Please note that my blog has moved.
New address:
http://head.nottinghamhighblogs.net/
All the earlier posts can also be found there.
Sunday 14 November 2010
Linking the generations - thoughts on Remembrance Sunday
As I write this on Remembrance Sunday I am reflecting back on a week which has seen both our school remembrance service and the Annual General Meeting of our Old Boys Association. In our remembrance service boys spoke of their reflections on the recent school visit to the Battlefields of World War One. I want to share with you what one boy said:
“What do you think of when you have a minute’s silence? I think that for some it is exactly that – being silent for a minute, trying to shut out other thoughts on homework and lunch – trying not to smile at that earlier joke that comes back at the worst possible time. For others though, it’s bowing your head and trying, somehow, to imagine what life was like. From the sources in our textbooks, films such as ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and our own imagination, we try to build up a picture of suffering, warfare, death. Mental images are provided by the latest computer game - details are filled in by half-remembered facts: on the first day of the Somme alone around 19,000 British troops were killed - an absolutely horrific and genuinely terrifying death toll.
I suppose it was for that reason that, standing in Tyne Cot cemetery, before hundreds of headstones and thousands of the names of the missing, I was disappointed. Not in their brave struggle, or the sheer number of casualties, but in my reaction. I had come on the trip eager to learn more, but also with expectations. Expectations that I would see life in a new way, that through being distressed and moved I could mourn the dead.
I took a school emblem and a page number from Mr. Williams, under instructions to find Private Johnson amongst the missing, an old boy of the school. I walked past panel after panel, each bearing over one hundred names, reading as I went along. Wilfred Johnson was the son of Ellen and John –a litho printer- from Bramcote Street, Old Radford and served in the Honourable Artillery Company. There was no picture of Johnson but in my mind I thought of what he may have looked like, what friends he had, what his hobbies were – what we may or may not have had in common. As I walked past panels 40, 30, 20, and into the single figures, I eventually came to number 7, and began searching.
When I found the name, I suddenly realised that I had built up this man in my head; obviously I never knew him or even what he looked like, but that’s when the scale of the conflict struck me. I had made the mistake of coming to this cemetery with numbers in my head, with the image of dusty old bones and vast waves of white headstones. But I think that it’s far more important to remember lives lost than deaths – each digit in a textbook represents someone just the same as Private Wilfred Johnson, each weathered carving on a memorial wall was the name of a living, breathing person.”
Our remembrance service made clear links between the current generation and those that went before as another boy said:
“Overall, this trip has given me a unique insight into World War 1, but it has also reminded me about the unity presented by many people of different nationalities, in the midst of battle, and the brave sacrifice many made for our country along with many others, not alone, but, as brother-in-arms.”
Later that same day I went to the AGM of our Old Boys’ Society and I was delighted with the interest that so many of them show in what the School is doing today. The link between past and present was again very evident and as a School we are very keen to build this ‘Community for Life’.
At the unveiling of our school war memorial in 1922 the Duke of Portland said:
“This memorial should serve to remind many coming generations of pupils of this school that at the time of the severest struggle in which this country has ever been engaged, their predecessors in this place obeyed the call of duty and sacrificed themselves in the common cause of humanity. Not only should this memorial stir feelings of pride in, and gratitude to the dead, but it should be a source of inspiration to the living for all time. The young men here commemorated were absolutely unselfish. They thought of themselves as part and parcel of one great enterprise. It is to them and to all those who were animated by the same high purpose that we owe our independence as a nation and our freedom as individuals. Henceforward one of the traditions of this school will be the tradition created by its sons who took so noble, so honourable, and so self-sacrificing a part at the time of the Great War.”
We are proud to link the generations in this way and hope that such links will be a feature of school life for many years. We want to continue to welcome back those who were pupils at the School and to take pride in their achievements but also to let them know about how these traditions are being built on today. The greatest contribution of all though for all of us was made by those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and it is right on Remembrance Sunday that our thoughts are with them.
“What do you think of when you have a minute’s silence? I think that for some it is exactly that – being silent for a minute, trying to shut out other thoughts on homework and lunch – trying not to smile at that earlier joke that comes back at the worst possible time. For others though, it’s bowing your head and trying, somehow, to imagine what life was like. From the sources in our textbooks, films such as ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and our own imagination, we try to build up a picture of suffering, warfare, death. Mental images are provided by the latest computer game - details are filled in by half-remembered facts: on the first day of the Somme alone around 19,000 British troops were killed - an absolutely horrific and genuinely terrifying death toll.
I suppose it was for that reason that, standing in Tyne Cot cemetery, before hundreds of headstones and thousands of the names of the missing, I was disappointed. Not in their brave struggle, or the sheer number of casualties, but in my reaction. I had come on the trip eager to learn more, but also with expectations. Expectations that I would see life in a new way, that through being distressed and moved I could mourn the dead.
I took a school emblem and a page number from Mr. Williams, under instructions to find Private Johnson amongst the missing, an old boy of the school. I walked past panel after panel, each bearing over one hundred names, reading as I went along. Wilfred Johnson was the son of Ellen and John –a litho printer- from Bramcote Street, Old Radford and served in the Honourable Artillery Company. There was no picture of Johnson but in my mind I thought of what he may have looked like, what friends he had, what his hobbies were – what we may or may not have had in common. As I walked past panels 40, 30, 20, and into the single figures, I eventually came to number 7, and began searching.
When I found the name, I suddenly realised that I had built up this man in my head; obviously I never knew him or even what he looked like, but that’s when the scale of the conflict struck me. I had made the mistake of coming to this cemetery with numbers in my head, with the image of dusty old bones and vast waves of white headstones. But I think that it’s far more important to remember lives lost than deaths – each digit in a textbook represents someone just the same as Private Wilfred Johnson, each weathered carving on a memorial wall was the name of a living, breathing person.”
Our remembrance service made clear links between the current generation and those that went before as another boy said:
“Overall, this trip has given me a unique insight into World War 1, but it has also reminded me about the unity presented by many people of different nationalities, in the midst of battle, and the brave sacrifice many made for our country along with many others, not alone, but, as brother-in-arms.”
Later that same day I went to the AGM of our Old Boys’ Society and I was delighted with the interest that so many of them show in what the School is doing today. The link between past and present was again very evident and as a School we are very keen to build this ‘Community for Life’.
At the unveiling of our school war memorial in 1922 the Duke of Portland said:
“This memorial should serve to remind many coming generations of pupils of this school that at the time of the severest struggle in which this country has ever been engaged, their predecessors in this place obeyed the call of duty and sacrificed themselves in the common cause of humanity. Not only should this memorial stir feelings of pride in, and gratitude to the dead, but it should be a source of inspiration to the living for all time. The young men here commemorated were absolutely unselfish. They thought of themselves as part and parcel of one great enterprise. It is to them and to all those who were animated by the same high purpose that we owe our independence as a nation and our freedom as individuals. Henceforward one of the traditions of this school will be the tradition created by its sons who took so noble, so honourable, and so self-sacrificing a part at the time of the Great War.”
We are proud to link the generations in this way and hope that such links will be a feature of school life for many years. We want to continue to welcome back those who were pupils at the School and to take pride in their achievements but also to let them know about how these traditions are being built on today. The greatest contribution of all though for all of us was made by those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and it is right on Remembrance Sunday that our thoughts are with them.
Friday 22 October 2010
The benefits of an all-through school
There is a good deal of discussion both locally and nationally on state academies following the example of many independent schools in becoming all-through Schools. One of the local academies in Nottingham is currently undertaking a public consultation on its plans.
Such schools are common-place in the Independent sector. My school, Nottingham High made this move fully two years ago with the opening of our new infant section Lovell House. For the first time this meant that pupils can attend the School from reception age to Year 13. The School also has its own Junior School (Years 3-6) on the same site. The Junior School recently celebrated its centenary.
The three parts of the school very much share the same ethos. This is one of the key benefits of this model. Thus, in the case of Nottingham High School all three parts are academically-selective, boys-only, place a significant emphasis on superb pastoral care and believe strongly in the role of extra-curricular activities to broaden the programme. This shared ethos makes it easier for parents to decide whether this is a suitable environment for their child.
Choosing a school is one of the most difficult choices parents have to make. The all-through school model means that having selected the school you are not having to go through all the stress of continuing to do this every couple of years. This, I understand, would also be the case in the state model. However, in our case, over 50% of our Year 7 entry still come in from other schools, the majority of them state primary schools. This too is important to freshen things up and to ensure that everyone does not become too insular.
There is no doubt that the transition from each stage of schooling is made much easier by this way of doing things. The move to secondary school can be daunting but pupils from our Junior School know their way around, understand the way that the School works and can also then play their part in helping those who join the School at this stage from elsewhere to settle in.
