"Whatever you do, you need courage.

Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.

There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right.

To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.

Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them."

The blog will again go quiet for a few days while I continue to get rid of the knots, unwind, relax, recharge and get ready for yet another brilliant year here in Leeds. I hope everyone out there manages to do the same. And remember when you are out there... think team, think family, think about the things that really, really matter and hold hands and stick together.

Take care.
Chris

I had a really interesting meeting this morning with Ger Graus, Chief Executive of the Children's University. The meeting had been arranged by Mark Hopkins and was also attended by Alison Shaffner from the Extended Services team, Andrea Cowans from the 14 - 19 team, Kes Sowerby from the Study Support team and John Price from the Find Your Talent team. We have an opportunity to develop the work that the Seacroft and Manston schools have been doing with the Children's University, with the Children's University providing some start up funding.

The Children's University is a national organisation that provides support to 7 to 14 year olds accessing an exciting and innovative menu of learning activities and experiences outside normal school hours. It celebrates the learning journey through a 'Passport to Learning' and recognises achievement and rewards participation through certificates and ceremonies. Raising children's aspirations is important to the Children's University which aims to develop the understanding that learning can help us all on our journeys to better places in life!

The Children's University could build on the brilliant work already going on in Leeds in Playing for Success, Study Support, Breeze, Find Your Talent and connect with every sports venue, museum, gallery, library, attraction, business and learning place in Leeds and across the City Region. Mark is going to set up a small working group to develop a Leeds Action Plan to take this forward and connect some of the pieces of brilliant work we are already doing to establish more of a learner entitlement for our 7 - 14 year olds across the city.

Watch this space.
Chris

I started the day early at the Learning Centre at Headingley...

This week is one of two weeks this Summer where John Bedford and his colleagues are releasing the magic at the two learning centres; Yorkshire Cricket and Leeds Rhinos. It was wonderful to see twenty, very lucky young people arriving for their second day at the Learning Centre and to see the relationships John and his colleagues have developed with these young people; many of whom have already experienced one of the Learning Centre programmes.

The more I see these Centres and the brilliant work they do the more I want to franchise the brand. Wouldn't it be great to have one in every school or at the very least one in every cluster in Leeds.
Chris

It doesn't matter where we look - school, classroom, staffroom, organisation, team, office - we need to ask ourselves the following questions...

• 'what are our strengths?'
• 'what are our weaknesses?'
• 'what does brilliant learning in brilliant learning places look like?'
• 'what do the pieces of the brilliant jigsaw puzzle look like?'
• 'where is it happening?'
• 'where are our stars?'
• 'which teams are releasing the magic?
• 'which individuals are releasing the magic?'
• 'can we share and learn from what we know works?'
• 'can we share and learn from what we know doesn't work?'
• 'how do we learn from our mistakes?'
• 'how can we turn our challenges and opportunities into adventures for our colleagues?'
• 'how can we give individuals and team opportunities to experiment, explore and take risks?'

How do we continue to build brilliant in a changing world?
All comments, suggestions and advice welcome.
Chris

"It's one more journey 'round the sun... to the end of another year.

You think of all the distance run, at the end of another year.

So many years we've been around, we've been up and we've been down,

We've been lost but we've been found at the end of another year.

We speak of all we'd like to do, we think of all that we've been through.

I'd just as soon be here with you at the end of another year"...

The blog will go quiet for a few days while I unwind, relax, recharge and get ready for yet another brilliant year here in Leeds. I hope everyone out there manages to do the same. And remember when you are out there... think team, think family, think about the things that really, really matter and hold hands and stick together.
Take care.
Chris

After a week of leavers assemblies, proms and parties I received this e-mail from Geoff Roberts
who is Chair of Governors at the West SILC...

"Having been to two Leavers' Assemblies today, I find myself humbled by what I have seen and heard. We help educate some of the most challenged pupils in Leeds and it has been an education and deeply moving to see and hear about their achievements. Ranging from one lad who has never missed a day's school in his life, to another who represented the school at a whole range of sports, to others who have achieved academic success that might not have been thought possible, others who have learned social skills that come naturally to most of us, and so on... Some are going on to college, some will stay on into our sixth form and all will remember the time they spent with us, as I will remember the time I spent with them today. What a pleasure to be with pupils who have not lost the innocence of childhood, who find pleasure in the simplest things and who reward you with their recognition.

I cannot praise these pupils too highly, nor indeed the staff who cope with the huge range of needs with a smile and patience and forbearance that goes beyond expectation. Every one of them deserves a relaxing break and to come back refreshed and keen to make a difference to the lives not only of our pupils but of their families and friends."

I am grateful to Geoff Roberts for this very timely reminder. It is easy to forget the incredible commitment of colleagues in the SILCs and the real difference they are making for some of our most vulnerable and special young people.
Chris

"It's one more journey 'round the sun... to the end of another year.
You think of all the distance run, at the end of another year.
So many years we've been around, we've been up and we've been down,
We've been lost but we've been found at the end of another year.

We speak of all we'd like to do, we think of all that we've been through.
I'd just as soon be here with you at the end of another year"...

