Students thrive at Yarm School both inside and outside the classroom
EDUCATION
MAIN PICTURE : TOM BANKS WORDS : PHILIP TALLENTIRE
Head – Dr Huw Williams is only the third headmaster in Yarm School ’ s prestigious , 45- year history .
LESSONS FOR LIFE
Students thrive at Yarm School both inside and outside the classroom
Yarm School is fully focused on providing its students with a firstrate education that ensures they are well-rounded young adults who can fulfil their potential in whichever career path they choose .
And that ’ s why , even though exam results remain important , the school ’ s headmaster , Dr Huw Williams , insists high grades are not the be-all and end-all .
The school ’ s curriculum is designed to offer a range of subjects and courses that cater to just about every requirement a student in 2023 could possibly need to thrive .
“ Our role helps prepare our students for whatever comes next in their lives ,” begins Dr Williams . “ So career support starts right at the beginning and drip feeds into all the different elements of what the students do .
“ We ’ re very , very keen that , with support , they find their own journey as they go through school and make positive choices for themselves .
“ We don ’ t place a hierarchy on subjects because what I want to see is our students choosing courses , subjects and careers that really ignite them .”
While competitive universities remain the destination for the large majority of Yarm students , the traditional path to further education is changing , and Yarm has been quick to respond .
Yarm students , and the staff who support them , are recognising and adapting to the demands of a changing business world , successfully exploring a range of other routes that best suit students ’ needs as they leave Yarm .
“ We ’ re an academically selective school and offer a fairly traditional curriculum
60 | Tees Business that sees our pupils achieve outstanding results . Sixty-two per cent of all our A-level grades were A * or A in 2022 and more than half of GCSE grades were 9 / 8 . However , we do a huge amount beyond that to make a success of our students ’ time here at Yarm .
“ We ’ re seeing a shift away from university to alternatives like degree apprenticeships and we ’ re helping our students prepare for , and successfully gain , those very competitive apprenticeships .”
The school is committed to ensuring its students tick all the boxes when it comes to employability .
And a critical part of helping them develop is the activities they take part in outside the traditional classroom environment .
Yarm is well aware of the World Economic Forum ’ s annual “ The Future of Jobs ” report , which , in its own words , “ explores how jobs and skills will evolve over the next five years ”.
“ The focus ,” explains Dr Williams , “ will be on analytical thinking , innovation , learning strategies , critical thinking , problem-solving , creativity , technology , design and programming , emotional intelligence , resilience , leadership and social influence .
“ They are what we would traditionally call ‘ soft skills ’ and , for me , any employer wants a young person coming into their business with those skills .
“ That ’ s why we focus on immersion in extracurricular activities alongside key academic skills – the opportunities students have here at Yarm are amazing .
“ Therefore , our extracurricular programme is vast , and I believe that this
Picturesque – Yarm School ’ s impressive buildings on the banks of the River Tees .
breadth is the reason our students develop so successfully during their time at Yarm .” Yarm School was established in 1978 and Dr Williams , who was appointed four years ago , is only the third headmaster in its prestigious history .
A proud Welshman , he says he ’ s loving life on Teesside , a region he feels has a bright future .
“ The North-East is a fantastic community and we ’ re really settled here ,” he adds . “ Yes , the region has got its challenges , but it ’ s an absolutely fascinating place .
“ What we ’ re doing at Yarm is evolving , recognising the changes in the region ’ s landscape and wanting very much to be a part of our local and regional community , with a growing number of active and impactful partnerships with community groups , charities and businesses .
“ We ’ re encouraging the local business community to come into school and inspire the next generation of people who are going to develop this region and be proud of the North-East and see their future here . “ Yarm aims to develop fully-rounded individuals , with outstanding opportunities outside the academic curriculum as well as in it , and that ’ s what drew me here .”
It is an exciting time for Yarm and we enjoyed catching up with Dr Williams .
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