Our colleagues from Stockholm sent me this message following the visit by Swedish headteachers last week...

"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"

It was a great success and I hope that we can continue to build on the relationship we have developed with Stockholm as part of the transformational learning programme we are developing with our schools.
Chris