Half term is almost here – marking the midway point of the school year – and it is appropriate to reflect.
Sometimes, it is important to communicate when things should be better and need to improve.
Readers of this blog will be familiar with me returning to attendance a number of times recently. We needed to do better.
Well, I am pleased to report that, consistently, over the last 6 weeks, attendance has been higher then the local authority and national averages for secondary schools.
It is important to stress it is not by much and more needs to be done.
Our boys are above the national average; persistent absentees are below the national figure in two year groups; and unauthorised attendance has reduced.
However, we have one year group below the national average for attendance.
A great deal of hard work has been put in to improve it and I am grateful to parents for their support and the whole staff team.
I would like to particularly thank Jo Evans and Terri Loftus in our student services team for their efforts.
It is not an easy job, ringing parents/carers and calling on families at home. They are following the local authority’s Attend framework and their tireless work is paying off.
Last week’s strike by the teachers’ union the NEU received a lot of media coverage. The data showed of approximately 2,400 secondary schools, 8.7% closed completely, 70.6% closed partially and 16.7% were fully open. We fell into the latter category.
The next day of action by the NEU affecting this region is on 28th February. Again, I will not be passing comment or making a judgment. At this moment, we don’t know whether it will happen or if there will be more talks. I will communicate in due course.
Parents/carers and certainly our students know it is National Apprenticeship Week #NAW2023 #skillsforlife
It has been another opportunity to talk to our young people about planning ahead and looking at pathways into employment.
There are so many different routes.
For some, further and higher education will be the appropriate option but others may see that an apprenticeship at 16 is right, with a chance to earn money, receive a qualification and probably get a job at the end.
One of the messages this week to our young people is that it is possible to earn and learn through an apprenticeship in a subject they love at school.
Examples of famous, successful businesspeople who started their careers as apprentices have been highlighted.
Students have looked at how much an apprentice costs, what they might earn and should they choose a university route or become an apprentice? Our job is to give them the advice and guidance to enable them to make an informed decision.
It is also Children’s Mental Health Week. I highlighted a speech by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel De Souza – who hails from these parts – last week. She’s been in the media again, making a powerful case for excessive screen time being responsible for some children’s poor mental health.
She’s campaigning for families to do more together so children spend less time on their mobile phone. It is having a detrimental effect on how young people are interacting with each other and their families.
More children are becoming isolated, anxious and troubled by what they are seeing and being exposed to through devices.
The Big Ask survey conducted by her team said children wanted to be cared for and enjoy a stable home life. To do so, the Children’s Commissioner is arguing they need to be prised away from their screen or mobile phone.
I agree with her 100%.
It is why we engage with our young people one-to-one, face-to-face. We want them to build their social skills and have proper conversations about good decision making.
We are, as I mentioned, half-way through the school year. It is always a good time for students to think about their contributions to school life. Some are in a happy place but others could do much better with their decision making.
Year 11 have just finished their final mock exams and Mr Ellerby will be talking to them on Friday about expectations in the final two half terms of their entire school life.
He has organised a programme of additional online support given by specialists in a variety of subjects. It’s vitally important our young people make the most of this huge opportunity.
We need our parents/carers to support their children and ensure they access the extra support at home.
At the end of their exams, we want our children to be able to say they did their best to give themselves maximum opportunities in later life.
That would be a perfect reflection on their time at the Academy.
