There are real benefits in a student undertaking and completing an education at one school. In this sense, schools like Fahan, that offer an educational continuum over a student’s school life provide a significant advantage for children and I suspect, their parents.
Yet, every year there is a sense of restlessness among those in Year 10 (at most schools I suspect). Why? In large part it is caused by a lack of understanding or factual knowledge about what occurs in a school that offers an education continuum beyond Year 10. This includes ignorance of subject offering and diversity. There is also a lack of appreciation for the more collegial relationships that begin to develop with staff as student interest and thus willingness to seriously and more deeply explore the subjects they study, become considerably more developed than in their previous years. In part it is also due to what I would call “the green grass syndrome”. This is a curious view that develops in our young people that, everything will be better elsewhere – more freedom, maybe no uniform, apparently greater independence and so the excuses mount up. There are also other reasons offered, such as, “I have been here too long, I need a change.”
I think there remains a need for our young people to learn about the concept of going the distance, in the sense that it now becomes their turn to lead the school, to make a positive impact in a number of new areas, through their presence and contribution and to finish their schooling on a high note.
Despite the rumblings among certain sections of their peer group, thankfully, the vast majority of students (and their parents) sensibly recognize the real benefits of remaining where they are for the final, and arguably, most critical, couple of years that will complete their schooling.
An important reason to stay on is that the staff are generally well known to most students. Certainly in a smaller school such as Fahan, there is considerable familiarity with those teachers who teach Year 11 and 12 courses. Many of them have taught across Years 9 and 10 as well. The girls have established friendships, familiarity with routines and the school, an enviable record of students’ achieving the best of which they are capable. Along with these advantages there is the serious prospect of an enjoyable school life with added responsibility opportunities and some of the other “rights of passage” to which they can look forward.
It is also worth emphasising that the co-operating Schools’ relationship provides a signicant breadth of subject offering that is not often appreciated. Even students in the larger Colleges are not guaranteed being able to study all the subjects they want, yet in the vast majority of cases, Fahan students do.
Above all this is the fact that there is actually no need to change in the first place. Rarely have I heard a logical and substantial reason . All our students have to do is to work consistently and do their best and a successful outcome is a strong likelihood. Importantly, there is already a continuity in their learning – so why risk losing all the advantages on what I consider to be, very largely, a flawed logic?
It is appreciated when our parents are willing to work with the school in order to bring about the best outcomes. This is but another of the challenges with which children can present us. It is, then, especially worth holding fast to that which is good.