The benefit to the infant and Junior sections of the School from being on the same site as the Senior School are enormous. They have access to all of the Senior School facilities. Thus, they can use the sports’ hall, swimming pool, theatre etc. Few stand-alone primary schools can offer the range of facilities that a senior school has to offer.
Parents very much like the convenience of having just the one drop-off for all of their children. It can also mean that older children can travel on public transport looking after their younger siblings.
There is no doubt that having pupils of all ages on the site helps to improve relationships. Here the older boys routinely look after the younger boys on the school buses and also older boys go into the Junior and infant schools at times to help out in the classroom or with activities. This too helps to build bonds between boys of all ages. Our Language ambassadors scheme means that senior school boys help teach languages in our infant and junior schools, these positive role models have a huge impact.
There are, of course, advantages to the School of the economies of scale brought about by having the three sections of the school on one site. Such things as the catering, caretaking etc are organised centrally and this provides cost savings.
Some would worry that having the three sections of the school on one site would be problematical. Our model means that each part of the school has a separate building and separate playgrounds and thus one gets all the benefits without the younger boys competing in the playground for space with the older ones. It is also the case that our Junior School only provides about half of the entrants into the Senior School. This means that a further 60 or so boys join the Senior School from a range of other primary and independent schools. It would be unwise for the Junior School to grow any bigger than this as small class sizes should certainly be a feature of Junior and Infant school provision as they are here.
Clearly this is a controversial move for schools in the state sector but politics should surely not get in the way of something which works so well and is of real advantage to pupils and parents alike.
Such schools are common-place in the Independent sector. My school, Nottingham High made this move fully two years ago with the opening of our new infant section Lovell House. For the first time this meant that pupils can attend the School from reception age to Year 13. The School also has its own Junior School (Years 3-6) on the same site. The Junior School recently celebrated its centenary.
The three parts of the school very much share the same ethos. This is one of the key benefits of this model. Thus, in the case of Nottingham High School all three parts are academically-selective, boys-only, place a significant emphasis on superb pastoral care and believe strongly in the role of extra-curricular activities to broaden the programme. This shared ethos makes it easier for parents to decide whether this is a suitable environment for their child.
Choosing a school is one of the most difficult choices parents have to make. The all-through school model means that having selected the school you are not having to go through all the stress of continuing to do this every couple of years. This, I understand, would also be the case in the state model. However, in our case, over 50% of our Year 7 entry still come in from other schools, the majority of them state primary schools. This too is important to freshen things up and to ensure that everyone does not become too insular.
There is no doubt that the transition from each stage of schooling is made much easier by this way of doing things. The move to secondary school can be daunting but pupils from our Junior School know their way around, understand the way that the School works and can also then play their part in helping those who join the School at this stage from elsewhere to settle in.
The benefit to the infant and Junior sections of the School from being on the same site as the Senior School are enormous. They have access to all of the Senior School facilities. Thus, they can use the sports’ hall, swimming pool, theatre etc. Few stand-alone primary schools can offer the range of facilities that a senior school has to offer.
Parents very much like the convenience of having just the one drop-off for all of their children. It can also mean that older children can travel on public transport looking after their younger siblings.
There is no doubt that having pupils of all ages on the site helps to improve relationships. Here the older boys routinely look after the younger boys on the school buses and also older boys go into the Junior and infant schools at times to help out in the classroom or with activities. This too helps to build bonds between boys of all ages. Our Language ambassadors scheme means that senior school boys help teach languages in our infant and junior schools, these positive role models have a huge impact.
There are, of course, advantages to the School of the economies of scale brought about by having the three sections of the school on one site. Such things as the catering, caretaking etc are organised centrally and this provides cost savings.
Some would worry that having the three sections of the school on one site would be problematical. Our model means that each part of the school has a separate building and separate playgrounds and thus one gets all the benefits without the younger boys competing in the playground for space with the older ones. It is also the case that our Junior School only provides about half of the entrants into the Senior School. This means that a further 60 or so boys join the Senior School from a range of other primary and independent schools. It would be unwise for the Junior School to grow any bigger than this as small class sizes should certainly be a feature of Junior and Infant school provision as they are here.
Clearly this is a controversial move for schools in the state sector but politics should surely not get in the way of something which works so well and is of real advantage to pupils and parents alike.
Sunday 12 September 2010
What makes for a 'happy school'?
What makes for a happy School?
Last Thursday night we held our School’s annual prizegiving ceremony and we were very honoured to be joined by Sir Michael Parkinson, the eminent broadcaster. He gave us a fantastic address which was humorous but also left us with plenty to think about when he relayed the story of his interview with a lady dying from AIDS, his most difficult interview ever.
In his closing comments, he said a number of lovely things about the School and our pupils. The one though I was most proud of was when he described us as a “happy school.” This got me thinking and inspired this post. Just what does make for a “happy school?”
I believe at the heart of this lies the strength of relationships between the pupils and the staff. We have good discipline at the heart of our school but this comes about through mutual respect between boys and staff and this comfortable, genuine working atmosphere allows pupils to enjoy their learning. These relationships are developed further through a wide range of extra-curricular activities from which the boys gain so much. This view of education in the round with both academic success and extra-curricular involvement means that we get the best out of individuals and this too makes for a ‘happy school’. Our games programme plays a big part in this. We all know that people feel better if they are fully active and take regular exercise. I believe too that boys thrive on elements of competition both in the classroom and on the games field and this too promotes happiness.
A further factor which I believe promotes happiness in the School is that we try to do things with a smile on our faces. Even on a formal occasion like Speech Day there is room for some humour and indeed some banter. This is not to say that we disrespect the tradition of such events but we do need to enjoy the events as well. So, when a corny phrase drew some ironic comment from the audience it was again a sign of a ‘happy school’. Similarly the pleasure that was palpable when boys in the Big Band performed so brilliantly was infectious and was another sign of a ‘happy school’.
Thus, at the heart of all this is the spirit which is evident in a ‘happy school’. It is this spirit which inspires individuals to excel and which lies behind why so many staff are prepared to give freely of their time to take trips, organise sports fixtures and put on plays and concerts. We like to encourage all to share in the success of each other and this is a common feature in our assemblies. Our vertical tutor system means that boys mix with others of all ages and this too helps boys not only to develop in confidence but it helps pupils to support each other.
It was very heart-warming that all this was apparent to our eminent visitor last week and long may we remain a ‘happy school.’
Last Thursday night we held our School’s annual prizegiving ceremony and we were very honoured to be joined by Sir Michael Parkinson, the eminent broadcaster. He gave us a fantastic address which was humorous but also left us with plenty to think about when he relayed the story of his interview with a lady dying from AIDS, his most difficult interview ever.
In his closing comments, he said a number of lovely things about the School and our pupils. The one though I was most proud of was when he described us as a “happy school.” This got me thinking and inspired this post. Just what does make for a “happy school?”
I believe at the heart of this lies the strength of relationships between the pupils and the staff. We have good discipline at the heart of our school but this comes about through mutual respect between boys and staff and this comfortable, genuine working atmosphere allows pupils to enjoy their learning. These relationships are developed further through a wide range of extra-curricular activities from which the boys gain so much. This view of education in the round with both academic success and extra-curricular involvement means that we get the best out of individuals and this too makes for a ‘happy school’. Our games programme plays a big part in this. We all know that people feel better if they are fully active and take regular exercise. I believe too that boys thrive on elements of competition both in the classroom and on the games field and this too promotes happiness.
A further factor which I believe promotes happiness in the School is that we try to do things with a smile on our faces. Even on a formal occasion like Speech Day there is room for some humour and indeed some banter. This is not to say that we disrespect the tradition of such events but we do need to enjoy the events as well. So, when a corny phrase drew some ironic comment from the audience it was again a sign of a ‘happy school’. Similarly the pleasure that was palpable when boys in the Big Band performed so brilliantly was infectious and was another sign of a ‘happy school’.
Thus, at the heart of all this is the spirit which is evident in a ‘happy school’. It is this spirit which inspires individuals to excel and which lies behind why so many staff are prepared to give freely of their time to take trips, organise sports fixtures and put on plays and concerts. We like to encourage all to share in the success of each other and this is a common feature in our assemblies. Our vertical tutor system means that boys mix with others of all ages and this too helps boys not only to develop in confidence but it helps pupils to support each other.
It was very heart-warming that all this was apparent to our eminent visitor last week and long may we remain a ‘happy school.’
Saturday 7 August 2010
Diary of a Headmaster's Summer Holiday
What does a Headmaster do over the duration of the summer holiday? Now, this is not going to be a kiss-and-tell diary entry but it will perhaps give an indication of the sorts of things which are done which are important both on a personal and on a school level.
