Education Leeds has a new chair, appointed today by Leeds City Council...

Our new chair is Professor Stephen Parkinson, Pro-Vice Chancellor at Leeds Metropolitan University and previously Dean of the University Business School. I spent a wonderful couple of hours with Stephen at Little London Community Primary School, where Jill Wood and her team are releasing a very special kind of magic. This is an outstanding school by any description and one of the most improved schools in the country... and most importantly you are knocked out when you meet Jill's children, who are brilliant, gorgeous, talented and wonderful!

The ethos and culture of the school is 'can-do' and inspiring. It was a brilliant start back after half -term and reminded me that the real challenge we face is to build outstanding provision like this consistently across the city. Places where every one of our children and young people becomes a powerful, committed and outstanding learner with the right attitude and self-belief, and understands the power of hard work, persistence and determination.
Chris