UCAS Reference

  Carenza is a pillar of the community

 

“Have you jotted down the list of all the stuff you’ve done so that your teacher can use it to write your reference?”  I look at the twins.  They look at their shoes. 

“Look, you know, all those lunch hours you’ve given up to show prospective pupils round, the nights when you’ve turned out in the rain to play for the school band, the weeks you spent mentoring that year nine boy who would only communicate in grunts…”

“But we only did those things to be helpful,” protests Carenza.

“Yeah, writing them all down looks like, well, like bragging,” agrees Perran.

“I’m afraid that’s what you do – when you apply for a university place, you brag about all the great things you’ve done.”

I see the light change in their young eyes.  Have I just witnessed the death of innocence?  Philosophers sometimes ask whether altruism (or selflessness) can truly exist.  My answer is that, Yes, it did - until just now, when I introduced my children to CV culture.

Carenza’s eyes narrow: “Can I put down all those prefect duties when I had to stop Year Sevens from skipping in the corridor?” 

“Yes,” I reply firmly, “Write them down.”