Education

‘View from the Bridge’ – a postcard from the life of an exasperated education leader.

by Luke Rake - Principal and Chief Executive of Kingston Maurward College

I think it’s fair to say that Gavin Williamson may have lost the dressing room.

On the last day of term prior to the Christmas Holidays, the government announced (with no real guidance, legal view or working days to implement), that schools and colleges were to be open but transformed into mass testing centres from the start of January.

In addition, on the last day of the holidays we were glibly reassured by the Prime Minister that schools were safe.

24 hours later they and colleges like ourselves had to shut our doors to most students and move immediately to a remote delivery of learning. Add to that the 11 additional new pieces of guidance expected by the end of the same week in January, and you have a very tired and grumpy set of education leaders.

Many will have spent their holidays using time to set up systems for testing students that were rendered redundant within 24 hours, after an exhausting term of lockdowns and mixed messages - but still we get up and carry on because what we do is important and our children deserve the very best we can offer.

I have never experienced such a paucity of leadership and clarity from the Department for Education in 25 years as an educator. This is not party political, it wouldn’t matter who was in power; all leaders recognise that the greatest enemy to strategic and operational efficacy is a lack of clarity in communication, yet it appears Mr Williamson wasn’t even in the room in early January when the decision to change delivery was made.

In addition, as a College leader there is persistent challenge to enable us to occupy the same visibility as schools in the minds of politicians, the vast majority of which (like myself to be honest) went through school, Sixth Form with A levels and thereafter University.

Yet the technical skills of young people coming into employment, whether ensuring your car runs, your plumbing is fixed, you hair looks reasonably tolerable or that there are farmers working safely to put food on the table, means that this group also needs support and help.

It has been noticeably absent, which is why this week when government announced laptops for children in schools I was forced to make an executive call at Kingston Maurward and spend £10,000 to give our students the same opportunity.

I don’t begrudge it for the students, but it’s not budgeted and we’ll have to find the savings from somewhere. What does grate, though, is our students being treated as second class as in the minds of many in senior government they don’t even register. I shouldn’t have to be the one making things fair.

So, here’s a parlour game to brighten up your January; all young people are expected to be in education or employment with training until 18. Next time someone talks about schools, see if they ever say ‘and colleges’. You could be waiting a while!

In the meantime, stay safe, and know that teachers of every type, from early years to colleges, are doing the very best they can.

Local Music Teacher Offers FREE Online Group Sessions for 0-5yr olds.

A popular Shaftesbury music therapist is offering free online music sessions each week to help struggling families with young children (0-5/6yrs) over lockdown.

Emma House is a trained music therapist, and has been running local music groups in Shaftesbury (for more years than she cares to admit to!), along with music groups in several local schools. “It’s about enjoying Music, song, movement, rhyme and most importantly fun for pre-school children - they find lockdown so difficult, and music & singing are good for every aspect of child development.” Emma told me.

Emma’s Facebook Live sessions were born last year during the first lockdown, due to popular demand.

Each week Emma engages the children in fun music and song, encouraging their participation and taking requests for favourite songs. They proved so popular that Emma is re-introducing them next week - much to the joy of parents across social media:

“Yippee!! Rose has been requesting the Magic Bag only this week! She will be very excited indeed. X” commented one Facebook user, while another was thrown into a quandary “Thank the Lord! Just need to work out how to juggle school zoom lessons with this! Can’t wait! Xx”

The sessions are entirely free, and anyone can join in - they’re begining on Tuesday the 19th, and will be on Facebook every Tuesday at 10am.

Anyone who is unable to join the live session can always access the sessions at any time with their child as Emma makes them freely available on her Facebook page.

“This is just a way of trying to give something back during this difficult time” commented Emma.