I am not altogether sure where I have found the time to write this week. After 32 years working in schools I can honestly say I cannot remember a more complicated and changeable week! Whilst challenges are exciting, I am aware that colleagues are almost on their knees with the increased workload of setting remote learning activities alongside their normal teaching load. I also know that there are increasing problems with complex behaviours being exhibited by students, and this is causing additional stress. I am listening. I am doing my best to improve the conditions in which we work. From 7th December there will be changes to the organisation of the school day that will enable a great deal more ownership of personal spaces and faculty areas will return. Whilst compromises will have to be made around corridor supervision, we can strengthen the covid-secure arrangements whilst at the same time also reduce workload. The standards that we were all proud of have been dented somewhat, not least by sheer professional exhaustion and the abundance of supply teachers who do not know the students and their families well. The new arrangements will help us restore the ‘gold standard’ by continuing to support each other. 

I know that your efforts are worth it. They are essential. I watch with dismay the broadcasts almost daily that send ill-conceived messages about tenuous scientific advancements and misleading information. If it were not for the outstanding education that our students receive in Science, Humanities and English we would be developing a new generation of poorly informed citizens who are prepared to believe all that they are told. The quality we see in this school’s curriculum is the precursor to the kind of work we need to inspire the next generation. The approach we take in teaching children about the efficacy of information, and developing the ability to gain knowledge and problem solve is more important than ever. Our co-operative approach is promoting social learning that is crafting citizens of the future who hopefully will make a better job of running things than my generation. 

Despite the challenges of this week, we must not lose sight of the success stories that remind us why we remain committed to our profession. My father encouraged me to always walk looking up at the world, and not at my feet!  We were congratulated by the LA this week for our low EHE numbers. I understand that we are the lowest in Devon. This shows the confidence parents have in us, which has been built over time by dedicated colleagues who understand the importance of building relationships with families. Another measure of confidence is the high attendance exhibited by the student body and the engagement with the period 6 catch up teaching. These are things we should be proud of. 

I learnt with pride that Y8 students,Molly Hunt and Rebecca Boyd, have been selected for the Devon U14 hockey team. Y13 student, Joe Crosher has just received a distinction grade in Performing Repertoire for his CTec.  His grade was unique and very well deserved  especially as he completed most of the unit over Google Meet during lockdown. Joe’s talent, skill, work ethic and resilience resulted in some fantastic performance work but also a deep understanding of the theory behind the work of Bob Dylan, Bertolt Brecht and the genre of Political Theatre……if you happen to have not heard The Ballad of Bristol  (in particular) please encourage Joe to share with you!

It is this kind of resilience and innovation that we should remember from these stories. Sometimes I feel we spend a disproportionate amount of time focussing on delving around in reasons and explanations for confusion and problems rather than taking a stance of hope and positivity. Overthinking and over-discussing can drag us down. Focusing on resilience takes us forward. It is almost as if this is an old fashioned term, but we need it more than ever. Resilience is what gives people the psychological strength to cope with stress and hardship. It is the mental reservoir of strength that people are able to call on in times of need to carry them through without falling apart. Resilience is at the very heart of well being. It is about recognising that you have to fight a battle more than once in order to win it.

We also need each other. The way everyone responded to the days we were sending students home because of the confirmed Covid cases was heartwarming. People came together with no fuss or complaint. Things went smoothly because we truly lived up to our values that day. The high levels of anxiety were mitigated by the sense of togetherness that is a part of this school.

So when I reflect on the week, I can convey messages of hope, as well as difficulty . I value greatly the people that bring solutions rather than problems. This is a measure of resilience and the courage to act. 

I hope you all have time to recharge over the weekend. I shall be treating my relative freedoms of Tier 1 next week with some caution. I hope you all do too.

