Messages from our Head Teacher
Thank-you to all in the Perins community for a very positive first half term. The students in particular have embraced the new behaviour approaches, the mobile phone ban and the changes to uniform. I have been present in many
lessons this half term and I am proud of how well our students are engaging, how they are embracing the different styles of teaching and how they are supporting each other in their learning. It really is a pleasure to witness such positive experiences in classes.
With regards to our lessons, our focus this year is to ensure that a ‘love of learning’ is embedded across the school. With this, there is an expectation of students and staff engaging in a wider range of teaching styles and opportunities and this, alongside our new curriculum in years 7&8, and the three year approach in years 9-11, is ensuring that topics can be explored in greater depth than the national curriculum has traditionally allowed.
Thank-you also for your valuable feedback via the parent surveys at the end of the last academic year. Most of the feedback was very positive and we are delighted about that. However, it is often too easy for schools to look at the overall positive percentage and ignore the individual comments. We are committed to ensuring that all students and families get the very best experience at Perins and, while the many positive comments indicate that most of what we do is providing a valuable experience, we are also taking action on your comments on a few key areas as to what we ‘could do better’, as follows:
1. Communication, Reporting
and Academic Feedback
:
This was the area which received the most feedback. Particular areas mentioned were: a perceived lack of consistent and adequate communication regarding academic feedback. It was also suggested that more than a five minute appointment at an annual parents evening might be helpful.
What we are doing:
Mr Locke (Assistant Head) is leading on this area of the school’s development. We are pleased that our internal monitoring is now very accurate (for example, last summer's GCSE final results showed only 0.1% difference compared to staff predictions). In addition, I have requested a level of consistency for any reports sent home as constant changes do not help in demonstrating year-on-year progress. You may be aware that we previously set up an evening for parents to present views regarding this, as well as a parent’s forum. However, given that reporting home is critical in the progress of every individual student, I feel that we need a wider system of feedback and consultation. As such, in the next half term, Mr Locke will be preparing a more specific parents survey that will explore issues and suggestions in greater depth. This will feature in a future parent bulletin.
2. Homework:
Feedback mentioned: the lack of homework, how it is measured and the amount of feedback given to students.
What we are doing:
Mr Papanicolaou (Assistant Head), who oversees teaching and learning, is already working on a departmental ‘independent-study’ template in order to improve the layout of the homework booklets and make them more consistent, as well as providing even better opportunities for students to work independently at home to assist their in-school studies. This should be ready in time for the spring term, after Christmas. In due course, he would like to invite to any parents into the school who would be interested in looking at ways to further improve in this area. More information about this will be shared through the parent bulletin shortly after the half term.
3. Behaviour:
Feedback in the general comments section suggests that behaviour systems need greater clarity and a more consistent approach in terms of challenge and consequences
.
What we are doing:
As reported previously, during the first half of the summer term, we held a whole staff development day focussing on behaviour systems around the school. From this, we addressed the ideas of consistent approaches, expectations, behaviour for learning, feedback to parents and support for young people finding it difficult to engage in learning. From this we have further developed our strategies for behaviour including:
Three tier seating plans
(1. boy/girl, 2. learning challenge groups and 3. teacher choice activity dependent) – The school expectation is that students now sit in every lesson in one of these three formal ‘seating plans’ developed for optimal learning
- The first is our default position as a school that is based predominantly around boy/girl seating.
- The second is to develop students through ‘challenge pairings’ (where for example in a class of 20, if we were to rank order students based on current attainment on a topic, 1 would be paired with 11, 2 with 12 etc.) This has been proven to not only support those finding some topics difficult through peer assistance but also to consolidate the learning of the higher attaining students. The general theory is that students learn:
90% of what they learn when they teach someone else/use immediately
75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned
50% of what they learn when engaged in a group discussion
30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration
20% of what they learn from audio-visual
10% of what they learn when they've learned from reading
5% of what they learn when they've learned from lecture
This links directly with my earlier comments around a ‘love of learning’ and encouraging activities towards the higher end of this structure.
- The third option is ‘teacher choice’, dependent on the activity planned.
I am sure that you will appreciate that, in ensuring good behaviour in lessons, the key is to ensure that the learning is suitable for the individuals. These seating plans provide a further tool for development.
