army cadet corps… and remembrance

I was in town first thing yesterday morning… I was outside our city centre church (Saint Stephen’s), just a stone’s throw from the crowds gathering for the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph. An army officer rode past on a white horse… and it immediately took me back to my school days at Handsworth Grammar in Birmingham.

Each year, the school’s cadet corps had a large parade – they marched (complete with a full band of drummers and buglers) from the school to the sports ground off Wood Lane, two miles away… and they were always led by the Divinity master (and Army officer, of course!) who rode a huge white horse.
Our school was ‘big’ on the Army Cadet Corps… it had its own fully-equipped armoury on school premises (complete with rifles, bayonets and bullets!) and its own firing range (set up next to the woodwork block!). The firing range consisted of a high brick wall, with battered earth in front to house the targets. We used the firing range as one of our playground ‘goalmouths’, of course!
There was something of an expectation for all boys to sign up for the Cadet Corps and I think most did. But NOT our Form. I was in the ‘Remove Stream’ at school – we were in the ‘fast stream’ earmarked to take our ‘O’ Levels in 4 years instead of 5. When it came to the time for signing up (in 1962/63, when we were perhaps 14 years old?), absolutely NO ONE in our class volunteered to ‘join up’. The assigned ‘Cadet Corps Masters’ were incredulous… “never in the history of the school has this ever happened” (or words to that effect). I recall the ‘Top Dog’ Corps Master coming to lecture us… it was our DUTY… we were the school’s future Cadet Corps OFFICERS for goodness sake (implying that, as the ‘bright’ ones, we were required to pull the others ‘into shape’). It had absolutely no effect… none of us joined up. It’s something I look back on with a certain pride… you might think our actions were inappropriate, unwarranted or misguided but, like the climate change school pupils of today, I think we were making our own small statement… and, naïve as it might be, I’m very pleased that we did.
Why was this?
Well, I think we were making a collective statement. I don’t think it happened because we’d got together to discuss whether or not we should join the ‘Corps’. I think it was just a gut feeling that a number of us had and others joined as things developed.

Crucially, I think it was our instinctive reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis (16-28 October 1962).

People forget what an incredibly frightening time it was. To many of us, it felt as if we were on the brink of a nuclear war. I can still recall a recurring nightmare I used to have… watching a nuclear bomb falling from the sky from red aeroplane flying above our house. I can also recall pupils at school (me included) having conversations with masters and asking them what was the point of us learning stuff if we’re all going to die!
I have huge respect for those who have fought for their countries in wars, but I also despair for the innocent victims. I think it’s vitally important that we remember those millions who have died fighting these wars. Each year I wear my poppy… but, like you no doubt, I long for a world without conflict… and, instinctively, I’m in favour of nuclear disarmament. I think the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 coloured my thinking about conflict… and has continued to do so for the past 55 years or so.

friday at the “library”

This photograph was taken in the Warwick Arms pub, Clutton at 4.30pm this afternoon. It shows a group of (lovely) Bristol-based teachers who just couldn’t wait to celebrate the start of the weekend (it was, afterall, the end of the first full week of term!). E-mails will have previously been circulated at school arranging to meet at the “library” after school… which, obviously, was mere code for the “pub”! We’d set up this “start-to-the-weekend” facility about a year ago (an extension to the Bristol Self-Help Group!) and it has proved to be a popular “chill time” for getting frustrations off your chest and for comparing highlights of the week.
This happens every Friday and I’d decided to use my bus pass to join them in Clutton today – on the basis that “someone” would give me a lift home (which Andy did!).
It was great to see former colleagues again and good to know that the school was surviving without me….
Photo (left to right): Ben (legs only, sorry!), Emma, Laura, Amy, Iain, Tom, Newby1(?), Charlotte, Newby2, Andy (legs only, sorry!), Helen and Liz (legs only, sorry!).
Apologies for the poor picture (I didn’t have my glasses!).

“proper” retirement begins here….