This week saw us commemorate Armistice Day with a very reduced remembrance event, unlike in previous years. With poppies up and down the country and moving and lavish displays on some buildings, we are all aware that in November the nation marks the gruesome wars that have scarred our past and present. Last Sunday, over 3000 bells rang out across the United Kingdom with half muffled tolls… the sound of a slow march to help us remember those who lost their lives. The act of remembrance is important in schools and should always be embraced. It sometimes seems to me that war is still too easy a thing to talk about. Luckily most people do not experience war outside of what we see on the news or in films. Few people actually share a collective memory of the 20th century wars. To many they can seem nationalistic and romantic, promoting the idea of the good guys versus the bad guys. War is really much more complex than this. Whilst we remember those who bravely gave their lives in conflict, we must also remember everyone else who is affected. The words ‘lest we forget’ may ring hollow when we see how war continues and holds us in its grip in so many places. We really have yet to learn the lessons from the fallen. In modern war we hear stories of collateral damage and loss of assets – actually, these are power stations, schools, hospitals, roads and homes. People’s loss of loved ones – children and parents. 1000s of lives are still being lost as victims of modern warfare. People are making perilous journeys across land and sea to protect their families, to flee from famine and persecution. We no longer speak of terror in the trenches but continue to experience inhumane conditions everywhere. War de-humanises people. What fools we are to make war a computer game for our children and to allow it to be glorified on social media. In remembrance, we commit to making the world a better place. Wars do not start with someone deciding to bomb a country. They start with actions and words. Words are some of the most powerful weapons we have. Words can be used to create conflict, unrest and hate. Or they can be used for good, for creating peace and conciliation. Messages for us all.

The first teaching and learning review this year was also a very different event, relying on work scrutiny and remote learning checks, student voice and parental feedback. There were strengths and areas that need acceleration, not last in the area of feedback that has suffered due to the nature of teacher movement around the site. However, a review can only really dictate the ‘bottom line’. I understand that teaching is a very personal business and so one student might rate you and another might hate you. It is idiosyncratic, subjective and it is all about personalities and getting the best fit. Being effective is elastic but relationship-effects between teachers and students play a huge part However, getting a consensus on what being a good or effective teacher is can be extremely hard and we cannot rely on Ofsted inspectors, what Sarah’s mum says, or the twitterings of social media.

There is no formula, but there are some pointers in the research showing us what traits or approaches are most likely to be effective. The research that is out there on effective teaching tends to mix together what effective teaching looks like and what qualities an effective teacher has. Barak Rosenshine’s (2012) Principles of Instruction have certainly got a lot of attention in recent years .His work largely underpins our Teaching and Learning policy. He presents 10 research-based principles from cognitive science, studies of master teachers and the research on cognitive support to help students learn complex tasks. His research focused on learning instruction, teacher performance, and achievement. Working with Norma Furst, he identified five characteristics of teacher behaviour which have served as a framework for research on teacher performance. These are: clarity of exposition, enthusiasm, task orientation, varied approaches, and opportunities to learn. The 10 principles are all based around the model of explicit instruction:

1. Begin a lesson with a short review of previous learning.
2. Present new material in small steps with student practice after each step.
3. Ask a large number of questions and check the responses of all students.
4. Provide models.
5. Guide students’ practice.
6. Check for student understanding.
7. Obtain a high success rate.
8. Provide scaffolds for difficult tasks.
9. Require and monitor independent practice.
10. Engage students in weekly and monthly review.

A 2014 Sutton Trust report, ‘What makes great teaching? (Coe et al, 2014) identifies six common components that constitute good quality teaching. In order of effectiveness, they are:

1. Pedagogical content knowledge – teachers who have a deep knowledge of their subject (strong evidence of impact on outcomes).
2. Quality of instruction – effective teaching and assessment methods (strong evidence of impact).
3. Classroom climate – creating a classroom that encourages students to recognise their self-worth (little evidence of impact).
4. Classroom management – a teacher’s ability to make use of lesson time and resources (moderate evidence of impact. Resources have the least impact).
5. Teacher beliefs – why teachers adopt particular practices and the purposes they aim for (some evidence of impact).
6. Professional behaviours – how teachers reflect on their own development, supporting colleagues, and engaging with parents (some evidence of impact).

When you compare the two reports, it is clear why we focus on cognitive tools rather than behaviourist approaches that pay scant attention to the constructivist nature of learning.

