I
hope this finds you all well at the end of another busy week.
Congratulations
to the Year 11s who have now completed their mock exams. The results of these
exams will give them a good indication of where they are and, more importantly,
what they have to work on ahead of the summer exams.
There
is no doubt that exams such as these can be a stressful time for both students
and parents, and if we think back to our school days we can probably all
remember a time when we felt under pressure or a little disheartened.
One
of our six KLASS Learner Attributes for Student Success is that of being Happy
and Healthy and it is something that we strive for every day in school. To be
happy and healthy is probably the most fundamental value that a school can help
build in its staff and students. Students who feel positive about themselves
and each other and their learning ie what they are doing, and how they are
doing it, are more likely to be creative, willing to become involved, willing
to take risks in their learning and will be more able to solve problems. Part
of being happy in school is the ability to achieve together – to collaborate
and celebrate with one’s peers, whilst understanding that there will be times
of pressure, both collectively and individually.
It
was with this in mind that I toured the Maths and English learning areas this
week. The break out spaces in these new areas are filled with students
collaborating, discussing and solving. They are encouraged to write on the
glass windows to express their ideas, they have the space to work in small
groups or on their own and are constantly encouraged to seek work spaces that
enable them to work to their potential.
This
week, during one lesson, there were Sixth Form students and Year 7 students
working diligently in the same break out area. This was not just students
achieving and learning together with their own year group, but being able to
unconsciously share the learning environment with other students from different
year groups.
Another
example of this, this week, was shown when a group of Year 7 students, who had
been learning to write children’s books within their unit of work, went to JB
and read their finished pieces to the Foundation Stage classes. I know that the
FS children enjoyed it a lot, and I was so proud of our Year 7s to be able to
write such inspired literature - that they felt able to share it. My thanks to
Marie Hollingworth for organising this.
So
happy students is something we aspire to develop and in so many ways in school
is borne out with the opportunities that we allow them to experience whilst
developing the skills and knowledge that they need once they leave us.
“When
people feel happy they tend to feel confident, optimistic and energetic, and
others find them likeable and sociable” (Lyubominsky 2005)
I
hope you all have a happy week ahead.
Nick Lee
Nick Lee
Secondary Campus Assistant Principal - Curriculum