Dear Parents and Carers
On the last day of the school year, I would like to thank all our parents and students for their support. My favourite duties are on the gate at the start or end of school so I can appreciate just how many students we have (we will open with around 1,700 next September) and how dedicated they are to their learning, to taking opportunities and to each other. The nature of the profession is that we will (rightly) spend more time with those who struggle from time to time, but that isn’t to say we take for granted just how hard our students work and how supportive of the school they, and their parents, are.
I would also like to take a moment to thank our departing staff for their work with Myton School: Rachel Davis, Irene DeJuan, Alex Denethorn, Julie Edwards, Rebecca Friesen, Al Harris, David Iles, Katie Irving, James Kaye, Leah Richardson, Alex Simpson and Alex Town. It has been a pleasure to work with all of them and I wish them well for the future.
A special mention to Mrs Edwards who leaves us after 35 years of teaching. To spend 35 years in the profession is something to celebrate and in Mrs Edwards’ case they have all been at Myton. It is not only the students who have benefitted (some of Mrs Edwards’ first classes at Myton will now be in their 50s), but also the profession. Mrs Edwards has led our work in teacher training for many years, has been honoured by The University of Warwick for this work, and has helped dozens of colleagues into our profession over the years. Some of these colleagues are still with us at Myton and we will always be grateful to Mrs Edwards for this work.
Throughout her career Mrs Edwards has embraced whatever the profession has thrown at her, adapting to the whims of governments and Ofsted inspectors as they come and go. Every challenge has been met with energy and a passion to do right by the students in her classes; moving from O Levels (whatever they were, big in the 70s apparently) to GCSEs, changing teaching styles from slate, to chalk, to board pens and into the electronic and digital methods today. Educational policy, governments, exam grades, ice ages and head teachers have all come and gone and Mrs Edwards has kept going regardless.
And after all this, all she wanted was a cup of tea on the Head Teacher’s balcony, ludicrously small reward for 35 years of dedication. It was my pleasure to join Mrs Edwards for that cup of tea and to discuss education over the years. No matter what position we hold in a school, we all need people to look up to and respect for what they do and the way they do it – Julie Edwards is one of those that I respect the most.
Best wishes for your retirement and my best wishes for an enjoyable summer to all associated with Myton School.
Andy Perry – Head Teacher
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