A leading London headteacher is using Fleetwood Mac lyrics in an attempt to crack down on absence levels.
James Handscombe, who has previously said Taylor Swift is one of his main sources of inspiration for assemblies, urged pupils at Harris Clapham Sixth Form to “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow” when it comes to their studies.
Mr Handscombe read out lyrics from the 1977 hit “Don’t Stop” to students beginning the final term of the academic year, saying they contain a “powerful message.”
The Fleetwood Mac song, which reached number 32 in the UK charts and has been used in campaigns by both Bill Clinton and David Cameron, includes the lines: “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Don’t stop, it’ll soon be here. It’ll be better than before. Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone.”
Mr Handscombe told students: “Most of the reasons for missing school or for being late are because you forget about tomorrow – you forget to think long term and do what’s easy, or comfortable now, rather than what will set you up in the future.”
He added that some students miss school because they do not believe their hard work will make a difference, saying: “Well – the bad news is that yesterday’s gone: you can’t go back to toddling, the real world of adult responsibility and consequences are coming your way where not being there just means you miss out on opportunity. The good news is that your futures can be better than before – you have incredible experiences ahead of you – just don’t stop.”
The song, written by Christine McVie about the break-up of her marriage to fellow band member John McVie, includes the lines: “If you wake up and don’t want to smile, if it takes just a little while, open your eyes and look at the day - You’ll see things in a different way.”
Mr Handscombe told students the lyrics are relevant to “some of you who wake up too often not wanting to smile and for whom that wait is just a little while too long. Some of you are still, eight months after the first time I spoke to you about it, struggling with the challenge of getting to school every day, and getting to school on time.”
He added: “Some of you lack confidence that your study here will make future you richer and happier – which you know is silly and so, like a bunch of silly billies you take duvet days when you have a bit of a cold or a tummy ache, or simply lie in bed when you should be getting on the bus to meet me on the gate at 8.30am to discuss your favourite films - or novels, or TV dramas, or pop songs – I’m interested in all the art forms just so long as you get here in time to have the discussion and then head to class.”
Mr Handscombe, who is also executive headteacher of Harris Westminster Sixth form, where students received more Oxbridge offers than Eton this year, urged students to make the most of their time, adding: “Sixth form is your chance to shape your future – to take a baseball bat to whatever happened in your past, knock it out of the park and grab your opportunities with both hands.”
Mr Handscombe has previously praised Taylor Swift as a great philosopher, saying he uses her songs as inspirations, alongside Shakespeare, Yeats, Donne and Samuel Beckett.
