A School With A Story.

I've been at Bluecoat since I was 11. At first I hated it. By the time my place was confirmed I was adamant that I did not want to go; every morning of my first term there, my parents would have to get me out of bed and dress me themselves because I was so against going. I eventually settled into it though, or I wouldn't still be here 7 years later! One of the only things I remember from those first 16 weeks was Founder's Day. Our school hold one of these services every year, to welcome the year 7's into our school and to present them with a bible. This began as a Braithwaite edition of the bible, but has changed to a Youth bible in recent years (which, in my opinion, is a much better translation anyway). This makes sense to Bluecoat kids, as one of our houses is Braithwaite, named after one of our founders, Thomas Braithwaite.
The whole point of Founder's Day is really to remind us where we come from. We are a school with a history- not a history in the sense that it's been going for a while, but a history that means something. My school has a real story behind it, which continues to grow each year, and the next chapters in our story are acknowledged each year at our Founder's Day service. I've been involved in every Founder's Day since I started at Bluecoat- mainly singing- and this day has never really impacted me that much- until this year, my last year at Bluecoat, and I have either only just realized that I love that my school has a story, or I've just become very gushy and sentimental. I would rather believe the first, and if you've ever received a birthday card from me, you'll know that that is the more likely reason.
Although our head teacher says her part at the beginning, the service is held by kids like me... and our youth worker (who is basically a big kid anyway!). This means that the service is slightly more interesting than you'd imagine, and in the last few years, a drama has been performed by a group of year 7, 8 & 9 students about the history of the school. This is naturally performed as an over-the-top, comedic train-wreck, but it gets across the story.
Nottingham was very poor, the poor were getting poorer, the rich were getting richer, and all schools had to be paid for except the high school- oh the irony!- and Bluecoat. Bluecoat was held in the doorway of St Peter's from 1706 and was free, funded by donations from various benefactors. The uniform was originally grey, but was later changed to blue. After a while, a plot of land was bought and as more money was given to the school, more and more children arrived- more money, more children. The school was relocated- twice- then another campus opened in 2003. We have sister schools in China, Africa and South Africa. Each house raises money for a chosen charity each year. Every year we run a Coast-to-Coast bike ride for the British Heart Foundation/Macmillan (these alternate) and Rainbow's Children's hospice- a charity very close to my own heart. So many different things have happened to our school in the last 100 year, and even the last 10 years, which I can't begin summarize in just one blog post. I urge you to go and read about my school's history here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_Bluecoat_School
There is such a story behind my school. It's very long, but it's very strong. And it is inspirational.
I'm a sucker for a story.
We are living stories.
And every story must to be told; every story has a right to be told.
So this is our story, and we will continue to grow it and develop it through the beautiful gifts we've been given. Our school does a lot for many, many charities- it's in our roots, it's where we come from. Our school- my school- changes and invents each and every one of us, whether we know it or not. I know that my school has made me who I am today- sometimes I love her, sometimes I hate her, but I know that I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for Bluecoat and some of the amazing people I have met there.

So thank you, Timothy Fenton.
Thank you, William Thorpe.
Thank you, Thomas Braithwaite.
Thank you, Messrs: Inglis, Mellors and Rippon.
And thank you, Alfred Harisson.