Headteacher’s Values Award Winner – Sarah Manning

The Headteacher’s Values Award was presented to Sarah Manning in Year 10, who has been selected to attend work experience in the form of a Speakers for Schools ‘Virtual Leadership Insight Session’ at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in February.

Sarah was nominated by Mrs Southgate and Ms Mannion.  Mrs Southgate said: “After the first week of school closure I received an email from Sarah who was eager to know more about whether the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and work experience would be taking place this year.  Sarah is a young lady who, like so many of our students, would have undoubtedly felt disheartened at the thought of another spell of online learning.  Yet, when faced with such news, Sarah’s resilience and independence really shone through as she continued to look ahead to a time when perhaps life could return to some form of ‘normality’. She knew her questions couldn’t necessarily be answered easily or would elicit the response she was really hoping for and so was understandably disappointed when she found out that there was no news of DofE being able to start up again and that work experience had been cancelled this year.

“Undeterred, Sarah’s focus remained on finding similar opportunities, which would allow her to develop skills that she perceives as being valuable for her in the future. Ms Mannion was only too pleased to help out and sent Sarah a number of links to online/virtual work experience opportunities in the careers she was interested in. I was so pleased to receive an email from Ms Mannion to tell me that Sarah had been selected to attend work experience in the form of a Speakers for Schools ‘Virtual Leadership Insight Session’ at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in February – a prestigious institution which I’m sure, like us, will value her independence, resilience, excellence and impressive drive to achieve more to be the best she can be.”

Ms Mannion added: “The Speakers for Schools events are competitive with limited places and Sarah did so well to gain a place.  Sarah completed an application form which was the equivalent of filling out an application for an apprenticeship with many detailed questions about her motivation, skills and career goals. Sarah is the first Year 10 student to have gained a virtual work experience place. I am also aware that Sarah has recently been appointed to be a student leader and she is really demonstrating skills in resilience and excellence.”