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Dean of Studies | Mr Mason Hellyer

At Scholars' Assembly on Tuesday, I had the great honour of speaking on behalf of our 37 OP1 recipients from last year. As I spoke about each of the young men I was struck by the number of similarities evident in each of their academic journeys. Whilst undoubtedly each student had natural academic talent, this talent was combined with a motivation, determination and work ethic which ensured that their goals were achieved. Each of them recognised that:

  1. They had to set their goals and then planned to work toward them.
  2. They had to utilise all of their support networks: teachers, staff tutoring, study hall and study group, their mates, their parents and family.
  3. They did the small things: used their diary, logged their study hours, completed homework tasks.
  4. They consistently did the best that they could, every day at everything they did.

The above points are a simple enough formula and one that is proven. However, what distinguishes those who succeed in any endeavour is the self-motivation to get the job done. A great example of this self-motivation is Nikolai Wightman. Nikolai was deservedly awarded the Student Award on Tuesday, not just because of the improvement in his academic performance, but because of the way in which he instigated his improvement. He made a conscious decision to improve his academic outcomes and he worked hard toward achieving his goals. Nikolai made sure he did all the small things well (see above) and this should be the starting point for anyone who wants to be the best they can be.

Ultimately, it is up to each student to take responsibility for his own learning. However, the College is here to work with each student on his academic journey. There are a number of initiatives that students can access to assist with their study:

  1. Assessment calendars have been distributed to students to assist with their planning. By now a study plan should have been developed and being followed.
  2. Staff tutoring is available. The list of times and venues can be found on the College App.
  3. Study Group is available to Year 12 students only, every afternoon in room 5.15 from 3.15-5.30pm.