Leavers’ Assembly 2023

Next week marks the end of your primary education - as a class - in Seaburn Dene. Congratulations – you made it!

Whether you spent the last 7 years here or elsewhere, you made it through 266 history and music lessons, 1330 English Lessons, maths Lessons and lunchtimes and 2,660 registrations. 

You might have borrowed over 200 library books – and returned them all of course. 

You made it through 3,990 line ups and over 1,300 assemblies.

Congratulations – because you are still standing… and you are about to start one of the most exciting times of your life. 

Why do I say that? Well it is exciting because over the next 6-7 years you get to choose more and more of how your life’s going to turn out. You choose more and more of what subjects you’ll study, what sports you’ll pursue, what kind of friends you’ll have. 

You’ll choose, what you’ll do after you finish school for good this time, and what kind of person you want to be. And how do you make the most of those choices? 

Make good smaller choices. Choose to work hard. Whatever way you put those 2 words together, work hard, or hard work, the message is the same – nothing of value will come without it. Choose to not give up easily. 

Resilience will get you everywhere.  JK Rowling was so poor she couldn’t afford a computer or even the cost of photocopying the draft of the Philosopher’s Stone, so she manually typed out each version to send to publishers. It was rejected over 20 times until finally a small London publisher, gave it a second chance, the rest is multi-million-dollar history. 

You all showed this in bucket-loads at Derwent Hill; remember this when you feel like giving up.

Choose to listen. You have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason – use your ears twice as much as your mouth. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn. And above all, choose to be kind. Kindness cost nothing – it’s what people remember. 

Winston Churchill said “You can make a living from what you get, but you’ll make a life from what you give.” 

I could go on, but choosing those four will let you have choice in all the big decisions you have to make later on. 

So how to finish. Maybe Dr Seuss can help me, – 

Remember this: You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go. KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! 

So… be your name Amelia or Oliver or Mason or Abigail, Sofia, Chloe, Max or Dexter, You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way