What I Learnt Layout 1 - Teach Secondary · 2020. 11. 25. · classroom life | leo sayer about the...

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My educational career didn't startout too badly. I went to St Peter'sCatholic Primary School, inShoreham-by-Sea,West Sussex,

and whilst the nuns who taught us could bea bit mean – and were definitelydisciplinarian in their approach – I do have some happy memories from that time. I got on OK with the work, although Ifound a lot of it quite hard, and by the finalyear it was expected by everyone that Iwould begin secondary school comfortablyin the A-stream.

But then came the 11+. And my world came tumbling down.

I didn't realise it then (and nor, it has to besaid, did my parents or teachers), but I havesevere dyslexia. So, when I was faced withthose exam papers, and told I had a certainnumber of minutes in which to completethem, I just fell to pieces. In fact, thatexperience left me with an important symbolthat I still carry with me through life: the blanksheet of paper, waiting to be filled in. Forsomeone like me, the idea of having to usethat space to answer set questions within alimited time scale means panic and confusion– whereas my creative side looks at thesame, white rectangle... and sees infinitepossibilities. It's the two faces of my dyslexia,I think.

Despite my terrible 11+ results, I had onemore chance at showing my secondaryschool what I was capable of before theydecided my future academic course – an interview,following a positive report from my primary schoolteachers. They knew me, and they were fully aware that Iknew my stuff. But again, the dyslexia kicked in. Ifloundered and stumbled as I tried to get my thoughts inorder and explain them; the staff assumed I was anumbskull; and as a result, I joined Blessed RobertSouthwell in Goring as a C-stream pupil.

It's now called Chatsmore, and I'm sure it's a goodschool these days – but when I went there, in the late50s/early 60s, Blessed Robert Southwell was a horriblyviolent place. It wasn't nearby, either, but it was the onlyCatholic secondary modern in the area, and my parentsinsisted that I had continue my education in a Catholicinstitution. I had to walk a mile to the station, then travel

WHAT I LEARNTAT SCHOOL

through seven stops, in order to bemercilessly bullied. Every day. It wasinevitable, really. I was too small, too keen onmusic, movies and literature, and of course,too dyslexic. I remember one boy inparticular. He was about my size, actually,and maybe that was why he made it hismission to cause me as much misery aspossible. His name was Hollywood – so that'stwice Hollywood has tried to break me;luckily, I did alright in LA in the end.

I went to school thinking that I'd get aneducation; that I'd learn about the world. Iloved geography, and Shakespeare, andmusic – but between being kicked byHollywood and caned by the staff, therewasn't much opportunity or motivation forlearning in the classroom. Instead, I went tothe library (no chance of seeing the bullies inthere), and gradually, working at my ownpace and following my own interests, Ieducated myself. I chose the books thatcalled out to me, and absorbed their contentssteadily and surely. Because I couldn't easilycommunicate with others, I talked to myself. Icreated myself. I imagined, and dreamt myown reality. I was lucky that I could do that.

It was only much later in life, when Ibumped into Wynford Dore, who developedthe Dore Programme of treatment for a wholerange of learning difficulties, includingdyslexia, that I realised I had a condition witha name – that there was a reason I couldn'ttie my shoelaces until I was 21. I hadn't

realised that there were so many people like me, who suffer from this kind of communication breakdown,and can so easily fall through the cracks when it comesto education.

I live in Sydney now, and do a lot of work with theAustralian Children's Music Foundation, which providesinstruments and programmes for disadvantaged youngpeople across the country. Music is an incredibletherapy; it's such a direct, natural way for human beingsto reach out to each other. Rock and roll genuinely saved my life. I don't think I would have made it throughschool without it. It enabled me to turn a ‘disability’ into something positive and powerful. It brings meincredible pleasure to be able to be a part of givingsomething back.

CLASSROOM LIFE | LEO SAYER

ABOUTTHE AUTHOR

SONGWRITER, MUSICIANAND PERFORMER LEOSAYER RELEASED HISDEBUT ALBUM, SILVERBIRD,IN 1973. ON OCTOBER 28THTHIS YEAR, A 14-DISCBOXSET 'JUST A BOX – THE STUDIO RECORDINGS'WILL BE RELEASED TOCELEBRATE THE ARTIST'S 40 SUCCESSFUL YEARS INTHE MUSIC BUSINESS; HEWILL ALSO BE TOURING THEUK IN NOVEMBER. VISIT LEOSAYER.COM TOFIND OUT MORE.

Pop legend Leo Sayer didn’t so much complete hissecondary education, as survive it...

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