It seemed very strange waking up today knowing that my school friends were all starting their new academic year. Today, perhaps for the first time, the reality of retirement finally registered. Feeling the need to mark the occasion, Moira+I went for a coffee at no.1 Harbourside Café (as I often have over recent weeks) and sat outside in beautiful, bright sunshine…. JUST because retirement means we CAN do such things!
Photo: no.1 Harbourside Café (taken on another occasion).
PS: Received a text message from lovely teacher friend Helen first thing this morning indicating the roadworks/traffic lights just down the road from school were STILL in operation…. work had started on 14 February (we know this because it was very close to the heart of many Bristol-based members of staff who had been monitoring its painful “progress”) and was due to take six weeks to complete. After two months, another (replacement) sign appeared saying that the work would be finished by August…. but the job is obviously still ongoing. With the project currently running 23 weeks behind the original completion date (remember, they reckoned it was only going to take them 6 weeks in TOTAL!), you just get the feeling that they might have underestimated the scope (and COST!) of the job. Genius.

shy and retired

I’m retired.

It’s a very strange feeling. I am no longer employed. This week at school has been “Activities Week” and, as a result, many staff and pupils have been out of school on various trips (school camp, Germany, France, Spain or just various day excursions). It’s meant that my final working week has been a somewhat surreal experience – LAST Friday definitely felt like the end of term. Despite managing to say my goodbyes to lots of very good friends (involving much hugging!), somewhat predictably, yesterday felt like an anticlimax…. and, because lots of colleagues on school camp had been delayed due to wet tents and general clearing up, not to mention all those en route back from exotic places, there were only a few of us at our end-of-term “pit stop” at the Warwick Arms, Clutton on our respective homeward journeys.
The day ended with another mini get-together drink at the Watershed - with my ex-boss(!) Bex and Ben (having returned from a school trip to Barcelona), Emma (back from school camp) and lift-share Andy (who hadn’t gone anywhere!).... good times!
Photo: Bex, Emma, Ben+Andy at the Watershed.

more from the last, mad, “proper” week of term….

The penultimate week of summer term always feels a little unreal. It is effectively the last week of school (next week is “Activities Week” – with lots of staff and students on various school trips to foreign lands, at school camp and music school etc).
Last week seemed even more frantic than usual (in addition to the stuff I mentioned in my previous blog post):
1. Sports Day: This had to be re-arranged due to bad weather the previous week. It’s always a very good event (especially since they started encouraging “proper” crowd participation). In my time at school, despite my competitive nature, our House has never come remotely close to challenging for the top slot (even though we do have some brilliant individual students).
2. Q-Factor (our version of X-Factor!): Due to a mess up by a couple of the other Houses, our House ended up having to fit its “Charities Week” activities into two lunchtimes of last week. Q-Factor has run for the past four years or so and, like X-Factor (even though I’ve never watched it!), encourages “talented” youngsters to perform before their ardent fans. The House staff are usually expected to perform too – but, thanks to Andy+Bex, we managed to get away with appearing in some very funny video clips instead.
3. End-of-Term-Drinks at The Boater, Bath: Always good fun and attended by the vast majority of staff on Friday night. There are always a number of staff leaving (or retiring!) and you can imagine that this gave the evening a surreal feeling for your truly.

As well as some lovely messages and cards from members of staff, I’ve also received some wonderful comments from pupils. These are just three of them (get your hankies ready!):
From a Year 10 student: “Thank you for all your help since Year 7; you have been a great role model and an awesome House Head” (I love the promotion!).
From a Year 10 student: “A huge thank you for all of your help and support throughout some difficult times of mine this year. I feel very glad to have come to you for help and I have found your advice invaluable and I believe your words will stay with me my whole life”.
From a Year 9 student: “This is just a quick message on behalf of my mum and me to say thanks for everything that you have done for us. When I had my operations you were amazing and you helped me out so much; I can't explain how much this is appreciated!
My mum is always commenting on how helpful you are and how quickly you reply to her emails and sort out any situation.
I'm really sad that you're leaving and you will be missed terribly for all the support and encouragement you've ever given. If it wasn't for you my difficulties from my operation would have been ten times harder and you always seem to understand everything which means a lot.
We both wish you the best of luck for the future and we hope you leave knowing how great you were. You will be missed a lot!”
Photo: Quantock athletes parading during the Open Ceremony at Sports Day!

