The Old Pocklingtonian 2015/16 | Page 2

Dear Old Pocklingtonians ,

Pocklington School ’ s long tradition of innovating , while remaining true to its core values , is part of the reason it has thrived on the same site for more than 500 years .

The latest big project in our continued aim to provide the right facilities to inspire our pupils for life , a new Art and Design Technology Centre , is looking very real now that our £ 2m fundraising target is within reach .

L-R Leanne Maycock ( External Relations Administrator ), Susan Kay ( Development Officer ) and Rachel Dare ( OP Liaison Officer )

Hello and welcome to the 2015 / 2016 edition of the Old Pocklingtonian ! I hope you enjoy reading this year ’ s issue of the magazine which as usual is packed with interesting stories and updates on all things OP . I am always looking for new material and ideas for features and articles , so if something comes to mind please do let me know .

Many of you will have heard or seen the name Leanne Maycock on various OP communications in recent months , some of you may even have met her at an OP event , but I am delighted to take this opportunity to officially introduce and welcome Leanne to the OP community in her role as the new OP Administrator . Leanne works for the OP office two days a week and the rest of the time she provides administrative support to other members of the External Relations team . Leanne worked as a nurse before starting a family . She later retrained as a medical secretary and prior to joining Pocklington School she worked at St Leonard ’ s Hospice as Deputy Retail Manager in York . She has three children who all attend the school , so already has a very active involvement and interest in the school and OPs .

Another name that you may have come across is Susan Kay . As reported in the last magazine , Susan is the school ’ s Development Officer and over the last year , she has been working with External Relations Director , Sheena McNamee and myself to create a new Development Office and Alumni Relations Plan for the Foundation , to maximise our resources and create a coordinated approach . Following much consultation with different stakeholders , we are now starting to deliver the Plan which focuses on continuing to develop a culture of philanthropy with all members of the Pocklington family . Susan has also been working with a team of others on the Campaign for a new Art and Design Technology Centre to replace the ‘ temporary ’ Portacabins . Things are progressing really well and you can read more about it in the Development and School News section on page 12 .

Looking ahead , we have another busy year of events and activities and I hope to see many of you at these over the coming months . Have a look at the back cover for the full calendar of events . On the careers front , I am working with the OP Committee to develop a mentoring scheme to support younger OPs and sixth formers as they navigate their way through higher education , apprenticeships and employment . You can read more about the scheme and how you can get involved later in the magazine .

I think that ’ s all for now , but please do keep in touch and send me your news and updates for the website and the next magazine !

Thank you as always for your support over the last year – it is a pleasure to work with OPs !

Rachel Dare OP Liaison Officer

And that ’ s in huge part due to the support of our Old Pocklingtonian community , whose generosity in terms of both positive comments and monetary donations , has propelled us towards our aim .

The new Art and Design Technology Centre , on the site of the old Biology department , will house the latest technical design equipment , as well as the light and space for traditional arts and crafts . It will give the department ’ s collaborative and creative spirit , which has already inspired generations , the platform it deserves .

The creative industries are now worth £ 84.1billion per year to the UK economy , generating nearly £ 9.6million per hour , according to the Department of Culture , Media and Sport . It says the sector grew by 8.9 % in 2014 – almost double the rate for the UK economy as a whole .

Employers across nine industries from the world ’ s largest economies rated creativity among the top three most desirable qualities in a future labour market , in a recent survey for World Economic Forum .

Pocklington School has long recognised that innovative , lateral thinking can solve problems across any workplace , and our teaching approach reflects an aim to nurture resourceful , curious learners rather than those who simply regurgitate facts .

The independent thought we prize , along with the cross-fertilisation of ideas we promote , has helped many OPs thrive in careers that would not be considered ‘ arty ’ at all .

Even those who have forged ‘ creative careers ’ cover a huge spectrum . They include architect John Rhodes ( 82-92 ) who led design teams for the F1 circuit and pits facility at Silverstone , and the Leeds First Direct Arena ; footwear designer Catherine Lobley ( 93-95 ); and Joe Hodgson ( 95-02 ) who adapts Land Rovers for export and prepared some of the vehicles used in the James Bond film , Skyfall .

Our alumni have gone on to design sets for Pink Floyd , The Rolling Stones and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics ( Mark Fisher , 58-65 ); help conserve York Minster ’ s stained glass ( Julie Hodgson , 94-01 ); and design furniture for the audio and TV industries ( Guy Wilson , 76-81 ) – to mention but a few .

Many of our students have been lucky enough to win Arkwright Scholarships , awarded to high-ability 15-16 year olds to encourage them to consider Engineering and Technical Design as a career . The Trust was led for ten years from its launch in 1991 by Tony Pickering ( 81-92 ), former Headmaster of this school . He was among a group of Headteachers who believed Design and Technology was not being given the profile it deserved as a breeding ground for potential future leaders in Engineering and Technical Design .

We believe through giving every pupil the opportunity to pursue their interests , with the stimulus and facilities to spark and evolve ideas , they will develop their talents to the benefit of society , as well as any workplace .

Thank you to all who have made a contribution – big or small – to ensuring future generations of Pocklington School pupils receive every opportunity to become creative and collaborative thinkers who will inspire and be inspired .