Month: January 2024

Social Media

/ chrishildrew / 1 Comment

In this week’s assemblies, Heads of House have been talking to students about social media. We can’t avoid these apps and services – they are part of our lives and the society we live in. What we need to do is ensure we use them carefully, kindly, and appropriately. And that means we need to think about them.

Social media apps make money through advertising. Advertisers want audiences looking at their apps. So that means, for a social media service to be successful, it has to be good at grabbing our attention, and then keeping us focused on it for as long as possible. The whole business model of these apps is designed to get us hooked, and keep us hooked.

Excessive use of social media creates increased loneliness, fear of missing out (FOMO), and decreased life satisfaction. There are also strong links between excessive social media use and body image dissatisfaction, low mood, lowered self-esteem, and disrupted sleep patterns. No wonder there are age limits on these apps:

  • WhatsApp: 16
  • Facebook: 13
  • X (formerly Twitter): 13
  • Snapchat: 13
  • Instagram: 13
  • TikTok: 13

Another big risk around social media is the risk of cyberbullying. Unkindness is rife online. People hide behind keyboards and screens and say things they would never say to someone’s face – but the impact is just as severe. Only this week, an inquest has heard evidence of how online bullying was a factor in the death of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in London in 2021. UEFA have launched a campaign called Outraged to raise awareness of the impact of online abuse on footballers.

Because there are also positives in social media. It can facilitate social connections and peer support, offering the opportunity to talk about things that you may feel you can’t face to face . It can provide a space for rewarding social interactions. There is a wealth of educational and informative content which can help us learn, develop new skills, and broaden our world view. And we can find humour and feel good stories across social media which can reduce stress as well as entertaining us.

So, it’s not all bad. But if we choose to use social media, it is our responsibility to use it kindly and constructively, for our own good and for the good of those around us who are also on those platforms – and in moderation.

Making choices

/ chrishildrew / 1 Comment

The role of the Headteacher is all about decisions. People come to me to make decisions about difficult, challenging or complex situations all the time – and ultimately, it is my responsibility to make the right choices. So, how can we make sure we are making the best decisions?

Whenever I am faced with a decision or a choice, I ask myself four questions:

  1. Do I have enough information to make the right choice? Being in possession of all the facts is really important. Sometimes we need to wait to get all the information we can before we can make a choice.
  2. What are the possible consequences of this choice? Weighing up what might happen if I choose option a, or what might happen if I choose option b, is a really useful process to go through. I will often write lists of pros and cons to each choice. The process of writing it down is really helpful to clarify my thinking. Considering what might happen next is essential to making a good decision.
  3. What are the other options? When presented with an either/or decision, it’s often worth thinking about whether there is a third way. I often try out a “devil’s advocate” approach: what would a really bad option be like? Then, when you return to your original choices, they don’t seem so bad after all!
  4. What do other people think? This is the most important step when faced with a difficult decision. Running the options by people I trust – people with experience and expertise – will always lead to a better decision. I don’t have to agree with their opinions – but hearing them always helps!

When I have asked myself those four questions, I then remember to take my time. I have learned that a good decision and a quick decision are often not the same thing. Usually, the best thing to do is wait. A Headteacher I used to work for told me that, when faced with a difficult decision, he would say “I’m going to sleep on it. I’ll make my decision tomorrow.” I have used this technique ever since; things always seem clearer after a good night’s sleep.

Our students are faced with choices all the time, and this time of year there are some big decisions to make. We have had our Year 9 options evening, where our students have started their decision-making process as they consider their curriculum pathways for years 10 and 11. I have also started interviewing applicants for our sixth form – one of my favourite things to do! – about their subject choices for A-level, and the next steps that they want to take into careers or further study.

We try to support them – as we do our staff – to make the best decisions possible. And, where we (or they) make mistakes, we are constantly working with students to reflect on decisions they have made – so they (and we) can learn from it. Because making good decisions is at the heart of success – and we all need to take time and care to make the best decisions possible.

Happy New Year 2024

/ chrishildrew / 1 Comment

It has been great to welcome staff and students back for the new year this January. I have held assemblies in this first full week back, to remind students about our expectations, to provide a few updates, and to encourage students to reflect on the idea of self improvement.

I reminded students about our classroom and social time top 5 expectations, and our system for punctuality. It has been really encouraging to see so many students starting the new year so positively, with lots of Headteacher’s and Governors’ Commendations to hand out at the start of each assembly.

The Sports Centre

I also updated students on the work going on in the Sports Centre. Following a complete replacement of the roof, contractors are now hard at work inside the building. They are converting the old swimming pool into a multi-use hall, and are redecorating and refurbishing the internal spaces .Over the coming weeks, doors and windows will be replaced, to ensure that the building is ready for our use when it is handed over to us. We are very grateful to the Lighthouse Schools Partnership for their support in overseeing this work, which will greatly improve our facilities and enable PE and Performing Arts to continue to thrive – even during exam season!

Resolutions

I also talked about the idea of new year’s resolutions, offering four options for students to consider as they think about improving themselves over the course of 2024.

We know that regular reading not only improved literacy and cognitive skills, but helps us understand more about the world we live in, and the people who we share it with. I encouraged students to make the most of the regular reading time we provide to choose a book that interests and challenges them, and to push themselves to read more books. This is one I am constantly striving for myself!

I then spoke about the importance of a healthy relationship with technology. We know that reductions in screen time improve mental and physical health, reducing stress and anxiety and leading to better sleep patterns. I urged students to consider steps such as turning off notifications, setting time limits and down time, and ensuring that phones are charged outside of the bedroom so they don’t interfere with sleep. We ensure that students have time away from their devices during the school day – in line with government guidance – but outside of school, it’s up to them. Mobile devices are part of our lives, and will be part of our futures, so developing a healthy relationship with technology is essential for our students to be successful adults.

Thirdly, I asked students to consider monitoring their physical activity, in line with guidance from the World Health Organization. Replacing inactive “sedentary” time with physical activity has many health benefits – any activity is better than none, and more activity is better! So making sure that every move counts would be a great resolution for 2024.

Finally, I asked students to ensure that they made the most of the opportunities on offer to them in 2024. I don’t want any students to look back in twelve months’ time and think “if only…” We want our students to participate fully in their lessons and beyond, to get involved and take part, and to take control of their own self-improvement.

I concluded the assembly with the launch of the 2024 inter-house poetry competition – a great opportunity to get involved and join in straight away! All students have the opportunity to submit a poem in this year’s competition, in any form, under the theme of either “growth” or “solitude.” All entries to be handed in to the English Department by 9th February!

It’s been a great start to the year so far – I look forward to continuing to improve every day as we move through 2024.