October
I have to admit, I was a little delayed in getting thoughts added to this page. Hence this reflection comes at half-term.
Retrospectively, I was looking forward to starting my second year at Boundary Oak School. My understanding of Boundary Oak School, of the sector, has deepened however I recognise that a single annual cycle offer only a ‘first experience.’ I am looking forward to confirmatory feedback this second year.
In little over twelve months the school has grown by eighty pupils. The school continues to thrive and I foresee that this growth will continue. Of course, this will mean we will encounter new operational challenges, both in the physical estate and as the school moves from a two-tier (Senior leader team and staff) to a three-tier (Senior leader team, middle leader team and staff) infrastructure. Moving to three form groups in Year 7-9 is exciting. It is bodes from a broader provision at Key Stage 4 provision next year.
As for teaching, I am no longer teaching Year 8 Computing and instead and now taking 80% of my Year 7 English class forward into Year 8 and picking up a new Year 7. An exciting mix of teaching and re-teaching.
Strategically, the focus is on defining our curriculum. Operationally, securing revised systems within a growing school (calendaring, scheduling, daily notices, Parent Portal, Options and mocks).
Away from school, too much of half-term was spent making the editors revisions to Test-enhanced learning: A Practical Guide.
February
Without question, the highlight was bringing A Christmas Carol to our Acorn Theatre. Options Evening was improved, the new mocks programme / location secure. A first showing of a ‘Connected, Coherent and Cumulative’ (and local) curriculum was well received – plenty more to do.
Test-enhanced-learning published.