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Neurodiversity

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This week students have been learning about neurodiversity through their assemblies with Miss O’Malley. These assemblies have encouraged us to explore the variations and differences in our brains that help to make up our rich community.

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Neurodiversity is a term adopted by sociologist Judy Singer in the late 1990s. She was frustrated that differences in the make-up of our brains were too often being seen as problems or challenges to be overcome, rather than part of the natural variations in our human makeup. She proposed that neurological differences – differences in our brains – should be recognised and respected as much as any other human variation.

It’s a well-accepted fact that everyone’s brain is different. We are all unique. We recognise that our individual brain is “wired up” differently to anybody else’s. My brain, for example is wired up so that I am left handed. As a small child, I reached for objects with my left hand, and instinctively kicked a ball with my left foot. Despite the fact that everyone else in my family was right handed, it’s just the way my brain was made!

There are many other differences in the ways our brains work. Some people are naturally more organised than others; some have better hand-eye coordination; some see colours differently; others have superb memories for names and faces. What Judy Singer recognised was that some differences in the ways our brains work were characterised with negative stereotypes. Labels such as dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, autistic spectrum disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome and others were seen as problems to be “fixed” or “cured;” Singer argued instead that they were differences that should be respected and recognised.

Neurodivergent individuals may have many strengths that those without the differences lack: perseverance, creativity, problem solving, oral communication, resourcefulness, visualisation, and practical skills being just some examples. This may be why there are so many highly successful individuals who have neurodivergent qualities:

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This week students have been learning about neurodiversity and how we all need to value our differences, and not to see people who differ from us as “other.” How boring would life be if we were all identical? What can we learn from each other? And how can we celebrate our strengths?

Above all, whilst we are all born with different strengths and weaknesses, what we also know is that our abilities and intelligence are not fixed. Through hard work, careful practice and determination, we can improve on all aspects of our natural ability – and that this process continues throughout our life, not just at school.

Moments Matter: Attendance Counts

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We all know that attendance at school is really important. If attendance is low, students miss out on vital lessons. It attendance is patchy, so is learning. The impact is summarised in this table:

Whilst attendance at Churchill is above the national average, that national average is lower than it was before the pandemic. This means that, across the country – including at Churchill – too many children are missing out on their education.

The link between attendance and attainment is clear: 36% of children who were persistently absent in KS4 got 9 to 4 in their English and maths GCSEs, compared with 84% of those who attended regularly. But attendance is important for more than just attainment: regular school attendance can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.

The good news is, it’s never too late to benefit from good attendance. More than half (54%) of pupils in England who were persistently in Year 10 and then rarely absent in Year 11, passed at least 5 GCSEs, compared to 36% of pupils who were persistently absent in both years.

We know attendance really matters – and that’s why it’s so important that every single student attends school every day that it is possible for them to do so. And there is a wealth of guidance out there to help and support families with school attendance:

Above all, we really miss our students when they are absent. We love having them in school – we want to see them every day!

Making choices

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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

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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.

2023: the year in review

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2023 has been an eventful year! It has brought challenges and changes: we have joined a multi-academy trust, weathered industrial action and inspection, seen a new monarch crowned, one school year end and another begin, and changes to the way we manage behaviour; but the success of our students, and our values of kindness, curiosity and determination have stayed consistent throughout.

At the start of 2023, the Headteacher’s Blog covered the importance of making informed choices, the power of music to change lives, and the importance of language and why our words matter. In the spring came the challenge of industrial action and inspection, and the first of our major changes as we became part of the Lighthouse Schools Partnership multi-academy trust.

This transition into the trust has been an exciting part of our development, and the partnership working between schools is already benefitting the education of our students. This collaboration has been woven into our new three-year strategic plan, which has been guiding our work since September as we move our Academy forward. The trust has also supported the acquisition of the Churchill Sports Centre building which will be a great resource for our students and the community from 2024 onwards.

Also in the spring, we had the fantastic “to Lancaster and back” indoor rowing challenge, as well as the incredible performance in the Dance Live national finals. Before too long, we were bidding farewell to the class of 2023 and welcoming our new incoming year 7 students.

Summer arrived, and with it Activities Week 2023 – back and better than ever after the pandemic! – Sports Day and the award of the House Cup to Lancaster, before a much-needed summer break.

