Focus on Education June 2022
In a statement issued as the Platinum Jubilee celebrations drew to a close, the Queen, said how she had been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship she had seen over during the four-day celebration.
The statement said: “When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first. But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee.
While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.
I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.
I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.”
I was saying to some students the other day that I had no idea what the world would look like today when I was their age. That doesn’t mean I’m ancient (even if I may appear so in their eyes!); it’s simply a reflection of the pace of change in my lifetime so far, with technology very much at the heart of that revolution. The same can be said of the Queen but she has adapted to change which has given her longevity and relevance. This was evidenced over the weekend in all shapes and sizes.
‘Back in the day’, it may have been enough to get good grades to be assured of a place at a good university which would in turn lead to a good job. Many of you will know from the demands of your own professions that this is no longer the case and that some of the skills previously required in the workplace will increasingly be replaced by AI.
Many of today’s children will live into the 22nd century, needing to adapt to a world which will continue to evolve in all sorts of ways.
“A typical human being now lives significantly longer than the time between major innovations. Nowadays young people entering the workforce can expect to see several major changes during their lifetime that will very likely disrupt the continuity of their careers.”
(Andrew McAfee, Erik Brynjolfsson: ‘Harnessing the Digital Revolution’)
The list of skills and attributes required for success is very different from a few years ago. In schools we must prepare our children for tomorrow’s world, ignoring at our peril the importance of cognitive, creative and people skills.
Top 10 skills in 2020 (Future of Jobs Report, World Economic Forum):
- Complex problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
- People management
- Coordinating with others
- Emotional intelligence
- Judgement and decision-making
- Service orientation
- Negotiation
- Cognitive flexibility
Consider too this diagram:
We shall, of course, continue at HGS to aspire to academic excellence; we want our students to achieve as well as they can, relative to their abilities, keeping all their options open. But, when we talk about a holistic, well-rounded education and all the stuff that goes with it (development of curiosity, independent thought, oracy, creativity, resilience, teamwork, leadership, character, empathy, responsibility), we do so not just because we think it makes our children better people. It’s not an optional extra: we believe with a passion that these are essential ingredients for future success and happiness. As the Queen said: “we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.” Confidence, enthusiasm, kindness and being a force for good are all important ingredients to success and they are attributes that all HGS students should aspire to. Whether one believes in a Monarchy or not or indeed whether one enjoys seeing Rod Stewart ruining a classic anthem live on BBC One, a fine example has been set for us all by the Queen over the past 70 years.
Stay well and safe.
Be kind to yourself and others.
Best wishes,
Dr Bird
LAMDA March Exam Results
Please see the below results. Congratulations to all the students.
Burnley International Football Tournament
Congratulations to Arijus Ahmadian in Year 7 who has been selected by Birmingham City Football Club to play in the Burnley International Football Tournament over half term.
This is an exciting opportunity for Arijus as the tournament includes teams such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and many more. Good Luck!
HGS Maths
The Maths department here at HGS want to make it as straight forward as possible for you to support your son at home, particularly with end of year exams approaching. We have a simple to use website www.hgsmaths.com which hosts all our content. Please see this short video to learn how best to utilise it: https://youtu.be/xQ19q6g_vPw.
A special thanks to Mr Bansal who has made this fantastic website for our school community.
Focus on Education May 2022
Trepidation ripples through their uniformed ranks. There’s bravado as they huddle close, attempting to disguise their anxiety. Poorly. The tough guys try to look, well, tough. But inside, jelly. Others are just openly fearful, eyes darting, beads of perspiration. It is the eve of battle and these few, these not-so-happy few, finger their weapons nervously. Yet they are about to spill ink not blood. For they stand, not on the fields of Agincourt, but outside the Big School. And whilst the pen may be mightier than the sword in this arena, the need for self-confidence and mental fortitude remains the same.
Just as Henry V’s army needed inspiration to believe in themselves as they entered the fray, so too do you as you face up to the cut and thrust of your final examinations. So what better encouragement than to offer up the King’s own stirring advice? The galvanizing words of his St Crispin’s Day speech were still ringing in the ears of his troops when Lord Salisbury rode up, all doom and gloom. The enormity of the task that lay before them was daunting. Henry’s reproach? “All things are ready, if our minds be so.”
All things are ready, if our minds be so. As you prepare for your examinations, the enormity of the task and the weight of its implications is not lost on you. Most of you don’t actually need well-intentioned parents and teachers reminding you of the fact every waking moment. What you do need is help to get into the right mental state.
Unfortunately, evolution hasn’t really kept pace since the days of bloody warfare. Hence, the biological responses of a teenager facing the pressure of examinations mirror those of Henry’s soldiers in mortal hand-to-hand combat. As far as I’m aware, no one has ever died from wounds suffered solving a quadratic equation, but try telling that to the nervous system of an A Level candidate. The stress of opening the Question Booklet triggers the same physiological responses as a crazed knight charging at you. Adrenaline and cortisol flood the body’s organs. Heart rate increases, lung capacity contracts. Blood is diverted from non-essential functions like digestion, so appetite reduces. Visual focus narrows, as does the ability of the brain to process peripheral issues.
So how best to arm you as you prepare for these engagements? Revision, certainly. Plenty of practice sparring with prior exam papers. Sleep and a healthy diet before the battle. Dare I suggest less screen-time for a while? All the usual things. But the greatest armour in which we can clad you is a positive mental outlook. Not complacency, not denial. But calm, reasoned, positive affirmation that you are well-prepared and up to the fight. Let resilience be your shield, self-confidence your sword.
And perhaps most importantly, never forget that as the final cry of “Pens Down” echoes across the desks lined row upon row, nobody will actually be mortally wounded. Life will go on.
Stay well and safe.
Be kind to yourself and others.
Good Luck and thank you Year 13 and Year 11 – we are all very proud of you!
Best wishes,
Dr Bird
Ofsted Report
Our most recent Ofsted report can be viewed below:
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys Ofsted Report May 2022
The report will uploaded to the Ofsted website in the next week.
