A very busy start to the new half-term

Posted on: 09 Nov 2017 by Weston Green School

The last two weeks have been a mix of what might be described as the usual cycle of school life, and the excitement (if that’s the right word) of having the Inspectors here, the challenge of assessment week and the collaborative workshop for parents of those in Early Years.

I hope the workshop evening was extremely valuable. Certainly, it seemed very much to be a-buzz with questions and interaction, as parents explored the many resources being used to develop the younger children’s understanding and skills.

Assessment Week has offered the opportunity for pupils to test themselves and to show their grasp without reference to adult help; they have needed many of the aspects of our learner profiles: creativity, resilience, reflection, independence, persistence. If we were to be asked ‘why formal assessment?’, we might reply that it not only allows us to compare class performance with more independent work, but also begins to develop exam technique, along with the resilience and smart thinking which will carry children beyond any nerves to their best performance in external testing. It has therefore been a vital exercise and one which will bear rich fruit, which may be seen in its fullest form in those demanding 11+ exams. Process, practice, progress, performance - it is a pattern through which we hope the children will truly become their best selves.

This week, I should end with a thought or two about our recent inspection: whilst the process is certainly intense (as so much information is gathered in such a short space of time), it is undeniably useful. However, the overriding thought is of your amazing children who, through simply being their usual selves, impressed the inspectors so deeply that they were genuinely sad not to be spending more time here - we can ask for (and desire) little more than that.