Something I had forgotten, however, was the emphasis the speakers placed on students developing what they called “divergent thinking”. In the light of technological developments in the intervening years, it’s an approach that seems to me to be all the more important to highlight.
So, as students are looking forward to a well-earned summer break, I want to explore what divergent thinking might mean and what students might be able to do to develop this outside school.
What is divergent thinking? Why does it matter?
Divergent thinking can be thought of as the ability to generate multiple ideas, solutions or perspectives when faced with a problem or question. Rather than seeking a single correct answer, an approach that encourages divergent thinking requires students to explore and entertain a wide range of possibilities without immediate judgment. Where divergent thinking might hold two or more approaches equally in the balance, convergent thinking would look to strip away alternatives quickly to arrive at a definitive conclusion.
In fields that demand creativity and innovation, it is perhaps evident that students will naturally be thinking in such a “divergent” way. It is a habit of mind, however, that students will need increasingly at university and in the world of work, wherever they go. World Economic Forum studies have regularly shown that employers consistently rank creativity and problem-solving among the most sought-after skills. By developing divergent thinking, students can prepare themselves for the unpredictable challenges of the future.
What can you do to develop it?
This kind of creative approach to learning underpins much of what we do at the High School. But it seems to me that the holidays (when they come!) are a particularly good time to try to develop this further, not least because there is more “slack” in the system that can allow students to be playful and creative, cultivating divergent thinking in a more relaxed context.
Here are some practical suggestions that students might want to consider:
- Journaling and reflective writing: You could keep a journal, responding to what you read, watch, listen to or simply experience in a fluid, non-directed way (there are no mark schemes and no Assessment Objectives for once!). This can help you explore multiple perspectives and/or solutions and allow you to make connections between disparate topics.
- Creative challenges: Set aside time for creative activities, such as writing stories, composing music, inventing games or building something from scratch. Limiting resources or imposing constraints can push you to think more imaginatively. Again, doing so in an undirected way with no practical end in mind can be a good way to consider multiple approaches.
- Ask “What If?” questions: Question the world around you. Pose hypothetical or open-ended questions about current events, technology or the arts, as you learn about them through listening to podcasts or Radio 4, for instance (or TikTok, if you must!). The world seems to be in flux; more than ever you can question why things are the way they are and consider multiple ways in which they could be different.
Concluding thoughts
By playing with ideas and allowing a creative engagement with the world, students will build a divergent way of thinking that will help them practically when preparing for university and beyond.
Mr Viesel
Director of Sixth Form
The week ahead
Monday 23 June
Cricket: U13A vs Wellingborough School
School Musical Tech Rehearsal (all day)
Tuesday 24 June
School Musical Rehearsal (afternoon)
Year 12 UCAS Discovery Day Trip
Cricket: U13A – GDST Cricket Rally
Art Festival 6pm – 8pm
Wednesday 25 June
Sixth Form Welcome Day
Tennis: U14A v Northampton School
Friday 27 June
Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions
Welcome Day – Junior and Senior
School Musical Performance
Book Review: All That It Ever Meant by Blessing Musariri
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for writing 2025
‘I’m going to tell you exactly how everything happened. Baba always says, Mati mwana’ngu, I love a good story but I don’t have time for a long one, so make it short.’
When Mati and her two siblings travel from London to Zimbabwe with their father, they are forced to confront the knotty family dynamics caused by the loss of their mother. Along for the trip is Meticais, a fabulously attired gender-neutral spirit – or ghost? or imaginary friend? – who only Mati can see and talk to.
Guided by Meticais’s enigmatic advice and wisdom, Mati must come to terms with her grief and with the difficulty of a life lived between two cultures, while her family learn to forge their way in a world without their monumental mother. This is distinctive, stylish, powerful writing by a vital new voice.
Tickets for The Little Mermaid
We’re excited to announce the tickets for the school musical ‘The Little Mermaid’ are now on sale!
Eco Team
The Eco Team had a busy session this week with some students repotting some of our tomato and salad plants, ready for them to go outside, so fingers crossed for a good harvest later in the term. The others used ‘Tree-beating’ and pooters to examine the diversity of wildlife in the trees of the courtyard. Their favourite specimen was a very hairy caterpillar!
Year 12 Biology Trip
The A Level Biology group visited the Nene Wetlands Reserve managed by the BCN Wildlife Trust to conduct their field studies. Katie King from the Trust explained the role of the charity, linking to A level Biology, and then explained the role of the newly introduced beavers and the work that had to be done to prepare for their arrival. The girls had planned their investigations into the effect of environmental factors on the distribution of a specific species. They battled admirably through the wet weather to collect enough data to analyse using statistics, and were rewarded with lunch at Nandos as the reserve is alongside Rushden Lakes. After an early return to dry out the girls have worked really hard on preparing their full written reports. A third successful year of the visit, showing the girls the other side of Rushden Lakes, and we certainly plan to return again next year.
