State Of The Nation : Businessman says pupils' attitude to learning must change

A successful businessman who rose to become chief executive of a construction, engineering and manufacturing group wants children to be enthusiastic about the opportunities available to them.

Mr Steff Wright is chief executive of Collingham-based Gusto Group, which includes construction firm Gusto Construction, architects Studio G Associates and rotational moulding company Rototek.

“I was expelled from school at 15 so I was not the best student by any stretch of the imagination,” he said.

“I did one year at the Magnus Grammar School and left when I was 16.

“I did not seem to engage that well with the school system — but was that my fault or was that the schools system’s fault?

“Schools have got to try to take responsibility to try to engage better with people who do not normally engage with school.”

The former Lincoln City chairman said he was surprised to see Newark and Sherwood near the foot of the State Of The Nation table, but there had been a lack of investment over a long period of time.

'Underlying pressure not to work hard'

Mr Wright also said there was a responsibility for parents to work with their children to encourage their aspirations.

He said: “I did a building apprenticeship at college and spent the rest of my life having an enthusiasm for learning and education in different aspects.”

Mr Wright said when he had a choice of where to educate his children, he chose to send them to Grantham because of young people’s thoughts towards learning in the town.

“The attitude of children in Grantham to education — not just grammar school children, because my children went to other schools in Grantham — and learning was a positive one.

“Children were encouraging each other, whereas in Newark there has been an attitude that it is just not cool to work hard and get on.

“You have this underlying pressure not to work hard and not to be successful.

“I know parents with children who work hard and gain a merit badge, but would not wear it because they know they would have the mickey taken out of them.

“You can blame the politics, the colleges or a lack of investment, but there needs to be some responsibility from parents to encourage their children to be enthusiastic about getting on in school.”