Personal Planning & Reflection Event
Updated: 2 days ago
ALL YEARS
Wednesday 16 September between 1 - 6pm
To allow for this event, all students will be dismissed early at 12.30pm.
Dear Parents and Carers,
It’s been really lovely to see our students back at Crofton School and to hear about their summer activities.
Those of you who have been keeping an eye on our website and social media will have spotted our 'Save the Date' – if you did, you’ll be keen to know the details of our upcoming Personal Planning and Reflection meeting on Wednesday, 16th September! This is a brand-new event and an exciting first for Crofton.
As a new headteacher, two things really interest me: how can we tailor in-class support based on each student’s individual strengths and struggles, and how can we break down barriers to learning. We want to remove whatever gets in the way of a student’s progress, so they have the absolute best chance of success. This meeting is a vital tool to help us achieve that.
While many schools create student profiles for small, targeted groups, our ambition is to create one for every single student at Crofton. This means your child's teachers will have immediate access to critical, personalised insights, allowing them to target their support in the best possible way.
How the Day Works
Early Finish: School will finish for all students at 12:30 pm.
Note on Lunch: A full selection of lunch options (including hot food and grab-and-go options) will be available to purchase during morning breaktime. At 12:30, a limited selection of grab-and-go items will be available for students to purchase and take away with them.
10-Minute Face-to-Face Meetings: Every student (and parents who wish to join - you are very welcome!) will meet with a staff member for a guided conversation covering four key areas:
1. What they would like their teachers to know about them
2. What they are good at
3. What they find hard
4. What helps them
Outcome: We will capture this information into a One-Page Profile, along with three key targets for the year which will also be chosen during the meeting. These targets will be reviewed in both the spring and summer terms.
Important: This is not a traditional parents' evening to discuss academic progress (those will happen later in the year as normal). It is specifically focused on personal reflection, support, and target-setting.
Booking Your Appointment
System: Bookings will take place via our usual SchoolCloud system.
Bookings Open: 6:00 pm on Thursday 10th September.
Bookings Close: 9:00 am on Monday, 14th September.
Unbooked Slots: If you're unable to attend or don't book a slot, please don't worry - we will automatically allocate a time for your child so that they still get to complete their meeting. They will simply need to return to school at their assigned time to meet with their staff member.
Parent Attendance: While it is vital that students attend their allocated slot, parent attendance is optional, though we would genuinely love to see you there if you can make it!
Drop In for a Chat (and a Cuppa!)
Once you’ve finished your meeting, or before, if you prefer, please do pop into the RIC where I’d love to meet you. I’m keen to chat with as many of you as possible and gather your initial thoughts on two key topics that we're exploring this year:
The Length of the Crofton School Day: As part of updating our schedule to align with national recommendations for a 32½ hour school week, we are looking at how our week is structured. What could an adjusted Crofton schedule look like? Should we keep our early Wednesday finish and lengthen the other days, or standardise the finish time across all five days?
School Uniform: If you’ve just bought new uniform, please don't panic! Any potential changes wouldn't take effect until next year and would be phased in to avoid any waste or extra cost. My goal is simple: reduce friction, maintain positive relationships in school, and keep comfort high. Can we avoid daily disagreements about untucked shirts or skirt lengths? Are there comfortable alternatives to blazers and jumpers?
I’d love to hear your thoughts - or, if you just want to drop in for a cup of tea or coffee, you are more than welcome.
Thank you, as always, for your continued partnership and support as we launch this brilliant initiative. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Wednesday 16th September!
With kind regards,
Mark Palmer
Headteacher
