In his book, published in 2017, McRaven makes 10 suggestions, the subtitles being ‘Little things that can change your life…and maybe the world’. 7 years earlier, when he gave the commencement address to 8000 graduating students at the University of Texas UT. Rather than read the book, the video of his speech is worth watching here.

I’ve been reminded of these simple messages recently, which sit in direct contrast to the incredibly complex set of instructions we face every time we wish to cause the creation of something new. And though I continue to do my best to understand and then accelerate those next steps, actually, sometimes only time is needed, and there is nothing I can do to short-circuit the calendar. In many ways, that’s the nature of the school curriculum itself, which is carefully paced through each year to ensure there is time for the breadth of cognition to develop, knowledge AND skills to be acquired.

This year, I have completed 4 years of service for the Independent Schools Association as the chair of their Inspections committee and as their representative on the cross-association Universities committee checking in with universities and colleges on their processes and requirements, and causing them at the individual University level to consider carefully the concerns the schoolwide sector has about student management and well-being. It’s been an enormous privilege, being the representative of almost 700 independent schools in these 2 forums, and whilst my contribution has been genuinely valued by my colleagues in ISA, I am delighted to have drawn to an end those 2 elements of work-flow. Having recently been re-elected to serve on ISA Exec Council for a further 3 years, I’m pleased my voice has not been silenced completely, yet returning just to work in my school is hugely rewarding in turn.

As my previous posts this term have made clear, we have no choice other than to look for the positives and celebrate the successes, not just for ourselves but everyone else concerned in our society, because it’s team, collaborative work that will make the difference for us all. When as a headteacher I am asked to engage with any national government consultation, I will make that contribution rather than set it aside. During the recent HMRC consultation on the introduction of VAT to our sector, it’s clear to those MPs directly involved that the huge volumes of correspondence that followed made no difference to the roll-out of policy, but that does not mean we can’t hold HMRC to account when the process falls over and fails to deliver the outcomes (6500 more teachers) predicted.

It’s worth mentioning that the new government’s review of the curriculum content of our state schools is coming to a close, and there’s considerable focus from pressure groups on the need to reform once more the public examination system and the extraordinary and bureaucratic beast it has become. I urge the utmost caution on everyone currently hoping for a dramatic transformation quickly – don’t go there yet! Dame Christine Ryan, formerly Chief Inspector of the Independent Schools Inspectorate made very clear to the government 7 years ago that Michael Gove’s wholesale changes to the then National Curriculum at both GCSE and A Level simultaneously would place the country’s ability to check the nation’s progress into limbo for 5-7 years – that’s how long it would take to assess whether the changes had made an impact, and if so, was that a good one. It’s also worth saying that the Scottish Government did the same thing, and so now we can for the first time see the results rolling in. Yes, in principle, England’s system is improving, but we need 4 more years to check that the improvements are making the ‘change in practice for the better’ permanent.

England’s reading, writing and science progress has been very strong indeed, the latest evidence of which comes from the TIMMS 2023 assessments for Maths and Sciences. What’s important to appreciate is that it takes teachers also a very good deal of time to get used to new mechanisms for teaching, learning and assessment, and I certainly approve of the academic focus that has returned to the teaching of the sciences, and the importance of Literature in our lives as ways of learning about emotional regulation and change. It’s genuinely nice to see that our ‘recovery’ from the pandemic has been quicker than other countries, and for Science we are now placed at the very top of expectations, so well done fellow science teachers for that. Scotland adopted a far more modern approach, diluting rigour with relevance, the latter sadly being ‘opinion’ and with little actionable content. The Curriculum for Excellence has proven not to be, which saddens so many I know where once Scottish Education was held in the highest esteem.

Where the English system works at the 18+ and graduation process to work or University remains the most efficient process, permitting young adults to move on into apprenticeships, college or University with graduation beyond expected in 3 years. As our higher education qualifications incur the acquisition of serious debt, the last thing we should currently be thinking of is a migration to a 4 or even 5 year pathway prior to graduation, at an adjusted debt cost of £100,000. One of the brilliant innovations in the private University sector is the willingness to compress this process into 2 years, mostly in the music and fashion business because it’s the work that follows that aligns work experience to skill and knowledge already acquired.

