My colleague Scott Jacques who is National Strategies Advisor for ICT sent me this bit of great news...
"Hi Chris, I thought that you'd be delighted to hear the fantastic news that one of our schools, Robin Hood Primary, has won the prestigious ICT Excellence Awards 2008 - Best whole-school for the Yorkshire and the Humber region. This nationwide event is run by BECTA and is hotly contested. The award recognises the wonderful, ICT rich learning experience that the children of Robin Hood receive, thanks to the excellent ICT leadership and vision of Mark Wilson and his team - Sam Bailey (Deputy Headteacher), Alison Darroch (ICT Leader) and James Watson (Primary ICT Support). The award means that they have been recognised as the best whole school use of ICT across the region, primary or secondary - a wonderful achievement. They are also, as far as I am aware the first winner of a BECTA ICT Excellence Award from Leeds. Mark and his team received the award at the ceremony in Sheffield last night. Further details can be found at: http://awards.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=38684
Regards Scott."
I have visited Robin Hood Primary School recently and seen the magic that Mark, Sam, Alison and James are releasing and it is brilliant. As I have said before the future's here and it is at Robin Hood Primary School.
Chris
Saturday, 8 November 2008
Friday, 7 November 2008
I moved on to Fountain Primary School...
You may remember that my colleague Victoria Relton, who is Marketing and Communications Officer with the Leeds Learning Network team, had been working with two focus groups of young people to get the children insights and feedback on ICT in school and home with particular focus on social networking sites nd their LLN My Site. Apple had provided two iPod shuffles and two young people from Fountain Primary School and Temple Newsam Halton Primary School had won these fantastic prizes.
This afternoon I was at Fountain Primary School with Vicky to present the first iPod shuffle. It was a great visit to see some wonderful young people and the work that Joscelyne and Nick are doing at Fountain Primary School. Picture later!
Chris
You may remember that my colleague Victoria Relton, who is Marketing and Communications Officer with the Leeds Learning Network team, had been working with two focus groups of young people to get the children insights and feedback on ICT in school and home with particular focus on social networking sites nd their LLN My Site. Apple had provided two iPod shuffles and two young people from Fountain Primary School and Temple Newsam Halton Primary School had won these fantastic prizes.
This afternoon I was at Fountain Primary School with Vicky to present the first iPod shuffle. It was a great visit to see some wonderful young people and the work that Joscelyne and Nick are doing at Fountain Primary School. Picture later!
Chris
I moved on to Lawnswood School to attend the launch of an innovative and creative approach to stopping young people smoking...
NHS Leeds, the Primary Care Trust, in partnership with Education Leeds and three secondary schools; Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Lawnswood School and Ralph Thoresby High School. A comprehensive strategy has been developed to help young people steer clear of the habit that is still the greatest cause of illness and preventable death. The twelve week programme looks at both prevention and cessation and involves help and advice, a curriculum programme aimed at Years 7 and 8, staff training, family support and interactive theatre.
I hope that this wonderful project will help us further develop progarmmes across the city to help young people avoid smoking in the first place s well s helping those on the habit to give up.
Chris
The whole school, whole community approach will be followed up by NHS Leeds and Education Leeds to maintain the incentives over the school year.
NHS Leeds, the Primary Care Trust, in partnership with Education Leeds and three secondary schools; Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Lawnswood School and Ralph Thoresby High School. A comprehensive strategy has been developed to help young people steer clear of the habit that is still the greatest cause of illness and preventable death. The twelve week programme looks at both prevention and cessation and involves help and advice, a curriculum programme aimed at Years 7 and 8, staff training, family support and interactive theatre.
I hope that this wonderful project will help us further develop progarmmes across the city to help young people avoid smoking in the first place s well s helping those on the habit to give up.
Chris
The whole school, whole community approach will be followed up by NHS Leeds and Education Leeds to maintain the incentives over the school year.
Take on 11 Million Takeover!
I started the day at Elland Road with young people from twelve of our secondary schools...
