Goodbye – for now

10th July 2026

Thank you for your unwavering patience and goodwill throughout this long half term and especially as it’s been particularly warm over the last few weeks. If the climatologists are to be believed – why shouldn’t they be?; they’ve spent years studying these things – we are going to see more and more periods of particularly hot weather during the summer term.  you can be reassured that we will, as always, think about what we can do, at a trust and institutional level, to mitigate. You will understand that it’s not easy and the investment may well be significant over a sustained period of time but we will do what we can, when we can.

We are moving into the period of the (not quite) long goodbyes. Sitwell Junior School this afternoon saw their Year 6 pupils leave for the final time. An emotional departure, through a guard of honour, into the arms of their parents and carers. A wonderful occasion and deeply emotional for all those involved. They and we mustn’t worry too much about them though as almost all of them will be arriving at Oakwood High School on Monday morning, fresh faced, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for the next step on their educational journey.

And we have also said goodbye to our friends and colleagues from Thomas Rotherham College. As many will know, the college closes to students for summer today.

I thought I’d take the opportunity today just to reflect upon how successful Thomas Rotherham College is. And, importantly, what an incredible impact it has on the education of the young people it serves. “Iconic” is an overused word in modern Britain however it is highly appropriate when describing TRC. It sends out an incredibly important signal to all of the young people and the wider community within this town, borough and beyond about the value of education. And through the way that the college operates, its values and how it engages with that wider community, it makes a very clear statement about the value of education for all. The young people of this community and beyond not only get an incredible education experience, with high class teaching and learning, each and every day, they get to do that in an environment which is akin to the most iconic education establishments within the country. It really does look and feel more like a private education than something the state would offer.

We have the very best custodians of that legacy. I really don’t have the words to express my appreciation and thanks for all of the work that’s undertaken by every single member of staff associated with the college. Joel and the senior team lead with such strength and are laser focused on offering the very best educational experience to every single young person who walks in through the door. We know that every  teacher is truly committed to ensuring that the experience every individual student gets, throughout the two years, or more, is as positive as any post-16 educational experience across the region. It is true to say, and I’ve been around a bit, that that isn’t typical of the post-16 experience. Often, VIth formers are left to do it for themselves. Maybe in a belief that if they’ve got this far they can take the next step themselves. That may be true for some, but for many in our community a deep seated and family history of navigating the educational journey may not be evident. To experience an education in an environment, such as the college, for many of our children and young people might be beyond what anyone else in their family has achieved. Many of them will be, even in 2026, the first generation of students to engage with level three qualifications, and hopefully, go beyond. In addition, the pastoral care is second to none. The young people are treated as young adults but they do understand that there is a wraparound care for them. Be that the care necessary to ensure that they make really positive personal choices, in their lives. Be that the post-college preparation and employment experiences. Be that a sense of belonging, creating opportunities for them to thrive and ultimately achieve.

Every one of you who works at Thomas Rotherham College, in whatever capacity, does an amazing job and is truly changing lives. Those young people, our young people, may not articulate it on a daily basis right now but the overwhelming majority, as they grow and mature, will want to reflect back on their days at the college with an enormous degree of warmth and with an understanding of the incredible opportunity they were offered.

As the College Open Day last Saturday illustrated – when so many ex-students returned and were able to articulate how the college had fundamentally changed their lives; be that 5, 10, 30 or 40 years ago. The experiences that the young people have today will stay with them for the rest of their days.

And so, to all of our colleagues at Thomas Rotherham College, we all wish you the very best of summers. Enjoy whatever you are up to. Refresh yourselves and rest up. The 20th August will come round soon enough, so enjoy each and every day until then.

‘Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.’ Edward Everett