I started the day with group of colleagues from Stockholm...
We are hosting another visit by headteachers from Stockholm and my colleague Frances Bernstein had put together a fantastic two day programme for the group. Frances had asked me to open the programme and talk about the transformation we have seen here in Leeds over the last six years. They are visiting some of our best schools; Methley Primary School, Brigshaw High School, Carr Manor High School and Carr Manor Primary School. They are having workshop sessions on data and intelligence, ICT and the curriculum, Buidling Schools for the Future, personalisation and coaching, the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard, the Inclusion Chartermark and Healthy Schools.
Looking at the programme it made me wish I was spending the two days with our Swedish visitors.
Chris
3 comments:
Hi Chris,
Just a quick note to say that Frances certainly did provide our visitors from Stockholm with a great programme.
One element of the programme that you didn’t mention in your blog was a visit to the Derek Fatchett City Learning Centre. Our guests received a short presentation on e-Learning, a tour of the facilities (during which many photographs were taken) for ideas on how to use learning spaces flexibly including different forms of technology to support and improve learning and the positive impact of mixing students with adults in a very relaxed and positive environment.
The visitors were then given a chance to ask a panel of students from City of Leeds School questions about their use and perception of the CLC both in and out of school time. This was organised at very short notice by Pete Fletcher after a request from the visitors the day before. It turned out to be a very interesting (if somewhat nerve racking) experience for me as manager of the CLC to hear students questioned as to the value and impact of the centre. I am however thrilled to report that the students were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences of using the centre and how much access they had – something I’ll be reporting back to the team here in our next operational meeting.
One student even gave the group something to think about by suggesting that big investments in new technology should be hosted in centres like this rather than just in the schools to preserve the positive experience and different environment as something special!
Now about that return trip to Sweden... :)
Andrew McGlen
CLC Manager
Derek Fatchett City Learning Centre
Education Leeds – School Improvement Service
Thanks Andrew. Sorry that I failed to mention the CLC in my opening comments.
Chris
Hello Chris
I have mailed this text to you as well as uploading it to your blog for the second time as I lost the first version
Firstly, I would like to thank you and all of the Education Leeds personnel and school personnel involved in making the visit to Leeds a resounding success last week. The feedback we have had has been tremendous. Everyone in the group was very impressed by the programme, the commitment of staff both at the discussion tables and at the schools. I think Frances needs commending on the great programme.
Secondly, Mats has had some great personal feedback from participants as well as feeling that he got most of his message across. I think he could be an inspiration to schools and parents alike and it would be a good thing if we could arrange for him to give a seminar to just these people sometime in the future.
Thirdly, I am meeting Håkan Edman on the 10th October to discuss the points we discussed with you somewhat further and to try and cement a way forward now for Stockholm and Leeds. I will mention your visit in February and ask Stockholm stad to host the visit in terms of venue etc. I am preparing an information flyer, which we shall have ready in the next week or so. We will make the arrangements as planned. I will send the flyer to you for final approval prior to distribution. I think that your idea of a seminar in the morning and a duplicate in the afternoon sounds good and we will likely ask the lea’s in the Greater Stockholm city to attend.
We have spoken to Frances about a group of Heads keen to visit in April and hopefully to have a near identical programme.
When you are over here Chris it would be a great opportunity to sit down with Håkan and others, to move things forward.
The Education Director at Sollentuna kommun (Stockholm) was extremely impressed with what she saw and I am sure Leeds can benefit from the successes in the schools in that suburban community.
A number of your staff expressed a great interest in visiting Stockholm and to this end we again offer our services for the total arrangements if a visit is envisaged soon.
Once again, Chris thank you for speaking to the group, thank you for your kind words about ICG, Jonathan, and I. We look forward to our next meeting and seeing you in Stockholm ‘Inspiring Sweden’
Best Regards
John & Jonathan
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