ET-APR22-PG16-17.qxp_Page 6 08/04/2022 14:27 Page 17
VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
Can you tell us a little bit more about your background? I'll happily tell you about myself if only to encourage others! My teaching journey is slightly unusual in that I had held a few (totally different) jobs before I entered education. These include working for a solicitor and, for a spell, working as an Account Manager in an IT company. Looking back, I always had a passion for working with people, though, and I'm not sure you can develop that; it's inherent. When I had my own family, I had what you
might call a lightbulb moment. I applied for a job as a dinner lady and, from there, I progressed to teaching assistant. My new career indeed took flight from that point. I suppose my leadership talent emerged during my time as Nursery Manager at Park Lane Nursery. From there, I became Early Year's Lead, then Assistant Head for Primary phase. Securing the 'Outstanding' Early Years Ofsted
most 'real' universities focus on secondary-aged children and have established programmes about who they want to target and when. We want to introduce the idea of the
university, and indeed the excitement of learning new things, to children at a younger age. This is where it gets back our values, particularly perhaps 'Wide Horizons'. Providing high-quality extracurricular activities
is a priority here at Race Leys. We believe it is central to raising children’s' expectations of themselves. Every child deserves the best possible opportunities, and we provide an exciting, university-style experience. This introduces and whets the appetite for
Higher Education. Then, when HE becomes a real prospect, later down the line, children will be familiar with the word 'university' and the possibilities that can be unlocked by attending one. Griffin University and the other festivals and
experiences that we provide open doors for children who would not perhaps have access to such activities without the support of their school.
Is the university part of a broader programme of enrichment? Yes. The Griffin University is just one of the exciting activities to stretch and inspire children. In addition, pupils benefit from the Griffin Arts Festival, Griffin Sports Festival, and Griffin Science Symposium as part of the school offer. This enrichment programme is part of a wider, bright, and well-resourced learning environment. Another exciting highlight of our school
calendar is when our children perform in a national Shakespeare Festival alongside children from other Griffin Trust schools. They also sing and act with the Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet. In addition, two gifted and talented children
every year are selected for sponsorship to attend the local ballet school for three years. However, I must stress that our enrichment activities are for all children, not just the most gifted ones. This provision includes free music lessons for all. I believe that curiosity and wonder, instincts in
children, should be aided and encouraged. A unique, exciting programme of activities, together
April 2022
with excellent teaching and a stimulating environment, is the key to our success here at Race Leys.
What other activities can your pupils access for free? Plenty! We have many lunchtime clubs, after- school clubs and class trips for children (and staff) to get excited about. In addition, there's no shortage of options from cooking to choir practice, archery, to the reading club. Another critical factor is the type of club. Our
children are not from backgrounds where archery and lacrosse are the subjects of conversation. So, again, we're back to Wide Horizons!
What's next at Race Leys? We're already planning our Founders Day, this year in particular is very special year as we are celebrating 10 years of being part of Griffin Schools Trust. Race Leys was the first school to join this wonderful family, we are planning many exciting activities which involve raising money for a local charity and a family community meal. In addition, we are excited to launch our 2022 Griffin Arts Festival. Each year we have a theme. Last year the theme was 'Re-imagining Community'. As we're part of our local community, in
addition to our community of schools, the theme allowed us to reflect on where we've come from and where we want to be. After all, we encourage the children to have high aspirations, so we need to be on our toes, too, constantly looking to develop. It's easier, of course, when you have highly motivated staff and good leadership. We're lucky to have both. Part of the success of our Arts Festival is due to
us attracting and working with some inspiring partners. These include the Whitechapel Gallery and the National Theatre. These partnerships have allowed us to introduce children to some of the less-obvious art forms like drumming, sculpture and even stage crafts like sword fighting. I'm excited to see how these partnerships
develop over the next few years and to see who else will join us on our journey. Of course, having some nice branding and merchandise for the festival helps to elevate it in children’s' minds. It brings a sense of occasion.
www.education-today.co.uk 17
judgement at Park Lane was a real highlight and reflected my drive and determination. So when I became Head of School at Race Leys, I set myself the challenge of achieving the same high standards. It's been an interesting 2 years, and with a
pandemic to boot, but leaders have energised their teams throughout. With the Griffin Arts Festival, our Sports Festival, and our Science Symposium, it's an exciting time for all of us. Maybe the reason I am so passionate about curiosity, awe, and wonder is that my journey has been (and continues to be) full of all three!
What is the Griffin Schools Trust? The Griffin Schools Trust is a family of primary and secondary schools in the Midlands and the Southeast of England. A fundamental value of the Trust is that all of our schools provide free and wide-ranging after-school activities available to all children. The physical environment of the school is also
very important to us. We want the fixtures and fittings of the school to be as stimulating as the teaching is. Being part of a family of schools gives you a
supportive network of peers and professionals. We all work together to achieve the best outcomes for our children. Our three High Achievement, Proud Traditions and High Achievement traditions are working well, and we are committed to withholding them.
u
http://www.raceleys-gst.org/ u
http://www.griffinschoolstrust.org/
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
