A HEADMASTER at a leading Suffolk school has warned there is too much focus on exams at the expense of co-curricular activities such as music, theatre and sport.

Paul Taylor, from Framlingham College, was speaking at its annual Speech Day yesterday. He praised the co-curricular activities of his students and said they were “absolutely central” to education provision.

Mr Talyor, who has been headmaster at the College for three years, said: “I am determined to protect the breadth of the education here from the exam-creep of recent years, and believe that this aspect of our educational offering is, increasingly, one of the key raison d’etres of independent education: we are here to educate the whole person, not just the examination candidate.

“Such breadth is, of course, under special threat during the exam-filled summer term. This term alone, for instance, we have had four separate schools pulling out of fixtures just days before they are due to take place – saying that they were unable to raise a team.

“I am proud of the fact that we have honoured every fixture we have committed to – this matters – even though there have been times when it would have been easier to cancel after late withdrawals.

“While of course I have every sympathy with individual pupils who feel they need time at their books on a weekend before a full exam week, rather than get on a bus for an away fixture or make that Sunday afternoon rehearsal – and there is always room for considered flexibility when there is proper planning, communication and forward thinking involved - but as a trend this does seriously concern me.

“I firmly believe that constructive respite from the books is as important as time at the books themselves, even in the final run-in to exams, and if pupils plan their time properly there should be no need to have to rely on such last minute measures.

“No one is questioning the primacy of academic performance as the central priority for our pupils and for this school, but a sense of perspective is required, and I will not be one of those heads who simply gives up on co-curricular pursuits during exam periods; to do so would, in my view, be doing our pupils an educational disservice.”