Consequences and ‘On call’ system
– teenagers are under a lot of pressure on a daily basis. Although we are aware of an increase amongst a small number of our students of more complex mental health issues and social concerns, this does not detract from the fact that, as a school, our prime role is to educate. Our behaviour consequence system allows for the vast
majority of students to continue learning free from disruption. The ‘in class’ consequences form three tiers (and are triggered through any minor disruption to learning):
- C1 - verbal warning/name on board
- C2 – conversation with member of staff outside of the room/time out where necessary (at this stage it also triggers a conversation with myself or a member of the SLT team during our walkthroughs)
- C3 – Detention
Any student with more than three minor disruptions to learning or who present a major disruption through inappropriate behaviour are automatically removed from the lesson by our ‘on-call’ system which to increase consistency is now led by Mr Calver. This allows him to identify personality issues, patterns of behaviour and, in his role as Student Services manager, provide valuable feedback to parents when emerging patterns are observed.
Reflection room
– Good behaviour is the norm at Perins. As such we are clear that any inappropriate behaviour across the school means that students will be removed from the Perins community for a period of time. In a few cases, this will have to be through exclusion, though more often we use our ‘reflection room’. This is proving to be a valuable resource in providing effective action for students and staff, as well as allowing some time for discussion and modification of behaviour supported by our trained counsellors and pastoral team.
‘Meet, seat and greet’
focus across the school – We have reintroduced the basic expectations in lessons including a formal start and end of lessons to set the tone for the lesson about to begin and the next lesson. Students have engaged with this very positively and to great effect.
Good behaviour across the school is the expectation and the norm and, as such, any rewards are focussed on the quality of students work rather than any improvements in behaviour. However, we are keen to ensure that we are working closely with families to ensure that not only are we in close partnership to improve an individual student’s behaviour but that any concerns in lessons are addressed.
If you have a particular issue, I would ask you to email our student services team, your form tutor, Head of house/Deputy Head of house or Mr Western (Deputy Head), as appropriate, so that we can all work together to help ensure that behaviour is up to our standards and expectations, allowing all our students to learn in optimal conditions.
4. Uniform:
There has been less feedback in this area than previously with parents agreeing that a change was required but with some concerns being raised about the new regulation skirt
.
What we are doing:
The debates around whether uniform is necessary or not have been a key feature for many years at all schools, and long before I entered the teaching profession. I have worked in a range of schools with regards to uniform, ranging from a more formal uniform such as ours to a less formal approach. Regardless of the differences, a few things have always been evident:
- No matter what the policy, some teenagers will always try and find loopholes and alternatives. They are at that stage where they are establishing their identity and individualism and, as such, no matter how informal the dress code, there will always be an attempt to ’test the boundaries’
- The vast majority of schools have maintained a uniform and as such vox populi suggests that it is the right approach
- Where a more formal uniform is in place as at Perins, it is essential for the whole school ethos that this is adhered to. This may seem petty in the eyes of some, but it is essential in establishing an ethos and culture conducive to learning.
Whilst we are aware that we are neither the parents purchasing the uniform nor fashion experts, we appreciate your feedback and Miss Craig (Assistant Head) is currently leading on uniform and is putting together a survey on all aspects of uniform including some suggestions in relation to a summer uniform.
As I mentioned earlier, we had lots of very positive feedback relating to teaching and learning and the school in general and I would like to share some particular comments with you:
‘Thank you for all that you do. Perins is by far one of the best choices I have made for my children’
‘The pastoral care is amazing. The ladies in the office are brilliant. Any problems I have had are dealt with effectively and fairly. Top school that I recommend to everyone with children!!’
‘My son loves school! He enjoys all aspects of school whether academic or sports. I am sure this is very much down to the good relationship between staff and pupils.’
‘Have been really pleased with Perins and everything they offer my child with their learning & development. My child is thriving at Perins! Thank you to all staff for all of your hard work. You have provided a great start and platform in preparing all my three children for life (2 others also attended Perins). We are very grateful for the wonderful, creative experiences they have had, which have given them confidence to believe in themselves and go on to have great ambitions for their future.’
‘Perins is an excellent school and both our children have achieved highly due to the hard work and dedication of most of your teaching staff.’
‘Both our children are very happy at your school. I always recommend the school to other parents and on the whole feel very happy that my children attend Perins’
Finally, as we approach our half term, may I remind you that, towards Christmas, I will be asking for feedback on this extended break for future years. As part of this survey, I will also gather evidence on impact from this year’s trial, as well as gathering views from staff and students.
I look forward to seeing many of you during the next half term and beyond and have ensured that my daytime meetings are kept to a minimum so that I am available to meet with staff, students and families as often as possible.
Thank-you for your on-going support and have a good break over half-term.
Steve Jones