What’s not working anywhere in the UK is the availability for planned support for those whose learning difficulties are not being met, the funding for diagnostic assessments that need to be carried out and the subsequent skilled support, counselling and other therapies ensuring intervention happens in a timely manner. Apparently there is an investigation by JCQ underway to explore why there is such a difference between the state and independent sector in terms of reasonable adjustments to be made to meet disability requirements for public exams. As anyone who has worked with out school has found, we conduct rigorous assessments towards the end of Year 9 to assess those needs prior to commencing GCSE courses, and again at the start of Year 12 and Sixth Form courses. These routine activities cost money, time and resources, teacher-feedback and then ongoing assessment to check that the concessions awarded are actually being used. Whilst I certainly support this review, I don’t expect to read that our sector has been too generous – as it is very clear just how under-resourced the state sector has become. Not wishing to sound facetious, but the lack of National Health dentistry is not down to the over-provision of dentists in the private sector!

In McRaven’s short book (p122), he describes the Wednesday of ‘Hell Week’, during which the SEAL trainees spent 15 hours after dark up to their necks in mud. All that was needed was for 5 of the trainees to quit and the whole squad would be released from the slime. Just as it looked the squad would fail, one brave voice began to sing, then a second until of course the whole troop joined in. Bit by bit the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer and the dawn a little nearer.

“If you want to change the world, start singing when you are up to your neck in mud!”

I’ve just watched Sherborne’s rugby video of our U14 side beating their A team away in the quarter-final of the South West Rugby Cup by the narrowest of margins, 17-15, and the last 5 minutes epitomise the strength that a team can draw from when no-one gives up! Throughout this term, I’ve seen that spirit of teamwork shine through, evident in the classrooms, the arts, music and drama events, and indeed in the relationships evident at the PTA events such as Fireworks and Christmas Fair. Despite the complexities to be found in the ‘game of life’, we can make things a whole lot easier if we do the simple things well. Here’s to completing the term in such style, singing well whatever the weather!

The author of this quote, James Baldwin (1924-1987), was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was a prominent voice in the American Civil Rights Movement and is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His work pushed so many literary boundaries. 

In last week’s blog, I highlighted the series of events in the week, most if not all were both impressive and important. This week, I aim to highlight just how forward-thinking Claires Court continues to be, at a time when the wider media seems to be suggesting that nothing useful is happening, other than chaos abounds around. Whilst so many systems, both in the UK and worldwide are indeed feeling heat and confusion, knowing that in the case of Education, schools have had to be adaptable for decades now, that’s been a real help for leadership in our school.

This week has seen the Government call for another full-scale curriculum review, some 10 years after the Gove’s agenda which rolled back the education developments of the ‘noughties’, in part to reduce teacher workload and to establish a core benchmark of what the ‘classic’ British curriculum should look like. ‘Do we need another curriculum review’ I hear you ask? I can give two answers to that; for the state sector I don’t serve, and for our own independent school, which I devote my working life to (answers are Yes and No, and in that order).

As with the introduction of the new National Curriculum by Kenneth Baker, Gove’s review was honourable, back in the 80’s, the introduction of coursework highlighted the need to stretch a child’s experience in school to test what they knew, understood and could do from just high stakes public examinations. The introduction of Curriculum 2000 encouraged students to follow a wider range of courses in the Sixth Form than just three A levels, including modular steps along the way, and gathered GCSEs as well in this spread of assessment. The trouble was that high-stakes exams only increased, and a student’s passage through GCSEs took over 100 exams in 18 months. Returning to terminal exams only with a modicum of coursework as appropriate has been a success over the past 10 years. But, where Gove got it entirely wrong was introducing the English Baccalaureate which forced children to study languages and humanities at the expense of the arts and practical subjects over this period. This signalling that practical skills and working together were not to be valued has increased the sense of isolation that young people experience, at a time when mental resilience has been challenged for other reasons too. 

The photograph above shows the President of the CCPTA Foundation, Phyllis Avery MBE, celebrating the Biennial presentation of the King’s Colours to our CCF troop, accompanied by Principals James and Hugh Wilding. The current government has decided that the National Cadet Service is to have its funding cut by 50%, a decision that is deplored by all connected to the CCF. In an open letter, the group of Honorary Colonels and the presenter Lorraine Kelly, the National Honorary Colonel, said: “The Army Cadet Force has inspired and transformed the lives of countless young people. Providing essential life skills, a foundation for their adult life and enhanced career prospects.” It added: “For our cadets, the taxpayer and society as whole, we ignore opportunity cost at our peril and we implore both Government and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that funding for our cadet forces are restored and, as we move forward, are increased to match the commitments made. Not just because it is in the interest of the taxpayer, but for the enduring benefit of our cadet forces and the societal impact they deliver.” The letter continued: “Although sponsored by, and funded through the Ministry of Defence, and despite the clear role of defence in addressing the issue going forward, Government too must play a role in ensuring the positive impact of our cadet forces is not degraded or lost.”

