PUBLISHED 16 August 2022
It was a bitter-sweet moment to wish our Year 13 students well as they departed for study leave earlier this summer. We have seen their friendships develop over their years at school and it has been heart-warming to see the enduring bonds form. Matron has seen the development of such friendships first hand, as she helped a group of boys support their friend. Here's what she had to say:
"In April 2018 Fraser joined AKS due to severe relentless bullying at his previous school. As a direct result of being bullied, Fraser began to suffer from seizures. At one point, he was having up to two seizures daily - sometimes requiring hospitalisation.
I was approached by four boys who were all friends of Fraser but, only knowing him a few weeks, they wanted to support him, and I was asked if I would show them what to do whenever Fraser had a seizure. They had watched me numerous times putting him in the recovery position but recognised there was a time delay from the start of the seizure and my arrival. Of their own volition, these four boys, determined to help their friend, were shown what to do to keep their friend safe. Without any intervention from staff, they went away and looked at each other’s strengths in order put an efficient plan together. From this humble beginning, “Fraser’s team” was born!
Morgan and Tristan were able to move Fraser safely into the recovery position, George runs to get medical assistance, aka Matron. Matt made the area safe - moving bags and furniture; he also timed the seizure. When I arrived, I was given a handover from Matt, telling me how long the seizure had been going and any possible injuries. Matt continued to time the seizure; if it got to five minutes, he would then say, “WE NEED AN AMBULANCE: IT’S FIVE MINUTES!”. While all this was going on, the teacher was able to carry on with the lesson with minimal disruption.
Fraser continued to have seizures, but these decreased enormously from when he joined AKS in April 2018. He took an active part in all school life - something he was unable to do at his previous school. He played rugby and football for both 1st teams and played principal roles in the school drama productions.
These amazing individuals have enabled Fraser to access education, to be positive about his school life and shown an amazing degree of compassion and selflessness. They have completed their A levels and now move on but have left a legacy behind reminding us that kindness is priceless!
As Matron I want to say thank you for showing us all what true friendship is!"