New Head reveals legacy he would like to leave

New Head Ben Pennington has spoken about what attracted him to Worth and the legacy he would like to leave in an interview for our student-led magazine Identity.

This latest edition of Identity was on sale to attending families at Speech Day recently. The magazine has been running since April 1996, offering an eclectic mix of student-written articles, essays and artwork, giving voice to generations of young writers, exploring the issues that matter most to them.

Entirely written and produced by students, the 53rd edition includes an interview with Mr Pennington, who will begin his tenure as Head in September. In a fascinating interview, he was asked what made Worth stand out for him, answering: “I truly believe that Worth stands out due to its commitment to each other within the community. Many schools are about individuals striving to achieve for themselves, frequently treading on each other whilst doing so.

“At Worth, I was struck by the desire of all to support and celebrate individuals in their pursuit of success and a desire of all to improve the community in which they live, not just themselves.”

In terms of a legacy he would like to leave, Mr Pennington said: “I recognise the enormous privilege and responsibility I have in serving Worth School as the next Head and I aim to build on all that has gone before to ensure we go from strength to strength.

“There are, of course, a number of practical things that I would like to achieve in my time at Worth. We need to be intentional in stewarding a school that is equipped to flourish for generations to come, where excellent academic outcomes are achieved for every pupil in ways that are right for them, and where young people leave with both the commitment and the skills to contribute positively to their communities and to society as a whole.”

The magazine also includes an interview with former 1st XV captain and Head Boy Felix Bateman-Champain who was one of two rugby players from his year group to play for England U18s while at the School.

Asked what he would say to any talented rugby players considering coming to Worth, Felix replied: “I would tell them that Worth offers you a lot of high-performance coaching, constant training opportunities, constant feedback with coaches, a high-performance gym and strength and conditioning. But importantly, Worth offers you opportunities away from rugby, being able to have time away from rugby is so important for performance.”

Well done to this year’s Identity team for an excellent magazine.

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