Message of the Week Three

Alone we can do so little but together we can achieve so much. In fact, together here in Leeds, what couldn’t we achieve?


After the GCSE results I visited some of our secondary schools where they have achieved remarkable things over the last couple of years. I managed to get to John Smeaton Community College, who are just moving into their fantastic new building, and also visited Cockburn College and Carr Manor High School. These three schools show us what is possible with strong leadership, great team work, highly effective systems for dealing with behaviour and discipline, regular and systematic student tracking, monitoring and interventions and above all, a great curriculum and brilliant teaching.


Teamwork is about working together to achieve common goals, it is the fuel that allows ordinary people like you and me, to achieve extraordinary results... like at these three outstanding schools where John Daulby, Colin Richardson and Simon Flowers have shown us that anything is possible if you believe.


Our achievements and successes don’t happen by accident. They happen because of individuals' passion, commitment, energy and effort. To achieve outstanding outcomes we need to all pull together in the same direction. Our challenge is to harness that individual commitment to a team effort. It’s what makes a great school work, a great company work and a great society work. We also need to build in respect, support and equity for each and every member of the team… so that each colleague in their proper place can play their part to the best of their ability.


As the education world staggers into another new set of structures and a new set of initiatives in the latest attempt to solve the problems we face, it is really important that we approach this new world with growing confidence. We need to continue to build a team spirit, a team ethos, a team approach that harnesses the passion, energy and commitment of everyone through the good times and bad times.


I know that change always causes anxiety, but remember that it always provides opportunities for people who rise to the challenge, as we have seen at John Smeaton, Cockburn and Carr Manor. The future lies with those individuals, teams and services who continue to be responsive, to provide creative and imaginative solutions, and to offer highly effective challenge and support.
Our partners want energy and honest commitment, genuine value and real opportunity. Those who know us well know that’s what you get from Education Leeds.
Chris