Headteacher's Blog #21

It has been a great week at LSA. Our year 10s have spent the week on work experience, this is the first time in a number of years that we have been able to organise this and I have been delighted that so many of our young people have been getting an experience of the world of work. I'd like to thank all in the community for making this happen as I know how much organisation and dedication this process takes. The school has seemed quiet without our year 10s and this has really highlighted how much progress we have made this year in creating a safe, calm and predictable environment for our young people. The routines of work are no different to those of our school and I hope that our focus on implementing these routines will support our young people to step into the world, disciplined and successful. Work ethic is key to a successful life, I hope that our year 10s have discovered that this week.

The work experience week is a rite of passage for so many of our young people, one of the moments of growing up where they glimpse the future. Secondary schools share so many rites of passage moments with young people; it is one of the real privileges. The five-year journey at high school is a transformative one but it is also a painful one. Adults often forget how difficult growing up is and sometimes, I think it would do us no harm to go on a one-week teenager experience every so often. Growing up is painful, it's full of crisis and sometimes there are no answers, no magic bullets and no one to blame. Adults need to remember this and understand that boundaries, calm understanding and unconditional positive regard are the best guardrails in supporting our young people through the chaos of youth. Caring for young people is hard because it requires us to be the adults, to remain calm in the eye of the storm and remember that life is long and change constant. We will welcome our year 10s back to school on Monday, prouder than ever to be LSA.