a very tough day at the coal face

Yesterday was always going to be a tough day.
Although there’s another 7 days before the end of term (but, hey, who’s counting?), there are so many activities happening over the next few days that the Head Teacher decided that after school yesterday was the time wish formal fond farewells to departing staff (which includes me). I knew I would be expected to say a few words – but, thankfully, there were three senior members of staff (who had clocked up over 100 years of service at the school!) who would be taking centre stage.
These are just five lovely things that happened to me yesterday:
1. Just before lunchtime, a girl who had left school a year ago and had been the bane of my life (behaviour, school refusing, exclusions, attitude etc etc) knocked on the door of the House office. “Sir, I’ve come along to a meeting about my younger brother and have just been told you’re leaving… and I wanted to say goodbye and thank you for all you did… and, sir, I’ve got a job and I’m on hairdressing course and I’ve sorted myself out and I now realise how stupid I was not to have made more of myself when I was at school. But, sir, I DO realise that now!”.
2. Just after lunchtime assembly – Bex (my 27 year old brilliant boss) told me I had to accompany her to a “little” presentation. Fine, I thought, that’s very nice of them – perhaps a handful of House tutors and maybe a bottle or two of red wine handed over? But, instead of being taken into the House office, I was directed into one of the large classrooms in the Language Block – and I suddenly realised that there were about 50 members of staff sitting waiting for me (believe me, with our school’s split lunchtime, this is pretty amazing in itself!). I was made to read out a message contained in a large envelope: “We thought that after 6 years at Norton Hill, you deserved a proper break, so…. we are whisking you and a guest away to Spain for a golfing extravaganza at a time to suit you!”. It transpired that nearly 70 people had clubbed together to make this possible.
I was absolutely gobsmacked…. stunned…. speechless… humbled.
I uttered some incoherent words of gratitude and thanks, but it was one of those occasions when words weren’t really enough.
3. A small group of Year 10 girls (some on the verge of tears) knocked on the House office door and wanted to say goodbye (and have their photograph taken with me – what a thrill for them!) before departing off to school camp the following day.
4. This involved the after-school presentations: I managed to get away with only having to speak for a couple of minutes and, hopefully, was able to convey my genuine appreciation for their tolerance, encouragement and friendship.
5. Finally, I’d put up posters in the staff room at school (and issued invites to school colleagues via facebook) suggested a fun boules evening at Queens Square in Bristol. In the event, 30 people turned (amazing considering that only a dozen or so of teachers at school live in the Bristol area) and we played boules, ate picnics and drank the odd glass of something. It was absolutely lovely.
A truly remarkable, memorable day (or, as Lou Reed would sing: “Just a Perfect Day”).
Photo: I failed to take ANY photographs of the day but these are just two of my amazing bosses, Bex and Kate (I had four during the course of my six years!).

last leavers' day

Yesterday was a special day for Year 11s at our school. Definitely a day for dressing up and arriving at school in style. Of course, there were usual limos, vintage cars and the odd London bus, but the show-stopper was a massive white tank (complete with UN insignia) – hired by fourteen boys at the cost of £120 each! And to cap it all, the BBC’s “Points West” local news team had got to hear about it and decided to feature it in their programme yesterday evening. I was even invited to present the Awards at the Year 11’s own party (these include such highly-prized awards as: “Most Likely to End Up working at MacDonald’s”, “Most Likely to Be Rich”, “Most Spoilt” and “Best Assets”!).
Definitely one of the highlights of the school year.
Photograph: Me with four of my favourite people – Quantock House and Sports Captains (Demi, Dan, George and Eloise).

kielder challenge FINALISTS

Last month, I blogged about our team from Norton Hill+Fosse Way schools (four pupils with disabilities and four without) managing to win the Regional Heats of this brilliant event - by a considerable margin! Well, amazingly, we’ve just heard that the team has actually qualified for the NATIONAL FINAL in the Kielder Forest, Northumberland in September – in other words, they’ve reached the LAST SIX out of more than 200 entries from all over the country! That’s really great news and they thoroughly deserve their success. It’ll be an exciting time for them – flying from Bristol to Newcastle and then staying at the Kielder Forest Adventure Centre. I was lucky enough to accompany a team from our joint schools to the Plate Final in 2006 (just a month before I started blogging – so I can’t get you to click on some old “footage”!) and that was certainly one of the highlights of my time working at the school. Obviously, with retirement imminent, I won’t be with the team this time (in fact, Moira+I will enjoying a French boating holiday with lovely friends Chris+Lal!!). I look forward to hearing all about their adventures from Laura and Jodie.
Photo: teamwork in action at the Regional Heats.

