Consultation

I recognise that we have been suggesting a number of significant changes with the family of schools over the last few months including the suggested move to a Multi Academy Trust, the possible expansion of the sixth form and the timing of the school day. It is challenging for all of us to consider how we might re-shape the school for the benefit of our students. This week, on Thursday 21st May, the Governing Body will meet to discuss and make a decision about the timing of the school day. Forty-four parents have sent through comments that will be shared with the governing body and I genuinely do not know what the decision will be. If they do decide to change the day, please be reassured that there would not be a change to the amount of time spent in lessons. In fact, we are confident that there is a slight increase in actual teaching contact time within the proposal as a result of the reduced movement between lessons and the settling down necessary at the start of lessons. Similarly, as there will not be any change to our teachers’ contract terms, this proposal is not reducing the length of the school day for our staff, but allowing them to better support co-curricular activities, intervention groups, planning and marking. As with all change, it will suit some more than others. Perhaps the most important consideration for me is the lunch hour. In my view, it is simply not sustainable to have a long break within a cramped inner city site. There are also the significant considerations of monitoring our students on this difficult site and keeping everyone safe in a square open to the public and traffic. It is all very well in the summer when the sun is shining, but a wet January day is quite a different thing. We did have an interesting day on Thursday when a number of catering companies met with representatives from the school bidding to take on the contract. Many of you may know that Zig Heimann has resigned as catering manager and that Cathy Vale, our Sous Chef is now on maternity leave. All the companies have promised to invest in the site and this seems like an obvious time to explore this option. We will make a final decision in June and will let you know the outcome. I am hoping that the successful firm will put on a tasting evening for parents before September.

Marking

It has been some time since my last blog, apologies! Since the beginning of term Cathedral Primary School has been through its first Ofsted inspection. HMI visited the school on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week and it was a good opportunity for the school to demonstrate its achievements after only eighteen months since opening. The team worked very hard and we expect that they will be very pleased with the report which will be published within the next month or so. Here at BCCS staff have been working very hard to ensure that marking and feedback are consistently on the agenda. We know that students do well if they received opportunities to re-draft their work and correct consistent mistakes. Last academic year we introduced RAR (Read and Respond). After marking, we hope that students have an opportunity to look at the comments of the teacher and correct where appropriate. Of course the response as you would expect is variable. I have been into a number of classrooms over the last week or so looking through books and discussing work with students. There is evidence of some very hard work from both teachers and students and a large number are rightly proud of their work. In some books it appears that the teachers are working harder than the children! I have asked staff this week to ensure that all have an opportunity to go back into their books and complete any incomplete RAR work. I have also asked a number to get the glue stick out and glue in any random sheets (a particular issue of mine) Please do take an interest in your child’s book and encourage them to take pride in it completing RAR and reference the whole school approach to literacy. We ask students to underline and date all work and to ensure that they write legibly! There should be a check list on the front cover of student books for you to refer to.

Enjoy spring

I hope all students are enjoying a well-deserved break and enjoying the beautiful weather. It seems that spring has well and truly arrived over the last few days and that adds to the list of distractions for students who are trying to revise for the public examinations. If students and parents are struggling here is some more help published today in the Independent newspaper. http://www.independent.co.uk/student/student-life/top-10-revision-tips-for-your-final-or-firstyear-exams-8576161.html Of course the beautiful weather is also a perfect opportunity to get out and about. Enjoy!

Gender assembly

Mrs Cox led a very powerful assembly this week on the theme of sexism and appropriate language. In part, the assembly was arranged because we have had a number of reports of inappropriate language being used around school, particularly from students in the older year groups. I am aware that students often use slang and they are increasingly unable to distinguish when it’s appropriate to use it. In addition they can use professionally and socially unacceptable words without considering venue and occasion! Specifically, the assembly focused on gender related vocabulary and some students seemed surprised that we have warned them that these words, descriptions or phrases are not acceptable in school. The student equalites group have been raising the profile of this and other themes of the last few months and they have already taken a whole school assembly, appointing ambassadors and speaking to the governing body. I will ask Mrs Cox to circulate the pp slides Please do take the time to discuss this with your children at home.

CPS

This week is an important one for Cathedral Primary School. The planning committee meets on Wednesday 18th at 6pm at the Colston Hall to make as decision about the permanent site within the basement of the library. The arguments have been in the public domain for some time now and I will not repeat them here. However, there is no doubt that the development of the campus, the sharing of staff, resources and knowledge will benefit both BCCS and CPS. Please do feel free to attend and show your support, the meeting is open to the public.

Sixth Form and school day

Please be reminded that there will be another opportunity to discuss the sixth from project on Monday 9th March. 7pm in the Cresswell Centre. We will also organise an open event to discuss the proposed changes to the timing of the school day before the holidays. I have begun discussing both subjects with students and have really enjoyed listening to their questions and comments.

More politics. A broad and balanced curriculum.

Thank you to all those parents who came along to the consultation 6th form evening last Wednesday. I understand that the debate has continued this week and I have spoken to a number of parents since the evening. I will take the time to discuss the issue with students over the coming days and will let you know about further planned events. Thursday was eventful. As well as the astonishing concert in the Cathedral (congratulations again to all involved) we welcomed Tristram Hunt, Shadow Education Minister to the Cresswell centre. It was interesting to hear about a possible direction for education after the election in May. It is the first time that I have hear a figure quoted in relation to budgets, a 7% cut over the span of the next parliament was suggested as realistic. That will be a challenge for all schools! He was also asked about the findings of the Warwick Commission report, the future of cultural values. Over the last decade there has been a 50% drop in GCSE entries for DT and 23% for Drama. The other arts are equally in decline. This may be to do, in part with the English Baccalaureate and the introduction of progress 8. Schools are being encouraged to ensure that all students take History, Geography and a Language. Mr Hunt mentioned History as being an important subject, I agree but no more so than RE or Music (not on the list!) “There are major concerns that the educational system is not focusing on the future needs of the cultural and creative industries and the broader needs for inn ovation and growth,” the commission said. For me a broad and balanced curriculum must include the subjects that help us to understand the world and its people. We should also be providing a curriculum relevant to the needs of the students we teach. No two schools are the same.