Mrs Payne's Reflections

You will have no doubt heard Mr Mossman and I in various speeches before now talk about how the academic and pastoral lives of our students sit side by side. We will both agree that for a school to be thriving, it has to be more than a place solely focused on achievement. Practising empathy can transform a school from a collection of individuals into a community that not only cares but also acts. It teaches that success is not only measured by achievement (of which there are many at KC whether that be academically, on the pitch, or on the stage etc) but by the strength of our connections to each other. In our KC community it is empathy that shapes the way people communicate daily. It is built into all that we are doing and into our ASPIRE values.

True empathy begins with listening. We have a staff body who take time to hear their student’s worries or concerns, to stop, listen and help. We have a student body who want to do the same through our peer mentoring programme. Listening empathetically is part of our culture as we provide support for all.

An empathetic school celebrates differences and appreciates different backgrounds and beliefs, our International Evening at the end of February hosted by our boarders, was a fantastic display of this where we celebrated the cultures of others and rejoiced in their individuality. There was also much ‘weeping’ from some as they said “goodbye” to their new friends – was it really only a week that they were with us?! The connections and memories made will last a lifetime.

On Monday Celts, Danes and Saxons met as House families to consider what empathy means and how this can be lived out in their daily lives at KC. They thought about social action being an important part of empathy. When we take time to understand other people’s feelings and experiences, it encourages us to act. We put empathy into action. This means everyone coming together to improve each other’s lives and solve problems. This could be as small as actively listening to one another or as big as a whole-school activity. Each house watched a video about their chosen house charity and considered what more they could do to understand the feelings of those who are supported by the charities. They then made pledges about how they could be more empathetic towards others throughout the school day.

I’m looking forward to reading the ‘pledge flags’ they made and seeing this lived out across our KC community.