Principal’s Update
On Thursday colleagues from here and across CYPES attended the Inclusive Education launch event at the Radisson Hotel. It made me reflect on how far we have come when as a teacher and lecturer it was almost impossible to access support for 16 plus from social services and where culturally, deprivation was not recognised as a major aspect of growing up in Jersey. We have come a long way with Jersey Premium, Inclusion, Anna Freud and Mental Health to the point where we are all speaking the same language and looking for solutions to known and recognised barriers.
You will see from the Events Calendar that students are in full flow organising events and fund raising. Please attend and contribute where you can to aid their efforts. This forms part of their Business curriculum, as well as for wider enrichment activity.
The Teaching and Learning Team are leading on learning walks this week. We are focusing on the following areas over the next two weeks:
- Applying assessment & feedback to confirm learning, progression, & achievement
- Developing confidence, autonomy, critical thinking, & professional skills
- Applying motivational coaching that stretches learners to progress & achieve
- Raising aspirations through high expectations & passion for learning
- Using digital technologies to promote learning & acquire skills for the future
The walks are complementary to data we get from student voice groups, external moderation, quality reviews, student outcomes etc.
At Senior leadership team we are focusing on our regular reporting cycle: Safeguarding, as well as Mathematics and English and the Whole College Quality Improvement Plan. I will be meeting with the policy development lead for CYPES to discuss work on raising the age of participation, Higher Education and Early years.
All schools and colleges are reviewing critical incident planning and although we did training last year; we will return to this subject. Students will need to know what to do should an incident occur, and Rob Moy is requesting funding for a better alarm system. At present, we are reliant upon the phone system alarm and with 10 buildings this is in certain respects an advantage but in others, complicates the picture. In view of the recent events in a school in Wales; we need to be mindful that risks have changed over time. We will look to do a site assessment as well.
I have been in discussion with Dr. Chris Pinch who is studying voter engagement in Jersey. He will be visiting the island on the 8th of May and we hope to be able to support development of a 6th form offer and Adult Education Course to reach to groups who do not understand our voting system and do not therefore engage with it. We have the lowest voter turnout in the OECD which is a major concern.
There will be no bulletin next week as it is a Bank holiday. I hope you have a great week.
Best wishes
Jo