1. Holiday – This is probably the most important part. After a long school year and all of the pressures it brings it is vital to get away. I prefer to do this almost immediately the term ends so that there is a clear end to the School year just past and also a chance for a rest before tackling the various work that needs to be done for the next school year. Whilst I do have my smartphone with me, I do try to switch off completely, I do not answer emails and would only deal with urgent and serious school matters that arose. Fortunately this year I was able to have a fantastic fortnight in Rhodes and was able to leave the High School behind!
2. Family time – Inevitably the workload of my role impacts on the family. During the summer I try to ensure that we have some quality time together. This is so important in recharging my batteries and giving me a proper work/life balance. The time to be able to say yes to the numerous requests to play football or to do a domestic task is one that I value at this time of the year. I guess that I need to do more to protect such time at other times of the year too. We also use this time to catch up with friends and return some of the meals that we have enjoyed at other times in the year.
3. Rest – Those readers who are not teachers will see the long holiday that we get as excessive. I do though very much value the opportunity to just switch off and take a rest. The last few weeks of term with all of the many school functions, the reports etc mean many seven day weeks spent ensuring that all is completed on time. Thus, the chance for a few lie-ins, some time just doing nothing and the chance to switch off is very valuable. It is the only time of the year when I can do justice to the weekend newspapers.
4. Reading – Over the past year the High School has had a Year of Reading. I have tried hard to read more but during the summer I have more opportunity to do so. At this point half way through my holiday I have read six books and hope to fit in at least a couple more before we return. Next on the list is “Suite Francaise” by Irene Nemirovsky which my wife has just finished and has highly recommended. I also try to catch up on a good deal of educational reading, various articles and magazines which tend to stack up during the year but can be read when less busy and these are often the source of some good ideas or spark innovative ideas for the future. It is also a chance to read the many articles that I come across through my network on Twitter – such a rich resource for new ideas and sharing good practice.
5. Getting organised – I am a compulsive list maker! Thus, I spend time using the Task List in Microsoft Outlook to record all of the various tasks that need doing when I return to School. I do not like having to carry around in my head a mental list of things to do and thus always try to record everything into the task list so that I can be sure that I won’t forget to get something done. I also use the summer to clear my inbox. Currently there are no emails at all in there, despite the fact that since we broke up for the holiday I have still received over 600 emails! Each half-term I try to clear it down to zero so that the new term starts in an organised fashion. Those that need action when we return in September I put onto the task list. So there are currently 200 tasks to be done but at least I know what they all are and can now spend some time reducing this number. I also like to ensure that I have a clear idea of the major reports/speeches I have to write in the year ahead so that I can diarise time to complete them.
6. Work – Inevitably I spend time working during the holiday. Speech Day is the second day of term so I have to prepare my Speech for that. This tends to be done towards the end of the holiday once the exam results are in. This summer I also need to update our inspection self-evaluation in the light of the exam results, update the development plan and produce an action plan for the coming year from this plan. There is the staff meeting in September to prepare for, various letters to respond to, and I try to make a start on my report to the Governors of the previous academic year. I estimate the net total of this work to be about four weeks work.
7. Visits to School – I try to keep these to a minimum. At the time of writing this post I have been in just once. This was primarily to take over the emergency phone which one member of the Management team mans whenever a school trip is away. Currently we have boys in Bala, North Wales and the rugby teams are touring South America. So far, no calls to field and I hope that this continues given that I would only be called in an emergency. I find it easier to work from home during holiday time as this way there are less distractions.
8. Exam results time – I do though return to school for much of the week leading up to the A Level and GCSE results. In this way I can catch up on any correspondence which has come in during the holiday but also we prepare for giving the results out. There are various analyses to be done on the results themselves and I like to go through with the Head of Careers just how boys have done in relation to their university offers. The results days themselves are the highlight of this period being able to share in the joy of so many boys who through their own efforts, the support of their parents and the hard work of the staff have secured excellent results. There are some media things to do too to promote the School but above all it is a chance to congratulate the boys on their achievements. I also use this time to catch up on progress made on the summer holiday maintenance work in school. Clearly just because the teachers are away does not mean that those left in school are not incredibly busy and it is good to catch up with what has been happening.
So, in conclusion, the holiday is very much a chance to catch up. Firstly, on revitalising myself but then on getting ready for the new term. I guess though that the Confucius saying “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”, applies here. I genuinely enjoy the preparations for the new school year and look forward to welcoming everyone back in September. That I can do so having spent some quality time with the family though is equally important as it is they that sustain me through the stresses that this role inevitably brings.
1. Holiday – This is probably the most important part. After a long school year and all of the pressures it brings it is vital to get away. I prefer to do this almost immediately the term ends so that there is a clear end to the School year just past and also a chance for a rest before tackling the various work that needs to be done for the next school year. Whilst I do have my smartphone with me, I do try to switch off completely, I do not answer emails and would only deal with urgent and serious school matters that arose. Fortunately this year I was able to have a fantastic fortnight in Rhodes and was able to leave the High School behind!
2. Family time – Inevitably the workload of my role impacts on the family. During the summer I try to ensure that we have some quality time together. This is so important in recharging my batteries and giving me a proper work/life balance. The time to be able to say yes to the numerous requests to play football or to do a domestic task is one that I value at this time of the year. I guess that I need to do more to protect such time at other times of the year too. We also use this time to catch up with friends and return some of the meals that we have enjoyed at other times in the year.
3. Rest – Those readers who are not teachers will see the long holiday that we get as excessive. I do though very much value the opportunity to just switch off and take a rest. The last few weeks of term with all of the many school functions, the reports etc mean many seven day weeks spent ensuring that all is completed on time. Thus, the chance for a few lie-ins, some time just doing nothing and the chance to switch off is very valuable. It is the only time of the year when I can do justice to the weekend newspapers.
4. Reading – Over the past year the High School has had a Year of Reading. I have tried hard to read more but during the summer I have more opportunity to do so. At this point half way through my holiday I have read six books and hope to fit in at least a couple more before we return. Next on the list is “Suite Francaise” by Irene Nemirovsky which my wife has just finished and has highly recommended. I also try to catch up on a good deal of educational reading, various articles and magazines which tend to stack up during the year but can be read when less busy and these are often the source of some good ideas or spark innovative ideas for the future. It is also a chance to read the many articles that I come across through my network on Twitter – such a rich resource for new ideas and sharing good practice.
5. Getting organised – I am a compulsive list maker! Thus, I spend time using the Task List in Microsoft Outlook to record all of the various tasks that need doing when I return to School. I do not like having to carry around in my head a mental list of things to do and thus always try to record everything into the task list so that I can be sure that I won’t forget to get something done. I also use the summer to clear my inbox. Currently there are no emails at all in there, despite the fact that since we broke up for the holiday I have still received over 600 emails! Each half-term I try to clear it down to zero so that the new term starts in an organised fashion. Those that need action when we return in September I put onto the task list. So there are currently 200 tasks to be done but at least I know what they all are and can now spend some time reducing this number. I also like to ensure that I have a clear idea of the major reports/speeches I have to write in the year ahead so that I can diarise time to complete them.
6. Work – Inevitably I spend time working during the holiday. Speech Day is the second day of term so I have to prepare my Speech for that. This tends to be done towards the end of the holiday once the exam results are in. This summer I also need to update our inspection self-evaluation in the light of the exam results, update the development plan and produce an action plan for the coming year from this plan. There is the staff meeting in September to prepare for, various letters to respond to, and I try to make a start on my report to the Governors of the previous academic year. I estimate the net total of this work to be about four weeks work.
7. Visits to School – I try to keep these to a minimum. At the time of writing this post I have been in just once. This was primarily to take over the emergency phone which one member of the Management team mans whenever a school trip is away. Currently we have boys in Bala, North Wales and the rugby teams are touring South America. So far, no calls to field and I hope that this continues given that I would only be called in an emergency. I find it easier to work from home during holiday time as this way there are less distractions.
8. Exam results time – I do though return to school for much of the week leading up to the A Level and GCSE results. In this way I can catch up on any correspondence which has come in during the holiday but also we prepare for giving the results out. There are various analyses to be done on the results themselves and I like to go through with the Head of Careers just how boys have done in relation to their university offers. The results days themselves are the highlight of this period being able to share in the joy of so many boys who through their own efforts, the support of their parents and the hard work of the staff have secured excellent results. There are some media things to do too to promote the School but above all it is a chance to congratulate the boys on their achievements. I also use this time to catch up on progress made on the summer holiday maintenance work in school. Clearly just because the teachers are away does not mean that those left in school are not incredibly busy and it is good to catch up with what has been happening.