Bob Zentz, 1995

Last week, I attended the official opening of the multi-faith centre at Allerton High School by Colin Jackson. The event was brought alive by performances by some of their students who talked and danced to illustrate the importance of their faith and their beliefs. I moved on to the celebration event for the VI teams' 'No Limits' programme which has continued to open up some fantastic opportunities for children with visual impairment here in Leeds. I visited Temple Moor High School and Science College to see the progress they are making as their new school building develops around them. I also popped into Templenewsam Halton Primary School, to see my colleague Kay Crellin who is still releasing the magic, and into Cross Flatts Park Primary School to see their allotment ,which Yorkshire Water has transformed through their 'Million Green Fingers' scheme.

I had dinner with the RM board and members from the Education Leeds board before both boards met at Pudsey Grangefield High School where we talked about brilliant learning, brilliant learning places, e-learning, EVOLVE and the way we can further develop the relationship to help us continue to build brilliant here in Leeds. I also attended the Leeds City Council meeting for five hours to watch the democratic process in action before I attended a brilliant production of the 'Wizard of Oz' at Castleton Primary School. This was another celebration of the potential and talent in Year 5 and 6 at one of our fantastic primary schools.

Cllr Richard Harker and I visited Allerton Bywater Primary School to congratulate the team on the wonderful progress they are making, and I was invited to the 'Leavers Party' at yet another amazing school, Hunslet Moor Primary School, to celebrate yet another incredible group of young people now moving on to secondary school. I also attended the governing body meeting at Woodlands Primary School to talk about a more responsive and supportive approach to child protection cases, and the primary schools pilot we are developing to address in a more co-ordinated and holistic way an 'Every Child Matters' and 'Every Family Matters' approach in some of our most deprived communities. And finally, I met with Peter Roberts, chief executive and principal of the new Leeds City College, to talk about the opportunities and challenges we face with developing learning, skills and the 14 - 19 offer across the city.

At the end of yet another school year we can all look back proudly at what we have achieved over the last eleven great months, forty seven great weeks and three hundred and thirty great days. However, as the results of all our effort and energy turns into performance tables, performance indicators and traffic light ratings we know that we will need to redouble our efforts and do even more next year. We will face new challenges, new opportunities and new demands in a year where we need to continue to be unique, special and different, to be creative and imaginative, to try new things, to learn new tricks and to continue to make a real difference… whatever it takes!

Enjoy your summer holiday; all I ask is that you come to work next year to make a difference, to get things done and simply to be your brilliant best!
Chris

Colleagues have asked about the small school pilot we are planning...

The pilot will build on what we know works well and will make the greatest difference in our most disadvantaged communities. It is at a very early stage in it's development but will draw together outstanding elements from National Strategies, Extended Services, coaching, PE and school sports,the arts and Investment in Excellence and STEPS. It also builds on the KIPP ( Knowledge Is Power Programme ) approach that started in New York and is now operating across the United States.

The KIPP schools share a core set of operating principles known as the “Five Pillars”: High Expectations, Choice & Commitment, More Time, Power to Lead, and Focus on Results. We believe that a significant additional element for us here in Leeds is more time. KIPP students are in school learning for significantly more time than average students, typically from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, every other Saturday, and for three weeks during the summer. Rigorous teaching is balanced with extracurricular activities, experiential field lessons, and character development.

If you know someone rich who wants to help us fund this exciting initiative please let me know and if you want to find out more about KIPP schools you can visit the KIPP website at www.kipp.org.

Chris

My colleague Sue Sanderson, Headteacher at Swarcliffe Primary School, sent me this e-mail at the end of a quite remarkable year for the school...

"Hi Chris, I wanted to take a few moments at the end of the year to share with you that everyone here has made, yet another year at Swarcliffe Primary School, such a success and amazing place to be! As headteacher I am so lucky to work with a fantastic team. A team of Governors, parents, children and staff. EVERYONE here gives 100% and more!! I want to especially highlight every member of the staff. Our staff are so keen, enthusiastic and willing to have a go! Yes! they certainly throw themselves in to everything from Wake Up Shake up..Street Dance….dressing up to time travel...challenging learning...discos...Christmas performances.. Summer Fairs... Prom...digging up the allotment...organising tiles on a new welcome mosaic ...the list is endless. Everything they do they do because it has a impact on our learners. And what amazing learners we have! As I watch our Year 6 leave I am so proud knowing we have released a group of young adults in to the wider world! As the team leave this evening to relax, rejuvenate and regroup the message is we've been a bit down but we are not out! We look forward to September to starting it all again! Watch out on Monday 7th September we will be back with a bang to launch our focus on Sculpture. Please look at this picture ~ its from the Year 6 Prom last night ....

...look at those faces; they are the future, they are what keep us coming back for more!!!
Thanks again, Sue."

It's wonderful to watch the real progress that the school has made during the last year under Sue's inspirational leadership and to see the results of her hard work in her childrens' faces is simply wonderful.
Chris

And finally for today I attended the Governing Body Meeting at Woodlands Primary School...

I was there to talk to the governors about child protection, attendance and the extended schools pilot we are planning to run over the next couple of years. We know that a brilliant school delivers about 12% of a child's success, a brilliant family secures about 30% and a brilliant community secures about 30%. If we are serious about delivering significantly better outcomes for our children we need to work more consistently with families and communities. It was a great meeting and I look forward to developing the work with Woodlands Primary School to deliver better outcomes for children and better outcomes for families in this community.
Chris