Wandering the school

One of the privileges of SLT is the ability to walk around the school to see what's going on. I don't do this to catch people out; to find bright spots or to find students. I try, once a week, just to wander the school mainly to find out what cool stuff is going on. Before you shout 'it's alight if you've got the time you dosser Rogers!' I would argue that walking the school is powerful CPD. Here are some questions to consider:

- How is learning celebrated across the school?

- Are the ethos and main messages of the school consistently communicated through the fabric of the school and actions of its community?

- How are different groups of students encouraged in different parts of the school?

- Are the messages from notices representative of the school community and positive?

This week I found:

- Year 8s exploring the South Downs National Park, local coastline and the hydrological cycle using Minecraft - more on this to come.

- Some very funky science experiments.

- A fantastic way to positively mange the behaviour of some tricky characters.

- Found out about our upcoming dance show and Patcham's Got Talent.

- Spoke to a governor about setting up an education business partnership link.

- Found out about creating storybook Apps.

- Spoke to a student about their coding controlled assessment and how Python works.

- Saw some truly stunning Graphic Illustration work from Year 11 as they worked diligently and determinedly toward their exam

I also managed to speak to some staff and ask how they were getting on - always a bonus and a useful barometer of what's going on.

One of the interesting things about SLT is that I get through a lot of shoes. Leadership needs to be visible in my view, and that means walking. I walk around 3-5km a day just around the buildings and on duty. Great to keep my legs loose during ultra marathon training, my buns and for getting to know the community.

When I'm walking around, I try to find the time to stop and observe for a short time. This is something I picked up through Ewan and being a Google Teacher Academy Mentor. It's amazing what you can pick up. I also try to ensure I've at least emailed each member of staff whose classroom I may have wandered in to.

So, head off for a wander. Call it a learning walk if you will, but do take some time to get out of your class / department / phase. Speak to some people you don't normally say much to and make new connections.

Right, time for the third rugby match of the weekend.....

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David Rogers

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