believe in the transformative power of education”

Last month Claremont Senior School announced it had appointed Severine Collins as Principal. Here the bilingual French national, who was schooled in her native France up to university level before coming to the UK to study Artificial Intelligence at Sussex University, tells Eileen Leahy all about her plans for the school…

How would you describe your leadership style?

Climate and culture are very important to me. I hold trust, rapport, integrity and accountability in high esteem as a leader and therefore, I like to work in an environment where staff are involved in decisions and developments, and where they feel empowered to meet challenging and exciting goals. Therefore, I value people’s voice, and that includes students and parents as, together, we can positively impact change where needed, and create outstanding conditions for the learning and development of our young people.

How do you think subjects like art, drama and sport enhance a child’s learning compared to the traditional curriculum?

I am a passionate believer in the transformative power of education. Academic achievement is crucial in creating outstanding opportunities for the future of our young people who must learn to be agile and be empowered with a deep love of learning that enables them to take risks, be creative and innovative, solve complex problems and drive societal change. Therefore, educating young people must go beyond academic excellence. The skills students learn in extra-curricular activities such as Art, Drama, Sports, but also DoE,

MUN and Young enterprise, to name but a few of the opportunities offered at Claremont, are vital to their social and emotional development. Being given a safe space to put yourself in a situation where you need to go beyond your acquired skills and knowledge to approach new challenges with courage and determination are central to becoming the resilient young people who will be shaping our future. With achievements such as the Football Academy and the School of the Year Award for Performing Arts, Claremont School is the ideal setting for our young people to grow.

Being a French native, what are your thoughts on languages being a dying subject in schools?

I would like to challenge the fact that languages are a dying subject. The only reason that languages do not feature more prominently in most schools, and as a core subject as they once were, has been driven by governmental decisions. We, at Claremont, put high value in the skills learnt through the acquisition of a new language and, for our multilingual students, in the development of the understanding of their own mother tongues. Not only is it vital that our future generations are able to express themselves confidently, they also need the ability to listen to different perspectives and engage positively with views that differ from their own. Learning a new language or two helps them appreciate the traditions and values of others, as well as their own. Then, they will be able to critically appreciate different perspectives and actively challenge and question inequality and discrimination. This is another reason I am proud to be the Principal of Claremont School, with its enriching international community.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing teachers today?

Supporting our young people with mental health and wellbeing issues, and how to be safe online. These are two of the growing concerns we discuss constantly with staff. The knowledge and resources necessary to achieve success are not negligible, and developing the skills and confidence to tackle the issues is something we value greatly at Claremont.

Where do you stand on the increasing amount of technology being used in classrooms?

This is an interesting question and one that I explored in my Masters thesis. I feel quite strongly that both need to be used, but that learning to use digital technologies appropriately should be a priority. First, let’s be honest: how much ‘pen and paper’ do we use ourselves in our working life? Hardly any, and in fact, with the environmental crisis we face, it should be none at all. So digital literacy should be developed from a young age so that our children know how to safely use the powerful tools they hold in their hands. Being able to critically assess what they are reading online, and to be safe on social media, as mentioned previously, are far more important than knowing how to use a fountain pen. Whether we like it or not, technology is not going to disappear, and with the development of Artificial Intelligence and software such as ChatGTP, it is high time that the priorities of our education system and its assessment regime system be completely overhauled.

Tell us what key educational elements you are determined to bring to Claremont School?

Focusing on the quality of education, student experience and boarding are our top priorities. Often, the focus can be solely on exam results and destinations. Whilst I hold these in high esteem and Claremont has demonstrated time and again that it achieves top grades and destinations for its students, I regard character development as highly as academic achievement. Examination results, good inspection reports and league tables are important, but these must be achieved alongside developing those attitudes and positive dispositions that enable our young people to lead a fulfilling and satisfying life. Clear communication, a commitment to Quality Assurance processes, a listening and coaching culture, collegial collaboration and training are some of the aspects I consider as being vital to success.

And finally, why should parents consider sending their children there?

I hope the answers to the questions will already give parents an insight into what drives the vision and the mission of Claremont, and that they see that we are ambitious for our young people now, and for their future. At the end of the day, we all want our children to be successful and above all, happy. When parents send their children to Claremont, they also join a very warm, friendly and supportive community. The Heads of Schools and myself are very approachable and welcome feedback and suggestions, and together with the Claremont Friends and Families Association, we are also planning a list of social events that I hope many will attend. I hope to be meeting many more parents in the coming weeks.