Complaints!

Later this week we will send a letter to parents asking them to be mindful of staff wellbeing when contacting the school. Some staff report that the number of incidents of highly challenging e mails or phone calls have increased and this is noted across the world of education generally. The TES covered the issue earlier this year:

Three-quarters of teachers believe parents’ behaviour towards them has grown worse over the last five years, according to an exclusive poll for TES. Among the primary and secondary staff questioned by YouGov, only 2 per cent said that parents’ behaviour had improved since 2010. And 25 per cent said that there had been no change at all in the way that parents behaved.

By contrast, 73 per cent of the teachers surveyed said that parents’ behaviour had become worse. Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said that she was unsurprised by this. “Primary school teachers are particularly vulnerable to verbal abuse, because often parents are picking up children from school,” she said. “But secondary teachers also find themselves being verbally abused in meetings with parents.”

Many teachers believe that the advent of social media has exacerbated the problem. David Blow, headteacher of the Ashcombe School in Dorking, Surrey, said: “All it takes is something happening locally, or a bad Ofsted – something that a school could have managed really easily five years ago.

“Now, a couple of parents start up a Facebook page and the anxiety can spread. Something that’s in print is much harder to deal with than something people are just talking to each other about.” A representative sample of 796 classroom teachers and headteachers from England and Wales were surveyed for the poll.

Recruitment new teachers for CST

The recruitment season is well under way and I will write to parents before Easter with an updated staffing list. Mrs Morgan published an article warning of a recruitment crisis in the Sunday papers. 

Addressing the ASCL’s annual conference, Mrs Morgan said: “while the headline data shows a sustained low, national vacancy rate, the reality on the ground for many heads is that they are struggling to attract the brightest and the best." She acknowledged that the cost of recruiting can be a burden when schools have “other, better things to be spending money on," adding that £40bn is to be spent on education in the next financial year, a figure representing “the highest amount this country has ever spent on its schools.” On fears that highlighting recruitment issues may put people off of becoming a teacher, the Education Secretary said: “Let's focus on commenting to the outside world on what a great profession teaching is, how rewarding it can be and what good teachers have the power to do."

The Mail on Sunday   The Independent on Sunday, Page: 14

I need to remind myself constantly that we are very lucky to be able to attract such large and able fields of applicants. Most schools struggle to attract a handful of applications for mathematics jobs and we had 25! Over the last few weeks we have shortlisted from over 200 applications for the following vacancies:

History

Geography

Maths

English

Deputy Headteacher Primary School

Chemistry

We spend a lot of time and money on recruitment but there is no more important job.

Teacher Recruitment

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to blog. The demands of the Ofsted inspection and a tough half term are my only excuse.

During the half term break I was invited to an education dinner hosted by the Times Education Supplement and attended by seven headteachers from the South West. Also in attendance was the now Schools Commissioner Sir David Carter and the former minister for schools The Lord Knight of Weymouth (Jim Knight) There was a good deal of conversation about recruitment, the TES clearly being interested in improving their service to schools.

BCCS and CPS are in the fortunate position of being able to attract large numbers of applicants but I am never complacent and recruiting the right people is the most important part of my job.  It is not easy for all schools and there are real challenges in appointing for Maths, Physics, Chemistry and DT.  This week I have been looking through the letters of application. Two of our staff will be on maternity leave from the summer and we will need to recruit further teachers to cope with the expected increase in A level teaching next year. (We have nearly 300 applications for year 12!)

As ever we will ask our students to help in the interview process. The student panel rarely disagrees with our thinking and they are always capable of providing valuable insight. All applicants are asked to teach and we also ask the class their opinion of the candidates.

A bigger problem in education is retention. I spoke at the NQT (Newly Qualified Teachers) conference before half term where 37 new entrants to the profession from 11 schools joined us. The sad truth is that 2 in 5 of all teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years, a terrible waste of talent and investment. With the retirement age for teachers now set at 67 it is important that we consider how teachers we might sustain a 45-year long career in the classroom or prepare for other opportunities. 

