King David High School’s new Head Teacher, Tracy Basger, talks about her plans for the school and offers advice to parents looking to encourage more effective study habits in their children.
After almost 30 years teaching at King David High School, Tracy Basger has recently been appointed its new head teacher. Her vision for the school’s future is one where Manchester’s Jewish children can learn and thrive, underpinned by high standards, strong values, and a renewed sense of belonging at the heart of the community.
Since becoming interim head teacher in September 2024, Tracy wasted no time in implementing changes at the school: “We were very high achieving for a long time but had a real dip because of COVID which resulted in changes to children’s wellbeing and mental health. We had to focus on safeguarding and wellbeing which meant that behaviour dropped significantly.
“My first aim was getting behaviour sorted because without good behaviour, you can’t get the teaching right. We implemented a new policy that’s had a transformative effect on classroom learning – we now use a praise and reward policy and ensure every teacher uses the same language. When every teacher has a different method of doing things, it builds cognitive overload in a child’s brain, so we introduced a structured and consistent approach to raise behaviour standards.
“The second big change I implemented was being stricter on the sixth form in terms of dress code and making sure their study room was staffed. A-level results have improved from 9% A*’s to 22%. I’m raising standards back up by taking things back to basics and working really hard on staff training. My little tagline for the school is excellence, opportunity, and belonging – I think those are three things that make us stand out from where we were a few years ago.”
Tracy’s long-term vision for the school is simply that Jewish children go there: “10 to 15 years ago, most Jewish children were with us rather than grammar schools, but because our standards dropped a little, we started to lose children. For this to be a successful Jewish school, we need the community to support us and to send their children here. For the continuity of any Jewish community in Manchester, this school is pivotal.
My first aim was getting behaviour sorted because without good behaviour, you can’t get the teaching right.
“Previous students are now leaders in the community, and we want that for the future. All I can do is make it the best it can be and make it attractive for everyone to send their children here. We do that by making sure that every young person feels valued, supported, and able to flourish.
“Our ethos is Emet (integrity) and Emunah (faith) and they’re not just words; they’re literally the compass that drives everything we do. They shape education and blend academic excellence with a moral purpose.”
Asked what advice she would give to parents keen to support good study habits, Tracy emphasises that effective learning is about remembering, not simply rewriting notes: “What really works is testing memory by trying exam questions, checking mark schemes, seeing what you’ve got right or wrong, and then going back over it.”
Techniques such as learning facts, covering them up, and writing them down helps move knowledge into long-term memory.
This approach underpins the school’s focus on retrieval practice in lessons, regularly revisiting material from previous lessons. Tracy says revision at home should mirror this, with pupils spending short, regular periods reviewing what they’ve learned rather than cramming.
She also stresses the importance of environment: “Phones are one of the biggest distractions and should be kept out of reach during revision. A quiet, well-lit space, plenty of water, regular breaks, fresh air, and exercise all help concentration.”
Above all, Tracy highlights consistency and independence: “Don’t do homework for them,” she advises. “Allowing children to struggle – particularly in Year 7, 8, and 9 – builds resilience and strong habits of attention that will support them throughout their education.”