the long goodbye

The Year 11 pupils at school are now on study leave preparing for their GCSE exams. Before they departed, the wonderful Quantock House and Sports Captains (Eloise+Demi+Dan+George) wanted to present me with a farewell gift from the whole House – even though I don’t actually retire for another eight school weeks. First of all they’d contrived to organise a whole Quantock House photograph so they could present me with a really good framed copy. Then they encouraged all the House tutor groups to contribute comments/greetings/drawings for a brilliantly entertaining “Thank you Mr Broadway love from Quantock" retirement book. There are lots of really lovely, heartfelt notes of thanks including these particular gems: “Thank you for being a good head teacher” (if only they’d paid me accordingly); “you were there when no one else was”; “you were my favourite teacher” (even though I didn’t teach); “heroic and stunning” (really?); “I hope you get a big villa” (the football team or a palace?); “thank you so much for helping when I had my stomach pains”; “no one will forget you” (is this a threat?); “I will never forget your great handwriting and brilliant fun attitude” (a wonderful combination!); “thank you for looking after me through everything”; “I would never have felt welcome without you”; “thank you for being there for me with my ups and downs”; “thank you for supporting me and showing me the light at the end of the tunnel” (did I?) and, finally, “you are, and shall always remain, a legend and by far the most amazing Assistant Head (?)… words cannot describe how much you will be missed”.
Money can’t buy this sort of stuff… very humbling (as well as funny, sometimes) and it reminds you of all the good things about working with young people in education (of course, I could list a lot of bad things too!).
It now feels wrong to have to go on working for another WHOLE term!
Photo: the cover of my lovely, big retirement book.

kielder challenge heats

Our Kielder Challenge team took part in the Regional Heats at Ashton Court yesterday. They were wonderful and we all had a really good day. They ended up Heat winners by a considerable margin and they were absolutely thrilled. There’s even a chance that they might end up at the national finals in the Kielder Forest, Northumberland in September – but only a couple of teams end up qualifying from the Region (and the Region is HUGE!). It’s just a brilliant event.
Photo: Gary, Andrew, Charlie, Charlotte, Chris, Polly, Megan, Roxy and Becky.
PS: Gary was a last-minute substitute for Alihan – who was ill; Charlotte was unable to participate due to an injured foot (she was on crutches) and Polly substituted as reserve.

kielder challenging

We’ve just completed the last of our training sessions in preparation for this year’s Kielder Challenge’s local Regional Heat – which take place in Bristol on 20 May. As I’ve mentioned before, four pupils from our school work with the four from Fosse Way (a school catering for young people with physical disabilities and/or severe learning difficulties) in a series of outdoor challenges. It’s such a rewarding event and SO good working with these wonderful individuals.
Photo: Chris, Alihan, Charlie, Roxy, Becky, Polly, Andrew and Megan.

centenary school photograph

We had a pretty disrupted afternoon at school today with pupils assembling for a whole-school photograph to mark the school’s centenary. The main photograph was taken in two separate sittings and, somewhat surprisingly perhaps, the arrangements seemed to go remarkably well. We were also incredibly lucky with the weather – it started raining 30 minutes after we’d finished. Sadly, the only staff members appearing on the whole-school version were the Head and Deputy Head Teachers – with a separate staff image taken at the end of school (to avoid complete chaos!). It’ll be very interesting to see the final results. Photo: just a few of the pupils waiting to be snapped this afternoon.

ten tors

I helped out over the weekend with Ten Tors practice on Dartmoor. It was the last chance for some thirty pupils from school (14-15 year olds) to secure their places in the final team selection for the event itself on 14+15 May. All pupils had previously gained their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards as a pre-qualifier for consideration for team selection. I love watching the mix of the “gifted and talented” individuals (who seem to be brilliant/determined at everything they do) and those pupils who are often associated with poor behavior/attitude working together quite brilliantly. At least half the pupils taking part this year are girls and - this isn’t a sexist remark in any way - it’s amazing to see even the tiniest of them “lugging” their kit across the moor with comparative impunity!
It’s a very humbling experience to see them grow in confidence and self-belief.
Photo: If you think it’s easy, why don’t YOU try walking 35 miles over Dartmoor (often over very rough and difficult terrain) carrying a heavy rucksack containing a tent, a sleeping bag, cooking facilities, food, water, spare clothing etc?

