing Post after leaving university for a couple of months and was offered an opportunity as a freelance journalist working out of Newmarket. Turning down that opportunity is one of the few regrets in life that I have; whilst I have loved every moment of my thirty years in education, there is always a little part of me that wonders what if? It is why I am so passionate about the students taking the opportunities that are available to them and seizing the day. I will follow Jack’s career with great interest, and we will definitely try to get him to come and talk to the students at some point.
We are the custodians of an area of natural beauty in a rural and coastal landscape that is second-to-none. A love of nature and wildlife is an essential ingredient in a Saint Felix education and why it was so heartwarming to hear that Jasmine F was so inspired by the book that she has been reading, “Save the Whale”, that she has written directly to the World Wildlife Fund, an amazing organisation that works to sustain the natural environment for the benefit of people and wildlife. Jasmine has shown true curiosity in taking her reading a step further by writing to the WWF, asking them to visit and trying to find out more about what we can do. Very inspiring and a reflection of all the Saint Felix values!
The power of learning beyond the school classroom was very evident on Tuesday when a group of academic PE students visited the Human Performance Department at the University of Essex for an engaging and educational day focused on sports science and higher education opportunities. In the morning, pupils participated in a series of physiological tests designed to give them insight into elite-level performance analysis. These included a VO2 max test, which measures aerobic endurance, and a 6-second cycle power test to assess peak anaerobic power. Experiencing these assessments first-hand allowed students to better understand how sports scientists evaluate athletic performance in real-world settings. The afternoon session shifted focus to the psychological side of sport where students took part in a sport psychology workshop, exploring mental skills training, motivation, and the impact of psychological factors on performance. The workshop was interactive and gave students a practical understanding of how psychology plays a critical role in athletic success. An invaluable opportunity for students to experience university life, engage with cutting-edge sports science, and learn more about the range of sports-related degree courses on offer at the University of Essex. It was an inspiring day that broadened their understanding of potential future pathways in sport and exercise science.
I have also had a few inspiring days beyond the gates of Saint Felix at the annual conferences for the BSA (Boarding Schools Association) and ISA (Independent Schools Association); with sessions on leadership, marketing, education law and how to navigate the vagaries of the current political and economic landscape amongst many others. I return to school invigorated and with lots of new ideas for potential initiatives to expand the student offering to create further opportunities for them to explore their passions and develop their areas of expertise.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Yours sincerely,
Matthew Oakman
Head
Yours sincerely,
Matthew Oakman
Head
