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10/07/25

Year 7 and 8 parents - we need uniform donations for our SHUSH (second hand uniform shop), especially Trousers, Skirts, Blouses, Shirts, Ties, and Blazers. Please visit our website for details: https://t.co/YTbbYuX3ID pic.twitter.com/vWu2xp0Zdt— Valley Park School () July 10, 2025

10/07/25

60 students attended a smaller Transition event to prepare them for the main induction. The took part in group activities to help them get to know each other, and were awarded certificates at the end of the day. We hope our new Year 7s have a wonderful Summer!#wearevalleypark pic.twitter.com/VSGtLJMfzX— Valley Park School () July 10, 2025

10/07/25

Year 8 students showcased their ambitious science projects in the hall, captivating the audience with innovative experiments & bold investigations. Their outstanding presentations reflected their passion and hard work, representing Science at Valley Park with excellence. pic.twitter.com/wxyEro4mgG— Valley Park School () July 10, 2025

09/07/25

There are still tickets for 13Jr, our musical production at the Hazlitt Theatre! Don't miss out on this end of year treat. https://t.co/fefcFXEaQh pic.twitter.com/mSDmNZLkvR— Valley Park School () July 9, 2025

09/07/25

Here's some book ideas for reading through the Summer holidays!#wearevalleypark pic.twitter.com/iKgRAVtwyl— Valley Park School () July 9, 2025

06/07/25

There are many reasons why a student might struggle with attendance at school. Valley Park has a dedicated team to help & support you. To speak to someone, contact us by phone or email & a member of the attendance team will get back to you. pic.twitter.com/MpOCCasUkd— Valley Park School () July 6, 2025

05/07/25

Ashura holds different meanings for Sunni and Shia Muslims. Sunnis celebrate it as the day Moses parted the Red Sea & the salvation of the Israelites. For Shias, it is a day of mourning for Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. pic.twitter.com/3wtiRS2P3N— Valley Park School () July 5, 2025

04/07/25

House Points update... pic.twitter.com/xCVrxTMdeU— Valley Park School () July 4, 2025

04/07/25

We welcomed our new year 7 students for their transition day yesterday. Ms Flannery, their Head of Year, is really excited to get to know each and every one of them!#wearevalleyparktransition pic.twitter.com/7w7fSW2EzP— Valley Park School () July 4, 2025

01/07/25

Celebrating year 7 student Max, who has achieved the new rank of a Colour Sergeant. On Friday, Max attended the Headcorn aerodrome with his commandant and was invited to the MBC Mayor's lunch, which helped kick-start the Battle of Britain airshow. Well done Max! pic.twitter.com/7QojNXgj9s— Valley Park School () July 1, 2025

29/06/25

58% of Year 7-11 pupils who missed school at the start of the year went on to miss at least 10% of sessions across the whole academic year. Fischer Family Trust#everylessoncounts#wearevalleypark pic.twitter.com/7n6HO97RfS— Valley Park School () June 29, 2025

27/06/25

House points update... pic.twitter.com/0IwMxWJkas— Valley Park School () June 27, 2025

27/06/25

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a prominent Roman Catholic devotion, symbolising Jesus' Divine love for humanity through His physical heart. It emphasises the unmitigated love, compassion, and long-suffering of the heart of Christ towards humanity. pic.twitter.com/gX6mUi5Bgw— Valley Park School () June 27, 2025

27/06/25

Hannah and Jasmine, Valley Park students and Bearsted Football Club Under-15s players, were invited to watch the England Lionesses train at St George’s Park recently, as they prepare for the upcoming UEFA EURO tournament! 🦁🦁🦁 pic.twitter.com/I3qKXhxrVg— Valley Park School () June 27, 2025

27/06/25

On Tuesday 24 June Valley Park Shakespeare Society performed an extract from The Merchant of Venice as part of the RSC associate school project. Despite morning rain, the outdoor performance at Samphire Hoe was a success. pic.twitter.com/BhS7FeuO7R— Valley Park School () June 27, 2025

26/06/25

It's V in the Park on Saturday 28 June from Midday - don't miss this fabulous annual music event on the Valley Park Field.#wearevalleypark#wearevinthepark pic.twitter.com/2aIZIEmmwP— Valley Park School () June 26, 2025

22/06/25

There are many reasons why a student might struggle with attendance at school. Valley Park has a dedicated team to help & support you. To speak to someone, contact us by phone or email & a member of the attendance team will get back to you. pic.twitter.com/rXhg7UfxGN— Valley Park School () June 22, 2025

