March 2000.
“This is one of those moments. Will needs to read these reports carefully and then get down to the solid business of learning. His GCSE grades this summer will have a considerable impact on what follows in his life. Therefore Will’s motivation needs to be very strong. He must not be downcast if the Sciences prove unfathomable, because there are real strengths: all that Will does is with a real zest and sparkle – lots could learn that adolescence need not be about dark colours and morose resentfulness; Will’s life is all about bright colours and a genuine love of activity. This adds a certain spirit of cooperation within the house. Red Rum would be proud of him”
My housemaster’s report: A housemaster exercising huge influence over one of his charges.
There must have been times when he felt like giving up on me. He must have felt that all the effort and guidance and direction was all for nothing. As a wayward 16-year-old, I was not articulating a desire to be led, but he had an extraordinary influence over me because I was watching, I was paying attention. I was looking for him to keep going, keep pushing me, and keep pouring that influence into me. I wouldn’t have ever given the impression that I was listening to his words of advice, but I was hanging off every word he said.
What our children face, in the context of a world in flux, is so vastly different now than ever before: a rise in addiction, including worrying statistics on young people drawn into gambling; the ever-growing issues relating to online safety; the polarisation of beliefs and virtues; job prospects shrinking; the confusing messages around social norms; and the conflicting rhetoric over wokeism, emanating from the very leaders we look to for clarity.
But, fundamentally, children haven’t changed. And so our core responsibility – to discharge exceptional influence and to delve deep into our pastoral antennae when needed, has not changed. AI and super intelligence will never replicate the innate skills of a brilliant human being looking after children.
People work in boarding houses because they have brilliant pastoral intuition. Brilliant boarding practitioners are brilliant human beings. Young human beings are inspired by brilliant human beings. Cooperation in a boarding community – whatever size – contributes to human cooperation within a school community, and then within local communities, until it influences – even in a very small way – human cooperation nationally and on global scale. This has always been driven by brilliant human beings.
Cooperation was the motivation behind John Woolman, an eighteenth-century influential American Quaker preacher. As an advocate for social justice, he earned himself a legacy for simplicity, peace and equality – these three attributes influenced the wider Quaker movement. And, of course, we see these attributes in many Quaker boarding schools – both in the UK and worldwide. The John Woolman School was founded in 1863 in Nevada City, in his name. The school’s principles were centred on cooperation with one another, as a nod to Woolman’s commitment to the richness of human cooperation in a flustered world.
John Woolman’s great-grandson, C.E. Woolman, founded Delta Airlines, in 1925. His values mirrored that of his great-grandfather, and Delta Airlines’ values were those of community and belonging.
Their leadership work is particularly revealing. Woolman held a firm belief that work should be a challenge rather than just a job.
Inspired by his mission, the company still believes in the power of exercising huge influence over young people:
Leadership Training Delta Air Lines – YouTube
Teaching young people the value of cooperation at a time when public facing role models are in short supply is most certainly a challenge rather than a job.
And when working within a boarding environment, there are some days when you do wonder if any ground has been covered, whether there has been any tangible evidence in your investment. There are inevitably times when you feel like giving up, it that effort, guidance and direction is indeed for nothing. And whether that young person is indeed watching and paying attention to the influence you are trying to excerpt on them. Should you keep going, keep pushing that young person to be their best self, keep influencing?
Amidst great global shifts, where the very purpose of education and childhood is under question, that is our number one gift: positive influence over every single person in our care. That is how the boarding sector leads in a changeable world.
In all our schools, this influence is needed now more than ever. Brilliant human beings influencing young people as a driver for education has never changed.
It was the founding principles of the Quaker school movement, influenced by John Woolman.
The need for positive influence in 2025 is one of humanity’s greatest tests as we look to nurture the next generation. Amidst the challenges we face in doing this, let’s not forget our core purpose: young people are looking to us to influence them in some of the basic human capabilities.
And that influence need not be some grandstanding moment. It is often the ability to influence subtly that brilliant boarding practitioners have that impact.
At a memorial service for my housemaster a story emerged of two lower sixth-formers knocking on his study door to get a chit – or pass – to go into Oxford. He eyed them, with a knowing smile, and asked what they were going to do. They looked sheepishly at each other and, after a pause, one of them muttered they were going clothes shopping.
He nodded, beckoned them over, and without rushing, signed their chits. They thanked him, and made for the door. As they were half way out, he calmy said, without looking up.
“Oh and boys. Don’t drink too many clothes”.
Through the constancy of change and the undeniable challenges of growing up, brilliant boarding practitioners lead beyond in today’s world by never losing sight of the influence they have – as human beings.