kielder challenge again

We’ve now had a few training sessions (the Regional Heats take place in Bristol on 20 May) and it’s been really rewarding seeing how brilliantly the four pupils from our school work with the four from Fosse Way (a school catering for young people with physical disabilities and/or severe learning difficulties). They’re so natural with each other and communication is easy… and constantly amusing! I love being involved with the pupils and it’s been really good to see them all really enthused by the competition, determined to do well and growing in confidence and self-belief. It’s extremely humbling working with these pupils and VERY enjoyable.

Photo: Roxy, Megan, Alihan, Charlie, Becky, Chris, Polly and Andrew in action.

guys+dolls

Went to see the school production of Guys+Dolls on Thursday evening. Lovely to see pupils out of their normal school context and particularly good to see some individuals, who I know have been struggling with various aspects of their lives over the past couple of years, blossom and flourish in the show. I really enjoyed the evening and wonderful to see how theatre and music can boost self-confidence and help to transform lives.
Photo: some of the cast lining up for the closing song (there WERE boys in the show, honest!).

kielder challenge 2011

Kielder Challenge is probably the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of my job. Each year four pupils from our school plus four pupils from Fosse Way School (a very special catering for young people with physical disabilities and/or severe learning difficulties), get together to compete in this national outdoor adventure event and competition which has run for over 25 years.
Yesterday, the pupils met for their first training/introductory session. It was very humbling watching them bond together so naturally and easily (and almost instantly!) - LOTS of laughter!
Whatever the outcome of our endeavours, it’ll be a life-enhancing experience for all of us taking part.
Photo: Megan, Charlotte, Alihan, Roxy, Becky, Andrew, Chris and Charlie.

forest of dean 2010

We’ve just returned from the annual 3-day school trip to the Forest of Dean. This is a picture of one of the Year 8 pupils after she’d reached the top of the high climbing wall. Exhilaration, pride, sense of achievement and sheer joy. I could have chosen any one of numerous other images which would have told the same story. The Jacob’s Ladder, the Zip Wire, the Leap of Faith (climbing up a telegraph pole, standing on what amounts to no more than a tea tray and then flinging oneself into mid air to catch a swinging bar!), the Climbing Wall and, of course, the night walks/challenges in the forest (where, although closely and secretly monitored, these young children find their own way through the forest in the dead of night).
Witnessing children being prepared to undertake onerous challenges, being cheered on and genuinely encouraged by their fellow students, massively exceeding their own expectations and watching their delighted faces at the end… there’s nothing really to match it.
It’s humbling and a huge privilege to be able to do so.
I just wish parents (especially some of them!) were able to see just what their sons and daughters are capable of achieving – it would make them very proud (and amazed).