The feedback from the teaching and learning review is ready to be shared in Faculties As in all things, the greatest joy in our work will be achieved not through indulging each other or colluding in excuses and self- pity but through seeking to succeed at the highest level. Tim Brighouse calls us to adopt an attitude of unwarranted optimism. Now is the time to review this approach.

Well, we made it to half term! We have laughed, cried and held each other up over the last 7 weeks. I have to start with some endings, and that is never easy. Yesterday we had our final ceremony for George Mudge with the planting of his apple tree in the orchard. We have a bench arriving soon and anyone who wants to reflect upon the lessons George taught us can now spend some time doing just that, looking at his favourite view. One of those lessons was the need to be more compassionate in this busy world we inhabit. The care shown to George has been a measure of the man…. I hope that we can all remember to show that to the living. Writing our thoughts in a book of condolence is important. How often do we say those words to the people around us when they are still with us?

As we approach half term, there are some sad and some exciting events taking place. Today we are saying goodbye to a much loved colleague, Sylvia Preece. There is a tribute to her on the next page. Sylvia asked for as little fuss as possible, but 24 years is a long time to serve a school and she deserves a few words at the very least! Sylv has been a remarkable colleague and we will miss her greatly. Victoria Bartlett is leaving us for a short while as she starts her maternity leave. We are sending her off with our very best wishes and look forward to seeing her again soon. There are two long-awaited weddings taking place in the holiday: Hannah Holbourn and Niall Murphy are getting married …but not to each other. Congratulations to both of them.

Working in schools is hard. Sometimes it is very hard. At the moment it is extremely hard. For schools with significant numbers of disadvantaged students (we have 36% of our school community) it is harder still. Occasionally working in schools with its constant and biased media criticism and ill thought-out political interference, it can feel like a battle against all odds. But it’s a battle worth having. And we have done exceptionally well this half term. Teachers, Assistant Teachers and all other staff are the ones who cannot give up: they are the ones who that must pick up the pieces when everyone else has gone. When the budgets of support services are cut, forcing them to retreat, schools are still there. Because they have to be. Even when school budgets are slashed, those that work in schools will not withdraw. Instead we shoulder the burden. To let children down is simply not an option.

We provide the vital calm in society’s storm. Intolerant views and ‘hard line’ doctrines abound at the moment in the public discourse over our work for Black History Month has been felt recently in school. Stridency seems to be in vogue politically, and this filters down through families and in the community. Compromise, subtlety and ambiguity are perceived as weak. Battle lines are being drawn, even in education, between ‘hard’ choices.(‘grammar schools are the only solution to mediocrity’ versus ‘grammar schools represent the return to a totally divided and elitist past’). Ann Mroz describes how, in whichever ‘side’ you are on in these societal hard choices, you are encouraged to ‘gaze in horror; feel the fury; feel the righteousness. It becomes good to know your arguments are not only evidentially right but also morally superior’.

But moral superiority does not entertain doubt. Without doubt, there is reluctant change and precious little improvement. Moral superiority does not seek answers to questions it hasn’t asked. This is all part of our newly intolerant age, and it will not help us mend the holes in our arguments and imperfections. It is against this intolerance we must now rage. The very thing we have worked so hard with young people to put right. We will fail to help them create a better world if we do not encourage them to embrace other peoples’ points of view. And we must do the same. Responses to parental criticism should not be defensive and conversations about impact in teaching rather than efforts made should not be dismissed. Sometimes workload can be reduced by embracing change. Student voice is not to be feared – it is a valuable developmental tool. This week, for example, my student voice group told me how much they value the relationships that they have with staff but that some teachers are slow to respond to disruptive behaviour and that they needed to be stricter over some issues. The two stances are not ‘hard’ opposites of each other – there is some middle ground.

Let us then pursue debate. Let us encourage discussion and opportunities to create. Let us shun the intolerant and closed minded approaches, and reach out to finding middle ground solutions by examining all the evidence. Let us celebrate the compromises that enable everyone to benefit. This is how we will grow as a school, and how we will regain the energy to cope with extremely challenging times in schools.

I hope that you all find the time to rest over half term. We certainly need to recharge our batteries.

Sarah