This year has brought us another set of challenges, punctuated by anticipation and a roller-coaster of announcements. A spring budget. A summer election. An autumn budget. But as seasons changed and the political landscape was re-arranged, we’ve continued to seek opportunities for learning and growth.
There is no denying the complexities of the job, but our mission is to provide the best education we can with the resources we have, whoever is in power. One core resource, however, is great teachers delivering great teaching and learning.
So what do we do when there are shortages? This year, primary recruitment is at its lowest since 2010, well ahead of any sector respite from falling rolls.
National teacher pay increases were warmly welcomed and will help, but the 5.5 per cent uplift is only one small step to revive government’s waning commitment to the profession.
And that commitment is necessary. We won’t break the link between SEND and exclusions, which are at an all-time high, without the right numbers of well-trained teachers in our classrooms. The same is true for dealing with the ongoing impact of the pandemic on attendance and mental health.
National policy direction has transitioned from the Conservatives to Labour, and now the high expectations for necessary changes have been passed to new leaders. They promise new hope for the future, but anticipation has only grown, and the ongoing call to equip us further to do what is right for our communities is getting louder.
Among the top priorities is surely to deal with the ongoing tension related to school accountability. Ofsted is continuing to review its methods for evaluating schools and communicating its findings to families and communities. A nuanced approach is needed, including an honest look at the inspection framework’s effect on primaries.
Also high on the agenda for our sector is the curriculum and assessment review, and not just with regard to the famously over-loaded primary offer.
The esteemed team appointed to listen and recommend represents an encouraging shift, as is seeing inclusion at the heart of its remit.
Calls to equip us to do what is right are getting louder
I hope that means inclusion for all, particularly for those from racially marginalised communities. Schools are vehicles for community connection and change, and the divisive anger that took to our streets this summer is proof of a clear need to tackle systemic inequities.
But 2024 hasn’t been defined solely by deferred hope for the future. In London, we’ve also had joy in the present with the introduction of universal primary free school meals. Having assurance that every primary aged child is able to access a hot meal has certainly turned frowns upside down.
I’ve found plenty of joy in the everyday of too.
In spite of ever-scarcer resources, I lead a team dedicated to providing enriching learning experiences. The impact they have on our children is a daily cause of celebration, and sharing their achievements with their families is an ongoing reward I try never to under-value.
Two moments stand out as particularly significant for Van Gogh Primary School this year. We were accredited as a Nurture UK school and gained the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL) platinum award.
Given these, it is perhaps no surprise that our school attendance remains consistently above the national average. To know our school provides the most supportive environment and provision for personal growth for both teachers and children brings reassurance for the future.
Tis the season to be jolly, as indeed we should be. Our optimism, perseverance and achievements deserve recognition, and the new education secretary’s repeated efforts to do that have been welcomed.
She is right. We have remained steadfast regardless of the political terrain, and as 2024 comes to an end, it feels like the terrain is becoming less hostile.
Every new year, we go again with passion to bring joy to our communities. Let’s hope 2025 begins to make that a little easier.
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