I went back to the office for yet another meeting and to face another barrage of e-mails. My colleague Carol Jordan cheered me up by telling me about one of her success stories...
Carol told me about the success of some of our looked after children who go to school at Prince Henry's Grammar School. These young people live at the Inglewood Theraputic Children's Home in Otley or are being fostered and their stories are fantastic.
Prince Henry's does a brilliant job with its' young people and these examples show what we can achieve with passion, commitment, belief, determination and hard work.
Chris
Saturday, 6 October 2007
I went on to the Leeds Chamber of Commerce Dinner at the Queen's Hotel...
I had been invited to the dinner by Frank Griffiths, Chair of the Igen Board, and Steve Higginbotham, Igen's Chief Executive. The President of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce is Alan Gill, one of Education Leeds Non-Executive Directors. Alan talked about the challenges facing the city around transport, competitiveness and skills. He talked about the real progress we have made with driving up standards in our secondary schools but emphasised that there was still more to do to build a world class education system here in Leeds and across the UK. The guest speaker was Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families who talked about the economy and business and the critical importance of the schools in delivering the skills our young people need to be successful and contribute to the further development of Leeds as a major international city. He mentioned the progress Education Leeds was making, the potential of Academies to break the mould and drive up standards in some of our most deprived communities and challenged all the businesses there to make a contribution to their local schools.
Chris
I had been invited to the dinner by Frank Griffiths, Chair of the Igen Board, and Steve Higginbotham, Igen's Chief Executive. The President of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce is Alan Gill, one of Education Leeds Non-Executive Directors. Alan talked about the challenges facing the city around transport, competitiveness and skills. He talked about the real progress we have made with driving up standards in our secondary schools but emphasised that there was still more to do to build a world class education system here in Leeds and across the UK. The guest speaker was Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families who talked about the economy and business and the critical importance of the schools in delivering the skills our young people need to be successful and contribute to the further development of Leeds as a major international city. He mentioned the progress Education Leeds was making, the potential of Academies to break the mould and drive up standards in some of our most deprived communities and challenged all the businesses there to make a contribution to their local schools.
Chris
I went to the official opening of the Hunslet Children's Centre yesterday morning...
The Children's Centre initiative in Leeds is fantastic and the centres as they open and begin to work across the city are simply wonderful. Lesley Crampton, the Children's Centre Manager and mark Ford, Headteacher at Hunslet St Mary's CE Primary School have worked together to develop this initiative which is currently based on two sites; the primary school and the under 3's site.
The opening was performed by Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Hilary is the local MP and, as always, was great with everyone particularly the children. He and I decorated our own gingerbread man with some of the children.
This is a great Centre with a brilliant team releasing a very special kind of magic in Hunslet. My colleague Sally Threlfall and her colleagues in Early Years are doing an amazing job with the roll out of Children's Centres in Leeds and making an incredible difference in some of the most deserving communities in the city.
Chris
The Children's Centre initiative in Leeds is fantastic and the centres as they open and begin to work across the city are simply wonderful. Lesley Crampton, the Children's Centre Manager and mark Ford, Headteacher at Hunslet St Mary's CE Primary School have worked together to develop this initiative which is currently based on two sites; the primary school and the under 3's site.
The opening was performed by Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Hilary is the local MP and, as always, was great with everyone particularly the children. He and I decorated our own gingerbread man with some of the children.
This is a great Centre with a brilliant team releasing a very special kind of magic in Hunslet. My colleague Sally Threlfall and her colleagues in Early Years are doing an amazing job with the roll out of Children's Centres in Leeds and making an incredible difference in some of the most deserving communities in the city.
Chris
Friday, 5 October 2007
I know why I love Leeds, it's the people...
I received e-mails from my colleague, Sally Threlfall, and I have just received a box of chocolates from my colleague, Edwina Harrison, who had picked up how flat I was feeling after yesterday with the inspectors. Sally looks after the early years and youth bits of children's services and Edwina looks after the children's social care team here in Leeds and they are both doing a great job in some of the toughest bits of what we do around our children.
Edwina and Sally both understand that we are all the sort of people who reflect on our work and constantly ask ourselves how we can do better... we don't need inspectors or auditors or consultants to tell us what we get it wrong and where we are failing... it's deeply etched into our brains, our souls and our hearts. We are constantly monitoring, reviewing and using intelligent accountability systems to identify our strengths, our weaknesses and areas for improvement. And, we are juggling the resources we have to target and focus everything we have to continue to make that real difference where it matters; for a child, a family and a community.
What we all need, every so often, is someone like Sally or Edwina, whose sensitivity and care shines through, to say actually you are doing a great job! Make sure today that you do the same for someone who needs that extra bit of encouragement and support to continue to release the magic.
Chris
I received e-mails from my colleague, Sally Threlfall, and I have just received a box of chocolates from my colleague, Edwina Harrison, who had picked up how flat I was feeling after yesterday with the inspectors. Sally looks after the early years and youth bits of children's services and Edwina looks after the children's social care team here in Leeds and they are both doing a great job in some of the toughest bits of what we do around our children.
