Message from the headteacher

Do you ever wish you could be a fly on the wall in your child’s school? I do. Over tea my kids (Y7 and Y11) lament the unjust and unfair behaviour of some teachers. On further investigation it usually transpires that the teacher was challenging someone in the way they felt was best at the time. Here’s a little bit of what happened during an incident this week. A boy left a toilet holding a toilet seat. I happened to be on the scene and asked him what he was doing. I was tired and pretty stressed from a busy week/morning and so I was pretty terse and to the point. He was keen not to lose face in front of his friends (there were a few) and so he made a facetious remark in response. I didn’t know the lad well, but I could sense that his behaviour was not typical. So I separated him from his friends and he was immediately more settled. I asked him what had happened but, feeling defensive I think, he was totally unhelpful in reassuring me that a) he hadn’t vandalised the toilet and b) he understood why I might be concerned. I could feel my pulse rate going up (I was already late for a meeting) so to defuse the situation I asked that he follow me to his year office. The head of year clearly knew the student much better and was immediately able to connect with him. Between us we began to communicate more effectively with the student and by the time I left them, the situation was moving towards a resolution.

Do you think I did OK? Do you think I should have been harsher, or more lenient? Should I have pulled in another member of staff, or could I have insisted that the student relate to me? It is a very subjective business, behaviour management. I can, however, reassure you objectively of this: we invest ENORMOUS amounts of time and effort into honing our behaviour management strategy. If we ever make mistakes, we own up to them. When we make a decision, be reassured that we have used both our own experience and often consult others to make benefit of theirs. I say all this to try and enlist your support. When you board a long-haul flight and witness the captain and co-pilot falling out you could be forgiven for feeling a little shaky in entrusting your life to them. That’s how children feel when they see adults in conflict. Try to trust us and if you want to know more about an incident simply contact us discreetly and ask. Never undermine a child’s faith in the relationship of the adults looking after them; it almost always makes things worse for the child.

I’m talking to Y8 about bullying on Monday morning following an incident this week. Any headteacher who tells you that bullying doesn’t happen in their school is simply not vigilant enough. I have 1,250 students in my care. Sooner or later bullying will have to be addressed. I’ll tell you how I get on next week.

Lots of meetings this week but still managed to get into some lessons… great use of speed dating as an assessment/ consolidation tool in A level biology. Students were tasked with formulating questions on a given topic which they then fired at their hapless ‘date’. Then everyone moved one seat to the left and so on. Tiring but effective!

Ooh and just a shout out for Ethan, Kieran, Matteo and Lucy who were BRILLIANT in the bake off and for Lewis S (pictured) who has made the brave and principled decision to join staff like me in doing a litter pick each lunchtime.

Have a lovely weekend!

We are Highfields.

A Marsh Headteacher