In school
Creating a positive spirit of competition at school Deborah Fisher and ten senior leaders discuss the importance of generating a culture of healthy competition in schools Competition has long been a part of school life, and while each school takes its own approach, it is a concept that is often deeply embedded in the ethos of a school and can be a key factor in parents’ choice of school for their child. The school environment offers abundant opportunities for encouraging competition, from the tracking of individual pupils’ academic achievement in the classroom to contests between houses and sports fixtures with other schools. Schools also often encourage talented pupils to enter national competitions for essay writing, debating or mathematics; and in high performing schools, pupils compete against their peers for a coveted place in the choir or a leading role in the school production. However, with reports hitting the headlines of the growing number of young people experiencing mental health difficulties, there is an increasing awareness in schools of the need to spot issues early and provide the highest standards of pastoral support. Ten senior leaders from independent schools recently came together to debate the issue at a workshop hosted by SIMS Independent. The discussions explored how schools can use
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healthy competition to support learning and development, without placing undue pressure on pupils, and this is a summary of the conversations that took place at the event. A key point highlighted is that an environment of intense competition, if not managed well, can result in some children losing confidence in themselves and their performance suffering. It is also the case that when the competition becomes too fierce, there are pupils who will turn away from it altogether, and stop trying for fear of failing. Getting the balance right was seen as critical to success. One of the most effective ways schools can alleviate pressure is to encourage pupils to take less account of what their classmates are doing, and focus on their own achievement, one senior leader suggested. ‘We aim to teach our pupils that A* grades are not the only way to define success,’ says Kevin Knibbs, headmaster of Hampton School. ‘For shy children, putting their hand up in class represents an achievement, while for others success might mean addressing the whole school in assembly.’
Autumn 2017
CCR Vol54 no3 Autumn 2017.indd 8
22/08/2017 15:56