Measuring things in school is often far harder than the lay observer might think. Why are so few young people leaving school and not wanting to enter the ‘hard, vocational professions’ such as engineering?Take for example ‘Checking whether an engineering student can weld successfully’; is really the best form of assessment to make sure they can write about it? Down at the primary level, whilst swimming is a clear priority of the national curriculum (NC), it seems the only state school requirement to meet Ofsted standards is that children spend six weeks on swimming and water safety. The NC Intentions are clear, it’s the implementation that is the problem –  that and of course, the requirement that English and Maths standards must meet international PISA league table improvements by age 11, a priority set by UK Gov. These standards don’t give any recognition of the need for children to gather all the appropriate soft skills in addition, to collaborate, to learn to listen, debate and show compassion for the views of others, all need to be acquired during childhood. 

When our application to create a new campus for our school was being considered during 2019, it included a support paper by Peter Swift, Head of Independent Education and School Safeguarding Division at the DfE, which made clear that it was unlikely the school would be able to meet the requirements imposed on schools by the Equality Act 2010 unless this migration onto one site was enabled. Refusals by planning in 2019 (RBWM) and 2020 (National) and then Regulatory failure by ISI in 2022 for failing to correct the imbalance in provision for boys and girls placed the Principals between a rock and a hard place, baulked by planning who prevented development and yet failed by regulators for not developing as required. Wrap that up in a pandemic taking place across the world at the same time, what on earth could we do? Just get on with it was our answer!

Where are we now, just under three years on? 

• Leadership in the school is united across the whole age range.
• We have a common curriculum suitably facilitated and an increase in breadth of offer, not diminution.
• We’ve ensured equality of access to all buildings & facilities fit for purpose either with us or just about to arrive. 
• D&T and Food Tech on both senior sites
• Agility, Conditioning, Fitness and Strength sessions are a priority provision
• Juniors united on one site with common programmes for Forest School and an amazing new astroturf at the final stages of completion to further enhance our PE lessons. And yes, everyone swims. 
• And as measured by destination output at 18, our young people are not just making the destinations they hoped for, but able to pursue their dreams as well.
• And if you read this in time to vote, our short movie contribution (Y10-12 category), “Love You to Death” is up for Young Film Academy School Oscars – vote here .

And whilst education provision is at the central heart of what we do, we’ve built out all the other vocational and recreational opportunities as well. All of our playing fields are approved for league sports, and our sports opportunities cover every child, yet permit us to be considered one of the best schools for sport in England, as demonstrated with our nomination as a finalist in the ISA Large Schools awards 2024. It’s not just about the certificate, it’s on the ground results too. The 1st XV have just won the rugby league they play in, the U15 and 14s both through to the Berkshire finals, whilst our U15 footballers through to the quarter-finals of the ISFA trophy, and our tennis squads competing amongst the Top 16 in the UK in 2024. Here’s where Yacht’s and Yachting call our sailing “the illustrious Claires Court School”, likewise where Junior Rowing News talk about our rowing boat club’s “wealth of experience, front-runners and flaunts an impressive record”

As listed outcomes for students are better than ever. With 87 Year 13 students applying for University and degree apprenticeships just now, we have those preparing for Oxford interviews alongside those looking for career opportunities in engineering with British Aerospace, including of course a Ukrainian refugee, one of 11 still supported at Claires Court. Her Sixth Form colleagues have reached in to provide support for the online Svitlo school, giving academic support and a lifeline for less fortunate peers in Ukraine, unable to attend school to pursue their studies because of the war with Russia there.

It’s truly a brutal world for all, with our refugees’ mothers now directed that their visas will end in 18 months and they and their children will need to go home. I guess that’s appropriate, so long as the war is over. I hope it’s not just an easy set of known refugees ready for deportation to improve the statistics, which so recently have shamed the Home Office. I welcome the call across the houses of parliament to reduce the noise and increase the debate to ensure ‘we do the right things right’. it is our underpinning values at Claries Court that provide the lodestone and the centre of gravity we need – to know the difference between ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’. Responsibility for our actions, Respect of others, Loyalty to our school and families and Integrity above all are embedded throughout Claires Court and will stay so. In conclusion, James Baldwin expresses how best we should work together in the following, and perhaps most famous quotation:

“For nothing is fixed, forever and forever, it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born, and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.”

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