My colleague Hannah Lamplugh, who is Participation Officer in the Healthy Schools team, working with Sara Kane, in the Communications team, and an army of committed colleagues had organised a brilliant programme with loads of support materials to help the young people consider how they could:
Chris
My colleague Hannah Lamplugh, who is Participation Officer in the Healthy Schools team, working with Sara Kane, in the Communications team, and an army of committed colleagues had organised a brilliant programme with loads of support materials to help the young people consider how they could:
- write/review a school policy;
- plan and deliver a school lesson;
- plan and deliver a school assembly;
- shadow a member of staff.
- behaviour;
- student rights;
- recruitment of staff;
- sex and relationships education;
- attendance.
Chris
Thursday, 6 November 2008
I was delighted to attend the Fourth Education Leeds Annual Lecture at Elland Road this evening...
It doesn't seem a year since we were listening to Tim Brighouse or three years since Alan November delivered the first lecture at the Royal Armouries. This year the lecture was delivered by my friend and colleague Mick Waters.
We have had another great year and as some of you know I have been searching for the magic ingredient. I have visited Stockholm and Helsinki, who have some of the best results in Europe, to try to find it. It may surprise you but it isn't in Stockholm or Helsinki it's here in Leeds and the magic ingredient is the talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful colleagues working across Leeds to release the magic... a great slice of whom were at the lecture!
Now a man who has worked throughout his life to release that magic is Mick Waters who is now at QCA working as Director of Curriculum and this evening he talked with great passion about leading curriculum innovation... and it was brilliant!
Chris
It doesn't seem a year since we were listening to Tim Brighouse or three years since Alan November delivered the first lecture at the Royal Armouries. This year the lecture was delivered by my friend and colleague Mick Waters.
We have had another great year and as some of you know I have been searching for the magic ingredient. I have visited Stockholm and Helsinki, who have some of the best results in Europe, to try to find it. It may surprise you but it isn't in Stockholm or Helsinki it's here in Leeds and the magic ingredient is the talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful colleagues working across Leeds to release the magic... a great slice of whom were at the lecture!
Now a man who has worked throughout his life to release that magic is Mick Waters who is now at QCA working as Director of Curriculum and this evening he talked with great passion about leading curriculum innovation... and it was brilliant!
Chris
Penny Field SILC needs your vote!
Penny Field Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre will compete in ITV’s Big Lottery Fund, People’s Millions 2008 on Monday 24th November. To win £50,000 of Big Lottery money, they need your vote...
The Penny Field Centre provides education for children and young people aged 2 to 19 with a range of special needs. A multi-sensory environment is the ultimate teaching tool to support and reach children, young people and adults with profound and multiple learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, communication difficulties and physical and sensory impairment.
Penny Field has made it through to the final eight groups in the Yorkshire & Humber region to compete for the fund and are the only Leeds based finalists. They will go head to head with one of the other finalists to compete for one of four £50,000 funds – so they have a 50% chance of winning. If they win, they will use the money to install a new state of the art multi-sensory studio at the centre. This new equipment will be used by children and young people who regularly visit the centre, as well as groups from the wider community and will massively improve the children's and young people’s quality of life".
On Monday 24th November, ITV will publish the telephone number you need to vote for Penny Field. Penny Field will feature on Calendar Evening News at 6.00pm that evening, but you can vote from 9.00am and any telephone can be used up to 10 times to vote.
Please make sure you help to make this difference by voting on Monday 24th November.
Chris
The Penny Field Centre provides education for children and young people aged 2 to 19 with a range of special needs. A multi-sensory environment is the ultimate teaching tool to support and reach children, young people and adults with profound and multiple learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, communication difficulties and physical and sensory impairment.
Penny Field has made it through to the final eight groups in the Yorkshire & Humber region to compete for the fund and are the only Leeds based finalists. They will go head to head with one of the other finalists to compete for one of four £50,000 funds – so they have a 50% chance of winning. If they win, they will use the money to install a new state of the art multi-sensory studio at the centre. This new equipment will be used by children and young people who regularly visit the centre, as well as groups from the wider community and will massively improve the children's and young people’s quality of life".
