The times they are a changing …..(apologies to Dylan)

A few weeks ago I tentatively donned my football gear to take part in a staff v students football upon which a younger member of staff remarked ‘You play like a 1960s footballer in black and white!’ I knew just what they meant, watch the old newsreels of football matches past and you will see what I mean, even England’s world cup final with West Germany demonstrates the vast difference between football then and now.

Today’s players are athletes of the highest caliber, their body shape reflects strength and power training not to mention they require speed, agility and strong endurance. Their diet is well planned with alcohol during the season a no go. The game is quicker and technology has provided a refined ball of the highest quality.

Modern game changes, have in the main, been led by our European neighbours. Italy have long been the tacticiansand introduced ‘catenaccio’  in the 1960s, the 80s saw the ‘total football’ of the Dutch and today the Spanish short passing game has placed them above Brazil in the world rankings. At the same time France have developed their football development centre at Clairefontaine  whistthe German coaching system remains strict and well organized.

Here in the UK we have been slow to respond. The FA Coaching regime as attempted, on many occasions, to change the coaching and approaches to the game in this country from grass roots through to professional level. The FA School of Excellence at Lilleshall as been followed by the National Football Centre at Burton but as yet we do not know the impact this may be having. Football clubs in the football league are still coming to grips with sports science, diet, training methods, rehabilitation and technical skills which other European countries have long been practicing. It was only the start of the Premier League in this country and the vast amount of money it generated that opened the way forward for English clubs with the influx of foreign players and eventually foreign managers. This in itselfhas brought added problems and knock on effects. Where are the English players coming through?  What does this mean for the national side ? And what about the opportunities for English coaches to develop and manage at the highest level?  

More recently there has been a slight positive move by some clubs to appoint British coaches ( the Premier League has over half of its managers from other countries). The pressures on the ‘modern game’ clubs are enormous and failure results in a massive loss in revenue. As a result the top clubs are losing the community aspect of their role and serve international investors and multimillionaires. In turn this leads to short lived managers:we are seeing the last of a breed of managers who are given time to develop the club from its community grassroots to the first team.  

Instant success has become essential with 3 to 5 year contracts being the norm. The game as truly changed. It was recently announced that the amount of funding for football at the grass roots had been reduced due to lack of development and participation, a far cry from streets full of children playing football, using dustbins as goalposts and playing until the sun went down.

This raises many questions about the impact of other sports on our youth or the way technology has influenced our life, placing going out for a game of football way down on our children’s list of things to do. I am soon to embark on some work with the Youth Sports Trust looking at how sport can influence a young persons achievement, I wonder how football will feature or has it lost the influence it once had on motivating young people? Things have a habit of going full circle and if Liverpool win the league who knows some of those amazing football feel good factors I experienced in the 70s and 80s may return. It is an era where the game has changed but also one where it is imperative to retain some of our grass root values of the past in order to be successful.

What I know about …the importance of reading books!

These days we hear a lot about our young people being constantly slumped in front of TV screens and PlayStations, and that this departure from literature is a downward trend. But personally, I don’t believe that young people have abandoned reading as much as people think.

From an early age my own children loved books, and as parents we encouraged them to develop their love of reading by taking them to the library and buying them books. Now, as a Principal of an academy, which includes an Early Years Centre, my drive to encourage young people to read is even greater. So what is it that makes reading books so important? These are just some of the reasons why we should encourage children of all ages to read:

·      Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body

·      Self-improvement! Books can change your thinking, help you overcome the past, change situations and make better decisions

·      The ability to read and understand can open any door you choose to go through

·      Reading is fun! Early reading for toddlers helps them view books as an indulgence, not a chore. Kids who are exposed to reading are much more likely to choose books over video games, television, and other forms of entertainment as they grow older

·      Reading boosts imagination and creativity. Books are beyond imagination; it’s like a huge spider web where elements link to more and more ideas

The Department of Education clearly has renewed its focus on reading. Through learning to read fluently and confidently, pupils ‘have a chance to develop culturally, emotionally, spiritually and socially.’ The draft of the new English Programme of Study puts a strong emphasis on reading, stating that ‘Pupils should be taught to … understand extended prose, both fiction and non-fiction, and be encouraged to read for pleasure. Schools should do everything to promote wider reading.  They should provide library facilities and set ambitious expectations for reading at home.’

Ofsted also has a focus on reading in schools. Its inspectors would want to be assured that leaders and managers have clear, simple, consistent procedures and recording systems to track pupils’ progress in reading.  For example, in a primary school, they will ask the question: ‘Do leaders and managers know who the weakest readers in each year group are, and what is being done to support them?’ Inspectors will also want to know how well pupils are using their reading skills in other subjects.

‘Every child a reader’ is the target and all of us should encourage people of all ages to relax and spend time reading a good book.  Remember a book is a great gift you can give to anyone, and once the imagination is sparked, you will be giving them a gift for life.

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 !