What I know ……about opening a new school, one year on.

The opening of the new Ormiston Bushfield Academy in September 2012 was the end of an amazing journey, which we undertook to improve the educational, cultural and learning opportunities for the people living in the Orton’s. The continuous improvement of the old Bushfield Community College helped provide the impetus to pursue new accommodation which would further provide opportunities for young people to aspire and achieve in as many ways as possible. The new building provided us with state of the art facilities, which include ICT suites, a media/TV studio. So what as been the impact of the building on students, staff and the community?

·      Staff and student morale improved as soon as we walked into the building. People say its not the building that matters it is the people in it, nonetheless a truly inspiring building can raise peoples aspirations and motivate them to be the best.

·      The investment in a new well designed environment where educationalists had a major input meant we ended up with spaces fit for purpose.

·       The flexible learning spaces means that many areas of the building can be adapted for different events and activities.

·       There is a greater community feeling as all departments can be readily accessed and new resources shared. There are joint department meetings and curriculum projects enabling staff to work collaboratively.

·      Students behaviour as improved they are proud of the academy and show respect for the building.

·      Students have responded to the design and investment in their future and appreciate the new resources they are able to access.

·      The Investment in the community facilities in the building means the community users can more readily access the facilities after school hours, incorporating the library and sports centre in the colonnade means when visitors approach it does not 'look' like a school but a place where people want to be.

·      Parents are more confident in coming into the building and this makes for a better partnership with teachers.

·      The facilities are being used more and more by the community and we now have a range of activities taking place throughout the week including, parenting programs, baby clinic, Rhapsody Choir Group, Yoga in the theatre and a number of business and company bookings.

·      As a result of their investment in the new build we now have an excellent partnership with BGL the international insurance group based in Orton Southgate. As a result our 6^th form students have had opportunities for work experience and already three students have gained employment with the company.

The investment is clear to see and it is now up to myself and my staff to ensure we maximize the fantastic resources we have and create opportunities for our students and people in the community to access the some of the best facilities in the country. Opportunity , Belief and Aspiration is our mission.

What I know about …examinations…

We are now into the traditional exam season in our secondary schools, as students across the country sit their GCSE and A-level exams over the next few weeks.

We all remember our own experiences of enduring these all-important final tests that can have such a significant impact on our futures. The subjects we took are often forgotten but it’s the final grades that are crucial in opening doors to bright futures and creating opportunities for our young people.

From the old 'O' levels and CSE exams I have seen numerous changes in our exam system. GCSEs, BTECs and now iGCSEs form the main basis of assessment at 16, with AS levels and the final A2 GCE exams being the format for our sixth form students. Many schools now enable students to take modular exams over two years with opportunities to re-sit and improve marks and grades. In addition, schools are allowing, indeed encouraging, more students to take their exams earlier, reflecting the readiness of some students to gain exam success as soon as possible. ‘Stage not age' recognizes that we all develop differently and some students will be ready to be assessed before Year 11. Inevitably, this opens up for debate questions about the advantages of entering students early for exams and the implications for the rest of their time in school. And there has always been wide debate about girls out-performing boys, advantages of coursework over final assessment, and even whether the month that a child is born has an impact on academic development and performance.

We are now approaching a new era in assessment following the debacle over last year’s English GCSE results, which affected so many students. Changes are due to take place in two years’ time with a move towards one final exam, as well as potential changes to A-level assessment.

Despite these changes, the one constant message is that preparation is key to success. Most schools now provide opportunities like:

•    Extra revision classes in the evenings and school holidays

•    Lessons in exam technique and understanding key words

•    Model answers to questions 

•    A range of revision skills and help on how to prepare

•    Morning of the exam breakfasts and final tips

Let’s hope this year’s crop of students gain the success they deserve and can celebrate in August. In the meantime, it's heads down with revision and final preparations, before the prom parties that provide such a great opportunity for our students to relax, dress up in their ball gowns or tuxedos, and dance the night away.

What I know about ……young people !