On Monday 24th November, ITV will publish the telephone number you need to vote for Penny Field. Penny Field will feature on Calendar Evening News at 6.00pm that evening, but you can vote from 9.00am and any telephone can be used up to 10 times to vote.
Please make sure you help to make this difference by voting on Monday 24th November.
Chris
My colleague Maxine Squire, one of our Secondary School Improvement Advisers sent me this...
"Chris, I just wanted to let you know about a really wonderful event I attended at the West SILC (Milestone) today. The SILC has been recognised as a regional centre of excellence for MOVE and it was really wonderful to see the impact of the work that has been done by Sarah and the team at Hollybush and Milestone resulting in the young people involved gaining increased mobility as a result of the dedication and hard work of the staff.
The representatives from MOVE spoke about how impressed they are with the quality of the work being done at the West SILC and described the Hollybush partnership as being "inclusion in its truest sense".
It was fantastic to be able to share in the celebrations with the pupils and staff and to recognise their briliant achievement in becoming a regional centre of excellence - which is why I wanted to share their achievement with you. Kind regards Maxine."
Thank Maxine for letting me know about this. I couldn't make it but I am really glad you did and were able to celebrate the brilliant work they are doing at the West SILC.
Chris
"Chris, I just wanted to let you know about a really wonderful event I attended at the West SILC (Milestone) today. The SILC has been recognised as a regional centre of excellence for MOVE and it was really wonderful to see the impact of the work that has been done by Sarah and the team at Hollybush and Milestone resulting in the young people involved gaining increased mobility as a result of the dedication and hard work of the staff.
The representatives from MOVE spoke about how impressed they are with the quality of the work being done at the West SILC and described the Hollybush partnership as being "inclusion in its truest sense".
It was fantastic to be able to share in the celebrations with the pupils and staff and to recognise their briliant achievement in becoming a regional centre of excellence - which is why I wanted to share their achievement with you. Kind regards Maxine."
Thank Maxine for letting me know about this. I couldn't make it but I am really glad you did and were able to celebrate the brilliant work they are doing at the West SILC.
Chris
I was asked for more details of the Time to Play initiative...
The Leeds TIMEtoPLAY resource has been developed to help schools improve their playgrounds and recreational areas. It contains a free menu of services including training opportunities, design guidance, project management and access to quality assured providers. It is intended to help colleagues in schools overcome the problems and uncertainties with planning, designing, consulting, choosing, procuring and supervising the upgrading, installation or expansion of paly and recreational areas in schools.
We hope the resources will be in schools after Christmas.
Chris
The Leeds TIMEtoPLAY resource has been developed to help schools improve their playgrounds and recreational areas. It contains a free menu of services including training opportunities, design guidance, project management and access to quality assured providers. It is intended to help colleagues in schools overcome the problems and uncertainties with planning, designing, consulting, choosing, procuring and supervising the upgrading, installation or expansion of paly and recreational areas in schools.
We hope the resources will be in schools after Christmas.
Chris
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
£4.2M SCHOOL RUN SHOCK
I was sent this letter which Carol Stevens and Rebecca sent to the Yorkshire Evening Post after yesterday's headline and article...
"I am extremely disappointed with your front page reporting, as you do not mention that this "Taxi" bill actually applies to young people with learning difficulties until page 2. When you read the rest of the article it does explain that these young people are incapable of independent travel, therefore I am absolutely disgusted with Councillor Keith Wakefield’s comment that "This money currently being wasted should be spent on children’s education and the needs of people in our city".
My daughter is one of those taxi occupants – is she not entitled to a decent education? She is also a resident since birth of Leeds and are her needs need not to be met too? Rebecca went to mainstream Catholic schools and was well supported and managed to gain a GCSE in Science despite her Down’s Syndrome. She got the yellow MYBUS dedicated school bus to school with her siblings and managed reasonably well but that is a safe service directly into her school and would not work with college students dotted all over the city. Her sister did try to help her to use normal buses, but she got upset when people laughed at her as she lost her balance.