Edwina and Sally both understand that we are all the sort of people who reflect on our work and constantly ask ourselves how we can do better... we don't need inspectors or auditors or consultants to tell us what we get it wrong and where we are failing... it's deeply etched into our brains, our souls and our hearts. We are constantly monitoring, reviewing and using intelligent accountability systems to identify our strengths, our weaknesses and areas for improvement. And, we are juggling the resources we have to target and focus everything we have to continue to make that real difference where it matters; for a child, a family and a community.
What we all need, every so often, is someone like Sally or Edwina, whose sensitivity and care shines through, to say actually you are doing a great job! Make sure today that you do the same for someone who needs that extra bit of encouragement and support to continue to release the magic.
Chris
I ended a long and difficult day at West Leeds High School...
They were celebrating 100 years of learning at West Leeds High School. Maggie Brown, their headteacher, showed my around the school where each department and learning team had taken a decade and were dressed up and showing off their talents. My only concerns were the science team who seemed intent on setting the world on fire or at least the science labs!
The history of West Leeds High School is a fascinating one and their wonderful archive was on display in the school hall. They are also developing a new archive by interviewing elderley local residents and collecting their memories and stories. The school will move into a new era with Building Schools for the Future in 2009 and it was great to see the story of West Leeds High School over the last 100 years and think about what we will see in the next 100 years as education and learning in West Leeds goes on to bigger and better things.
Chris
They were celebrating 100 years of learning at West Leeds High School. Maggie Brown, their headteacher, showed my around the school where each department and learning team had taken a decade and were dressed up and showing off their talents. My only concerns were the science team who seemed intent on setting the world on fire or at least the science labs!
The history of West Leeds High School is a fascinating one and their wonderful archive was on display in the school hall. They are also developing a new archive by interviewing elderley local residents and collecting their memories and stories. The school will move into a new era with Building Schools for the Future in 2009 and it was great to see the story of West Leeds High School over the last 100 years and think about what we will see in the next 100 years as education and learning in West Leeds goes on to bigger and better things.
Chris
We faced our own inspection yesterday, the Annual Performance Assessment by OFSTED and the Audit Commission! Like everyone else it involved a self-assessment against the Five Outcomes, huge amounts of work by colleagues from across Children's Services, mountains of paper, e-mail overload and incredible amounts of stress for everyone involved.
Colleagues again were brilliant. Led by Rosemary Archer, our Director of Children's Services, some incredibly talented people argued their case and demonstrated the real progress we are making here in Leeds to ensure that every child and every young person is happy, healthy, safe and successful and free from the effects of poverty. What came through was passion, determination, commitment, energy, hard work and inspirational leadership.
I just hope and pray that we convinced them that we are doing a good job and that the only thing that really matters, the outcomes we achieve for our children and young people, continue to show real progress and demonstrate the difference we are all making together.
Chris
Colleagues again were brilliant. Led by Rosemary Archer, our Director of Children's Services, some incredibly talented people argued their case and demonstrated the real progress we are making here in Leeds to ensure that every child and every young person is happy, healthy, safe and successful and free from the effects of poverty. What came through was passion, determination, commitment, energy, hard work and inspirational leadership.
I just hope and pray that we convinced them that we are doing a good job and that the only thing that really matters, the outcomes we achieve for our children and young people, continue to show real progress and demonstrate the difference we are all making together.
Chris
Thursday, 4 October 2007
I went on to South Leeds High School where Colin Bell and his colleagues have made a great start to the new year...
Colin is an exceptional colleague whose personal commitment, energy and determination have achieved great things at South Leeds despite the fact that it sits in the dreaded Special Measures. Colin tells me, and the grapevine has confirmed this, that things are going well this term and that the school is much more at ease with itself.
We must all work with Colin and his team to ensure that the success story that is South Leeds High School continues to be told and that we help with the continuing challenges around teaching and learning and behaviour and attendance.
Chris
Colin is an exceptional colleague whose personal commitment, energy and determination have achieved great things at South Leeds despite the fact that it sits in the dreaded Special Measures. Colin tells me, and the grapevine has confirmed this, that things are going well this term and that the school is much more at ease with itself.
We must all work with Colin and his team to ensure that the success story that is South Leeds High School continues to be told and that we help with the continuing challenges around teaching and learning and behaviour and attendance.
Chris
I went to another of our brilliant primary schools first thing this morning..
I visited Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School where Georgina Winterburn and her colleagues are releasing a very special kind of magic. I met with the team for a coffee before school and we talked about the challenges we all face and why the work they do is so important... after all the most important thing we do here in Leeds is educate the future!
The school has made real progress under Georgina's leadership and the standards are flying, but it can seem like hard work in terms of all the changes we are managing.. changes to the curriculum, new assessment, tracking and monitoring, intervention programmes and everything that is going on with phonics, the curriculum and assessment in the Foundation Stage.
