First day as headteacher of the quietest school in the country

No one is waiting for me at reception. No tour set up, no meetings arranged.

First days are meant to be full of excitement and possibility, of opportunity, aspiration and ambition for the future.

I have all of this inside my head, but no colleagues and no students to share it with.

I have a building, with plans, ideas, goals and dreams. I also have a lot of dust to tackle and furniture to move before I can find somewhere to sit down, and hopefully locate a wireless connection.

For I need to announce to the world that today is my first day as Headteacher of Pinner High School. I am not sure many will have noticed.

Pinner High School opens this year. Nine months. The due date is September 1.

Check-ups along the way are with the EFA, the DfE, and Ofsted.

Pinner High was brought into the world by successful local secondary schools, who are anticipating welcoming the newest member of the family.

A scan of admission numbers show everything is progressing well: nearly 650 applications and 180 places available.

Building measurements taken, and refurbishment underway.

Curriculum, pastoral and enrichment plans submitted, and governors receiving glowing praise in the community.

But today, what is the first thing to do? Every policy needs to be written. Every colleague, teacher and support staff, needs to be recruited.

My first decision, however, is to start with a cup of tea, a large piece of paper, and the most exciting ‘to do’ list of my career.

I do have Pinner High School mugs – priorities.

This is my dream job, to create a brand new school in an area that needs more school places.

The local community are engaged and positive: 300 of them turned out to meet me in the summer in my first outing as head, and 1,200 people attended the autumn open events.

Senior staff from local schools make up part of the governing body.

Support is tangible, and feedback overwhelmingly positive.

Pinner High School will be a school as it should be, rather than how it has always been.

Whilst I try to steer clear of politics and keep the focus on young people, I believe this is the most effective type of free school: sharing best practice from local schools, in an area of need, with strong governance and clear accountabilities.

But despite all that, at 8.30am on day one, no PGCE, MA or NPQH can prepare you for the flickering of bulbs that don’t come on, and the silence that fills the room.

This must be the quietest school in the country. But I am in the fortunate position of having a site secure for the school.

The school motto is- or will be? I’m not sure in which tense different aspects of the school exist just now- ‘Inspiring Learning’.

This was the one the community chose in my first meeting with them.

Schools should represent those around them, so I wanted local residents and those interested in the school to have a voice in its identity.

Inspiring Learning appeals to the English teacher side of me; students need to be inspired by their everyday experiences with their teachers in every lesson.

But I also hope Pinner High School inspires learning in others too, through the lives of the students when they leave us, for the community as a whole, and for the colleagues I need to find.

Pinner High School will be an inclusive school, of high aspiration for all, and an emphasis on academic excellence, performance opportunity, sporting success and a commitment to the community.

The first students in Year 7 will be our trailblazers, just as the staff will be who open the school with me in September.

That is what I keep in mind as the steam rises from my first cup of tea, and the ‘to do’ list starts to grow.