However, now she is attending Thomas Danby College and doing a course including life skills. Students would normally be expected to make their own way there, but as Rebecca struggles with money, time and cannot use a mobile phone, at this point in her life independent travel is not safe or possible for her. As it is Education Leeds do try to save money on taxis - it means that special needs students may have up to a two hour wait for their taxi home because they have to wait for other students going the same way as they are.
We hope Rebecca will be independent at some point in the future and indeed college are working on her "Life Skills", but her school and college education are preparing her to hopefully get a job and be a tax paying member of our city. So, Councillor Wakefield that money IS being spent on children’s education and the needs of people in our city – but as they are disabled does that mean they don’t count?
Carol Stevens & Rebecca"
I hope the Evening Post team are listening to Carol and Rebecca and that they receive many more letters from parents and carers and young people. This money recognises that everyone of our children and young people matter and have talent, abilities and so much to offer given the opportunities. Our job is to help them to live happy, full and successful lives by removing the barriers to learning and opening up opportunities, wherever we can, to release the magic in each and every one of them.
Chris
"I am extremely disappointed with your front page reporting, as you do not mention that this "Taxi" bill actually applies to young people with learning difficulties until page 2. When you read the rest of the article it does explain that these young people are incapable of independent travel, therefore I am absolutely disgusted with Councillor Keith Wakefield’s comment that "This money currently being wasted should be spent on children’s education and the needs of people in our city".
My daughter is one of those taxi occupants – is she not entitled to a decent education? She is also a resident since birth of Leeds and are her needs need not to be met too? Rebecca went to mainstream Catholic schools and was well supported and managed to gain a GCSE in Science despite her Down’s Syndrome. She got the yellow MYBUS dedicated school bus to school with her siblings and managed reasonably well but that is a safe service directly into her school and would not work with college students dotted all over the city. Her sister did try to help her to use normal buses, but she got upset when people laughed at her as she lost her balance.
However, now she is attending Thomas Danby College and doing a course including life skills. Students would normally be expected to make their own way there, but as Rebecca struggles with money, time and cannot use a mobile phone, at this point in her life independent travel is not safe or possible for her. As it is Education Leeds do try to save money on taxis - it means that special needs students may have up to a two hour wait for their taxi home because they have to wait for other students going the same way as they are.
We hope Rebecca will be independent at some point in the future and indeed college are working on her "Life Skills", but her school and college education are preparing her to hopefully get a job and be a tax paying member of our city. So, Councillor Wakefield that money IS being spent on children’s education and the needs of people in our city – but as they are disabled does that mean they don’t count?
Carol Stevens & Rebecca"
I hope the Evening Post team are listening to Carol and Rebecca and that they receive many more letters from parents and carers and young people. This money recognises that everyone of our children and young people matter and have talent, abilities and so much to offer given the opportunities. Our job is to help them to live happy, full and successful lives by removing the barriers to learning and opening up opportunities, wherever we can, to release the magic in each and every one of them.
Chris
I received this very sad news from Anne-Marie Edwardes and Helen Higham, colleagues at Government Office...
"Friends and colleagues, Many of you have been asking after Roy Porritt over the last few weeks and months. Sadly we have to tell you that Roy died yesterday in St James Hospital, Leeds, with his family around him. He had been ill since August 2007 and was diagnosed with cancer last Autumn. Anne and Helen"
I have known Roy for a long time and colleagues who knew Roy will share my sadness and reflect on the things we have done with Roy over the years to improve outcomes for young people across the region. Roy was another one of those special people who we will all miss.
Chris
"Friends and colleagues, Many of you have been asking after Roy Porritt over the last few weeks and months. Sadly we have to tell you that Roy died yesterday in St James Hospital, Leeds, with his family around him. He had been ill since August 2007 and was diagnosed with cancer last Autumn. Anne and Helen"
I have known Roy for a long time and colleagues who knew Roy will share my sadness and reflect on the things we have done with Roy over the years to improve outcomes for young people across the region. Roy was another one of those special people who we will all miss.
Chris
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)