Creativity. For me the word embodies individuality, self-expression and enjoyment. I am fortunate to be surrounded and immersed by creativity every day when at work. This is the main reason why I became a teacher. Teenagers offer 1000 different perspectives as they learn and grow.

Our school community is diverse and vibrant. Everybody is unique and everyone has something different to offer. Our young people are a pleasure to be around as they create and shape their identity. Self-expression and individuality are evident everywhere you look, despite the school uniform! Whether it is the Year 11 top set maths class talking through how to solve a problem (and seemingly, to me, talking in a different language!), a group of students in the playground inventing a new game with a football, or a Year 7 class going to sing to another group in aid of anti-bullying week, creativity is embedded within our culture.

My plea to all our students is never lose this. Never stop playing and creating. Never stop being unashamedly and unapologetically yourself.  There are social pressures that we all feel at times. The pressure to look a certain way, or have certain things, or behave in a certain way. Social media shows us what is desirable, the news tells us what is wrong, celebrities show us how to live. As we grow older, we become more aware, more self-conscious. We may lose our ability to play and create.

True creativity is about unashamedly being yourself. Whether this is building on the ideas of others or branching out in a different direction. It’s about learning from those around and making up your own mind. It’s about deciding who you are and then changing your mind, two, three, maybe ten times. It’s about living gently. It’s about being kind. It’s about exploring who you are and what makes you truly happy.

Mrs Tottman  
Assistant Headteacher 
St Birinus School