Jim Perks – When students on Perisher don’t make the grade

Simon: When you have to make the decision for somebody who hasn’t performed as necessary, what’s that like a Teacher?

Horrible. And you know it’s coming.

Simon: You can’t not do it.

You can’t not do it. You have a responsibility to the rest of the Service, and to the individual. I was lucky in that those that I failed, when I told them, also had that look of relief, the very same look as ‘Congratulations Captain.’ It was over.

Simon: Wow. Right.

Yeah, “Thanks Teacher, I knew I couldn’t do it” or “Yeah, I’m glad it’s over” or “It’s not for me.” I was lucky, I’m sure some have gone, “Oh bloody hell, I thought I was going to pass that.” No, didn’t happen. I mean you give them a fair warning all the time.

You’re talking to them everyday and particularly if someone’s struggling, you know every Teacher will take them to one side, away from everyone else, saying, “Right, come on, I want you to do this, that and the other. Are you alright? Do you still want to do this?” ‘Cos sometimes you see a dip and you think um, is this someone who just doesn’t want to take themselves off the Course and is waiting for me to do it?’ so that’s the conversation I used to have.

“Are you alright? Do you want to do this?” and if he answers, “Yeah, I absolutely do” then great, brilliant. Ok, I know that we’ve got some teaching to do here and that’s thrill.

When you see that work. I’m not going to name names, but I’ve seen that work. I’ve absolutely seen that work. It was a confidence thing, but he was so keen to do it. I mean it was his life, it was his thing, it was his world.