"Focus on the 80%"

Tara Gretton

Introduced by Anna-Julia Szabo

In this interview, we see how the Solution Focus approach has changed the culture of a school. There is a focus on enabling students and staff to have meaningful conversations, concentrating on possibilities and solutions and what is already working.

Tara Gretton introduced the Solution Focus approach in this school and met staff and students were very welcoming, full of energy and had a hunger for new possibilities for useful change. They quickly embraced the new ideas and found their own ways to apply them.

It is impressive to hear how the staff in this school:

• Rate the well-being and the mental health of their students very highly
• Believe that every interaction they have with another person can make a difference to that person’s day or even their lives
• Work actively on the culture of their school, not doubting the positive effects this will have.

James Oldham and Susie Ingram talk about the school, the work they do and the impact of solution focused tools and assumptions in such a passionate way, giving their ideas on what is essential when you implement SF in any organisation.

We also hear from Felix Selwood a year 12 student about his thoughts on enabling students to talk together in a solution focused way and how:

• This interaction makes change possible
• You could apply it to any other organisation.

Felix is convinced that it will help people in any situation to do better work and have a more positive outlook on life.

It is refreshing to hear about all the change the staff and students are making possible and the impact it has on everyone in this school. Enjoy!

If you would like to see pupils and staff talk about the personal impact that this initiative has had at Beechen Cliff school, and the role Solution Focus has played in that. To watch this inspiring video follow this link.