It’s an honour

13th June 2025

We’ve all been working hard to ensure that, in our schools and in the college, all of our children and young people are offered the very best educational experience, including supporting those taking their exams. It’s been tough, I know. But a spell of better weather has made it a little easier – I guess. GCSE, and A-levels will be (pretty much) over by this time next week and those children and young people can look forward to an amazing summer break. Hopefully they will put the exams and assessments behind them and relax into the summer. There’s nothing they can do about their final marks once they’ve completed their work. We wish them the very best; I’m sure most will ‘do well’.

With the 24/7 nature of our news, it can be quite hard trying to assimilate, understand and come to terms with the incredibly difficult news from around the world. This week, in particular, has felt more difficult than most, with news from a whole host of flashpoints around the world, in addition to the terrible events in India, on top of the national spending review and all the politics that go with that. And so, this week I just felt maybe we should look at something a little less controversial. Or maybe not!

By the time you read this, it will have been confirmed, or otherwise, that David Beckham has been knighted, becoming Sir David. The King’s Birthday Honours list will be published overnight, in the early hours of the 14th June. I don’t want to get into the merits of whether David Beckham should be knighted or not. That’s a minefield I really can’t afford to step into, but it is worthwhile reflecting upon the value of, the importance of the honours system.

When I look down the list of people who do get recognised, be that the New Year’s Honours or the King’s Birthday Honours (but not the departing Prime Minister’s Honours), I want to look beyond the headline names. It always fills me with great joy, and sometimes surprise, when you see the roles and responsibilities that our honours system recognises. Whether you really believe in the honours system or not, it is one of the few ways in which we can, as a nation, reflect upon and recognise the contributions and achievements of the ‘common people’ – as a side note Common People, by the legendary local band Pulp, turns 30 this year. Over the years our system has become significantly better, I would say, at recognising a fuller spectrum of achievements; all those people doing that little bit extra, going over and above, making a difference to our communities.

I’ve got no doubt that in this year’s honours there will be those people who work in schools, colleges and for their wider communities, in our whole host of roles; Headteachers to caretakers to crossing patrol teams. There’ll be people working in their towns and villages, supporting with community groups; scouts and guides, one-to-one carers, litter-pickers, etc.

For me it is those people who are the real heroes, the people who are the foundation of our communities, underpinning our successes that we all enjoy and who can make living and working in the UK, in the 21st century, just quite wonderful. No doubt, there will be heart-warming stories of commitment and courage, determination and dreaming, in this year’s list.

The newspaper headlines will be focused on the Mr Beckham’s of this world, but it should be all those other stories that we should be reading about. Hopefully over the weekend, whatever is left of our local press and decent regional journalism, will highlight some of the stories and the characters recognised by His Majesty, and we can then share the successes of those ordinary people doing those extraordinary things. I look forward to reading the real stories of the real heroes of our honours system.

‘I’m not that comfortable with actors receiving honours, partly because I think they ought to go to those who really help others.’ Jim Broadbent

 ‘To those of you who received honours, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say you, too, can be president of the United States.’ George W. Bush