My day in a Secondary School
Aspirational & appealing
As a primary school trainee, I had to spend a day in a secondary school as part of my broader school experience. This was to support my understanding of the key stage that followed key stage 2 (KS2), where my primary pupils would eventually transition to. My day in Key Stage 3 (KS3) gave me an insight into pupil progression and allowed me to experience a modern-day secondary school. It had been over 20 years since I last stepped foot in a secondary school or sixth form, and it was a privilege to be given access and a front-row seat to observe it all.
The day had to take place before my final assessment meeting (in May or June), so there was no hurry to get it completed. I'd planned to do it around the same time as my contrasting school experience (CSE), and I began emailing secondary schools in the spring term. I either emailed schools through their office address or emailed headteachers directly. I emailed a few schools in London, and some emailed me back to say that they were unable to accommodate me. One school in South West London was the first to welcome me in, and the principal sent me a very kind email inviting me to spend the day. He forwarded me to the vice principal, who would be my contact and host. We decided on a date in March, and I was really looking forward to experiencing KS3 :).
Before I started my secondary school experience, my mentor and I had to decide on a focus area and objective for the day. It had to have a subject focus, and we decided that I would focus on how misconceptions are addressed in maths. Prior to the experience, my host and I were in touch via email, and I explained my objective to him. He was preparing a timetable for me, and maths lessons would of course feature heavily. I recorded my objective on my secondary school experience form 1.
When I arrived at the school, I was amazed by its size. It felt more like a university, and it was completely different from the secondary schools that I went to. I grew up in a small town where most pupils attended one school from years 7–9 and then an upper school from year 10 through to sixth form. This London secondary school had a huge reception area, which was nothing like the two chairs that housed visitors at my old secondary schools. As I sat in the reception, I saw numerous smartly dressed pupils in blazers and ties. This was quite a different look from the uniform that I was used to seeing my primary school pupils wearing.
I told the receptionist that I was due to meet the vice principal, and she kindly called him for me. I took a seat in the spacious reception area, and he arrived shortly after. He was welcoming, friendly and very well-dressed. Secondary school teachers were quite a bit smarter than primary school teachers, and suits and ties were not solely for pupils. As he walked me to a meeting room, I was in awe of the school's size and structure. There was a sense of calm and order as I tottered up the stairs, and the pupils were respectful and well-behaved. As I continued to stroll the corridors, I could see that the school had high expectations and a clear behaviour policy. It felt incredibly aspirational and appealing.
As we sat in the meeting room, the vice principal talked me through the timetable that he'd planned for me and gave me a copy. The day involved me observing maths, science, English and history lessons. He gave me a little tour of the classrooms, and I had a little peek at the sixth-form facilities, which were amazing.
Having worked in year 1, it all felt so much more grown up and serious in KS3. The tables were all arranged in rows, and pupils sat in pairs instead of groups. The expectations were sky-high and teachers reinforced the behaviour that they wanted to see. Teachers told pupils to tuck their shirts in, and they were expected to enter classrooms in silence. The dynamic between staff and pupils seemed different in KS3, and the teachers were definitely stricter, pacier and more abrupt. There was definitely a greater distance between staff and pupils, and pupils didn't seek approval or affection in the same way as my year 1 pupils. KS3 students were independent, and they could definitely self-regulate. They were so much bigger than my tiny year 1 class too.
The classrooms were fantastic learning environments and pupils were well-behaved and focused. They worked in silence and I was blown away by their subject knowledge. It was a treat to observe a practical science lesson, where the teacher created several chemical reactions. There was fizzing and bubbling and colour changes.
The maths department was a standout team, and they were all excellent teachers. They asked lots of questions when teaching, and pupils were cold called. Common misconceptions were discussed and addressed as teachers spotted them. The team had a fab office space for the department, and they felt like a really tight bunch. They very kindly hosted me for the whole morning and even offered me a Krispy Kreme doughnut :).
At the end of the day, I reflected on the activities I did to meet my objective and recorded them on Form 2. My host wrote a lovely comment on the form and signed it. My final reflective task was to record the learning that I was going to embed in my practice, as a result of my incredible day. This was written down on Form 3.
I can honestly say that my secondary school day was one of my training highlights. It was my favourite part of my broader school experience, and I was thrilled to have had the opportunity. All the staff were wonderful and welcoming, and I had some great conversations with other early career teachers. It was good to hear about their experiences as trainees, and they were all really encouraging. They could relate to some of the things I was going through, and it was good to offload and share. They gave me some great advice, and I left feeling pumped about my future.
The day opened my eyes to secondary education, and I found it very aspirational. The vice principal gave me so much of his time and was well-prepared for my arrival. I felt like he wanted me to have a successful and enjoyable day, which I definitely did. I left wondering if KS3 might be something to explore in the future :).