Almost before we knew it, we were back at school with some new systems and approaches, a new set of House Captains, and our open evening for main school and for the Sixth Form. It has been heartening and encouraging to see the positive improvements in student behaviour, and the powerful impact this is having on learning and progress in the classroom.

I have also used the Headteacher’s Blog this year to capture some of the assemblies I have given or seen. Assemblies have included how our words matter, marginal gains, our values and the British values, as well as a vital message for anti-bullying week. With everything else that has been going on, there hasn’t been room on the blog for the assemblies on safeguarding, mental health, remembrance and all the countless celebrations that have taken place!

And so, we we reach the end of 2023, we can look back on a year that has been testing and difficult at some times, rewarding and exciting at others – but the constant throughout has been the positivity and the kindness, curiosity and determination of our Academy community – staff, families, and, above all, our students.

Books I have read in 2023

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It’s that time of year again! I am an avid reader, and I like to do an end-of-year round up of the best books I have read each year. In no particular order, this year’s list includes:

Children of Icarus by Caighlan Smith

This was recommended to me by a Year 10 student and I absolutely loved it. Set in an imagined future world of strange high-rise cities, the society has a religion based on Greek myths including Icarus and the Minotaur in the labyrinth. Young people long for the privilege of being chosen for the privilege of entering the labyrinth for the chance to become Icarii…but all is not as it seems. The mysterious narrator of the novel is a fascinating character, who I was endlessly intrigued by. There are more books in this series that I am definitely going to check out!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

This has been on the shelves at home for a while, and I finally got around to reading it this summer after it was recommended to me. It did not disappoint! It’s one of those books that gives away the main event – a murder – at the very beginning, and then jumps back in time and shows you how that event came to pass. The sense of impending doom therefore seeps into every line, every exchange, as the moment gets closer and closer – and the aftermath is completely unknown. A dark, gripping, thrilling, read.

Femina by Janina Ramirez

I mostly read fiction, and when I read non-fiction it tends to be about education, so this book on medieval history was a departure for me. I found it fascinating as Janina Ramirez told the story of the role of women in the middle ages, pieced together from archaeology and medieval literature. Some of the stories were incredible – and gave me a whole new perspective on this period of history and how we see it.

The Seventh Son by Sebastian Faulks

I have read a lot of Sebastian Faulks’ books and always enjoyed them – Birdsong being my favourite! His latest is a really fascinating idea, weaving in surrogacy and genetic engineering with big tech billionaire who thinks his wealth enables him to push the boundaries of ethics beyond the breaking point in the name of “science.” Despite these big ideas, Faulks makes this a profoundly human story, which left me wondering: what does it mean to be a human being? A great read.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

Daphne du Maurier is a new discovery for me over the past couple of years – but I think she’s terrific! Jamaica in is one of her finest. The heroine, Mary Yellan, is a powerful figure – placed in terrifying situations by circumstance, she has the strength of character to stand up against villains and outlaws when all around her seems hopeless. But du Maurier’s evocation of the wild Cornish landscape is what stays with me the most.

Three Poems by Hannah Sullivan

I wanted to read more poetry this year, and this book has been on my list for a while. Hannah Sullivan won the TS Eliot Prize for this debut collection of autobiographical poems. Part narrative, part exploration of self, the poems explore big themes like mortality, motherhood, place, and the passage of time. The poetry itself fizzes with wonderful descriptions and some seemingly effortless rhymes. I loved it.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

This is a bit of a cheat, because I haven’t actually finished reading this one yet! I am only part way through – but it is absolutely brilliant. Set in an imagined version of our world where magic is real, six special individuals are invited to try out for membership of a secret society. Mystery and tensions run deep as the magic unfolds…I am totally hooked!

Have you read any of my picks for this year? Or have you got any recommendations for me? I’m always on the look out for my next read!

Improving behaviour

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We implemented a new behaviour policy in September 2023. The aim of that policy is to improve behaviour in lessons and around the Academy, so that our students can learn in classrooms free from disruption and feel safe and confident in their learning environment.

Our new approach required a significant adjustment from staff, students and families. It was a big change. But has it worked? Is it working?

We asked the Lighthouse Schools Partnership to commission an independent school improvement partner (SIP) to find out. The SIP worked with the Trust’s Director of Secondary Education to undertake a whole-school behaviour review on Wednesday 15th November. The review included visits to lessons in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 (Year 11 were doing mock exams), visits to tutor time, discussions with students and staff, observations of transitions between lessons and social times, and visits to the Refocus Room. It was a thorough and detailed review of all we are doing to improve behaviour.

