Sunday 28 January 2007

OK so how do we build brilliant learning places?

It shouldn't be so difficult since we have outstanding practice wherever you look... I know I'll miss something but the learning landscape here in Leeds is full of brilliant stuff...

  • some outstanding headteachers;
  • some outstanding learning teams;
  • some outstanding primary schools;
  • some outstanding secondary schools;
  • some outstanding specialist provision for children with special educational needs;
  • a powerful and developing leadership development programme
  • an outstanding mentoring programme;
  • a powerful and developing framework for coaching learners;
  • an outstanding traveller education service;
  • an outstanding parenting programme delivering family support and STEPS;
  • an outstanding attendance programme;
  • an outstanding new ICT learning platform;
  • outstanding financial support services;
  • some outstanding personnel services;
  • an outstanding study support programme;
  • a powerful and developing framework for extended services;
  • outstanding school improvement services linking National Strategies, advisers and SIPs to drive change.

I think the trick is to think and act locally and to create places where health, equality and inclusion are at the heart of our practice in our drive for improved outcomes and world class standards. We also need to see ourselves as partners in this process... partners with parents and carers, partners with communities and faith groups,partners with businesses and further and higher education and partners with young people themselves.

I have been doing this for over thitry three years so surely by now I know the keys to achieving the sort of step change we need. I would start with the following...

  • engaged and involved learners;
  • engaged and involved parents and carers;
  • dynamic community governance;
  • passionate distributed leadership;
  • brilliant teaching by brilliant colleagues;
  • focused assessment for learning;
  • relevant and rewarding curriculum pathways;
  • powerful coaching and mentoring;
  • strongly targeted approaches around those underperforming;
  • joined-up multi-agency working to support families and children at risk; and
  • intelligent accountability.

Let me know what you think... what have I forgotten.. what did I get wrong... what are the answers?

Chris