Dear school community,

Congratulations to staff and students on what I heard was an exceptional International Day. A celebration of diversity and inclusion - thank you to all those behind the scenes who worked so hard to make International Day a fabulous event and to everyone who got into the spirit of the day.

Ms Jones and I spent the day, with other school leadership teams, looking at school data from student engagement and wellbeing to student achievement and best practice teaching and I am pleased to report that IPS is tracking very well indeed. This also supports many of the findings emerging from our school review process.

Among other things we looked at how tracking data can help us with our professional practices from curriculum planning to application and the direct correlation between high expectations and student achievement.

A discerning point around averages (data) and being labelled as average (the person) was highlighted by one of the facilitators which resonated with me both as a parent and as a school leader. In the form of a poem it makes interesting food for thought. It’s titled “The Average Child” composed by Mike Buscemi.

I don’t cause teachers trouble;
My grades have been okay.
I listen in my classes.
I’m in school every day.

My teachers think I’m average;
My parents think so too.
I wish I didn’t know that, though;
There’s lots I’d like to do.

I’d like to build a rocket;
I read a book on how.
Or start a stamp collection…
But no use trying now.

’Cause, since I found I’m average,
I’m smart enough you see
To know there’s nothing special
I should expect of me.

I’m part of that majority,
That hump part of the bell,
Who spends his life unnoticed
In an average kind of hell.

-Mike Buscemi

We need to work together to ensure our students / your child(ren) develop into adults with exemplary values and magnificent personal attributes who have the skills, knowledge and a desire to make a contribution to the world around them. I’m sure you agree with us that your child can and will do great things and that we need to work together to this end. Our collective desire for your child(ren) to excel does not stop at Year Six Graduation. We would like every IPS student to see herself or himself as an ambassador for their generation.

IPS Values: Confidence, Independence, Persistence, Resilience, Respect

Have a great day
Mark Kent
Principal