Teach Secondary -Issue 15.1

John Lawson reflects on how he was looking for inspiring examples of school leadership and modern teaching, and found both in abundance at The Duston School, Northampton... Last year, I sent a ‘welcome letter’ to Bridget Phillipson, making two observations. First, that there are teachers in every staffroomwho have forgottenmore about education than she will ever know. Second, that she should find ways to connect with engaging educators to find out how they manage to achieve so much in such diverse communities. Phillipson didn’t respond, but having piqued my own interest, I went ahead and tried opening up conversations with a number of dynamic leaders who have been able to create and oversee successful schools. Raising the bar SamStrickland took charge at The Duston School, a huge all-through school in Northampton, in April 2017, and soon realised that the interview panel had underestimated the scale of the school’s challenges. The school’s last Ofsted inspection the previous year had resulted in a Requires Improvement rating that was considered ‘charitable’ by a number of teachers who resigned soon after the inspection was complete. It’s difficult to remain upbeat and committed to education when students seem to prefer vandalism and fighting each other – and their teachers – over studying. But for Strickland geography wasn’t destiny. He knew that the bar could be raised for everyone at Duston. What was holding the Duston back from being one of England’s finest state schools? Nothing insurmountable! Strickland understood that ‘If nothing changes, nothing changes’ . Changing the students’ behaviour and attitudes thus became his top priorities. Apurposeful learning environment Teachers need experienced and supportive mentors who can show themhow to teach, build relationships and manage behaviour humanely, since constructive discipline is a gift, not a curse. Adults who try to browbeat teenagers into conformity are the beaten ones. Respect is a two-way street, but actually achieving that means getting everyone working together to create win-win situations. Strickland possesses a few striking superpowers. He looks, listens and never ceases to learn, and has shared his wisdom in teacher-empowering books that include The BehaviourManual and Is Leadership a Race? ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Lawson is a former secondary teacher, now serving as a foundation governor while running a tutoring service, and author of the book The Successful (Less Stressful) Student (Outskirts Press, £11.95); find out more at prep4successnow.wordpress.com or follow @johninpompano “If nothing changes, nothing changes” THE LAST WORD Walking through the hallways of The Duston School, the only voices you can hear coming from the classrooms are those of teachers or students asking polite questions. Every classroom door is kept open, and yet, despite there being a combined 2,000+ pupils spread across those rooms, there is no yelling . Wherever you look, there are just engaging teachers enthusiastically sharing their rich knowledge and expertise with highly focused students. Rebecca Churchill, a maths teacher at the school, proudly tells me that she feels blessed to teach in a learning environment that is purposeful to the extent that disruptive behaviour is actively discouraged by the students themselves. Marginal gains Have these pupils not experienced difficulties in their lives outside of school? Some have, of course – but they ultimately know that abusing teachers, refusing to follow reasonable rules and bullying their peers aren’t acceptable responses to whatever challenges they might be going through. When Duston students need help and support, they know that school staff genuinely care about them and want to support them. The two Y13 students who showed me around the school, Charlotte and Sadie, were as delightful as any teenagers I’ve ever met. Both were proud of their school, confident that it was preparing them for the challenges of university life and beyond, and respected their teachers for providing an ultra-supportive system that maximises their abilities. Everyone at Duston seems relaxed, friendly and helpful. I also saw a noticeably clean environment; after the first lesson changeover, I saw just three pieces of litter discarded on the floor, two of which were promptly picked up by teachers. Most students’ parents know how fortunate their children are to attend this massively over- subscribed school. Strickland, you see, is a firm believer in the benefits of making ‘marginal gains’, seeing every day as a fresh opportunity for everyone to be marginally better than they were the day before – with nobody pushing themselves harder than himself. So thank you, Duston School, for an unforgettable and uplifting day. The invitation is very much open, Ms. Phillipson, to visit a school that’s fully deserving of ministerial recognition. 82 teachwire.net/secondary