The news of another round of excellent A Level results this week comes shortly after the outstanding Olympic result of Peckham’s Kye Whyte in the BMX racing at the Olympics in Tokyo, among other Olympians in the borough.
Both show a different side of Southwark’s young people from the image that we are used to talking about. Sadly, the media is often forced to report on violence against young people, frequently carried out by other young people. That is not to say news outlets should not be covering these stories – it is important that the media reflects reality, and the reality is that young people can too easily get caught up in gang violence.
But another truth is that there are many young people in our borough forging paths to success. It is a cliché to say that the last eighteen months have been difficult for everyone, but it is perhaps most true for children. To be stripped of a social life and daily routine when you are still developing as a person is tough, and still may have unforeseen consequences. But for now we should praise their efforts in achieving these results – as well as the great support from their parents, teachers and Southwark Council.
St Saviour’s and St Olave’s singled out families for praise when congratulating students on A Level results this week: recognition of the often-astonishing sacrifices made by families to support their children’s education, especially in the pandemic. Teachers, too, have adapted remarkably well to a whole new way of working. Neither should we forget the efforts of the council to raise money for laptops for children studying remotely, nor anyone who gave to the fundraiser.
Kye Whyte said that he credited his success to the work of Peckham BMX coaches and the funding given by the council to help set up and maintain the track as part of the London Olympic legacy nearly ten years ago. Perhaps the lesson we should take from him and from our successful students is that young people’s success most often needs long-term investment: in money, in time and in care.