鈥淐hildren are the living messages we send to a time we will not see鈥 鈥 John F Kennedy. Just pause and let that sink in for a moment. While you ponder on that I鈥檇 like to tell you a story.
A number of years ago I arrived for work at the secondary pupil referral unit I was employed at, it was a Friday and I鈥檇 had really intense week. My workload was mounting and I鈥檇 spent the week dealing with some pretty intense safeguarding issues. I was wearing a lot of hats and one of those hats was loco parentis to over 100 children, most of whom were vulnerable.
Side note: Loco parentis 鈥 in place of a parent (Collins dictionary)
I took this role very seriously, one of the first conversations I would with a new pupil would be about what that role meant for both of us. I would explain that I would treat them with the same care and attention as I would my own children, I would advocate for them and have their back. But it also meant that if they stepped out of line they would know about it, because I would also hold them to account for their behaviour like I would my own children, believing for and expecting their best. This way of working, not only came from my own passion to see every child presented with the opportunity to succeed, but was modelled by our chair of governors who went out of his way to demonstrate that he valued me too, it became a cultural cycle set by the board that filtered right through to our pupils.
Back to the morning in question, I was sitting at my desk, trying to get on top of the report I鈥檇 been attempting to write all week. My office had been like Grand Central Station all morning, then a pupil knocked on the door with what I saw as a poor reason. I ended up barking at her and she effectively ended up with the brunt of my tiredness. She paused and looked at me for a moment in shock and then silently walked away (not her usual response by the way 鈥 which made me feel awful). Later that day I found the pupil, expressed how sorry I was and that it was me in the wrong, I told her that I was feeling pretty tired and a bit stressed, but that was no excuse. She looked at me and her eyes filled up. I thought perhaps I鈥檇 really upset her. But she went on to say 鈥測ou getting it wrong and owning it means I can make mistakes as long as I own it too.鈥 聽Her words freed me in that moment as much as mine freed her.
So, two questions鈥f children are the 鈥渓iving message we send to a time we will not see鈥 what message are boards sending their staff, and in turn your staff sending to pupils? Is it a balanced message? Are pupils ultimately given permission to get it wrong and learn in the process through the example set?
Next question鈥ow are your staff? How do you know? And do they know how much you appreciate them? In a recent Governing Matters article written by 海角社区鈥檚 stakeholder engagement project team, they speak about the 鈥渉uge impact鈥 the mental health and wellbeing of staff can have on the school environment and its pupils and emphasise the role the board plays in this through their shaping of the culture and values. Georgina Burt, Child Poverty Action Group鈥檚 (CPAG) England Development Manager describes board stakeholder engagement as 鈥渟eeing the face behind the data鈥 and one of the best ways to achieve this is to be visible to both your staff and their pupils.
Last month I had the honour (and excruciatingly hard job) of judging for the Place2be鈥檚 Wellbeing in Schools Awards. There were a range of categories including both adults and children. Reading through the nominations was a precious experience, it highlighted the impact that school leaders, school staff, practitioners and whole schools were having on the lives of children, and it literally spelt out the 鈥榣iving message鈥 these amazing people were sending to a time we may not see. As much as I love John F Kennedy鈥檚 quote, I feel it misses something really important, something that was so evident at Place 2be鈥檚 Wellbeing awards last week - children can be 鈥榣iving messages鈥 to those around them now. We don鈥檛 need to wait until the future, children are supporting their peers now, spreading awareness of mental health and reducing the stigma of seeking support now. They are learning that feeling anxious is not weakness or something they need to hide, but something they can face with courage thanks to the 鈥榣iving message鈥 they are hearing from the amazing staff and practitioners around them. 聽
Another thing that really resonated with me following the Place 2be awards was something the winner of the school leader鈥檚 award said. She expressed the fact that she needed to take a moment to stop and take in what had happened - the fact that she was thanked for doing something she was passionate about (and also the very fact that she was getting the opportunity to stop at all!). This was a re-occurring theme throughout the evening, school staff not just doing their job, but quite literally living out their passion, inspiring and sending those living messages out today as well as into a time they may not see.
The Place2be awards re-enforced a truth聽that is as true today as ever, to value our staff is to value our children.
Policy and Projects Manager
Fiona oversees 海角社区’s parliamentary engagement, representing the views of governors and trustees at national level and supporting them in their strategic leadership of education settings.