Message from the headteacher

We had our first face to face meeting of teachers for some time on Tuesday evening. We were evaluating our training strategy this year and looking at what we need to focus on next academic year. In doing so we looked at the three surveys we conducted recently for staff, students and families. One consensus that emerged is that we need to continue to develop practice around behaviour and approach to learning. The pandemic continues to wreak havoc in schools. Our students at risk of underachievement (we call them SARU for short) need a steady, settled relationship with their teachers in order to develop healthy learning habits. Covid absences have seen these relationships be subject to almost constant disruption. So we need to respond with ever more effective systems around behaviour, support, challenge, nurture, pastoral care etc.

We are reading widely. We are already avid students of Doug Lemov’s work but recently we are evaluating the evidence around Tom Bennett’s ideas which appear to be popular currently.

We are also currently evaluating all aspects of our approach to exclusion. Exclusion is a taboo in schools (I certainly don’t like talking about it). But the truth is that sometimes you need to exclude to include. As an example, if a student is harmed by another students’ behaviour then the harmed student may only feel comfortable coming into school (being included) if the aggressor is out of school for a period of time (excluded). On the other hand, exclusion very rarely helps the excluded child so we go out of our way to try and avoid it through graduated warnings, making our expectations clear and providing restorative solutions so that students learn about the impact their unkind or inconsiderate behaviour has on others.

Pictured above is our on-call room (sometimes called inclusion room) where students are removed from doing further harm with unkind or inconsiderate behaviour which has persisted through at least two warnings. Our hope is that this provides an opportunity for reflection which avoids the need for an exclusion (we also welcome some students in who just need some peace and quiet on when they are having a bad day).

I report to governors in each meeting about levels of exclusion as we try to minimise them. But I always remind governors that, as long as I am in charge, exclusions will be as high as they reasonably need to be to protect children from unkind, inconsiderate behaviour which can harm or disrupt learning.

So….plenty of reading and planning to be done to ensure that, as we move forward, Highfields students come into schooling feeling safe, happy and included. The better our practice, the less we will need to rely on consequences over time.

In lessons this week…I came across a year 8 student whose behaviour had landed them in on-call. As usual he had reflected on his behaviour and was working peacefully on an English project: a good lad making some poor choices. After a period of time he re-joined lessons and GOT AN R2 IN THE FINAL LESSON OF THE DAY!!!! I know I shouldn’t get so excited about these things but there is nothing better than when a student falls in the race and then gets up and crosses the line in style.

Have a good weekend!

A Marsh Headteacher