Video Speaker 11th June 2021 - Kevin Patrick, Principal, Chiltern Hills Academy

Rotary Club of Chesham were glad to welcome Kevin Patrick to the Friday Zoom Meeting.

Strong ties exist between the Club and the Academy -the Rotary Annual Technology Tournament has been held successfully at the Academy and young people from the school are active in many facets of the local community in which Rotary participate.

Kevin emphasised in his first few words that embedded within the school are the values of honesty, respect, compassion, love, forgiveness, self-discipline, and hope.

The school, a non-selective secondary school for 11-18 year olds, has grown significantly and now with 1000 pupils there are plans to increase to 1300 over the next few years. Growth fuelled by population expansion within the Chesham locality and the consistent demand for places.  As a school known for its personalised approach to young people when it was seen as a small local institution, the aim is to maintain that ethos.  The diversity of the local population is reflected within the school and unusually in Bucks some 70% walk to school reflecting its closeness to the local community.

The challenges being faced reflect the current COVID environment which has generated new opportunities for learning experiences, grasped by many, whilst some have been needed support to continue the growth in their education. The part played by Character Education for young people was explained to members along with the balance between traditional syllabus material and broader life skills.

Kevin shared the Academy’s vision for the future and the methodology being used by the Staff and Governors to guarantee that high achievement is reached across the range of abilities and that barriers to learning are addressed.

Further information on Chiltern Hills Academy available at https://www.chilternhillsacademy.co.uk/