Letting our hair down

We all enjoyed a great day out yesterday at the Faculty of Education Degree Award Ceremony for University of Plymouth students. As in previous years, the ceremony took place in the beautifully atomospheric Exeter Cathedral. We all processed in to the grand strains of the huge cathedral pipe organ. It was a spectacle indeed. Sadly, this will be the last time we hold the Degree ceremonies here, as the Faculty of Education moves to the main Plymouth campus next month.

Still, it was good to recognise the work of our students over the past 3 or 4 years, as they each stepped up to receive their degree certificates from our Dean, Professor Michael Totterdell. Some of my B.Ed (Hons) Primary ICT Specialist pathway students were there (pictured above), as were several others whom I have had the pleasure teaching over the last few years. They will now go off to their new jobs to start their teaching careers, and I wish success to them all. It was also a time for the staff to let our hair down a little, and spend some fun time together at the end of a very busy and challenging academic year. I was accompanied by my wife, Dawn, (pictured with me left) who is a lecturer in the department and met up with most of the teaching staff who had turned out for this splendid occasion.

The BBC EastEnders actress Pam St Clement (Pat Butcher) was present to add a touch of colour to the proceedings. She used to be a student at Rolle College (a former incarnation of the Faculty of Education at Exmouth campus) where she qualified as a teacher. She was there to receive an honourary doctorate for her services to entertainment and education. Next year we will be conducting our Degree Awards Ceremony at another historic location - on Plymouth Hoe. It will all take place in a huge marquee, and I hope it's anchored down well - the winds are strong up there at this time of the year. And I don't know how on earth they will manage to get a full sized pipe organ into the tent...