Headteacher’s Assembly: What Does “Ready” Look Like?
Our Personal Development focus this term is Becoming a Sidlesham Learner. This week, we continued exploring what our school values and rules look like in the everyday choices children make.
We began by returning to last week’s detective mission: to “catch” somebody being a Sidlesham Learner. So many children were keen to share what they had noticed - children showing kindness, persevering with difficult learning, helping others and having the confidence to try.
It was wonderful for the children who had spotted these moments, but also very special for those who discovered that somebody else had noticed them. It reminded us that the small, positive things we do every day really do matter.
We then turned our attention to the first of our three school rules: Ready.
The children compared two very different starts to the school day and considered what they might see, hear and think when somebody is ready to learn. Together, we “cracked the Ready code” and identified what being ready looks like:
Organised – I have what I need.
In the right place – I am where I need to be.
Listening – I am ready to hear and understand.
Focused – My attention is where it needs to be.
We discussed how being ready is about more than simply having the correct equipment. It means knowing our routines, responding promptly, using our learning time well and getting started without always needing to be reminded.
Being Ready also connects directly to our Sidlesham values. It builds confidence because children know what to do, and it demonstrates ambition because it shows that their learning matters.
The children have now chosen one routine to practise this week - perhaps coming into class calmly, preparing their equipment, listening carefully, starting work promptly or coming in sensibly after break.
Our challenge is simple: What will you do this week without needing to be reminded?
Growing together in ambition, confidence and kindness.