Yesterday Gary and I flew from Cardiff up to Newcastle in the North-East of England so that we could visit Emmanuel College in Gateshead. The country's fourth City Technology College was built in 1989-1990 in Gateshead under the main Sponsor, Sir Peter Vardy who also supplies Gary and I with leased cars. Emmanuel now enjoys a national reputation as one of England's best comprehensive schools as well as one which proudly bases its ethos upon the Christian Faith and Biblical Principles.
I was asked by Jon James, who is the head of the 6th form at Emmanuel, to deliver a presentation to 70 or so 16-17 year old students. "Is Bruce Really Almighty?" is a presentation I've used once or twice with the same age group in Cardiff schools and Jon James hoped that covering 'film and faith' would show a contemporary Christian worldview. Surprisingly, given that Emmanuel is a technology college, their lecture theatre didn't have facility to cue DVD's by chapter, so what is normally a slick presentation became quite a challenge. Between me speaking and guessing whether we were in the right bit of the film, Jon in the technician's booth at the back, and Gary in the front row with a remote device, we managed to get through without too much embarrassment. Nothing focuses the mind quite like standing in front of a crowd of people and being reliant on technology, knowing that the said technology might go wrong!
After a lunch with some members of the Christian Union, a whistlestop tour of the school, and tea and biscuits with David Vardy who is Sir Peter's broher and a member of Ignite's council of reference, we flew back to Cardiff.
Emmanuel College has unjustly received much criticism from press and teacher around the UK because of its supposed 'Christian bias', but we were very impressed. It's educational standards, pupil discipline and caring ethos reflect very well on the vision behind the school and it's 2 sister establishments in Middlesborough and Doncaster.
Ignite has long had an excellent relationship with Kingham Hill School in the Cotswolds and I hope that our trip to Emmanuel is the beginning of an equally strong relationship. Talking of Kingham Hill School reminds me that their long serving chaplain, and great friend of Ignite and me personally, Steve Hayes is leaving the school at the end of this term. 
He's a good man, an excellent teacher and a compassionate and diligent chaplain. His new school are very fortunate and Kingham Hill have lost a fine asset.
The time of life is short ; to spend that shortness basely, it would be too long .Do you think so?
Posted by: jordan retro 11 | 07/18/2010 at 07:30 AM