Interviewer

Good afternoon. Could I start by asking your name?

Pat Tasker

Yes. My name is Patrick Tasker.

Interviewer

And which friends group are we talking about today?

Pat Tasker

Friends of Amarna House.

Interviewer

Could I ask how old you are?

Pat Tasker

37.

Interviewer

Excellent, thank you. So was volunteering part of your life as you grew up?

Pat Tasker

It was in a sporting sense, so I’ve always been involved in various sports, hockey, tennis, rugby, and I would get involved in coaching elements of that with younger age groups, but not so much like my current role with school, and volunteering to the community in different aspects.

Interviewer

Okay. So for those who don’t know, at this point, we are currently sitting in a school where you are a teacher. So what brought you to this school?

Pat Tasker

I had initially trained as a primary teacher. I’d left that career, and was back on the family farm, but I was still involved in sports particularly in rugby. I worked for the RFU as a community rugby coach. Really enjoyed my time working with secondary schools. So I came back into education, initially at Manor as a teaching assistant. And then slowly but surely I built up a role as a PE teacher now for 13 years.

Interviewer

And so you’ve spent a long time at Manor then?

Pat Tasker

Yes, 2012 I started.

Interviewer

And what keeps you here?

Pat Tasker

I think it’s a school with a really strong vision, and values. It’s got a great culture here. So yes, it’s just been a school that’s allowed me to grow. I see growth in young people. There are plenty of opportunities outside of the classroom. I’ve been involved in some amazing trips, and experiences for young people. So yes, it’s a great place to work.

Interviewer

And one of the things we’ve come across as we’ve been engaged with this school now for 10 years or so, is that there’s some sort of training scheme that’s sponsored by the Archbishop of York, is that right?

Pat Tasker

Yes, the Archbishop of York set up a leadership award for various age groups. We have key stage three, and key stage four awards. And that was piloted at the school back in about 2013, 2014. And we’ve run the award ever since with great results. So I have generally one class that take it as a GCSE option. So they’ll have one less GCSE than other students,  but they see the value in building their leadership skills, and it’s very much reaching out into the community, whether that’s nurseries, primary schools, and in this case Amarna House Care Home.

Interviewer

So tell me a bit about what your students do with Amarna House.

Pat Tasker

We visit about once a month taking our students, supported by Karina and their Wellbeing Team there who are amazing, they do a great job.  We’ll be there for about an hour each visit. And sometimes it’ll be just simply having a chat with residents, playing some games with dominoes. At other times it’ll be around a particular theme. So last week we were decorating Christmas cards with some of the residents. Before then we’ve had World Book day, and done some reading to the residents. The students absolutely love visiting. There’s great excitement when we’re going down. And it gives them the opportunity to interact with people that you don’t often get the chance to,   to get out.  A school environment, you’re not isolated, but it’s very much a kind of focus on the students,  and results. So having the opportunity to go out into the community, and interact with people with something that they do value.

Interviewer

And do you think, I mean you said interestingly,  that some of the students pick this as an option instead of  an academic O level. How do you think it develops them as individuals?

Pat Tasker

In lots of different ways.  The one thing that always comes back time, and time again at the end of the course is that they feel like their communication skills have really been stretched, and their interpersonal skills. So by going out to places like Amarna House, they feel greater confidence interacting with different people, members of the public, people from different backgrounds. And because in a sense when they’re having conversations with residents at Amarna, they’re almost like taking charge of that situation, leading the conversation, and things. It just gives them that maturity in that sense. So yes they come out of it feeling like they’ve got confidence communicating with adults.  So greater confidence in general.

Interviewer

And when you knew I was coming to see you today, is there anything you wanted to tell me you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

Pat Tasker

I don’t think so. It’s just an absolute delight to be part of it, and to be a friend of Amarna House.  It gives me great pleasure every year. Introducing students from my school to the care home, and seeing the pleasure, and anticipation of them each time we visit is amazing.

Interviewer

Well, I’d like to put on the recording how much we enjoy our relationship with Amarna House, and Manor School. So we are in the middle of helping that relationship along. And I have to say for 10 years now, it’s been great to come in. You have only ever run to 16 years old. So we have a number of your students over the years who’ve come back after they’ve left here,  when they’ve gone on to sixth form elsewhere, and they become volunteers in their own right, which is amazing. And it’s just lovely to see their growth, and their development. The staff are always commenting on how polite your students are, how well engaged they are, and how much they enjoy having you around. So thank you from our side, to you for making that possible. Thank you.