We received the report last week, and the findings are overwhelmingly positive. Some findings include:

  • Behaviour in all lessons seen was improved on previous visits.
  • Teachers have communicated and used the new behaviour system and expectations well to establish positive learning climates.
  • Transitions are smoother between lessons and the increased presence and vigilance of staff is a factor in keeping students moving to their next lessons.
  • Strong practice was evident in the work of heads of house and some other staff in a ‘warm-strict’ approach.
  • Students’ behaviour at unstructured time has improved. The cafeteria was orderly, with students queuing sensibly with seemingly little need for any adult supervision.
  • Students were polite and respectful when speaking with unfamiliar adults, yet not afraid to give their views…the group of Year 11 boys spoken with at breaktime recognised that the new behaviour system was working well and that behaviour had improved across the school.
  • Visits to the tutor times in two houses found much improved student attitudes and a purposeful start to the day. Silent reading for pleasure for ten minutes is settling students ahead of lessons and all students had a book of choice. Strong relationships were evident at all levels.
  • The visits to the Refocus Room found a calm, purposeful environment and numbers entering the room have reduced.
  • All students in a broad range of informal discussions commented that they like the fact that there is a reset system to start each term afresh.

It is heartening to see the views that we have, working in the Academy every day, reflected back from visitors offering an independent, expert perspsective. Behaviour has significantly improved – and students are learning more as a result.

Of course, we are not done – there is always more to do. Our next priorities are on punctuality to school and to lessons, to ensure that students don’t miss out on valuable learning time, and on orderly entry to the classroom, focused on line-ups and the “strong start.”

We will also continue to work with students who are struggling with their behaviour to help them to improve. We have seen great strides with many of our young people, with some dramatic improvements in their conduct points scores over the course of the first two terms of this year, and a huge reduction in the frequency of their visits to Refocus.

I feel very proud of the improvements that we have seen. I want to thank my colleagues for their wholehearted commitment to our new approach, and their tireless efforts in implementing our new system – which is really paying off. I also want to thank the families in our Academy community for supporting our new policy, and for opening up constructive dialogue with us where they have had questions. These conversation have helped us to continue to improve.

But, above all, I want to thank our students. They have really grasped the message that disruptive behaviour affects everyone, and that our efforts to eliminate it are a shared endeavour. I have always been so impressed by our students who consistently behave well; but I also want to pay tribute to those students who have really pushed themselves to improve their behaviour, to avoid being sent to refocus – and, in doing to, to avoid disrupting the learning of others. This effort to make a positive difference is exactly what our Academy is set up for. I could not be more impressed by what I have seen.

Anti-Bullying Week 2023

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This week students at the Academy have been thinking about bullying and “banter.” We started by defining our terms. What is bullying?

The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological.
It can happen face to face or online.

Banter, on the other hand, is defined as “the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.” This makes it seem like banter is okay, but bullying is not. However, it can be very difficult to draw a line where the “exchange of teasing remarks” tips over into “intentional hurting.” It is also the case that what someone intends as “playful and friendly” may not always be received in the same manner. So – where is the line?

We asked students to explore different statements about bullying, and to discuss whether they agreed or disagreed with them:

  • If someone is my friend, we can banter about whatever we like – agree or disagree?
  • People should lighten up and know when to take a joke – agree or disagree?
  • Saying “it’s just banter” or ending a message with “LOL JKZ” makes it okay – agree or disagree?

We discussed how there is no such thing as simple banter. It’s a complicated thing, where there may be large gaps between the intention and the receipt of words and actions. This is illustrated below, in the intersections between the circles, where it is impossible to tell whether someone is being friendly, ignorant or malicious:

And so, because it is so complicated, we concluded that we should always err on the side of caution. If there is a risk that our words or actions might hurt or upset someone, we should not say or do those things. Banter is not okay – because once the damage is done, no amount of apology can undo it. A culture where banter is permitted is one where bullying can easily take root.

Banter allows bullying to exist in plain sight

We also gave students tips on what to do if they are concerned about banter or bullying:

If students are concerned they should speak to their tutor, Head of House, or a trusted adult in school – if bullying is reported, any member of staff at the Academy will take it seriously and pass it on to make sure it is thoroughly investigated. But prevention is better than a cure, and if we all think carefully about our words and actions before we say or do things, everyone’s lives will be better.