So, in conclusion, the holiday is very much a chance to catch up. Firstly, on revitalising myself but then on getting ready for the new term. I guess though that the Confucius saying “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”, applies here. I genuinely enjoy the preparations for the new school year and look forward to welcoming everyone back in September. That I can do so having spent some quality time with the family though is equally important as it is they that sustain me through the stresses that this role inevitably brings.
Sunday 13 June 2010
My part in the World Cup
Part One:
Whilst the majority of my blog posts have been about school issues, I thought today I would reflect on the World Cup. South Africa has always been a country which has fascinated me, I would very much like to visit one day but as a History teacher I always followed closely its long struggle against apartheid.
In the early years of my teaching career South Africa was very much a pariah nation. At that time there was a sporting boycott designed to put pressure on the white government to end apartheid. There were also calls by many to boycott South African goods. At this time I taught units on American Civil Rights and was struck by the parallels between the situation at that time in South Africa and the situation in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s.
Then, my school at that time announced that we were to be visited by a South African school team. As a young, idealistic teacher I was deeply troubled by this. It appeared that we were breaking the sporting boycott that was in place at that time. The arguments were that the boycott applied to international sport and not to school sport, this was undoubtedly true but nevertheless I was uncomfortable with this. I plucked up courage and raised the issue. It turned out that a number of people shared my view. There was a healthy debate as to whether the tour should be hosted. The School decided to go ahead although those of us who were uncomfortable with that decision were allowed not to have any involvement in the hosting of the fixtures. On a simpler, personal level I did not buy any South African goods at that time. Both of these were small, perhaps pointless gestures but international pressure certainly did play its part in the changes which were to follow.
Thus, it was that my interest in the politics of South Africa was developed. Ever since then I have followed what has happened in that country with interest. I was delighted when apartheid ended and watched with interest when Nelson Mandela was freed. I went to the Wembley concert after he was freed when he spoke to the crowd, a very memorable day.
It is thus fantastic today to see the changes that have occurred in the country since then. The stadiums at the World Cup are packed with people of all colours enjoying the football and the culture and passions of the country are clearly on show. I very much appreciate that below the surface there are still significant problems to be faced but I would like to think that those of us who in our own ways protested about the apartheid regime played our part in the journey to the World Cup being hosted in a multi-racial South Africa today.
Part Two:
Totally unrelated is my other link to the World Cup. I used to run the School football team at my previous school. We took part in a national schools’ competition and one year made the semi-final. In this game a last-minute goal by my substitute centre-half took the game into extra-time and then to penalties. The penalties went to sudden death with my time going first. We scored, so the opposition needed to score to stay in the cup. Their young right back stepped up and to my relief missed the penalty. His name…Frank Lampard who now takes penalties for England. Thus, if we do get to a penalty shoot-out and he steps up please remember that you read it here first that under real pressure as in a semi-final he has been known to miss!
Part Three:
The School has joined in with an interesting project called ‘Blog the World Cup’. 32 Schools have adopted a country each and are now blogging about their allocated country. At the High School we are following Argentina. I am trying to support this both in suggesting content and in commenting on some of our posts. Year 7 will be developing this further over the next few weeks. I suspect that this will be the first such World Cup project of this sort so it is great to have another link to this year’s tournament! You can find our pages here
Enjoy the World Cup!
Whilst the majority of my blog posts have been about school issues, I thought today I would reflect on the World Cup. South Africa has always been a country which has fascinated me, I would very much like to visit one day but as a History teacher I always followed closely its long struggle against apartheid.
In the early years of my teaching career South Africa was very much a pariah nation. At that time there was a sporting boycott designed to put pressure on the white government to end apartheid. There were also calls by many to boycott South African goods. At this time I taught units on American Civil Rights and was struck by the parallels between the situation at that time in South Africa and the situation in the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s.
Then, my school at that time announced that we were to be visited by a South African school team. As a young, idealistic teacher I was deeply troubled by this. It appeared that we were breaking the sporting boycott that was in place at that time. The arguments were that the boycott applied to international sport and not to school sport, this was undoubtedly true but nevertheless I was uncomfortable with this. I plucked up courage and raised the issue. It turned out that a number of people shared my view. There was a healthy debate as to whether the tour should be hosted. The School decided to go ahead although those of us who were uncomfortable with that decision were allowed not to have any involvement in the hosting of the fixtures. On a simpler, personal level I did not buy any South African goods at that time. Both of these were small, perhaps pointless gestures but international pressure certainly did play its part in the changes which were to follow.
Thus, it was that my interest in the politics of South Africa was developed. Ever since then I have followed what has happened in that country with interest. I was delighted when apartheid ended and watched with interest when Nelson Mandela was freed. I went to the Wembley concert after he was freed when he spoke to the crowd, a very memorable day.
It is thus fantastic today to see the changes that have occurred in the country since then. The stadiums at the World Cup are packed with people of all colours enjoying the football and the culture and passions of the country are clearly on show. I very much appreciate that below the surface there are still significant problems to be faced but I would like to think that those of us who in our own ways protested about the apartheid regime played our part in the journey to the World Cup being hosted in a multi-racial South Africa today.
Part Two:
Totally unrelated is my other link to the World Cup. I used to run the School football team at my previous school. We took part in a national schools’ competition and one year made the semi-final. In this game a last-minute goal by my substitute centre-half took the game into extra-time and then to penalties. The penalties went to sudden death with my time going first. We scored, so the opposition needed to score to stay in the cup. Their young right back stepped up and to my relief missed the penalty. His name…Frank Lampard who now takes penalties for England. Thus, if we do get to a penalty shoot-out and he steps up please remember that you read it here first that under real pressure as in a semi-final he has been known to miss!
Part Three:
The School has joined in with an interesting project called ‘Blog the World Cup’. 32 Schools have adopted a country each and are now blogging about their allocated country. At the High School we are following Argentina. I am trying to support this both in suggesting content and in commenting on some of our posts. Year 7 will be developing this further over the next few weeks. I suspect that this will be the first such World Cup project of this sort so it is great to have another link to this year’s tournament! You can find our pages here
Enjoy the World Cup!
Sunday 23 May 2010
The Time of your Life...
Last Thursday we bade farewell to our Upper Sixth as they went on their study leave. It proved to be a fantastic day for all concerned. The boys traditionally come in wearing fancy dress and we then have a series of photos, some fun on the front lawn with various bouncy castles, and then after lunch with the staff, they end with a nostalgic ‘assembly’ looking back on their time in the School.
What was particularly pleasing this year was the way that the boys responded to what we had put on for them. It was lovely to see staff and boys mingling throughout the day in a good-natured and friendly fashion and I know that all involved enjoyed this informal chance to say goodbye. I have received a number of comments from boys since the event saying how much they had enjoyed it. So too did the staff who spent time with them throughout the day.
As part of the day one of our senior teachers sings the Green Day song, ‘Time of your life.’ As boys look back, I hope that they will see their time at the School as a most memorable time but equally I hope that life holds a great deal more for them in the years ahead. As boys leave the School they will experience many emotions – joy, sadness, concern over forthcoming exams, nostalgia etc but I very much hope that they will look back fondly on the time that they have spent with us. Equally though it is right that they now start to look forward to the next stage of their lives when they have the opportunity to make their mark on the wider world. This year's leavers are an impressive bunch and I am sure that they have very bright futures ahead.
In his assembly for the whole school the School captain used the Mastercard advert to inspire these words:
“7 years of school fees that seem to rise every year – about £50,000; countless school trips, sports tours, plays and field days – somewhere between £1000 and £10000; stationery, uniform, bus passes – probably another £1000. The best 7 years of my life, friendships that will last a lifetime and memories that will never be forgotten – well maybe it’s just me but personally I don’t think priceless quite does that justice.”
I hope that all of these boys and indeed those that have gone before them at the School will retain their links with the School. We are very keen on building a ‘Community for Life’ to stay in touch with people and ensure that the bonds that they have with their peers, the staff and the School as a whole are nurtured in the years ahead.
Last Thursday saw the School community at its best with staff and boys mixing together in a celebration of Year 13’s time at the School. I very much hope that, in the words of Green Day, “For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.I hope you had the time of your life.”
What was particularly pleasing this year was the way that the boys responded to what we had put on for them. It was lovely to see staff and boys mingling throughout the day in a good-natured and friendly fashion and I know that all involved enjoyed this informal chance to say goodbye. I have received a number of comments from boys since the event saying how much they had enjoyed it. So too did the staff who spent time with them throughout the day.
