A BRIEF period away from work this week as a result of a cataract operation gave me a different perspective on life.

Gone was the sepia-tinged reality that had become a fundamental part of my conscious life for the past few months – replaced by a world of clarity, bold colours and sharply-defined outlines that I could scarcely remember from the past.

It is very strange how a relatively minor medical procedure can suddenly transform so much, so quickly, but there it is. As an educator I want to say full marks to the team of professionals at Salisbury District Hospital, and, as a fellow human, I send them my thanks.

In the same way I wonder whether we need to take another good, hard look at what surrounds us here in the depths of South Wiltshire, isolated from the ills that seem to afflict our troubled world.

Sometimes it is all too easy to take for granted the extraordinary environment that we have in and around Salisbury.

Sometimes there is also the temptation to think that what is going on elsewhere is rather too remote to concern us.

That thought is uppermost in my mind when I am thinking about what to say to around 900 teenage boys every Tuesday morning…a thought that might put many off their cornflakes!

In fact, it is not too difficult to make connections between the day-to-day life of school and what is happening elsewhere. Matters are occasionally brought into sharp relief where there is an event of direct relevance to school – the First World War Exhibition in Salisbury Museum about Tom Adlam, Salisbury’s only Victoria Cross recipient, the Olympics, or an election.

Other topics have more philosophical origins, but the trick seems to be to ground them in something concrete so the audience can see why they should care. And youngsters do care.

Despite what adults say about disaffection there will be no shortage of lively boys and girls taking part in Citizenship Days, Question Time and Political Hustings over the coming months at Bishop’s and South Wilts. There is a desire amongst sixth formers to discuss societal issues and to hold our elected representatives to account.

My perspective of 11-18 year olds has been moulded over the years that I have worked in schools, so that I feel that I now understand the potential that can be there to be tapped. This week, my sight was transformed physically by the wonders of modern medicine.

Metaphorically, it’s been transformed by talking to thousands of young people over the years. I can’t wait to get my second eye sorted out now!

Dr Stuart Smallwood

Headmaster, Bishop Wordsworth's School