Year 12 Physics Trip
The Year 12 Physics group went on an exciting trip to the local park to investigate circular motion. They used the playground equipment to conduct experiments using real life scenarios, such as swings and roundabouts to build a strong understanding of the topic. They calculated the force on the person when they swing/spin on a roundabout using the physics they’ve learnt in class, then tested to see if their calculations were correct using a Newton meter and the playground equipment.
Mrs Vizor
Subject Leader – Physics
Deputy Head of Sustainability Blog
Recently, the Eco Team has been finalising an Action Plan and evaluating the impact of our actions this year to figure out what we want to improve. We are particularly excelling in the energy, biodiversity and waste categories, where we scored high marks in the Eco Schools criteria.
As Deputy Head of Sustainability, I believe we should continue to spread awareness for a greener future. The Eco Team aspires to recruit more people in the coming academic year and will continue to raise money for sustainability driven initiatives, for example One Tree Day. Through weekly meetings, assemblies and eco-friendly activities such as constructing ‘bee baths’ with Dr Lines, the Eco Team has successfully shared the importance of doing your part to help our school community’s eco footprint and improve the surrounding environment through litter picks.
I believe that it is important to continue to educate the younger years and strive for positive environmental action within our school.
Arna Kar, Deputy Head of Sustainability
This Week's Sports
Throughout this week there have been multiple sports fixtures, ranging from rallies to cricket matches. Read below to find out how the matches went, and more about this week’s fixtures.
Junior Mathematical Challenge
Last month, a number of our Year 7 and 8 students entered the Junior Mathematical Challenge, along with Kinara B from Year 6. The JMC is a 60 minute, 25 question multiple choice challenge. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency to make students think. 2 students – Kinara, plus Maisie T from Year 8, scored highly enough to qualify for the next round of the competition, called the Junior Kangaroo. Results are just in – Maisie gained a silver certificate for this, and Kinara has been awarded a gold! This is a fantastic achievement for both students – really well done.
Mrs Harrison
Teacher of Mathematics
KS3 Workshops
We were delighted to welcome Dave Shelton into school for our KS3 Scholars’ Event. Dave, who is an author, illustrator and cartoonist, led two wonderful workshops. In the art/cartooning session, after experimenting with silhouette and speed drawing, students created a ‘double act’ of two distinctive characters who could be easily identified in a cartoon strip. They certainly followed the first rule of the session (‘be original’), generating characters that ranged from a snail with fairy-lights to a feline armed detective and a parakeet sporting a top hat. Students in the creative writing workshop produced equally imaginative responses, rising brilliantly to the challenge to trap their ‘double act’ together in a situation from which they could not escape. Their ideas included two humans trapped in a dystopian lab experiment and a woman who swaps places with her own reflection in a mirror – as well as an impressive assortment of animal species. Dave was able to offer individual feedback to the students on their pieces and we are very grateful to him for facilitating this fantastic opportunity for the girls to develop their creative skills through writing and art.
Miss Kilby
Reach Co-Ordinator
Year 8 National Careers Challenge
On Wednesday, Year 8 students had a day off timetable to participate in the ‘Future Airline Challenge’ where they explored the world of International Travel to create a new subsidiary airline for British Airways that would sit alongside the CityFlyer and EuroFlyer brands. Students considered who would use their airline, where it would fly and how they would ensure a quality service for their target customer, whilst keeping their airline sustainable and commercially viable.
Through engaging with the challenge, Year 8 students in schools across the country will enhance their understanding of the essential skills required for success including teamwork, communication and problem-solving. Additionally, the challenge enables young people to bridge the gap between education and employment, empowering them to make informed decisions and understand the skills needed for their future world of work.
All the girls performed brilliantly, showing creativity, cooperation and the ability to think on their feet. Particular congratulations to Emily C, Erin A, Avleen S, Ellie J-M, Ishani S and Pippa L who were the winning team and will go on to represent their school at The National Careers Challenge Grand Finals in July 2025!
Northampton High Celebrates Pride Month
Last week, Northampton High School celebrated Pride Month with the aid of FemSoc. Events included an informative assembly covering the subject of Gender and Sex, where FemSoc members covered definitions, the court ruling on the definition of a woman and different views on the subject to give the school community an informed analysis. FemSoc members also organised a lunch with the LGBTQIA+ support group and charity ‘Under the Umbrella’ to discuss the topic further and find out what support is available in the local community. Last Thursday, FemSoc members hosted a Pride-themed bake sale to raise money for ‘Under the Umbrella’. The sale included rainbow iced cupcakes and mini pride flags on all the baked goods. The bake sale was very successful, raising £130. Overall, the whole school community has had the opportunity to participate in the Pride celebrations led by FemSoc this week.
Swap Shop
We have our Welcome Day next Friday, 27 June. Swap Shop will open in the afternoon and we would be grateful for any school uniform donations please. Current Year 11s can bring in items of uniform on Wednesday 25 June, our Sixth Form Welcome Day. Thank you.
