Invicta Vlogs
Change
Happy New Year! I do hope that the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year have reinvigorated everyone.
As we return to school to embark upon a new term and 2020, it would be only right to reflect a little. This week, our theme is ‘Change’ which naturally resonates at this time of the year.
There is no doubt that the holiday provides us with an opportunity to watch a few films and I was no exception! Sir Michael Caine is a legend of film and featured in one of the films I watched. Oscar nominated six times, starring in over one hundred films, he has had a career spanning sixty years. In his book, he shares hard won wisdom and brilliant insights. He talks about aspects of character and leadership emphasising the basics of professionalism. He said, ‘I never felt I had made it. I never relaxed, never assumed the good times would roll on for ever, never let my guard down. I knew I had to keep nailing it, keep going to work and delivering the goods and doing it every day.’
Over the holidays, I also read a review of Michael Cain, whereby it outlined his star quality, and how he trod the hard yards, day in day out. It highlighted that there was plenty of perspiration to go with the undoubted inspiration, attention to detail, persistence, focus, relentlessness and determination. Less glamorous certainly, but utterly necessary for real success. It is as Roger Moore put it to Caine, ‘Cheer up. You’d better have a good time because this is not a rehearsal, this is life.’ Too much time can be spent on looking for the next opportunity to fully capitalise on what is there right now. ‘Making movies is an intense business and I always give it my complete commitment, but I never have, and I never will, let it become the only source of my happiness or the only way I define my success.’ That’s Michael Caine’s hard-won wisdom.
Learning is an intense business too. It needs our full commitment. It often feels good, bringing happiness and joy. But, at other times, it provides us with a mixture of anger, fear, determination and necessity.
To succeed in any walk of life it is Michael Caine’s opinion, and mine, that we will need grit, drive and resolve.
His advice to any actor is simple enough, ‘Your contribution is what you can control so, however big or small it is, you have to make it as good as it can be.’ That attitude through sixty years, created the legend he is. So, my thoughts at this time, when our theme is ‘change’ will be to encourage you to consider Michael’s advice and ‘change to make things as good as it can be’. That is, after all, what life should be about!
I do hope that this term provides all our students, parents and staff with plenty of opportunity to ‘make things as good as they can be’! In the meantime please do look at our photographs of the most recent ski trip. This is a wonderful example of our students making learning fun and enjoying life!
Mrs J Derrick
Headteacher
