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Prep Head's Blog: Keep Calm and Carry On

Prep Head's Blog: Keep Calm and Carry On

 

Dear Felsted Families,

Have you ever received a gift that you perhaps didn’t really want? Did you smile anyway and make sure the person who gave you the gift had no idea of your feelings? Was that hard to do? 

I think the aftermath of an inspection is a little like that process. Both the inspectors and the inspected have worked incredibly hard and given a great deal of thought, time and effort - yet the process itself is perhaps not quite what anyone asked for!

I popped into a maths lesson on Wednesday and they had just completed a final assessment. I thought about this process too. How many of our learners feel this complex mix of emotions when they participate in assessments? That hybrid of wanting to do really well but feeling worried about the ‘what if?’

Being so close to a win with just one more try in rugby or that last skilful goal in hockey must also feel so within reach, even though (from time to time) hopes can be dashed at the last minute. Yet we still play the game because we practise, we get fitter and we build our resilience so that we can be the best we can possibly be. 

In our celebration of sport across the Prep this week, the huge range of talent exhibited on the pitches, the fields and in the courts clearly demonstrates the commitment from our young players. Being able to win and lose with graciousness is a vital skill to develop, and an even harder one to perfect. 

I would like to express my gratitude for being a part of the independent school’s inspectorate. Despite the negative press inspections sometimes receive, we have found the experience to be robust and thorough. The collective pride in our school community has been expressed with such positivity; I would like to share that it is an absolute privilege and a joy to belong to the Felsted family. 

With our whole-school focus on positive noticing, we are finding that we do indeed get more of the behaviours we notice. Placing effort at the heart of our ‘praise with power’ approach, enables our learners to understand that it is the hard work and determination that provides the firm foundation for success.

I would like to positively notice our Felsted community as we take time to celebrate the achievements of this fabulous term. Thank you for continuing to work alongside us, thank you for being on the sidelines in all weathers, thank you for your involvement in community events and your continued commitment to Felsted.

I know that the festive season can bring great joy but can also remind us of challenging times and for some of our Felsted families, this may be quite a difficult period. On behalf of our Prep team, I would like to wish you all a safe and peaceful Christmas and I look forward to 2024 with a wonderful mixture of hope and excitement about what we can accomplish together.

With warm wishes,

Miranda Norris 

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