Head's Blog: Success

Dear Parents,

What a great start to the term! I have been in a number of classes and there has been lots of learning and engagement – well done to our new staff.

Last Monday, we had our termly ‘in-service training’ for staff, when Ms Lyle invited Elizabeth O’Shea to come and speak to us. Elizabeth O’Shea is a renowned parenting expert, who appears on TV and Radio, including BBC Breakfast and Sky News.

She also runs a number of courses – parents4success – which focus on discovering the ‘secrets of having well-behaved and happy children.’

Some of the key areas that we discussed centred around the following:

• Do you want the ‘magic key’ to defuse a child’s upset or anger?
• Would you like to know how to help a child bounce back after disappointment, failure or difficulties?
• What you can say to a child, to help them feel understood, when they’re sad, upset or angry.
• Strategies to stop children repeating mistakes, and to get them to solve their own problems.
• The importance of allowing children to fail, so that they learn to bounce back.
• How to empower your children to do their best and become resilient in life.

It was extremely useful and I felt that we all learnt a lot – I wish I had heard this talk when my own children were younger, as we all make mistakes as parents!

I would urge you all to come to Ms O’Shea’s talk on Tuesday 22nd January - 4.30-5.30 for Nursery and Pre-Prep, 6.30-7.30 for Prep School.

Finally, I am off on the Year 7 and 8 trip to the Somme Battlefield Tour this Friday: it should be a poignant and fascinating experience for us all.