We started this half of term with an Assembly on Respect.

Respect your Learning

Respect your Teachers

Respect your Friends

We know from the recent Inspection Report, The Good School’s Guide and other research instruments that St James pupils are kind and that there are very few instances of bullying in the school (and if they do occur they are dealt with effectively). However, there is in some classes a low level of disturbance that can affect other pupils learning which is not acceptable. So a clear marker was put down. As was said to all pupils from Years 7 -13, learning is a great pleasure and not all young people throughout the world have an education available to them. Education is also perhaps valued more in those countries where there is no welfare state, no safety net.

To talk when teachers are talking, to not give your academic work full attention and to not hand in homework is not acceptable. This all requires effort. Teachers study long and hard to master their academic subjects and pupils must put themselves in the position to learn effectively. Learning cannot always be ‘fun and games’, some things are challenging and make your head hurt, they require diligence, resilience and a time commitment. There is an element of both discovery and differed gratification in most learning activities.

The final points relayed to the pupils was perhaps one they had not thought of before; this was about respecting their friends and enabling them to learn. We have seating plans in our classes and it is rarely a good idea to sit next to one’s best friend in a lesson. I know that never worked for me at school.  Reading is also crucial and it is hard to flourish academically if you do not like reading.

This Respect Agenda is something all our teachers are committed to and it permeates all we are doing this term. So please help us with this; encourage curiosity and academic study, set a good example by reading yourself and make sure your sons are respecting the uniform policy.