Churchill Sixth Form

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This week we have held our Sixth Form Open Evening, inviting Year 11 students and their families from Churchill and further afield to think about their post-16 destinations. I am really proud of our Sixth Form, which balances the importance of academic study with pastoral care and guidance, personal development and independence, and a rich wider curriculum to broaden and deepen students’ knowledge, skills, character and confidence. We really believe that Sixth Form is more than just the courses you study; it’s the whole experience of a Sixth Form that makes it special.

I have always taught in 11-18 schools which have a Sixth Form attached to them. There is something about the presence of the Year 12 and 13 students in the school community that creates a tangible sense of destination and aspiration for our younger students: the Sixth Formers are positive role models and student leaders. And, for the Sixth Formers themselves, there is that sense of the familiar but also the distinctly different that provides a natural extension of their 11-16 education in a school, but seen through a new lens.

There is also the added incentive for teachers of being able to teach up to A-level. The depth, breadth and challenge of the additional subject knowledge required to teach at advanced level brings additional subject expertise to the faculty. I have always found that this strengthens the teaching in the main school, as teachers know and teach the next steps beyond GCSE, enabling further stretch and challenge. And, for many staff, the opportunity to teach post-16 students alongside the main school curriculum is a great incentive to work at an 11-18 school.

In short, the Sixth Form is the jewel in the crown of our Academy’s offer. You can hear more from our students in the video above, and you can view our prospectus and find out more on the Academy website. We look forward to hearing from you!

The House System at Churchill

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The house system has always been integral to the identity of Churchill Academy & Sixth Form. When the school was founded in 1956, as Churchill County Secondary School, it was founded with four “houses” at the very core of the school, named after royal houses of England – Hanover, Stuart, Tudor and Windsor. You can see the original school logo, with the four houses on four corners of a shield, on this bookplate presented to the school’s very first Head Boy, Ivan Devereux, in 1957:

The idea of “houses” in a school goes back to boarding school traditions, when children at a school would literally live in different houses around the school grounds, going to the school building for their lessons and returning to their boarding house for meals, “prep” (or homework) and to sleep in their dormitories. My uncle was actually the housemaster at a boarding school in Yorkshire for many years, and lived in the boarding house permanently with his family. This meant that – in the school holidays – we had the run of the whole, empty place!

My own secondary school was not a boarding school – although it had been historically. This meant that my school also had houses, named after the original housemasters who first took charge of them. There were six houses, and I was in Calverts House – named after Mr Calvert, I presume. I still feel a really close affinity to my school house, and I am still proud to be a Calverts student all these many years later! I know the same is true at Churchill, because many families have a long tradition of grandparents, parents and children being in the same house. This feeling of belonging cannot be manufactured; it is grown and developed over years and years of careful nurturing.

In September 2020, we added Lancaster House to the four original houses at Churchill. Despite the fact that we made the announcement the week before schools went into lockdown, we still managed to implement the change when students returned to face-to-face education following the first round of pandemic closures. Lancaster is now fully established within the Academy, and even managed their first victory in the House Cup in summer 2023!

Pictured above: Lancaster winning the House Cup and Sports Day; Hanover winning the tug of war trophy; Tudor winning the Academics Cup; and Windsor winning the Head of House Challenge Cup and the Senior Trek shield. It must be Stuart House’s turn to win something this year!

Being part of a house is about more than just competitions and trophies (although those are great too!) It is about belonging to something bigger than yourself – your “team” within the larger school. We ensure that students’ behaviour, attendance, and contribution to the Academy all made a difference to their house, as well as to them individually; but it is also the house that is the first stop for pastoral care, student welfare, communication with home and behaviour, through the team of tutors and the fantastic Heads of House. And, even more importantly, the house councils are a vital engine of student leadership within the Academy, driving real change and making a positive difference to our community.

This year’s house captains

At the head of that student leadership effort is our team of house captains. This year’s crop of ten are an exceptional group of students, who are already making a big impact in their leadership of their houses. Heads of House have been running assemblies this week, and it has been great to see the house captains taking their role in that. Their photos are also now up in reception!

As I said at the start, the house system is at the core of Churchill Academy & Sixth Form. The current staff and students are just the stewards of something much bigger than themselves – something that stretches back to the school’s foundation, and which we will pass on – stronger than ever – to those who come after us.