New Term

Congratulations to Ben Lieu and Jo Milton who have been offered places at Oxford to study History and Medicine. The school joined me in congratulating them in the Cathedral on Friday and the warmth of the applause was obvious. A number of other students are awaiting a decision from Cambridge, due this week. Good luck all! 

Mr Steward reminded me that current year thirteen went to visit Oxford in year ten. The aim, to remind our students that they can, if they want to and work hard, gain places. This weekend the press has picked up on the Oxbridge place offer dates.

"Secondary schools should start preparing bright pupils for Oxford from the age of 11, instead of leaving it until the sixth form, according to the university’s head of admissions. In an interview with the Times Educational Supplement, Dr Samina Khan also admitted that pupils applying to Oxford from low-performing schools or disadvantaged homes were ‘more likely to be looked at and shortlisted for an interview’ than their more advantaged peers. She also advised schools to set up ‘super curricular clubs’ based around different subjects".

"Oxford is enjoying a resurgence in popularity among state school pupils - thanks to Harry Potter. University chiefs say that teenagers steeped in Harry's adventures at Hogwarts are no longer deterred by Oxford's traditions - because they echo scenes in J.K. Rowling's bestselling books. Instead, Oxford's head of admissions Samina Khan says the 'Hogwarts generation' is excited by the prospect of grand dining halls, flowing robes and ancient ceremony".

The Mail on Sunday, Page: 9

 

Oxbridge is not right for everyone and we will be celebrating the success of other students who have applications pending from outstanding universities and conservatories as the term progresses. Our sixth form continues to progress and I was very pleased to hear that we have received nearly 300 applications for year 12 next September. We look forward to meeting all our applicants individually this term!

Visitors to School

On Wednesday we welcomed 12 senior leaders from Hampshire who visited with the National Education Trust. Alongside some leadership training courtesy of Mr Steward we asked the delegates to visit lessons, talk to students, look through books and observe teaching. We also asked them to observe a break and lunchtime. Roy Blatchford who heads up the NET calls it a BLINK inspection and we value the fresh pairs of eyes within the school.  

During the afternoon colleagues reflected on what they had seen. They were overwhelmingly positive about the school commenting in particular on:

·      The calmness and courtesy of the students, core values displayed on the walls and in the behaviour

·      Absolute engagement in learning during lessons

·      Pride in the school including smart uniform

·      Excellent progress noted during lessons

·      The display around the school including the feature of A* work

Inevitably we asked them to consider what we could do to improve. As a result we are trying to make sure staff wear hi-visibility jackets on College Square and we are going to look to put a one-way system in place in the canteen.  A helpful day for all!

Curriculum Changes

Thank you to teachers and parents for what seemed to be a very useful year 8 parents evening this week.  We also had another very successful sixth form open evening.  

A number of parents asked me questions about the curriculum, in particular if it would be possible to introduce or reinstate various subjects. As an academy we do have some flexibility as long as our curriculum is broad and balanced. As a faith school we have a statutory obligation to offer RS at KS4 and as a music specialist school I am of course keen to encourage music. In selecting the subject offer we have to make sure that:

1.    We have the staff with the subject expertise to teach them

2.    We can afford it

This affordability issue is becoming increasingly important as schools work out what to do in the face of significant cuts to budgets. In all schools the average class size decreases from KS3-5. State schools of course have to ensure that class sizes remain high and have to be careful not to offer too many subjects, bringing the average class size down.

You may have heard about the introduction of the EB with a consultation launched earlier this month.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473455/Consultation_on_implementing_the_English_Baccalaureate.pdf

This will place greater pressure on all schools, academies or otherwise to ensure that as many students as possible take history, geography and a language. Additionally the changes in league tables to include progress 8 measures make it inevitable that schools will make alterations to their curriculum, not necessarily in the best interests of their students!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/456438/Progress_8_school_performance_measure_2015_updated_August_2015.pdf

I will be happy to discuss these challenges at the parent consultation evening tomorrow evening.