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Posted on September 14, 2013 By Blazer Bear
As the long summer holidays draw to a close, many people both parents and children alike will be feeling anxious as the beginning of a new academic year approaches. Here at Blazer Bear, although we have managed to get away and have enjoyed our time off we have loved making some fantastic memorable keepsake bears for many July school leavers, whether it be Primary school or Secondary school.
All the very best for the many students sitting important exams this year; whether it be the eleven plus, common entrance, GSCEs, As levels, A2s and university exams to name but a few. The very best results are deservedly well celebrated and those that achieve above their expectations is also fantastic, but my heart goes out to those that achieved the wrong side of expectation and in the most dramatic cases to those that have to rethink their schools, the subjects chosen to study and ultimately their chosen career path.
Today life for school children does appear to be a continuous line of tests with very little let up along the way. Whether this is good or bad is heavily debated as is the school starting age. Being Australian I started school at five, sat my first (and only) important exam at 17, and began University some 5 months after my 17th birthday. (This is peculiar to Perth, Australia – we finish school at 17 – this may have changed slightly now but not much). Subsequently University then felt like there was an exam around every corner, to which it did take me a while to get used to this ‘constant assessment’. For me maybe having more exams in my school life would have prepared me better?
I have watched and to the best of my ability helped my own children sit numerous exams over the years. Within the Blazer Bear teams’ children we have 5 sitting GCSEs 2 doing A levels, 1 has just started university and three lucky ones haven’t quite reached these stages yet. My observation is that however heavily debated school starting age and how many exams they sit, kids will ultimately do what they want to do, and what they achieve is largely up to them.
There is also so much more to school life than academia. Friendships are made, sporting, musical, artistic and other achievements are celebrated. Blazer Bear is exhibiting at the Independent School Show London at Battersea Evolution this year, and whilst researching the schools attending it is clear that so many schools strive to offer an ‘all round education’ not just focussing on academics.
Life is so full of different situations, experiences and is essentially one big learning curve with for most of us a number of blips along the way. If school life prepares us to deal with these blips then it can be argued it has done a good and correct job.
We are coming up to our busy time of year attending lots of Christmas Fairs, and making many bears from all the summer fairs attended. Our season begins next Saturday 21st September with the Christmas fair at the beautiful Bricklehurst Manor School near Ticehurst in East Sussex.
We look forward to seeing you!
Friends since their first children were born, Pru and Kathy are two mums whose children are now at secondary school. As a special keepsake Pru made each of her children a teddy bear out of their old school Blazers. Kathy loved the concept so they joined forces and Blazer Bear. was born. Find out more
Whether it be a blazer, school uniform, rugby shirts, precious clothing babygros, the list is endless. Everything is lovingly handcrafted entirely from what you give us. If it is a group school order you are after, we can often source the fabrics and even incorporate a school emblem Find out