I began my teaching career at what was Orton Longueville School on Oundle Road teaching PE. I have been fortunate to have some amazing experiences teaching alongside experienced teachers but also young energetic enthusiastic young ones. I have worked in a number of schools in a number of roles until 2001 when I had the opportunity to move back to Bushfield Community College as Principal. The last 12 years has seen the College develop into Academy status and move into its wonderful inspiring £20 million building complete with modern technology and facilities. Next year I will complete 40 years of teaching and I often hear the claim that ‘teaching isn’t what it used to be and children have changed.’ Really ? well teaching may have changed but my view, having taught over 10.000 students, is that children have not changed one bit. There is no doubt that in the last twenty years schools have become more accountable to parents, more competitive as a result of league tables whilst demands on teachers has become greater through more government legislation and the focus on education. All of which as increased pressure on schools.  Despite all of these changes and pressures children remain in the most part resilient and what I do know is:

·      Children physically if not emotionally are maturing earlier and this has made schools rethink the curriculum and how children learn.

·      Young people like to know where they stand, they like to be organized and told what is expected of them.

·      They want to respect their teachers but want that respect to be earned.

·      Young people more often than not want to be successful in all areas of school life whether it is academic studies, playing sport or taking part in performing arts.

·      The young people of today have a lot more to cope with and adults often instigate the pressures they face.

·      Technology is a good thing but whilst young people are sometimes more proficient than adults in using it there is a downside in that it as made them more vulnerable.

·      Growing up today is the same it as always been in that there will always be somebody who remarks ‘ It wasn’t like that in my day’ or ‘they don’t know how lucky they are.’ We have heard it a thousand times and we are all guilty of saying it.

So all in all children remain the same, however the schools they attend and the teachers in front of them have certainly changed over the years ……more of that later !

Everest ...The journey to the top of the world.

Mount Everest  -Part 1:

The climbing season opens on Everest in the 60^th anniversary year of the conquering of the world’s biggest mountain and together with the recent aircraft crashes leading to fatalities at Lukla it reminded me of my trip to Everest in 2008.  Like the vast majority of trekkers I landed at Lukla’s Tenzing-Hillary airport. The dirt strip, although tarmacked in 1999, is still a challenge to land on and we had an early morning call to get to the airport in Kathmandu in order to avoid the impending mist and cloud. The landing strip is only 1500ft long and 60ft wide and the runway ends in a blank mountain wall with an uphill gradient of 12%.  Only short take off and landing aircraft are able to land, overshot and you crash into the hillside, undershoot and you plough into the hillside below. There are no navigational aids and the bottom of the runway is lower than the top resulting in some pilots suffering spatial disorientation. As you can imagine every successful landing gets applause!

Whilst we all knew the dangers we had every confidence in the pilot and although there was only fifteen people on board we had a glamouress airhostess who handed out mints to calm our nerves for take off. The flight was truly spectacular over the Himalayan mountains. The valleys far below the ice line green and lush with intricate paths and animal tracks zig zagging from nowhere.

The danger was not significant to us at the time and it was only later that we heard of the difficulties the pilot faced and the possible consequences. The real surprise was how small the runway actually is and the hut that serves as arrivals and departures. The security was immense and put Stansted to shame! Sniffer dogs and armed police watched us descend the plane and then a rigorous check on our baggage took place.

The amount of people around the airport was a daily feature as the planes brought in not only trekkers but also much needed produce and supplies. In the climbing season the number of planes and people treble and the airport is a honeypot of movement.

Landing at Lukla is another world. The crowds of males waiting in hope to get a portaging job peer through the fencing and are held back from harassing arrivals by police. Getting a job as a porter is a lucrative opportunity and the Sherpa’s are well known for their immense ability to carry huge loads for long distances. Our porters were young but experienced men from the local village who were recruited by the trekking company. Some of them had ambitions to climb to the summit of Everest all of them had young families and relied upon the work to survive. The village of Lukla was all but a single street with alley ways spreading out into the hills.

This village really is the gateway to the Himalayas ….the main street welcoming travellers with food and drink and lots of hotels to sleep and prepare. You can buy a range of products and climbing gear in addition to what you could buy in your average corner shop back in the UK.

We spent little time in the village as we had a long day ahead walking to our next overnight stop in our five day trek to base camp. Passing through remote hamlets, walking across swing bridges suspended above deep valleys, watching the landscape change and all the while trying to adjust to the change in altitude. 

The start of an amazing adventure to the top of the world.

Coming soon ….Everest Part 2 …the journey to Base camp