no support for school support staff negotiating body

Somewhat predictably, Education Secretary Michael Gove has abolished the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) set up by the last Government in 2009 to improve pay and conditions for school support staff. The body would have introduced a national pay and career development structure for the 500,000 lowest paid school staff in the country. Mr Gove issued a statement claiming that the SSSNB "does not fit well with the government’s priorities for greater deregulation of the pay and conditions arrangements for the school workforce".
Too right it didn’t!
I wrote to Ed Balls, the then Secretary of State for Children, Families and Schools, in September 2008 on the subject of school support staff welcoming his initiative to introduce a statutory independent chair to ensure that teaching assistants and support staff are paid fairly.
Here are some extracts, specifically highlighting my own role:
“I have worked in a comprehensive school in North Somerset since September 2005 (classified at the end of last year as an “outstanding” school by OFSTED) and joined as one of four Assistant House Heads. It was a newly-created role responsible for providing pastoral support to the work of our respective House Heads and Tutors - as well as supporting the pupils themselves in their learning (encouraging positive attitudes and behaviour in and around the school) and their welfare. We are full-time, term-time employees and work closely with an Assistant Head Teacher, responsible for Pupil Support, and are involved with children from Year 7 up to Year 11.
As one might anticipate, the original job specification has developed somewhat since that time! The scope of the role is wide-ranging and carries a high degree of responsibility – we are dealing with staff, pupils, parents and outside agencies as well as liaising with individual teachers, departments and faculties in relation to behaviour and learning for both individuals and groups of pupils. As non-teachers, we represent the key point of contact for parents throughout the school day…. This new role has been very successful - we have been readily welcomed, respected and appreciated by all tutors, teaching staff, pupils and parents alike and are seen as fulfilling a valuable and vital role in the school. One of the key benefits of our role has been its effect on the teaching staff – we have certainly enabled “teachers to teach” rather than to be trying juggle various other pastoral issues.
“Our differing backgrounds and experiences (an English literature graduate; a learning support assistant; a policeman; and an architect!) mean that we have different skills, interests, abilities and ages. We are very good at our job and highly valued by the School’s Leadership Team – even if we are NOT adequately rewarded financially for the work we undertake!....
I believe our type of role in schools is absolutely crucial – and will become increasingly important over the coming years.
“At present, there is no career structure for this or similar positions – all too often (and exactly the same comment can be made about jobs for teaching assistants and other support staff), non-teaching roles in schools are regarded as being for the “secondary earner” in a domestic partnership (even an appalling assumption that it will be mainly mothers taking up such positions “so they can look after their children in the school holidays”!)!”
Support staff are all too often seen as the “cheap option” for many roles in schools. Additional roles (such as those dealing with vitally-important Child Protection matters within schools) are doled out on the basis that “they will look good on your CV” (seriously!) for absolutely nil additional pay or undertaken “voluntarily” on a goodwill basis because staff are conscious of gaps that need to be filled. With no career structure in place, schools seem to rely on “senior” support staff leaving so they can be replaced by new, even-cheaper staff – an awful waste of talented and committed individuals. Despite the fact that roles are constantly being changed and extended in scope, schools and local education authorities continue to hide behind extremely clumsy and outdated grading bands.
There are no national pay rates for support staff employed in the state sector. Most LEA schools use the local government pay scales to pay their support staff in conjunction with National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions. However, this can vary between local authorities, which means it is not possible to be prescriptive about the rate of pay support staff will receive – a fact that, in my limited educational experience, employers take full advantage of to suit their own individual circumstances (ie. even if they are apparently financially-independent of any LEA). And, of course, term-time-only contracts means that an employee is only employed when the school is open - in most cases, for 38 or 39 weeks a year.
Individual schools could take the initiative to reward support staff more fairly and to address matters of career development, but this rarely appears to be the case. The SSSNB did seem to be a serious attempt to address national pay and career development structure for the 500,000 lowest paid school staff in the country. The Government clearly doesn’t seem to acknowledge the roles these school workers fulfil (and, frankly, I’ve been pretty appalled by the standard of trade union representatives I’ve come across – none of whom seem to have the necessary knowledge or experience of schools). So, it now seems that school support staff will remain a hugely-undervalued resource and, of course in the present financial climate, those who still have jobs will be reminded just how lucky they are!

Genius!

peace day

Yesterday was International Peace Day and, like last year, the school marked the occasion with the wonderful Tom (plus pupils) putting on a series of Assemblies and encouraging everyone to make peace windmills. The windmills were “planted” outside the front of the school and made an impressive statement for this important day (over 500 of them!).
Click on this link to find out more.
Photo: some of the multitude of windmills outside school yesterday.

breacon beacons

I spent the weekend on the beautiful Breacon Beacons with over 40 pupils from school undergoing their Duke of Edinburgh Award Silver and Gold training (plus a dozen members of staff). Essentially, they were short of a mini-bus driver, so I was roped in at the eleventh hour. As usual, the students were all brilliant (and such lovely individuals too!) and a great credit to themselves and the school. Brilliant too that the school has so many members of staff willing to give up their weekends for free to make it all possible (five of them having previously gained Mountain Leader qualifications). Next weekend, I think there are something like 120 pupils (plus nearly 30 members of staff?) involved in DOE Bronze training.
Quite amazing.
photo: one of the teams walking down into the valley from Llyn y Fan Fach reservoir.