20/06/25

Our newest Sixth Formers started today – say hello to our 9 new chicks! Our Sixth Formers are learning about responsibility in Personal Development, and as part of this, are responsible for incubating, feeding, cleaning and watering our new arrivals! pic.twitter.com/DD70VvVM6f— Valley Park School () June 20, 2025

20/06/25

We have 3 amazing shows for you during this year's Arts Week: Dance Extravaganza, Romeo & Juliet, and 13 The Musical. If you want to buy tickets, please visit: https://t.co/IJpO06PN4T pic.twitter.com/sTiaIFVr0m— Valley Park School () June 20, 2025

20/06/25

The Feast of Corpus Christi, meaning "Body of Christ," is a Catholic celebration honouring Christ's presence in the Eucharist. It features processions with the Blessed Sacrament, showing public faith and devotion, with special prayers and hymns. pic.twitter.com/ADjMgCm067— Valley Park School () June 19, 2025

19/06/25

Tomorrow's exams...#examupdate#wearevalleypark pic.twitter.com/5aeKoYoN0b— Valley Park School () June 19, 2025

19/06/25

Litha, the Summer Solstice, is a pagan holiday celebrating the sun and fire on the year's longest day. Stonehenge and similar sites are aligned to showcase the sunrise on this day, attracting thousands of pagans. After the solstice, days shorten. pic.twitter.com/IcAooq55kk— Valley Park School () June 19, 2025

19/06/25

Just returned from an incredible trip to the Marlowe Theatre with our Year 8s to see Pig Heart Boy — they were amazing! As their Head of Year I'm so proud of their impeccable behaviour and brilliant engagement. A real credit to our school pic.twitter.com/GaBFgfxSOB— Valley Park School () June 19, 2025

18/06/25

Tomorrow's exams...#examupdate#wearevalleypark pic.twitter.com/EbjFUZjlEb— Valley Park School () June 18, 2025

18/06/25

We're tremendously proud of Sapphire (Yr9) who played in the U14 ESFA Champions’ Cup Plate Final at Sixways Stadium. She scored a 20-yd screamer & took a penalty in the end of match shootout, which ended 2-2. Well done Sapphire!!! pic.twitter.com/47bUQfolJc— Valley Park School () June 18, 2025

Blog

Posted on: October 4th 2021

The Cost of Excellence

Standing in the school hall on Open Evening, I was so proud of the students in our outstanding Sixth Form band. 

Without a doubt, they were the embodiment of EXCELLENCE. From the audience’s perspective, what they were doing appeared effortless; the songs were played faultlessly and seemed so straight forwards in the hands of these exceptionally talented young performers.

As a music teacher however, I am aware of the work which goes into preparing for a performance such as this.  Everyone must learn their own part and then the band rehearses together for hours at a time, in order that communication between the musicians in the ensemble becomes second nature. It is only after this demanding process that the band become a single entity rather than a disparate group of individuals.

Even this though, does not recognise the work that has begun many years earlier. In his book “Outliers: The Story of Success” Malcolm Gladwell asserts that to be an expert at something, you need to have practiced for 10,000 hours by age 20. Let us assume that most people start learning a musical instrument at around age 10. This would mean that to achieve 10,000 hours by age 20, musicians needed to practice for 1000 hours a year; about 20 hours practice per week, or just under 3 hours per day. This is the cost of excellence.

This morning, the Sixth Form band played again, in the Year 7 assembly. Looking around the room, I found myself wondering who in the room was already on that journey towards excellence? How many hours of practice had they already accrued in their chosen field?  How many of the students would demonstrate the ASPIRATION, TENACITY, and ENTHUSIASM in order reach the required 10,000 hours by the time they are 20?

In the Year 7 assembly, the band played “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder, to mark the start of Black History Month. Stevie Wonder was born 6 weeks premature; the oxygen-rich atmosphere of the hospital incubator caused his retinas to detach, and so he became blind. To achieve excellence with all of one’s faculties requires huge commitment and hard work; to do so on multiple instruments without sight is truly remarkable!

Whatever your talent, whether it be sport or music; dance or art; computer programming or mathematics, the cost of excellence is the time that you are prepared to dedicate to developing your skill. In the words of the former tennis player Andre Agassi, “If you don’t practice, you don’t deserve to win.”

 

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