…or at least that could be a headline for a fractious media pack who are scrutinizing the way that schools are responding to the latest wave of industrial action that is sweeping across the country, closely following on those that have recently subsumed the railways, the ambulance drivers, call centre handlers, nurses, posties, civil servants, university staff, environmental officers and even workers at Amazon. The winter of discontent seems to have returned in force and I fear that there will be more to come in response to the recent record inflation figures. I feel torn on the issue – on the one hand I completely understand the NEU views about the erosion of teacher salaries over the past decade and more but equally what our students need, above all else, is stability, routine, continuity and the opportunity to make sustained progress after all of the recent disruption. It is a mess.
We had little choice but to partially close, given the level of potential absenteeism on 1 February. In such circumstances we have to focus on what is possible in school (Sixth Form lessons and provision for vulnerable students) and make what provision we can via Teams for the Year 7-11 students who will not be here that day. It is important that we maintain relationships both within school and between school and parents, so we will do the best that we can for our students in difficult circumstances; the difficulties are temporary and will pass, so we need to work both to compensate for loss and carry on creating opportunity and excitement as we move through to the summer and beyond.
Above all, and despite the current national gloom there remains huge optimism here in school I think. That post-OfSTED feel good factor will not dissipate for a while, numbers are buoyant, results and university entrance are at a superb level and we have a new building to come within the next 12 months. Despite that fact schools across the country may not quite work as they should during the next few weeks, here at BWS we have much to look forward to…
SDS
