13 pastoral questions
13 pastoral questions
As a teacher and leader, you are in the motivation business.
You want to get the best out of your students, your teams, and yourself.
One powerful framework for understanding and fostering motivation is Self-Determination Theory (SDT).
Self-Determination Theory, developed by psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, suggests that people are most motivated when three basic psychological needs are met: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Autonomy refers to feeling in control of one's own behaviour and goals. When individuals feel they have a choice and their actions align with their personal values, they are more motivated.
Competence involves feeling effective and capable of achieving desired outcomes. When people believe they can succeed and master tasks, their motivation increases.
Relatedness is the need to feel connected to others. Positive relationships and a sense of belonging enhance motivation and well-being.
This week’s highlights from the We Are In Beta Community give you a chance to build all three.
Both for yourself and others.
How?
By helping your fellow members find answers to the questions they’ve been asking.
Who knows, you might find answers to yours too.
(Huge thanks to everyone who’s been helping out already).
We - Schools - Are In Beta - always learning (when we are autonomous, competent, related).
Before I share what members have been asking…
Thank you to everyone who got involved with our setting up and running on-site AP survey last week.
We are collating all your questions and will be sending them out shortly.
ICYMI and you’re interested to see how others have set up and run their on-site AP, get involved here.
🤔📍13 pastoral and outcomes questions you are asking
⚙️ How to use this bulletin board.
To help you decide (before clicking into them):
which conversations you can add the most value to and
which ones you can learn the most from…
…I’ve divided them into 3 groups:
Help needed, threads available to all (🤝🙏🌐)
Really helpful answers worth reading, threads available to all (but will be moving to private, members only space soon (💡👀🌐🔜🔐 )
Really helpful answers worth reading, threads only available in a private, members only space (💡👀🔐)
❤️ 1. Behaviour intervention programmes
“Looking to work with colleagues interested in intervention packages for students around vaping, sexualised behaviour, bullying and discrimination etc.”
🤝🙏🌐
🏫 2. Internal AP
“I am Ann-Marie - DHT at Cardinal Wiseman. We are rolling out internal AP from September. Just wondering what other secondary schools are doing. Questions I have are…”
🤝🙏🌐
🎖️3. Duke of Edinburgh
“Hi all, wondering if anyone can help. We are trying to set up a DofE programme for a whole year group. I am wondering if anybody else does this and if they would be willing to have a conversation with me regarding logistics. Thanks All”
🤝🙏🌐
👨👩👧👦 4. Family support workers in attendance team
“We are introducing a Family Support worker to our attendance team. Does anyone have any experience of what this might look like?”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
🤬 5. Emotional regulation resources
“Hello, I am a SENCO and new to Beta and was wondering if anyone has any resources on supporting students with Emotional Regulation?”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
✅ 6. Trips approval process
“Has anyone got a really clear process for trips approval. Checklists? Expectations? Staffing? Process from start to finish? Trips evaluation form? Trip application? Thanks James”
🤝🙏🌐
📆 7. Working 9 days out of 10
“Been trying to get to the bottom of how schools/trusts are paying for these "only work 9 days out of 10" structures. I understand the what and the why, but the financial "How" seems to be hidden behind vague broad brush answers. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of it?”
💡👀🔐
🏖️ 8. Two week half terms in the Autumn Term
“I am interested to hear about the success or otherwise of 2 week half terms in the autumn term? What is the impact on learning , on staff absence and on student absence? What are the benefits and drawbacks?”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
📈 9. Catch up following absence
“Hi there. I’m interested to know what other secondary schools are doing to support students to catch up on work missed following short term absence.”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
📖 10. Year 10 tutor programme activities
“Hello. I’m looking for ideas and activities to incorporate into our tutor programme for Year 10. I’ve looked at revision ideas such as quizzes for core but was wondering what else was out there.”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
👩🏽🎓 11. Student colours system
“Hello, I am Linzi, we are looking at introducing a 'Student Colours' system to recognise the achievements of students - similar to University Sports colours. Does anybody have anything similar please?”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
⚖️ 12. Sanctions models
“Hi, We are looking at different models for our sanctions. Our main issue is students who get so many detentions they are booked into next year! Can anyone recommend resources on this community which show how to make detentions or sanctions work or how to deal with repeat offenders? Thanks”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
📨 13. SEND communications
“Looking to speak to other SEND leaders about improving communications. We are working on improving our engagement with families of children with SEND, and especially around improving parent understanding of the differences between primary and secondary SEND support. Would love to chat to anyone who is working on the same.”
💡👀🌐🔜🔐
Got a question? Ask the community.
The We Are In Beta team invest 30+ hours a week helping you to get answers: keeping an eye on what’s happening, researching, replying, making introductions, signposting resources and updating our databases.
NB: due to the volume of questions asked, we now prioritise members of the
Not a member?
On a personal note
Here are 3 lenses to understand why people don’t do what the are supposed to:
There are plenty of times in my career when the people I’ve been working with haven’t quite done what I’d hoped.
In those moments of frustration, it was tempting to blame them.
In truth, responsibility lay elsewhere. With me.
I failed to make them aware. I failed to skill them up. I failed to get buy in.
So the next time the people you work with don’t do what you had hoped to achieve your shared goal - whether it be teachers, students, parents or governors - ask yourself:
Are they unaware?
Are they unable?
Are they unwilling?
Identifying which is the case gives you a clear path to success.
Thank you to Dr Herminder Channa OBE (Regional Director) and Will Meldrum (Deputy Headteacher) for both reminding me of this framework when we spoke recently.
It’s just applicable when running a community as it is leading staff and teaching students.
The We Are In Beat team - and our Community Manager, Tom Pattison, in particular have been working hard on making our members more aware, more able and even more willing to support each other inside the community.
But we would love to hear your thoughts too - what can we do to help you be even more supportive of each other?
Just reply to this email - be great to hear from you.
Thanks for reading.
@NiallAlcock and the We Are In Beta team
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