A few words with Andy Baker – Longcroft School & Sixth-Form College, East Riding
‘People at an elite level need information that goes above and beyond, and that’s what you bring.’
I truly appreciate that feedback! Thanks, Andy!
At the start of July, I caught up with the Deputy Head of Longcroft School & Sixth-Form College in Yorkshire, a school I visited in December 2016 supporting their high-achieving sixth-formers ahead of their A-Level exams that year.
The immediate response from that half-day session still puts a smile on my face. Every student scored the session at least a 9 out of 10, with over 90% scoring the session 10/10! Students left feeling as though they could ‘overcome any obstacle’ and learned ‘valuable skills’ that they could apply in life to achieve their aspirations. Check out some of the written feedback .
But did the program have any lasting impact?
Here’s what Andy had to say…
One student who competes at a high level in a long-distance running event sees losing a race as the worst possible outcome – ‘to her, not winning is the end of the world.’
But, because I shared my story of multiple failures and setbacks and demonstrated (in word and action) that I’m not only still standing, but continuing to persevere and grow, that is both encouraging and ‘relatable’. Whether in person, through my monthly/bi-monthly/whenever-I-make-time-to-share newsletter updates or on my blog, knowing my story and applying the tools I share in the programs is something that every teen transitioning to pre-adulthood can benefit from!
So what’s the ‘real’ and ‘relatable’ stuff I want to share with you today?
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One thing that really piqued my interest during my conversation with Andy was his mention of the relationship between my sports and academic career. Here’s the ‘real’ stuff that we often don’t like to hear: it is possible to combine the two.
If you haven’t already, read on here: Sport and education are a winning combination
