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Posted on: January 26th 2024

Headteacher Update 26.01.24

Alaric Govan Headteacher at Chichester High SchoolWeek 19: “Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” — Maya Angelou

As a senior leadership team, we often spend time at the beginning of a meeting reflecting on the positive things we have seen during the week. Sometimes this is how a student’s behaviour or attendance has improved over time; on other occasions it’s work we have seen students completing around the school. It can even be a conversation we’ve had with a student or colleague over the past few days. We do this to remind ourselves of all the wonderful, amazing and often funny things that happen during a typical week in a school. 

On the back of this, we are going to refocus on ensuring that children receive more recognition of their hard work, be that verbal praise, a postcard home, or a positive phone call. There are other ways in which we celebrate hard work and achievement- the Year 11 prom and the end-of-year trips we are looking to relaunch- but regular praise is important to recognise the efforts of children on a daily basis.

Another positive is the range of trips and visits organised by staff. Next week, students in Year 10s and 11 will be watching a production of ‘Intermezzo’ at the Minerva Theatre. This is being delivered by students currently training to go into the performance industry so is an excellent opportunity for them to watch budding performers at work.

We are very fortunate to work closely with Discover Your Future Chichester Community Development Trust. This group works with schools and aims to help students with alternative activities and focussed coaching sessions to help with their wellbeing and mental health. Every week, about 15 Year 9 students travel to Graylingwell Park to participate in these sessions. The programme lasts 10 weeks and has proved really beneficial to some of our students. The feedback is always really positive.

And finally, this weekend 26 students in Years 9 and 10 will be trekking around the Devils’ Dyke region in preparation for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. The Duke of Edinburgh award is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop skills (they have to use a map and compass to navigate their way, and they cook their own food in the evening. It’s a forecast to be a clear but cold weekend, so I wish them luck in this. As always, thank you to the staff who make this possible.

A few other points:

At the end of this half-term, we are moving from one Management Information System to another. As these systems contain all of our school data, you will appreciate that it is a massive task. A letter has gone out this afternoon to explain what is happening and why the school will be closing early on Friday 9th February to enable this to happen.

And lastly, a polite reminder. Please don’t turn up at the Main Reception without an appointment. Most staff also teach and non-teaching staff usually have a full schedule of meetings and duties for the day. Please phone the school to make an appointment- this way you are more likely to see the person you need to see. 

Have a good weekend.

Smashed Live
Mollie Smithers
GCSE Geography Fieldwork
Breakfast at CHS
Fashion Show
Cross Country
Boxing with ACE
Fashion Show raffle

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