Goodbye from Mr Jones - Myton School

In September 1996, Myton School opened its doors to welcome Year 7 students for the very first time; in previous years students started here in Year 8. Alongside the influx of new students came a number of new staff, required to teach all these additional young people and I was one of them, hence my career at Myton had started. I was a 24 year old RE teacher, straight out of teacher training college, arriving with a mixture of nervous excitement and a sense of possibilities for the future. I was eager to have my own classroom, and an opportunity to share with enthusiastic young people the various aspects of RE that fascinate me and spark a similar interest. Over my time at Myton, I hope that I have succeeded in that, and certainly, over the years there have been a number of students I have taught for GCSE and A level that have gone on to train to teach RE themselves (and some of them have even returned to Myton to teach here alongside me!)

I have had the privilege of teaching RE for many years, and more recently, have been able to teach PSHE, life skills and the EPQ to the sixth form. Subjects, like RE and PSHE provide the chance to reflect on important aspects of life and discuss a wide array of topics. I know that I am biased, but I believe these are possibly the most important subjects in the taught curriculum, in helping young people get ready for the world after school.

Another really significant way we help our young people prepare for life after Myton is through the out of classroom learning. I have many wonderful memories from having taken students over the years to Newquay, the Mendip Hills, Iceland, Spain, Italy, theatre and museum trips, Duke of Edinburgh and so much more. One particularly vivid memory was watching a group of Year 9s many years ago, sitting at the bar in the Hotel we stayed in. We had told them to take it steady with the ‘cocktails’ we’d put behind the bar for them that night (lemonade and food colouring, but with names like passionfruit punch and mango madness). The longer they sat there sipping their drinks, the more slurred their words became until eventually they took themselves off to bed; one of them even seemed to have a hangover the next morning! All turned out to be very successful at school and beyond, with one being one of the returning teachers I mentioned earlier!

I’m also very pleased to have had the opportunity to introduce students to new experiences, whether that is through the on-site events and speakers I have been able to present them with, or through initiatives like the 50 Things Challenge. These provide our young people with concrete examples of when they have shown and refined important characteristics that will set them up for success in their lives after Myton; things like patience, courage, resilience and communication skills. Alongside my line management of careers for many years, I hope that I have helped students onto their next steps and towards their intended destinations.

In short, I have many happy memories from my long career at Myton. I have had the chance to work with thousands of young people and hundreds of staff. Many times, when I have interviewed potential new recruits to the Myton staff, I have said that there is something about Myton that just gets under your skin and it makes it difficult to leave. I think a significant part of that ‘something’ is the people. The students are great: enthusiastic, inquisitive, dedicated and so much more. The staff are equally a part of why I have stayed as long as I have: kind, caring, supportive, incredibly hard working, professional and dedicated towards enabling students to do their very best.

But all good things must come to an end, and for me, it feels the right time for me to say my farewells; as this calendar year draws to a close, so will my time at Myton. I do not have any firm plans for January. In the first instance, I will spend some time at home with my wife and kids. At some point, I’m sure that a new adventure will await me, and I will embark on the next stage of my working life. At the moment, I just hope that I am ready for life after Myton, in the same way I have tried to prepare thousands of students to be ready, before me! I will of course be remaining local, so if you see me in the area, please do say hello, but for now, thank you and farewell.