Dear parents and carers,
Following a very positive return from summer, I felt it was appropriate to contact parents to provide an update and offer further clarity about recent changes in the school. With Haslingden High School and Sixth Form being such a large school community that comprises 1600 students, approximately 4000 parents and in the region of 200 members of staff, our new behaviour systems, which we introduced this week, were always going to be received with a range of views. Thank all those who have taken the time to contact the school this week and offered their support. Similarly, I would like to thank those who have shared their experiences of the centralised detentions and ‘Respect Card’ in a kind, thoughtful and constructive manner. This has allowed for open and productive discussions that I know will only help improve the systems in the future and help us maintain a safe and purposeful learning environment for all. With any new process, there will always be teething issues to address as we seek to embed those practices across the school and implement them sensitively, fairly and consistently (acknowledging how hard this is to achieve across the school). We greatly appreciate your support and patience throughout this time.
As outlined in the letter I shared in the summer holidays, we are keen to invite any parent or carer to attend our Parental Forum on Thursday, 3 October. On that evening, I will seek to explain in detail why we have changed our Behaviour for Learning system and share the presentation delivered to students at the start of the term. This will be approximately 50-55 minutes, followed by an opportunity to ask any questions about the policy. There will also be a further opportunity to meet with members of the Senior Leadership Team on a 1-1 basis to discuss any issues relating to your child. All parents and carers will receive an invitation to attend, and, like in the previous Parental Forum held in the summer term, there will be an opportunity to raise any questions ahead of the evening. We hope to see as many parents in attendance and genuinely want to hear your views, whether they are supportive or questioning of the recent changes. All I ask is that all conversations are held positively and politely, ensuring that all aspects of our communication policy are adhered to during the session.
It is important that I take the opportunity to thank all members of the school community, from parents and students to staff and governors, for the support they have given to make our return to school such a positive one. There is a great deal to comment on anecdotally, including the calm atmosphere on corridors and social spaces, the classroom engagement levels, and the pride students take in their uniform and punctuality to lessons. However, it is important to share that with your help, we have seen an incredible impact on attitudes to learning/behaviour, attendance, and punctuality in school. The figures below have compared the first seven days in September with figures taken from the final term of the last academic year. Whilst any data will always have some limitations, I hope you share the view that these cumulative changes have combined to make the learning environment one where students can learn and thrive.
- 43% reduction in support calls for poor behaviour in lessons (support calls are made when, despite two prior warnings, a student’s behaviour impacts negatively on their own/and or the learning of others)
- Attendance has improved dramatically by 4%, with the whole school figure being 96%, a rate that is significantly above the national and Lancashire average. This is the highest figure we have seen in school since approximately 2017. The challenge is obviously maintaining this, however, it is an exceptionally promising start
- 96% is 2.3% up on the same week last year, which to explain this in hours of learning across school, it equates to 941 learning hours across the week. If compared to the average for last year, there would be approximately 1637 more learning hours being accessed across the school
- Punctuality to school has also improved at a remarkable rate. Comparing Years 7-11, this week to last year, it has reduced by 65%, with latest after registration (8.55am onwards) reducing by 89%.
This week I have had several discussions with a range of people in regards to the impact on children’s education and this is one that is often raised in any dispute over rules and policies. Over the last 20 years of being a leader within a school setting, I have seen how the agreed expectations and standards can positively or negatively influence a young person’s experience of school and also their future outcomes. It is my responsibility as the headteacher to create the safe and purposeful learning environment I mentioned at the beginning of this letter. This is achieved through a culmination of all those expectations. Standards of uniform and appearance form part of the school environment, and we firmly believe that dressing smartly and taking pride in our uniform all significantly contribute to creating an environment that we can be proud of. What I can share honestly is that having worked in environments where those uniform standards are not upheld, my experiences have supported the belief that a focus on uniform is a vital component of school being a positive place for all. A uniform prevents issues relating to socio-economic circumstances, allows all children to be a part of something bigger (the community as a whole) and prepares them for life by ensuring they understand that there will always be rules they are expected to follow. Whilst we know that there are likely to be a different set of rules as an adult, they remain, and as a headteacher, there are lots of rules I have to follow in carrying out my role.
Whilst in principle, I can see why the idea of allowing ‘minimal make-up’ may appear to be a possible/better solution, in reality, this does not ever operate in this manner, and it is very subjective from one person to another. We previously used the word ‘subtle’ and the interpretation of this across school was wildly different. This results in a lack of clarity for young people and lots of unnecessary upset as to what is reasonable and what isn’t. It is important to add at this point that myself and other colleagues have genuine empathy with students who have issues with acne, a condition which affects a good number of male and female students across school. If there is a way as we move forward with this policy where make-up is applied in a natural way that means it is not noticeable, then this could offer a sensible compromise; however, this is something that we will continue to review and will discuss at the Parental Forum in October, as it would require a great deal of thought.
As expressed in the letters shared in July and August, any time spent disputing the school rules directly impacts our ability to carry out our core function of educating young people. That is why we explicitly tell all parents when choosing Haslingden High School that we need your support throughout your child’s journey within our school so that they can achieve their potential.
It is also important to note that a number of female students have expressed the view that they feel pressured to wear make-up in school because other students are doing it, and they, therefore, perceive this to be the expected norm. We do not believe this is the environment we want to create for young people. The points raised about self-esteem are equally important, and I think it is vital that we make sure young people do not feel that they have to wear makeup to look or feel good about their own appearance. I believe that we have a responsibility to remove this pressure and continue to support their emotional wellbeing throughout their time at Haslingden High School.
We collect stakeholder voice in a variety of ways in school and once we have had the opportunity to resolve aspects of the policy and its implementation, we will be seeking your views on recent changes as well as your views on other aspects of school life. Capturing young people’s voice is a vital aspect of this process, and in the summer term last year, our school council were consulted on the PE kit and the school lunch menus, both of which have seen positive changes as a result.
Whilst I accept that it is extremely difficult in any school to have a set of rules that everyone can agree on, it is essential that parents and carers support the school in their endeavours (including supporting our policies) to ensure that we can deliver our overarching aim of ‘Achievement for All’, as this is our promise to all students and parents.
I would like to conclude this letter by expressing our genuine belief that the policies we have in school are not ever designed to alienate students or parents, and as outlined in this letter, they are there to create and maintain an environment that we can all be proud of. It is important to add that 95% of the school population remains on their first ‘Respect Card’, and if this continues, those students will be rewarded with 20 or 50 house points at the end of the half term.
Thank you again for your continued support and I hope to see as many of you as possible on Thursday 3 October.
Very best wishes
Russell Clarke
Headteacher