The key is to ensure that everyone is happy, healthy, safe and increasingly successful... children, the learning team and the patents and carers. Chocolate helps, red wine and laughter are also good but exercise is one of the keys. Not surprisingly then, we all went outside and took part in their innovative collective worship and 'Wake Up and Shake Up' session to, yes you've already guessed, YMCA! The whole session was great. Barbara, the Deputy Headteacher, passionately led the collective worship and the 'Wake Up and Shake Up' was led by Sarah, a really talented, enthusiastic and energetic colleague, and the children were fabulous!
What makes Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School such a brilliant learning place? The answers...
- Georgina's strong, focused and passionate leadership;
- a talented, energetic and enthusiastic team;
- clear values and beliefs driving the work of the school;
- a focus on standards, behaviour and discipline;
- good teaching within a positive learning environment;
- high expectations and hard work!
This is a brilliant, talented, gorgeous and wonderful team led by a great headteacher. Georgina, Barbara, Sarah and their learning team are doing a brilliant job and are building something really special at Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School .
Chris
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
"Our greatest danger is not that we aim too high and we miss but that we aim too low and we reach it."
Michelangelo
What is stopping you being amazing? What is stopping you losing weight? What is stopping you giving up smoking? What is stopping you being talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful? What else can you be? What else can you do?
Talent is everywhere in this wonderful organisation. We must continue to work hard to support and develop our colleagues and we must push the limits…. push what we believe is possible. It is important to remember that we tend to do what is good enough, not what we are capable of doing; we simply live up to other peoples expectations of us. Unless we choose to do things differently, we always tend to go back to what is normal for us or the way things are supposed to be.
Our thoughts accumulate to become beliefs. We act and behave in accordance with our beliefs about ourselves. So we are what we believe ourselves to be. Change our beliefs and our performance follows! It is great to know that this is only how it is, not how it could be. We have to be tough enough and strong enough to make it happen.
The answer then is to simply believe that we all have enormous potential.. that we can lose weight, that we can stop smoking, that we can be talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful. We simply need to convince ourselves because we become the people we imagine ourselves to be. What is possible is conditioned by what we believe we can be; what we believe we can do; and what we be believe we are.
So this is not as good as it gets! This is not all we can be. We must not allow people to tell us what we are, what we can do and what we can become, because we become the people we are told we are, unless we choose a different way. We all act in accordance with the truth as we believe it.
So don’t simply take things as they come at you. Imagine things as you want them to be.. and make it happen.
¨ Set the goal and build the future;
¨ Set the goal and figure it out;
¨ Set the goal and make it happen.
Don’t worry about it. Simply set the goal and invent the way!
Change comes from within. All meaningful and lasting change starts with the inside.. you can’t do it from the outside and you can’t do it for someone else… we must do it for ourselves.
We must be careful because history has a terrible habit of repeating itself. We must ensure that we are not trapped in our own history. Unless we are careful all our tomorrows will be like all our yesterdays.
You must build the future on what you want.
So… start small, believe in yourself and...
… practice… practice… practice.
Chris
Michelangelo
What is stopping you being amazing? What is stopping you losing weight? What is stopping you giving up smoking? What is stopping you being talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful? What else can you be? What else can you do?
Talent is everywhere in this wonderful organisation. We must continue to work hard to support and develop our colleagues and we must push the limits…. push what we believe is possible. It is important to remember that we tend to do what is good enough, not what we are capable of doing; we simply live up to other peoples expectations of us. Unless we choose to do things differently, we always tend to go back to what is normal for us or the way things are supposed to be.
Our thoughts accumulate to become beliefs. We act and behave in accordance with our beliefs about ourselves. So we are what we believe ourselves to be. Change our beliefs and our performance follows! It is great to know that this is only how it is, not how it could be. We have to be tough enough and strong enough to make it happen.
The answer then is to simply believe that we all have enormous potential.. that we can lose weight, that we can stop smoking, that we can be talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful. We simply need to convince ourselves because we become the people we imagine ourselves to be. What is possible is conditioned by what we believe we can be; what we believe we can do; and what we be believe we are.
So this is not as good as it gets! This is not all we can be. We must not allow people to tell us what we are, what we can do and what we can become, because we become the people we are told we are, unless we choose a different way. We all act in accordance with the truth as we believe it.
So don’t simply take things as they come at you. Imagine things as you want them to be.. and make it happen.
¨ Set the goal and build the future;
¨ Set the goal and figure it out;
¨ Set the goal and make it happen.
Don’t worry about it. Simply set the goal and invent the way!
Change comes from within. All meaningful and lasting change starts with the inside.. you can’t do it from the outside and you can’t do it for someone else… we must do it for ourselves.
We must be careful because history has a terrible habit of repeating itself. We must ensure that we are not trapped in our own history. Unless we are careful all our tomorrows will be like all our yesterdays.
You must build the future on what you want.
So… start small, believe in yourself and...
… practice… practice… practice.
Chris
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