As part of the day one of our senior teachers sings the Green Day song, ‘Time of your life.’ As boys look back, I hope that they will see their time at the School as a most memorable time but equally I hope that life holds a great deal more for them in the years ahead. As boys leave the School they will experience many emotions – joy, sadness, concern over forthcoming exams, nostalgia etc but I very much hope that they will look back fondly on the time that they have spent with us. Equally though it is right that they now start to look forward to the next stage of their lives when they have the opportunity to make their mark on the wider world. This year's leavers are an impressive bunch and I am sure that they have very bright futures ahead.
In his assembly for the whole school the School captain used the Mastercard advert to inspire these words:
“7 years of school fees that seem to rise every year – about £50,000; countless school trips, sports tours, plays and field days – somewhere between £1000 and £10000; stationery, uniform, bus passes – probably another £1000. The best 7 years of my life, friendships that will last a lifetime and memories that will never be forgotten – well maybe it’s just me but personally I don’t think priceless quite does that justice.”
I hope that all of these boys and indeed those that have gone before them at the School will retain their links with the School. We are very keen on building a ‘Community for Life’ to stay in touch with people and ensure that the bonds that they have with their peers, the staff and the School as a whole are nurtured in the years ahead.
Last Thursday saw the School community at its best with staff and boys mixing together in a celebration of Year 13’s time at the School. I very much hope that, in the words of Green Day, “For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.I hope you had the time of your life.”
Thursday 8 April 2010
My day as a Year 11 Student.
At the end of last term I spent a day as a Year 11 pupil in my school. This was because at a recent Auction of Promises I offered to follow a pupil around for a full day as my ‘promise’. I raised a tidy sum for the School rugby tour and associated charities in agreeing to do this.
What did I learn from the day? I should preface these comments by making it clear that none of what follows is a reflection on any of my colleagues whose lessons I attended, indeed I was hugely impressed by all that I came across. However, there were a number of thoughts that came to mind as I went through the day.
I suspect that like most schools we start the day with a form period/tutor set or indeed an assembly. My reflection as a pupil was just how long had passed in the day before I was expected to do any work. Registration started at 8.45 but it was nearly 35 minutes later that lessons began. This start to the day is standard in most schools but given that students are fresher at the start of the day (more on this later) are there some changes that need to be made here? The counter-argument though is also strong that in the event of any lateness due to transport difficulties etc pupils would miss their first lesson regularly. As a Head the first 35 minutes of my day prior to the school day started are amongst my busiest as I try to pack in as much as I can prior to the first knocks on the door!
It was interesting to observe the pupils throughout the day. Much of this confirmed what I intuitively felt to be true. They responded best when the nature of the activity changed every 15-20 minutes and when there was real variety during the course of the lesson. They were also at their most alert when the teachers were doing question/answer sessions in which they tried to involve every pupil. By the end of the day many of them were visibly flagging. Talking to them, many of them stay up late playing on computer games, on MSN etc and this is clearly affecting their ability to stay fully involved in their lessons in the afternoon. This is concerning for us as teachers as we clearly cannot influence their bed-times but the issue is clearly affecting their performance for us.
I was surprised by how much reassurance pupils seek during the course of the day. Seemingly bright and able pupils were often asking for reassurance that the answer they had worked out was indeed correct. Is this wrong? Probably not, I guess we all like to receive such praise and reassurance from time to time.
It was really encouraging to see boys turning up for a lunchtime workshop revision session. Such sessions clearly do such a great deal to reinforce skills previously taught and also play a significant role in ensuring boys are prepared for public examinations. I guess my only regret is that I know that there are many boys who do not routinely take up such opportunities. Perhaps we need to do more to advertise them to parents to ensure boys turn up.
It was interesting for both myself and the boy I was following around to see the reactions of his peers. Some were completely comfortable in coming across to talk to us both, others smiled in an embarrassed fashion and turned around! I guess this made me reflect on just how difficult it is for senior leaders in school to be approachable. Quite simply not everyone wants to approach us even if we are making every effort to approach them! I was delighted though by how open and welcoming my colleagues made me as I went into their lessons. They allowed me to join in and indeed most insisted that I did so.
ICT in lessons was clearly very popular with the boys. They were comfortable using it and enjoyed doing so. Staff use of it also brought topics to life. It made me feel though that it would be so much easier if we were able to equip the pupils with handheld devices so that they could access the internet easily from wherever they were working rather than having to book the ICT room so much in advance. It was great to see boys being directed to relevant websites rather than having to just ‘google’ it.
The topic material of the lessons I attended was all very interesting. I guess that once you have stopped your formal education you develop your own interests. I very much enjoyed hearing about such things as kidneys, dialysis, globalisation and enjoyed the challenge of undertaking a chemistry experiment. I felt most comfortable in the subjects (e.g. English, Geography) closest in style to my own specialism of History but was reassured to know that I could still do a good number of the GCSE Maths questions – clearly my own O Level some 30 years ago had left more of a lasting impression than I would ever have realised at the time.
So all in all a fascinating day. I would recommend this to all school leaders – it does enable you to reflect on your school in a completely different way to usual and yet all of us in schools are there for the pupils so it makes complete sense to experience what they do. There are a number of small changes to make to things which I would never have spotted without doing this – these do not relate to teaching but just to things around the school. Whether this be providing mint sauce with the lamb at lunchtime or painting the odd wall here and there, again this was very useful. So next time we have an auction of promises I will again offer myself for ‘hire’!
What did I learn from the day? I should preface these comments by making it clear that none of what follows is a reflection on any of my colleagues whose lessons I attended, indeed I was hugely impressed by all that I came across. However, there were a number of thoughts that came to mind as I went through the day.
I suspect that like most schools we start the day with a form period/tutor set or indeed an assembly. My reflection as a pupil was just how long had passed in the day before I was expected to do any work. Registration started at 8.45 but it was nearly 35 minutes later that lessons began. This start to the day is standard in most schools but given that students are fresher at the start of the day (more on this later) are there some changes that need to be made here? The counter-argument though is also strong that in the event of any lateness due to transport difficulties etc pupils would miss their first lesson regularly. As a Head the first 35 minutes of my day prior to the school day started are amongst my busiest as I try to pack in as much as I can prior to the first knocks on the door!
It was interesting to observe the pupils throughout the day. Much of this confirmed what I intuitively felt to be true. They responded best when the nature of the activity changed every 15-20 minutes and when there was real variety during the course of the lesson. They were also at their most alert when the teachers were doing question/answer sessions in which they tried to involve every pupil. By the end of the day many of them were visibly flagging. Talking to them, many of them stay up late playing on computer games, on MSN etc and this is clearly affecting their ability to stay fully involved in their lessons in the afternoon. This is concerning for us as teachers as we clearly cannot influence their bed-times but the issue is clearly affecting their performance for us.
I was surprised by how much reassurance pupils seek during the course of the day. Seemingly bright and able pupils were often asking for reassurance that the answer they had worked out was indeed correct. Is this wrong? Probably not, I guess we all like to receive such praise and reassurance from time to time.
It was really encouraging to see boys turning up for a lunchtime workshop revision session. Such sessions clearly do such a great deal to reinforce skills previously taught and also play a significant role in ensuring boys are prepared for public examinations. I guess my only regret is that I know that there are many boys who do not routinely take up such opportunities. Perhaps we need to do more to advertise them to parents to ensure boys turn up.
It was interesting for both myself and the boy I was following around to see the reactions of his peers. Some were completely comfortable in coming across to talk to us both, others smiled in an embarrassed fashion and turned around! I guess this made me reflect on just how difficult it is for senior leaders in school to be approachable. Quite simply not everyone wants to approach us even if we are making every effort to approach them! I was delighted though by how open and welcoming my colleagues made me as I went into their lessons. They allowed me to join in and indeed most insisted that I did so.
ICT in lessons was clearly very popular with the boys. They were comfortable using it and enjoyed doing so. Staff use of it also brought topics to life. It made me feel though that it would be so much easier if we were able to equip the pupils with handheld devices so that they could access the internet easily from wherever they were working rather than having to book the ICT room so much in advance. It was great to see boys being directed to relevant websites rather than having to just ‘google’ it.
The topic material of the lessons I attended was all very interesting. I guess that once you have stopped your formal education you develop your own interests. I very much enjoyed hearing about such things as kidneys, dialysis, globalisation and enjoyed the challenge of undertaking a chemistry experiment. I felt most comfortable in the subjects (e.g. English, Geography) closest in style to my own specialism of History but was reassured to know that I could still do a good number of the GCSE Maths questions – clearly my own O Level some 30 years ago had left more of a lasting impression than I would ever have realised at the time.
