Half term might be on the horizon but there’s still lots going on and we have a busy week ahead, The response from Kingsbury students was superb and I’m visiting their school on four afternoons this week to chat further to prospective students about their subject choices. It’s always an interesting balance between doing subjects you love, subjects you can be successful in and subjects which will lead you to your next step in a career or Higher Education. There are still some bizarre myths about what combinations are best at A level and that’s why these conversations are so important.
Here at Coleshill we have had our first group of students complete their introduction to coaching course. The response from the students was great and they told me that the GROW model gives them an excellent framework, not only for having developmental conversations with others but also for framing positive self - talk. Of course I tweeted about it and have had retweets from a Professor of Coaching Psychology in the UK and also from coaching professionals in Australia and the US. There must be something in it!
We’ve also had great success in the Biology Olympiad where students compete against other schools to show off their scientific skills. Elena and Jess did fantastically well to pick up bronze medals, the first that the school has won.
On Wednesday we’re welcoming the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service to give their talk about road safety for new drivers. Statistics tell us the grim truth that 17 -25 year olds are the most susceptible to RTAs (it’s the biggest killer in that age group) so it’s important that we get the message across as they are learning to drive. The title ‘The Fatal Four’ gives you an idea of the hard hitting nature of the presentation but it’s one that is worth enduring if it can make a difference to how young people approach driving.
I think the Arts sometimes get a rough deal in schools so I make sure that my assemblies look at films, books etc alongside the business of admin and passing exams. Last Friday was my film assembly to coincide with BAFTA and Oscar nominations and it’s clear that there are some great films out there. It would be interesting to see the latest stats about cinema attendance – how much has streaming taken audiences away from the communal experience?
QA is a term increasingly used in schools. It used to mean checking widgets and apples on the production line but for us it means checking that everything is going well in teaching, marking, assessment and so on. It sounds like an onerous process driven task but it’s really much more interesting. So, for example, this week we’ve been doing learning walks where we visit classrooms to see the great teaching going on at Post 16, we’ve been having conversations with heads of departments where we hear the stories behind the data and we check students’ books and folders to see the fabulous work they are doing. When you take it all as a piece it’s great to see students and teachers working together not just to reach the goal of an examination but often enjoying the subject for its own sake.
On to Six Nations reflection and I’m still having flashbacks to Jonathan Davies’ misplaced kick at the end of the Wales England game on Saturday. Did you know that he was born in Solihull? England will, I think, go on to break the record for consecutive wins but then there is the small matter of a trip to Dublin for the title. Every year throws up so many intriguing games. What a tournament.
This week’s book is a collection of poetry, The Unaccompanied by Simon Armitage.
