Why are schools like the Queen?
The Queen has two birthdays - and schools are unusual in having, effectively, two new years. September is the big one for us when our new intake of 11 year olds arrives, full of hope and promise. But there´s also the special feeling that comes with the waning of the old year, the change of date, and for our Year 11 students, the realisation that this is their last full term of schooling at Hampton Academy. For some this is an exciting prospect as they have already planned the next stage of their education or training, but for others it can be a daunting realisation that the familiarity of their routine for the last five years is going to disappear within a few months.
One diligent Year 11 student talked to me yesterday about the fear that accompanies the fact that she still doesn´t know what she really wants to do, and feels that by now she should. She also said that she ‘wished she´d thought about her future sooner.´ It is in recognition of this not uncommon feeling that as a Learning Schools Trust Academy we are placing such strong emphasis on goal setting through the personal tutorial right from the start of Year 7. Some of our youngest students have already started focusing on what they want to achieve in the longer term, though few have yet to go as far Year 8 student Simran Johal who made an appointment to see me to discuss how you go about getting a PhD, as her goal was to obtain one in science or maths. Our young people are being educated for a fast-changing world in an inclement economic climate, and as educators we need to help them develop their independent learning skills and qualities of resilience and adaptability to prepare for this. Not that the students of Hampton Academy lack resourcefulness! As well as raising hundreds of pounds for the Shooting Star Hospice through the Year 10 Christmas Fair (see previous blog), in December academy students (and staff) struggled in through the snow to complete their mock exams; put up a valiant fight in the Year 9 borough football final, despite ultimately losing to Grey Court; took part in a stunning Christmas celebration attended by the Chief Executive of the LST including the first full orchestral performance in my six years here; achieved between them hundreds of awards and commendations for effort and attainment in their celebration assemblies; and continued to box and knit and cook and paint and dance and create astonishing animations through ICT and use a wealth of other skills which some of us can only dream about possessing. At the end of last term we said goodbye to Ms. Colbert in English (who remains within our family of schools as she has gone to Twickenham Academy) and to Ms. Rodgers whose work as Head of Maths and whose wider contribution to school life, including as an HCC governor, was much valued. We have therefore made some internal staffing changes and welcomed three new colleagues to our academy this term. Mr. Cambridge is teaching Ms. Rodgers´ maths timetable; Ms. Quinn has taken over Ms. Hyde´s art timetable; and Ms. Lamb replaces Mr. Jordan as second cover supervisor. We are also pleased that Ms. Peters has returned to us as part time English, part general supply. The following colleagues have been promoted on an acting basis. Mr. Chiremba has been appointed Acting Programme Leader for Maths, and Mr. Barry joins Mr. Chandler as Acting Assistant Programme Leader. Ms. Graham has been appointed Acting Assistant Programme Leader for Art & Design. We appreciate the maths team getting off to a flying start by holding a Saturday revision workshop last week for our Year 11 Foundation candidates - and well done to the students and staff for attending on their day off. The milder weather has definitely helped the start of the new year after our very white Christmas and new year. It´s a long time since I´ve seen people skating on a canal in southern England; and on this year´s New Year walk 2000 feet up in the Radnor Forest I was stumbling along two feet deep in snow at times (which is quite a lot when there´s only five feet of me in the first place). But as ever there´s no better way for me to refresh and reflect ready for the term ahead. As we enter the countdown to our very exciting building project (starting 13th April), we as a staff and especially as a leadership team will be drawing on those same qualities of resilience and resourcefulness we seek to develop in our students. A very happy new year to you all. Sue Demont
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