So all in all a fascinating day. I would recommend this to all school leaders – it does enable you to reflect on your school in a completely different way to usual and yet all of us in schools are there for the pupils so it makes complete sense to experience what they do. There are a number of small changes to make to things which I would never have spotted without doing this – these do not relate to teaching but just to things around the school. Whether this be providing mint sauce with the lamb at lunchtime or painting the odd wall here and there, again this was very useful. So next time we have an auction of promises I will again offer myself for ‘hire’!
Sunday 21 March 2010
The Teaching of Confidence
When parents of prospective pupils come to see me one of the most regularly asked questions is how does the School ‘teach’ boys to become confident? Generally speaking this arises from the tour that a sixth former has conducted with the parents and their son. Our boys show themselves to be confident but not arrogant. In the words of the Good Schools' Guide boys "are genuinely grounded, rounded individuals with bags of personality and myriads of interests, not a swot in sight - we doubt arrogance, even a mild dose, would be tolerated by anyone." They go on that boys "present as great lads, able to hold their own in conversation and debate but with a wicked sense of humour and lovely ability to poke fun at themselves – what more could you ask?"
So how do we achieve this? This is not an easy question to answer. Certainly there are no ‘Confidence lessons’. So how do our boys acquire this important life skill?
At the heart of this is our vertical tutor system. When boys join the School they are assigned to a tutor set with approximately three boys from each year of the School. Thus, from their very first day at the School boys get used to mixing with older pupils. These natural relationships develop over time to make them comfortable in each other’s company. As boys move up through the School they mix freely with boys both older and younger than them and this certainly assists in their developing confidence. The tutor system is tied in with our House structure. Senior boys take responsibility for a vast range of activities and in running things like House choirs they learn how to manage their peers and this too helps in the development of confidence.
Another key factor is our wide range of school activities. It is very much the case that boys who do not do very many activities do find it more difficult to become confident. The activities again often put boys of different ages together, perhaps in a play or a musical group, and again this helps to develop confidence. The more relaxed relationships with staff in these different settings also help boys to develop a wide range of communication skills so important to the development of confidence.
Confidence is also developed in the classroom. There is an atmosphere in the vast majority of lessons which nurtures boys in both giving and listening to opinions. Tolerance of each other’s views is very much encouraged and this gives boys the confidence to express their views. Regular involvement in form assemblies and in presenting to their peers in class also helps to ensure that boys are comfortable in speaking in public.
Another reason that boys develop in confidence is that we place trust in them. At Open Day, for example, we use volunteer boys of all ages to conduct tours. Even from Year 7 this helps to equip boys with the skills to communicate with our visitors. We do not hand-pick our tour guides – we hope that any boy would be able to do this. Equally our major sporting programme gives boys opportunities to develop in confidence; they are given positions of responsibility in teams but equally important have to take decisions on the field of play.
There may well be many other ways in which schools develop confidence and I hope that this blog post will encourage others to reflect both on what else we do at the High School but also perhaps to anyone reading this from outside of the School to reflect on what they do to develop confidence. Please leave a comment below.
So how do we achieve this? This is not an easy question to answer. Certainly there are no ‘Confidence lessons’. So how do our boys acquire this important life skill?
At the heart of this is our vertical tutor system. When boys join the School they are assigned to a tutor set with approximately three boys from each year of the School. Thus, from their very first day at the School boys get used to mixing with older pupils. These natural relationships develop over time to make them comfortable in each other’s company. As boys move up through the School they mix freely with boys both older and younger than them and this certainly assists in their developing confidence. The tutor system is tied in with our House structure. Senior boys take responsibility for a vast range of activities and in running things like House choirs they learn how to manage their peers and this too helps in the development of confidence.
Another key factor is our wide range of school activities. It is very much the case that boys who do not do very many activities do find it more difficult to become confident. The activities again often put boys of different ages together, perhaps in a play or a musical group, and again this helps to develop confidence. The more relaxed relationships with staff in these different settings also help boys to develop a wide range of communication skills so important to the development of confidence.
Confidence is also developed in the classroom. There is an atmosphere in the vast majority of lessons which nurtures boys in both giving and listening to opinions. Tolerance of each other’s views is very much encouraged and this gives boys the confidence to express their views. Regular involvement in form assemblies and in presenting to their peers in class also helps to ensure that boys are comfortable in speaking in public.
Another reason that boys develop in confidence is that we place trust in them. At Open Day, for example, we use volunteer boys of all ages to conduct tours. Even from Year 7 this helps to equip boys with the skills to communicate with our visitors. We do not hand-pick our tour guides – we hope that any boy would be able to do this. Equally our major sporting programme gives boys opportunities to develop in confidence; they are given positions of responsibility in teams but equally important have to take decisions on the field of play.
There may well be many other ways in which schools develop confidence and I hope that this blog post will encourage others to reflect both on what else we do at the High School but also perhaps to anyone reading this from outside of the School to reflect on what they do to develop confidence. Please leave a comment below.
Saturday 6 March 2010
A community
Over the past week I have experienced many examples of the School as a community. Last weekend I went to the Old Boys dinner in Oxford. This was a really good evening bringing together a good number of ex-pupils of the School and their partners. I started the evening sitting with a group of our recent leavers and it was fantastic to hear their enthusiasm for both their current university but also the way that they were reflecting back on their time at the School so warmly. Indeed, the passing of only a relatively short time since they left us had given them a sense of perspective to their experiences at the School. The key to many of them had been the teachers who had worked with them and inspired them. Later in the evening I spoke to some of the ‘older’ contingent and it was amazing just how much they had in common with the younger ones. They too still felt a strong bond to their school but also had their own memories of the staff who had done so much to inspire them. It was great to see just how interested they were in the School today and the sense of community was very evident.
Later in the week I met with the mother of a young old boy who very sadly lost a battle with cancer just prior to his twenty-first birthday. She has been a long-term supporter of the School so I was delighted to be able to help with her fundraising campaign for the Teenage Cancer Trust – more on this in a future post. Again this was a really positive example of the wider school community at work. We are currently developing the concept of a ‘community for life’ to link the School back to our ex-pupils, ex-staff, the parents of boys who have left, together with the current pupils and parents. I hope that these sorts of links can be developed so that over generations people will stay connected with the School.
On Friday we were visited by the new Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham who was undertaking a ‘Pilgrimage by Tram’ to link into his new community. He came into school to have lunch with a number of boys involved in our own community action programme as well as with boys of all faiths. It was good to meet him and be able to explain to him how we link into our own community. Soon we have a field day when a large number of boys will go into local schools and help at various locations to give something back to the Nottingham community.
I think that the key point in all this is that together we are so much stronger than we are individually. The term ‘Old Boys Network’ is often used in derogative terms but the purpose of any community surely has to be to support each other, to remain good neighbours and friends and to help out the less fortunate members of that community. We all belong to many communities, at school, at home and in the wider world. Perhaps we should all reflect on the contribution we make to the communities we are connected to. And if there are any Old Boys of Nottingham High School out there reading this who have not been in touch for a while do contact us, we’d love to hear from you.
Later in the week I met with the mother of a young old boy who very sadly lost a battle with cancer just prior to his twenty-first birthday. She has been a long-term supporter of the School so I was delighted to be able to help with her fundraising campaign for the Teenage Cancer Trust – more on this in a future post. Again this was a really positive example of the wider school community at work. We are currently developing the concept of a ‘community for life’ to link the School back to our ex-pupils, ex-staff, the parents of boys who have left, together with the current pupils and parents. I hope that these sorts of links can be developed so that over generations people will stay connected with the School.
On Friday we were visited by the new Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham who was undertaking a ‘Pilgrimage by Tram’ to link into his new community. He came into school to have lunch with a number of boys involved in our own community action programme as well as with boys of all faiths. It was good to meet him and be able to explain to him how we link into our own community. Soon we have a field day when a large number of boys will go into local schools and help at various locations to give something back to the Nottingham community.
I think that the key point in all this is that together we are so much stronger than we are individually. The term ‘Old Boys Network’ is often used in derogative terms but the purpose of any community surely has to be to support each other, to remain good neighbours and friends and to help out the less fortunate members of that community. We all belong to many communities, at school, at home and in the wider world. Perhaps we should all reflect on the contribution we make to the communities we are connected to. And if there are any Old Boys of Nottingham High School out there reading this who have not been in touch for a while do contact us, we’d love to hear from you.
Sunday 21 February 2010
The purpose of school inspection?
What is the purpose of school inspection? This has loomed large in my thoughts in recent weeks as we have been busy preparing all of the paperwork for an Independent Schools’ Inspectorate inspection in the weeks or months ahead. We will get five days notice of when this will be.
