obviously a sensitive soul. He
pressed on, sensing the chance of a rethink. “Surely you appreciate my point,
Mr Edwards?”
“I’m not in a position to comment on the personal
details, Mr Willoughby. However perhaps I should mention that Jim Wainwright is
one of our governors, a highly valued member of the team. It would have been
better not to have known the name. I suggest we focus on Rachel’s behaviour.”
“It’s a tough time for her. Would you put the suspension
on hold?”
Mr Edwards paused, took off his glasses and placed them
on the table. He looked across at David who for a brief instant felt as if he
was a pupil himself.
Finally the headmaster responded. “Yes, I’ll agree to
probation instead of suspension, though with conditions. I’ll want Rachel to
apologise to Miss Franks and to write me an action plan to set out how she
intends to improve her behaviour and performance. She’s an able girl, Mr
Willoughby, and she’s in danger of substantial underachievement.”
“Thank you, Mr Edwards, I appreciate your decision. I’ll
make sure she does both things you’ve asked for.”
“One other point though. She needs to be made aware that
if she steps out of line, however slightly, that will be it and she’ll be
suspended.”
“Fair enough, I’ll make sure she behaves properly.”
The headmaster stood and David did likewise. “You might
want to help her put together her plan of action,” Edwards suggested. “I want
to see something that sets out how she intends to make a sustained effort to
improve.”
“I’ll do that too.”
The Headmaster shook hands with David while making
uncompromising eye contact. “She’s in a room by reception, I’ll take you there.
She can’t go back to classes today but we’ll see her and her plan tomorrow.”
David glanced at his watch on their way out. It was 11.56.
He’d told Mary he’d be back by 1.00 at the latest and he might still make it. Mr
Edwards led him to a tiny windowless room, as near as a school could get to
having a cell. There were two plastic chairs, one occupied by Rachel and
another by a teacher who was marking exercise books on his lap. “You can go
home now, Rachel,” the Head said before David had a chance to speak. “If you do
what your father and I have discussed we’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned and
left without waiting for a reply.
“Hello Rachel, shall we go?” She nodded and followed
David out to the car.
The journey home was silent until David turned into their
street. Then Rachel spoke. “I’m sorry, dad. Things must be hard for you and
it’s not fair for me to make it worse.” David glanced to his side and saw tears
rolling down Rachel’s cheeks. He pulled up into the drive and switched off.
“We need each other to get through this, Rachel, but
whatever happens you know I’m here to support you.” They leant across the
handbrake to cuddle and Rachel shook as she sobbed. He couldn’t leave her at
home alone in this state, Mary would have to wait.
He made ham sandwiches for lunch and while they were
eating, outlined his conversation with Mr Edwards. The key messages were the
need for an apology and an action plan. As soon as she’d finished eating Rachel
opened her bag, took out a pad of paper and a pen, and got going.
“This is easy,” she said as she wrote.
1. No smoking
in school or nearby
2. Polite
attitude towards all teachers
3. Work as
hard as possible
4. Give in
homework on time
She tore out the piece of paper and handed it to David. “Done
it.”
“Well, if you stick with these that would be great, but
they’re a bit open-ended.” He’d attended countless meetings to set SMART
objectives and decided not to burden his daughter with a process that she would
probably encounter far too often in the future. He chose an intermediate path. “Perhaps
you could give an indication of how you intend to reach these actions.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel replied, a glimmer of
pressed on, sensing the chance of a rethink. “Surely you appreciate my point,
Mr Edwards?”
“I’m not in a position to comment on the personal
details, Mr Willoughby. However perhaps I should mention that Jim Wainwright is
one of our governors, a highly valued member of the team. It would have been
better not to have known the name. I suggest we focus on Rachel’s behaviour.”
“It’s a tough time for her. Would you put the suspension
on hold?”
Mr Edwards paused, took off his glasses and placed them
on the table. He looked across at David who for a brief instant felt as if he
was a pupil himself.
Finally the headmaster responded. “Yes, I’ll agree to
probation instead of suspension, though with conditions. I’ll want Rachel to
apologise to Miss Franks and to write me an action plan to set out how she
intends to improve her behaviour and performance. She’s an able girl, Mr
Willoughby, and she’s in danger of substantial underachievement.”
“Thank you, Mr Edwards, I appreciate your decision. I’ll
make sure she does both things you’ve asked for.”
“One other point though. She needs to be made aware that
if she steps out of line, however slightly, that will be it and she’ll be
suspended.”
“Fair enough, I’ll make sure she behaves properly.”
The headmaster stood and David did likewise. “You might
want to help her put together her plan of action,” Edwards suggested. “I want
to see something that sets out how she intends to make a sustained effort to
improve.”
“I’ll do that too.”
The Headmaster shook hands with David while making
uncompromising eye contact. “She’s in a room by reception, I’ll take you there.
She can’t go back to classes today but we’ll see her and her plan tomorrow.”
David glanced at his watch on their way out. It was 11.56.
He’d told Mary he’d be back by 1.00 at the latest and he might still make it. Mr
Edwards led him to a tiny windowless room, as near as a school could get to
having a cell. There were two plastic chairs, one occupied by Rachel and
another by a teacher who was marking exercise books on his lap. “You can go
home now, Rachel,” the Head said before David had a chance to speak. “If you do
what your father and I have discussed we’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned and
left without waiting for a reply.
“Hello Rachel, shall we go?” She nodded and followed
David out to the car.
The journey home was silent until David turned into their
street. Then Rachel spoke. “I’m sorry, dad. Things must be hard for you and
it’s not fair for me to make it worse.” David glanced to his side and saw tears
rolling down Rachel’s cheeks. He pulled up into the drive and switched off.
“We need each other to get through this, Rachel, but
whatever happens you know I’m here to support you.” They leant across the
handbrake to cuddle and Rachel shook as she sobbed. He couldn’t leave her at
home alone in this state, Mary would have to wait.
He made ham sandwiches for lunch and while they were
eating, outlined his conversation with Mr Edwards. The key messages were the
need for an apology and an action plan. As soon as she’d finished eating Rachel
opened her bag, took out a pad of paper and a pen, and got going.
“This is easy,” she said as she wrote.
1. No smoking
in school or nearby
2. Polite
attitude towards all teachers
3. Work as
hard as possible
4. Give in
homework on time
She tore out the piece of paper and handed it to David. “Done
it.”
“Well, if you stick with these that would be great, but
they’re a bit open-ended.” He’d attended countless meetings to set SMART
objectives and decided not to burden his daughter with a process that she would
probably encounter far too often in the future. He chose an intermediate path. “Perhaps
you could give an indication of how you intend to reach these actions.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel replied, a glimmer of
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