Speech Day 2015
Warminster School was delighted and honoured to welcome former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon The Lord Carey of Clifton, to give the prizes at Speech Day last month.
Governors, staff, parents and pupils gathered in the Minster Church for the Commemoration Service followed by speeches and prize-giving in the Sports Hall. All this was rounded off with a delicious buffet lunch in the marquee on School House Lawn and a chance for photographs and congratulations.
In his humorous and inspiring speech, Lord Carey spoke of the benefits of failure and of the first time he met the Headmaster a number of years ago in an uncomfortable, but interesting journey in a Warrior armoured vehicle in Bosnia.
The Headmaster also spoke about failing and resilience: “I think that here at Warminster we do, by and large, effectively develop character in the pupils. We put an emphasis on self-control, curiosity, getting stuck in, tenacity, and, as said, the idea that it’s ok to fail sometimes and then try again.”
He went on to say “I genuinely believe that what happens outside the classroom in a school is more important than what happens inside it. That doesn't mean for one moment that academic success is not important. It is – exam qualifications open doors and create opportunity. However, children learn most from one another and I subscribe, more or less, to Einstein's famous comment that 'education is what remains when you have forgotten everything you learned in school.' High self-esteem and self-confidence are, in my opinion, the most important qualities that a pupil should possess when they leave school and the co-curricular is essential in developing these attributes.”
In her speech, Head Girl Emma Tizard echoed the Headmaster, saying “If I have any advice to pass on it would be to make the most of your opportunities here, especially the ones that take you out of your comfort zone; you don't know how great the positive impacts will be until you give it a go. For it is only in the position I find myself in now that you can look back at the almost absolute transformation that Warminster School can make for you.”
The Vote of Thanks was given by Head Boy Charles Dunn. He thanked Lord and Lady Carey for coming and spoke for everybody when he said “…how honoured we are to have someone so modest, but with such a breath of knowledge and achievement to come and talk to us today.”