John Willmott School workshops – students were given the chance to ‘write their own success stories’ in workshops with a top motivational speaker.
Jasper Ward, a motivational speaker from Maximise Your Potential (MYP), spent a day working with Year 11 students at the school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.
Held on the first day of the new term, the John Willmott School workshops included careers advice and sessions on raising aspirations and building resilience.
Jasper said: “In the face of a sticky mini-heatwave and the distractions of building work, the commitment and determination shown by Year 11 during my presentation to them showed me that they already understand that education is the key to whatever future they choose.
“I don’t need psychic or supernatural powers to look into the future and know that one day they will look back and thank themselves for having the good sense in Year 11 to seize opportunities with both hands.”
The school has been working with MYP for five years, running workshops with a focus on increasing motivation, building resilience, managing stress, developing study skills and effective revision strategies.
“These workshops have been one of the key strategies we have used in improving student attainment over the last few years,”
– headteacher tracey peters
Headteacher Tracey Peters said: “Following 18 months of disruption it was important that we began the year by setting the students up for their own success.
“These workshops have been one of the key strategies we have used in improving student attainment over the last few years.”
The workshops go hand in hand with increased time for personal, social and health education as part of the school’s post-covid recovery curriculum, as well as continuing with the school’s pioneering enrichment programme which is held on Wednesday afternoons.