Dear Explorers,

“A scout is never taken by surprise, s/he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.”

Robert Baden Powell

Well, perhaps Baden Powell didn’t envisage the devastation the cancelled exams must have caused those of you affected. We know how hard you have all worked, and the sacrifices you have made to ensure you are adequately prepared. As your explorer leaders we wanted to ensure you know that we are here for you, and to offer a few words to help you along the way. Myself and Dan have both seen first-hand in our schools the turmoil that all Year 11 and Year 13 students are facing, and we have found ourselves thinking of  the 3 explorers due to sit A Levels, and the 11 explorers due to sit GCSE’s.

I thought I would use the 7 scout laws to offer some reassuring words.

A scout is to be trusted

We can trust you to look beyond these next few weeks and months, to realise you have so much more to you than a 6 week period of data collecting!

A scout is to be loyal

Stay loyal to your schools, trust they are doing their best. The teachers are also devastated that the amount of time and effort they have put into you to help you succeed seems in vain at the moment.

A scout is to be friendly and considerate

Remember approximately 900,000 pupils are in the same position as you, take care of each other, everyone will handle this in different ways. Be supportive of all our explorers, this will impact on our year ten and year 12 students too, as they miss lessons and content for next year’s exams.

A scout belongs to the worldwide family of scouts

Not only are your fellow explorers there for you, but your leaders all are too, and we will be there when the dust settles, to run some stupid games, to mock you, to light the BBQ, to dust down the sails, and to help you have some fun.

A scout has courage in all difficulties

A big ask at the moment! You need to have the courage to understand that just because you feel the rug has been pulled from under you, that to some of you it will feel an unfair reflection of your efforts, that you are going to do well and you will get on to the courses you had set your hearts on.

A scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property

You are all going to have a lot of time on your hands, with no revision to take place. This is going to be alien to you! But remember, you are scouts, so take up a new hobby, play with Lego, get in touch with your inner child! Learn to change a tyre, practice some knots, or just be you and not a stressed out exam fearing teenager! Read a book, not because you have to and because you need to analyse it, but because you want to! Record what you are doing if you want it for your scout awards or your DofE.

A scout has self-respect and respect for others.

Hold your heads up high, only you know how hard you have truly worked. Respect the fact that you have so much more than academic qualifications. You are an amazing bunch of explorers that we are so very lucky to work with week in week out. You give up your time freely to help our younger sections, you are polite, you are funny, and you are strong. You will look back on this in years to come and realise that it is a chance to focus on your other gifts and talents, which you all have an abundance of!

It will all work out for you, and we can’t wait to see you all again.

Kindest Regards,

Your mini explorer mascot Alice, Kerry, Dan, Sam, Niall, Bruce, Margaret and Pascal