Inevitably we have had a huge amount of paperwork to check through. This is a useful exercise from time-to-time but it does appear that increasingly school inspection is becoming a check of whether the paperwork ticks all the right boxes rather than looking at what is really going on in schools.
Thus, every document will be checked by the inspectors and the handbook to inspection gives plenty of detail as to what it should include. This takes time to check but in the end I suspect most schools will satisfy these requirements. However, I suspect that many parents will be surprised to hear that during the inspection itself only a relatively small sample of lessons will be watched. It is no longer the case that every teacher will be observed. I suspect many staff will be left short-changed by the inspection process after all their hard-work in preparation. Not every Head of Department will be spoken to by the inspectors and there is only limited time to look at the School’s wider provision.
Surely this is wrong? In my view it is in the classroom that inspection should be concentrated. It would soon become clear if a school did not have adequate procedures but this would emerge from observation rather than hours pouring over paperwork with a tick list. More importantly, more time spent in the classrooms or on looking through the pupils’ work would enable inspectors to write at length about the teaching and learning. This is the most important aspect of any school and surely much more important than if a policy contains a particular word or not! A recent inspection report I saw had just half a page on the teaching in the School yet over two pages reporting back on the various ticklists!
To me the purpose of school inspection is for fellow professionals to come into a school to observe the pupils’ experiences, to check that they are making appropriate progress and to ensure that they are having a suitable range of opportunities made available to them. It is clearly important that schools are compliant with the regulations but this will often be evident from time spent in the classroom. Schools should be trusted more to stay within the regulations – occasional spot-checks outside of the inspection regime would ensure that this is the case. Paperwork checks do not need fellow professionals to visit the school to undertake. Inspectors then could concentrate on using their professional judgement to add value to the whole process.
A useful analogy to use would be a comparison with a retail outlet like John Lewis. How do I know that they are an excellent store? It is not by looking through their company paperwork or their policies for each eventuality but it is because when I visit their store I am met by people keen to help, keen to provide service and this ethos is clearly evident each time I visit. An inspection of a school should concentrate more on whether there is a clear ethos in the school, on whether the pupils’ needs are being well-served and on whether the whole experience for both pupils and their parents is a positive one. The key to John Lewis’ success is not whether an inspector has counted the requisite number of till points, toilets, first-aiders etc. It is that when you are in the store you meet fantastic service from their employees. Why should schools be any different?
Inevitably we have had a huge amount of paperwork to check through. This is a useful exercise from time-to-time but it does appear that increasingly school inspection is becoming a check of whether the paperwork ticks all the right boxes rather than looking at what is really going on in schools.
Thus, every document will be checked by the inspectors and the handbook to inspection gives plenty of detail as to what it should include. This takes time to check but in the end I suspect most schools will satisfy these requirements. However, I suspect that many parents will be surprised to hear that during the inspection itself only a relatively small sample of lessons will be watched. It is no longer the case that every teacher will be observed. I suspect many staff will be left short-changed by the inspection process after all their hard-work in preparation. Not every Head of Department will be spoken to by the inspectors and there is only limited time to look at the School’s wider provision.
Surely this is wrong? In my view it is in the classroom that inspection should be concentrated. It would soon become clear if a school did not have adequate procedures but this would emerge from observation rather than hours pouring over paperwork with a tick list. More importantly, more time spent in the classrooms or on looking through the pupils’ work would enable inspectors to write at length about the teaching and learning. This is the most important aspect of any school and surely much more important than if a policy contains a particular word or not! A recent inspection report I saw had just half a page on the teaching in the School yet over two pages reporting back on the various ticklists!
To me the purpose of school inspection is for fellow professionals to come into a school to observe the pupils’ experiences, to check that they are making appropriate progress and to ensure that they are having a suitable range of opportunities made available to them. It is clearly important that schools are compliant with the regulations but this will often be evident from time spent in the classroom. Schools should be trusted more to stay within the regulations – occasional spot-checks outside of the inspection regime would ensure that this is the case. Paperwork checks do not need fellow professionals to visit the school to undertake. Inspectors then could concentrate on using their professional judgement to add value to the whole process.
A useful analogy to use would be a comparison with a retail outlet like John Lewis. How do I know that they are an excellent store? It is not by looking through their company paperwork or their policies for each eventuality but it is because when I visit their store I am met by people keen to help, keen to provide service and this ethos is clearly evident each time I visit. An inspection of a school should concentrate more on whether there is a clear ethos in the school, on whether the pupils’ needs are being well-served and on whether the whole experience for both pupils and their parents is a positive one. The key to John Lewis’ success is not whether an inspector has counted the requisite number of till points, toilets, first-aiders etc. It is that when you are in the store you meet fantastic service from their employees. Why should schools be any different?
Monday 15 February 2010
Why do so many independent school pupils make the Olympic team?
There has been a good deal of discussion in the press in recent days about the number of athletes in the British Winter Olympics team who have attended independent schools. An example is this article in the Times from Matthew Syed(http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article7020963.ece )
These articles suggest that success in achieving this level in sport is down to parental income or class.
This is far from true in my opinion. Currently I am reading the book ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell. He looks at successful athletes in a wide range of sports and he finds that there are two crucial factors in sporting success. The first of these is one’s date of birth! His thesis is that those players who are born just after an age-group date cut-off are much more likely to be the most successful athletes of the future. So, in football the eligibility date is September 1st and in the year he looked at in the Premier League there were 288 players born between September and November and only 136 born between June and August. This he claims is because the older athletes get more opportunities, hence more chance of success and we write off too many athletes too soon.
His other theory is that it takes 10,000 hours to become world class in any sphere. Thus, the more opportunity one has to get involved the greater the chance there is to be successful.
This brings me back to the fact that so many competing at Olympic level come from independent schools. This is no great surprise given the amount of time and effort independent schools devote to school sport. Most independent schools recognise the value of sport and spend many hours on it. Thus, it is no surprise that the increase in opportunity provided by the sector means that so many world-class athletes emerge. Indeed my own school has two ex-pupils competing at the winter games as well as one who competed in the last summer games.
The way to rectify this situation is to increase the support for sport in all schools. In independent schools fixtures are played every Saturday and for us we ensure depth by putting out up to four sides in each age group. Thus, there is every opportunity for the most able to thrive as well as for all to enjoy their sport. Sadly, there are few maintained schools still offering regular fixtures every single weekend of the school year. Some pupils will go to local sports clubs but others will be lost for good to the X-box and Playstation.
Of course, many independent schools do try to open up their facilities to such clubs. In my school our cricket coaches are involved in a number of inner-city primary schools trying to ensure that there is greater opportunity for all. In this way we hopefully start some more pupils on their way to the 10,000 hours we are told that they will need to be successful. There are maintained schools, I know, where sport is still important but successive governments have sold off playing fields and cut curriculum time for sport and this as much as anything is why so many athletes at the Olympics hail from independent schools.
These articles suggest that success in achieving this level in sport is down to parental income or class.
This is far from true in my opinion. Currently I am reading the book ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell. He looks at successful athletes in a wide range of sports and he finds that there are two crucial factors in sporting success. The first of these is one’s date of birth! His thesis is that those players who are born just after an age-group date cut-off are much more likely to be the most successful athletes of the future. So, in football the eligibility date is September 1st and in the year he looked at in the Premier League there were 288 players born between September and November and only 136 born between June and August. This he claims is because the older athletes get more opportunities, hence more chance of success and we write off too many athletes too soon.
His other theory is that it takes 10,000 hours to become world class in any sphere. Thus, the more opportunity one has to get involved the greater the chance there is to be successful.
This brings me back to the fact that so many competing at Olympic level come from independent schools. This is no great surprise given the amount of time and effort independent schools devote to school sport. Most independent schools recognise the value of sport and spend many hours on it. Thus, it is no surprise that the increase in opportunity provided by the sector means that so many world-class athletes emerge. Indeed my own school has two ex-pupils competing at the winter games as well as one who competed in the last summer games.
The way to rectify this situation is to increase the support for sport in all schools. In independent schools fixtures are played every Saturday and for us we ensure depth by putting out up to four sides in each age group. Thus, there is every opportunity for the most able to thrive as well as for all to enjoy their sport. Sadly, there are few maintained schools still offering regular fixtures every single weekend of the school year. Some pupils will go to local sports clubs but others will be lost for good to the X-box and Playstation.
Of course, many independent schools do try to open up their facilities to such clubs. In my school our cricket coaches are involved in a number of inner-city primary schools trying to ensure that there is greater opportunity for all. In this way we hopefully start some more pupils on their way to the 10,000 hours we are told that they will need to be successful. There are maintained schools, I know, where sport is still important but successive governments have sold off playing fields and cut curriculum time for sport and this as much as anything is why so many athletes at the Olympics hail from independent schools.
