“Awareness is key. In the absence of information, none of us know what is happening.” – Erin Brockovich
It has been a characteristically busy week at the BSP. Assemblies on the Senior and Junior campuses have reflected the many achievements and acts of kindness that have occurred. Tomorrow the Community Shop will be open again and I hope that you are able to pay it a visit and enjoy the unique spirit of the community working together for the benefit of others.
There will be many pupils helping out at the shop tomorrow – another example of how our pupils flourish when they are involved in more than just their lessons. Be it playing sport, performing in a concert, acting in a play or being part of a club, pupils do better when they are engaging with the wider life of the school. Such participation provides opportunity to develop what might be life-long interests as well as meeting other pupils from different year groups. We should not underestimate the opportunity that such activities give for adults in school to gain a deeper understanding of each and every pupil. What we see in activities may be different to what is witnessed in lessons. Having the opportunity to learn more about each individual means that it makes spotting potential problems that little bit easier. Pupil welfare is at the heart of all that we do here at the BSP. We know that a child will only learn effectively if they feel safe and secure at home and in school.
Over the years I have had to deal with some difficult situations regarding pupil welfare. One element that is common to all is that we did not know soon enough when things were going wrong. By their very nature activities such as bullying do not take place in front of adults but tend to be conducted in the dark corners of the real and virtual worlds. Whilst we are always looking, we may not see. Pupils are, understandably, reluctant to voice their worries. They are often embarrassed and worried about the situation and simply want it to stop. Since the start of term, we have stressed the message that it is good to raise the concern sooner rather than later and we have signposted pupils to the wide range of ways in which they can be supported. As parents we’d encourage you to tell us if you are concerned about a change of mood or a difference in attitude to school that you see. We need to be in a position to provide early assistance and support. In my experience, pupils rarely have the skills required to resolve these situations without escalating the matter and that is where we can help.
It is probably important to admit that we do not have all of the answers to the questions of growing up, but we might be able to help if we know that there is a problem. In such situations silence is far from golden.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
