We went to see Les Miserables...

It was fantastic; great music, great songs, great singers. I just can't get the tunes out of my head. If you haven't seen it you should go.
Chris

The weather is incredible but who cares! I am in London for the weekend...

Chris

As many of you know it was my Mum's funeral on Wednesday and I am deeply grateful for the cards, letters and messages of support I received. It was wonderful to know that so many people cared. THANK YOU
Chris

I went on to another amazing primary school...

Greenmount Primary School is a great school doing brilliant things. Jenny Wilde and her team are doing something very special... you only have to read the OfSTED Inspection Report to know that this is a wonderful little primary school. Jenny had arranged a tour of the school with Jordan, Kenal and Kamar; three of her fantastic young people from Year 6. I was entertained by the new choir who had apparently performed brilliantly last weekend at the Beeston Festival and Mela... they sang one of my favourites, 'Drop in the Ocean'. I also had tea and biscuits the School Council who told me everything I ever wanted to know about their school... from buddies to school dinners, from sport to literacy. It was a great afternoon...

What makes Greenmount Primary School such a brilliant school?

• Jenny's strong, focused, committed and passionate leadership;
• a hugely talented learning team;
• clear vision, values and beliefs driving all aspects of the work of the school;
• great teaching within a wonderful learning environment;
• strong, positive and dynamic relationships;
• high expectations of every child and the whole learning team; and
• some talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful young people!

Jenny and her learning team are doing a brilliant job and have created a fantastic learning environment for the children in a really great school.

Chris

I went on to 'The Store' at the West Park Centre. This was another example of Leeds at its best....

Clare Biggs, Paul Kaiserman and colleagues had organised a major showcase for the arts in schools. We all know that there is a wealth of high quality arts practice on offer to our schools and extended services. 'The Store' offered a market place providing a unique opportunity for colleagues to meet a huge variety of talented colleagues from were available to bring drama, dance, story telling, visual arts, sculpture and media into schools to enrich and enhance the offer we make to children and young people. This was an amazing event and Clare had also organised a series of short performances, taster workshops and seminars.

The arts and creativity lie at the heart of what we are doing in schools. They enrich and develop us in ways that little else can, and just walking around 'The Store' gave you so many brilliant ideas. If you missed it you missed something really special. It was fantastic!
Chris

Yesterday, I started the day early at Hillcrest Primary School...

I had breakfast with some of the children and talked to some great colleagues before Dave Shipley, the headteacher, took me around his school... this is an amazing school in a incredible building doing brilliant things.

What makes Hillcrest Primary School such a brilliant school?

• a rich, talented and diverse learning team;
• clear, shared vision, values and beliefs driving the work of the school;
• inspiring teaching within a wonderful learning environment;
• strong, positive and dynamic relationships;
• high expectations of every child and the whole learning team; and
• some talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful young people!

Dave and his learning team are doing a brilliant job and making a real difference. They have created a fantastic learning environment for the children in a really great school.

Chris

I started the day with a breakfast meeting with the Inner South Leeds headteachers...

The only problem was that the primary headteachers had somehow been told that the meeting was at the St George's Centre while Colin Bell, Colin Richardson and I were waiting at South Leeds Stadium. We did all manage to connect eventually and the thing that aways hits you when you spend time with this group of headteachers is their energy, enthusiasm, passion and commitment. They work in one of the toughest parts of Leeds and they are simply the best!

These colleagues have a fundamental and unshakeable belief in what can be achieved with their children and their communities. We talked long and hard about what we still need to do to achieve the sort of outcomes we all want to see for little learners in South Leeds... it's the same three elements again and again...

• inspirational teaching;
• a brilliant curriculum offer;
• nurture, care, guidance and support.

We need to think carefully about three distinct and important pieces of the learning journey for our children...

• 0 - 7 years; the foundation years...
• 7 - 14 years; the middle years...
• 14 - 19 years; the pathway years.

Then we simply need to rethink our structures and our cultures and make it happen.

Chris

I missed one of the volunteers course celebrations at the end of last week but my wonderful colleague Jane Haswell didn't let me down...

"Hello Chris, Sorry that you could not make it to the celebration at Stanningley to hand out certificates to the volunteers. It was a great turnout and we had strawberries and sticky buns afterwards! The Stanningley group was made up of parents from Bramley Primary, Bramley St Peter's. Whitecote and of course Stanningley - the first cluster delivery. Everything went well and attached is a photo for your blog."

Keep up the good work Jane.

Chris