Deep down, every good teacher knows the impact, the fundamental importance and universal right to an education. It isn’t just about reading, writing and getting across numeracy at school. Far from it, in fact. A formal education is about gaining the knowledge, skills and character needed to become a better person and consequently, to contribute and create a better society for us all to live in. 

A proper education, an ambitious one, sets people up to grow personally, professionally and socially - It awakens joy, academic curiosity and a deep desire to solve problems, lean in and help others. It can broaden horizons, helping young people understand more about other cultures, the glorious diversity that we inhabit and corners of the world that reach far beyond the school gates. 

At Ridgeway Education Trust, there is an intentional, conscious and deliberate focus on leadership, offering the inspiration for students to pursue responsibility and leadership roles that impact positively, bolstering self-esteem and ensuring that they are a force for good within and beyond the boundaries of the school community. 

The magic weaving of a wonderful teacher - a teacher that stays long in the memory of their students and steers them to great effort, great interest or, quite simply, great things - is a most remarkable and precious resource. An almost invisible skill set is honed over years and in thousands of hours of animated exchange in a classroom. The irrepressible engagement of twists and turns in a lesson are planned and mused over at length and often, hotly debated amongst departmental colleagues. The myriad of unpredictable verbal exchanges and moments of interface with literally hundreds of youngsters, on a daily basis, require a quite unique level of emotional intelligence and generosity of spirit. 

What fuels this is an innate passion for the joy of working with our young people and all the character and colour that they bring. The awesome responsibility that teachers carry and the deep sense of moral purpose of what can be achieved, in improving the trajectory of life chances of individuals, is unequivocally without parallel. 

Mr W Manning
Headteacher
St Birinus School