Thursday 4 February 2010
What is the harm in selection?
For the past week we have been interviewing boys for places at the School. As part of this process, I meet with their parents whilst two colleagues meet each boy. The key decision we have to make is whether the boy is suitable or not to join the School in September. Inevitably some talk of ‘pass’ and ‘fail’ but we do not see it in that way at all. What we are trying to do is to give our professional opinion as to whether boys will be able to thrive in our school and will be able to cope with the pace of work. Thus, in the end those who we say no to have not ‘failed’ – it is just that we cannot meet their needs in our environment.
Selection is very much a ‘taboo’ word in education. No political party is prepared to consider it for our national education system. Yet, British independent schools, which international surveys see as the best in the world, routinely select their pupils. Lord Adonis spoke of wanting state academies to take on the DNA of independent schools yet rejected any notion of selection for maintained schools.
Why is this? The government allows universities to recruit on the basis of talent and indeed recruits into the civil service in a similar way. Every workplace in the country interviews applicants to ensure that they are suitable for their organisation. Yet, maintained schools cannot select those pupils who will fit with their ethos or with the pace of work or indeed for any meaningful reason. The upshot – those parents who can afford to, move near to schools which match their aspirations or their own ethos. Those that cannot do so are left marooned by the system. Private day schools like our own have many boys receiving bursaries and so whilst we select on academic ability there remains a genuine social mix often unseen in maintained schools in leafy suburbs.
Society as a whole has no problem with selection. Indeed, the manager of my favourite football team Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, is lauded for his ability to spot talent and then to develop it. Our philosophy as a school is no different. Our entrance interviews are designed to spot talent and then we work hard to ensure that we develop it over the years. There is no suggestion that Premier League clubs must work with all who want to play football, they just select those they want. Like independent schools they do a great deal of outreach work to ensure that they link with the outside world and help spread their values and the benefits of their coaching. As a school we help in local primary schools with cricket coaching in a very similar way.
In football, with leagues though at all levels, everyone who wants to play football can be accommodated. The experience of the committed amateur with little skill is no less enjoyable, no less worthwhile. Indeed the quality of coaching at many junior football clubs is truly outstanding. Funding is rightly channelled into this important area. Yet would any coach be able to work daily with both the very best and the weakest – would either group prosper if this were the case? If the authorities then set targets to measure performance which meant that the key focus was on getting the weakest up to a certain standard, would the best still thrive?
Last week the Government announced that it is to close the national Gifted and Talented programme. There will always be a place for such children in the independent sector. I hope that the end of this funding does not mean that these children are neglected elsewhere. Yet with the continuing focus on gaining 5 A-C grades for all, it is inevitable that the focus will be on this rather than stretching the brightest in our schools. We intend to raise further funds so that we can take in even more who would reap the benefits of selection. Not all independent schools select – this is the point, our education system needs to cater for pupils of all abilities just as the structure for sport in our country does.
It seems that it is only in education where one size fits all. However, if football ever goes for a comprehensive approach with no selection on the grounds of ability please put me down for a place at the Arsenal academy!
Selection is very much a ‘taboo’ word in education. No political party is prepared to consider it for our national education system. Yet, British independent schools, which international surveys see as the best in the world, routinely select their pupils. Lord Adonis spoke of wanting state academies to take on the DNA of independent schools yet rejected any notion of selection for maintained schools.
Why is this? The government allows universities to recruit on the basis of talent and indeed recruits into the civil service in a similar way. Every workplace in the country interviews applicants to ensure that they are suitable for their organisation. Yet, maintained schools cannot select those pupils who will fit with their ethos or with the pace of work or indeed for any meaningful reason. The upshot – those parents who can afford to, move near to schools which match their aspirations or their own ethos. Those that cannot do so are left marooned by the system. Private day schools like our own have many boys receiving bursaries and so whilst we select on academic ability there remains a genuine social mix often unseen in maintained schools in leafy suburbs.
Society as a whole has no problem with selection. Indeed, the manager of my favourite football team Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, is lauded for his ability to spot talent and then to develop it. Our philosophy as a school is no different. Our entrance interviews are designed to spot talent and then we work hard to ensure that we develop it over the years. There is no suggestion that Premier League clubs must work with all who want to play football, they just select those they want. Like independent schools they do a great deal of outreach work to ensure that they link with the outside world and help spread their values and the benefits of their coaching. As a school we help in local primary schools with cricket coaching in a very similar way.
In football, with leagues though at all levels, everyone who wants to play football can be accommodated. The experience of the committed amateur with little skill is no less enjoyable, no less worthwhile. Indeed the quality of coaching at many junior football clubs is truly outstanding. Funding is rightly channelled into this important area. Yet would any coach be able to work daily with both the very best and the weakest – would either group prosper if this were the case? If the authorities then set targets to measure performance which meant that the key focus was on getting the weakest up to a certain standard, would the best still thrive?
Last week the Government announced that it is to close the national Gifted and Talented programme. There will always be a place for such children in the independent sector. I hope that the end of this funding does not mean that these children are neglected elsewhere. Yet with the continuing focus on gaining 5 A-C grades for all, it is inevitable that the focus will be on this rather than stretching the brightest in our schools. We intend to raise further funds so that we can take in even more who would reap the benefits of selection. Not all independent schools select – this is the point, our education system needs to cater for pupils of all abilities just as the structure for sport in our country does.
It seems that it is only in education where one size fits all. However, if football ever goes for a comprehensive approach with no selection on the grounds of ability please put me down for a place at the Arsenal academy!
Thursday 28 January 2010
To blog or not to blog?
For some time now I have been thinking about whether I should embark on writing a regular blog. I have finally taken the plunge. Why?
I was hesitant about doing so because I was concerned that no-one would be particularly interested in reading my thoughts on a variety of topics. Blogs always seemed quite self-indulgent to me and I guess this thought remains now, why else would I display my favourite books alongside my posts?
However, I recently dipped my toes in the water by joining Twitter. I have been amazed by the response to this, over 120 people have chosen to receive my random ramblings and I have had a number of interesting conversations with boys and parents about the contents of many of these. In addition, I have had extended conversations with a number of colleagues in different schools about topics of mutual interest. This is a powerful network of professionals keen to help in so many different ways. Their generosity of advice and support to a complete stranger and novice to Twitter has been amazing.
Through this network I have been exposed to many more blogs and I have been inspired by these to make a start myself. Twitter is great but the 140 character limit does restrict your ability to develop your thoughts and refer to other sources.
So to the future? What will I blog about? My aim is to use it to reflect on a variety of issues relating to education and the world in general. I aim to write on a regular basis and welcome feedback with ideas for future posts or comments on what I have posted.
One of the greatest challenges for any school and for any Headmaster is communication. We all realise its importance but in an organisation of over 1000 pupils and over 200 staff it can be hard to make sure that this is perfect all of the time. I hope that by setting a lead here and by being prepared to listen to the feedback I can play my part in ensuring that our communications are both timely and appropriate.
I am sure that people will tell me if the process becomes too self-indulgent but in our Year of Reading I hope that you will take a look at the book-shelf alongside this post. I will write more on my choices in the future.
So first post written and now to think about the next…
I was hesitant about doing so because I was concerned that no-one would be particularly interested in reading my thoughts on a variety of topics. Blogs always seemed quite self-indulgent to me and I guess this thought remains now, why else would I display my favourite books alongside my posts?
However, I recently dipped my toes in the water by joining Twitter. I have been amazed by the response to this, over 120 people have chosen to receive my random ramblings and I have had a number of interesting conversations with boys and parents about the contents of many of these. In addition, I have had extended conversations with a number of colleagues in different schools about topics of mutual interest. This is a powerful network of professionals keen to help in so many different ways. Their generosity of advice and support to a complete stranger and novice to Twitter has been amazing.
Through this network I have been exposed to many more blogs and I have been inspired by these to make a start myself. Twitter is great but the 140 character limit does restrict your ability to develop your thoughts and refer to other sources.
So to the future? What will I blog about? My aim is to use it to reflect on a variety of issues relating to education and the world in general. I aim to write on a regular basis and welcome feedback with ideas for future posts or comments on what I have posted.
One of the greatest challenges for any school and for any Headmaster is communication. We all realise its importance but in an organisation of over 1000 pupils and over 200 staff it can be hard to make sure that this is perfect all of the time. I hope that by setting a lead here and by being prepared to listen to the feedback I can play my part in ensuring that our communications are both timely and appropriate.
I am sure that people will tell me if the process becomes too self-indulgent but in our Year of Reading I hope that you will take a look at the book-shelf alongside this post. I will write more on my choices in the future.
So first post written and now to think about the next…
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