In this second of my 3 blogs written to summarise my world of work over the last year, I am building on the core words of advice I set out last week for politicians to consider: “Speak truth, build and give trust”.  It’s quite clear that there is conflict around the globe, and the tensions within our own country and society are very evident too. When the Chancellor of the Exchequer is sat in the House, tears streaming down her face, she became easy prey for the pundits, and that’s not fair. We have no idea what is going on in people’s private lives, and I admire her for sticking to her promise to support the Prime Minister at Question Time. Being absent would have been even more damaging to her professionally.

Tom Hanks has expressed on a number of occasions the reasons for his success, being a simple philosophy of life given to him (at age 20) by the director Dan Sullivan – you can see that here. My audience of parents, educators and fellow professionals will have seen the Hanks’ advice for life expanded by so many and in every walk of life, I won’t expand it further. But what’s important is to understand that it’s not just a ‘turn up’ motto – much more ‘know what you’re about and add value’ instruction.

The full professional information on schools can be found on the Get Information About Schools government website, GIAS, and the info on Claires Court Schools Ltd. can be found here. As the listed Headteacher/Principal is James Wilding, there is no escaping my responsibilities, and you’ll know I take them very seriously. Over the past 10 days of arts, athletics, cricket, drama, music, social events and sport, it might be easy to suggest I haven’t been worrying about the academics, but the truth is of course I do. Whatever else, parents will choose our school because we have a clear curriculum designed to educate, inspire and bring out the best for each child as well as for the cohort as a whole. We cannot escape our responsibilities to generate the ambition to collaborate, to highlight that there is a greater good to be achieved and that in reaching for the stars, we’ll generate future leaders willing to play their full part in times to come. 

School ‘climate’ is everything, and I am deeply proud of both the way our values underpin everything we do and yet in terms of forward thinking, both in our approach to learning and the use of new digital tools, we’ve always been on the pioneering edge of what do next whilst retaining the best. The letter we have sent to all Claires Court families about supporting the Smartphone-Free-School approach across the Royal Borough will come as no surprise to our own parents, as we’ve been navigating that approach for many years now, and without asking parent to embrace the cost of a pouch as well. All Tolkien fans will know that Gollum’s fascination for his ring is likely to become just the same when students use ‘pouches’ yet keep their mobile near them; it’s far better that they see such devices either left at home or put in a common class bin, because separation is very much part of the therapy needed. It’s far too easy to ‘doom scroll’, and that’s not an addiction young developing minds ever need to acquire. 

Of course, we’ve got to be realistic, and for purposes of medical health and tracking, mobiles will continue to have their uses, and for the time being, the adult world can no longer work without one. Yet once boys and girls enter our school and feel the energy of their fellow pupils and staff, they do quickly understand the imperatives we place on doing the right thing right, and rules are followed well. Above all, they appreciate that almost anything is possible given the opportunities available to talk, chat and build human relationships. Take the Year 7 & 8 drama festivals this week, for example. Parents who’ve never seen ‘Trestle Masks’ in use could not have imagined their girls performing Macbeth, Hamlet, The Tempest or Romeo & Juliet with such control on stage, or their sons being able to perform Commedia dell’Arte or slapstick comedy as an ensemble.

As the headline photo shows from the Girls’ sports day, that’s not just one athlete showing she can hurdle, but a race-full. The boys’ tennis team claimed 3rd place in the National Schools Tennis finals this last weekend, beating Millfield. We’ve had 3 crews at Henley Royal Regatta this week, the boys’ eight and 2 quads, and they fully look the part – and we have the Brit champs to come! 

It’s simply not just about competition, and being the best. There are times when I am genuinely blown away by the spontaneous acts of our students, when throw into emergency situations and they react so amazingly well. Take the example of the Year 9 boys who encountered a drowning man in the river 2 weekends ago, whilst on their Bronze Award paddling expedition. Whilst paddling south of Wallingford, midway through their expedition, they heard a call for help from a capsized canoeist. The struggling man had flipped his canoe between two moored river boats and had drifted between a raised jetty. The boys immediately rushed to his aid and radioed Mr Wragg and Mr Campbell-Starkey to let them know.

First on the scene were two students, Harrison McNamee and Felix Gregan.In the time it took for Peter Campbell-Starkey to paddle over to the exhausted man, Harrison had already exited his boat and helped the man cling to the jetty. The boys also fashioned a makeshift stirrup using a rope, allowing the man to keep his head above the water. You can read the whole news article here.

All students involved successfully completed their Bronze DofE expedition, a testament to their resilience and values instilled by the programme. The boys’ bravery was also recognised by Head of Seniors, Steve Richards, who awarded them all the ‘Claires Court Compass Award for outstanding achievement’ at assembly.

The various graduation assemblies are still to come of course, though our eyes are still on the prize. 81 Year 12s Future Focus week from Monday has them pursuing those possible Tom Hanks’ triggers: “What possible career ahead might work best for me!” CEO of Transform Society, James Darley is leading the thinking across the following ideas:

• AI in selection – included in the session the context of gamification;
• Career Resilience – a key skill that ALL students need – explains what it is and gives some coping strategies for when you get knocked back;
• Future of Work – a fascinating session where they are shown what is being predicted as the future of work and get students to give feedback via Mentimeter
• Graduate Market – the reality of the graduate market – where the jobs are and what you need to do to get employed in the future!

Year 13 life at Claires Court comes to a close with 86 students pretty much aligned for where they might be showing up in the Autumn. In addition to winning undergraduate apprenticeships at the Bank of England and L’Oreal, I can highlight 40 different University destinations, including the great cities of Bath, Birmingham, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Southampton and… San Diego! Their highlights reel from school will carry all the other stripes that come from taking the opportunities here, whether that be DofE awards, LAMDA and Music grade exams or of course the natural kindness that sits as the central marker of a young adult that can truly make a difference!