MORE STARS!

My colleague Carole Leeming sent me this e-mail...

"Dear Chris, Today the STARS Autism Outreach Service was given feedback from a two-day review of its work by the National Autistic Society. This is a fantastic service, doing a great job in a very complex area of work. Can I invite you to experience the work of the team at first hand? We look forward to seeing you. Best wishes, Carole."

Since 2005 the STARS Service has developed as an all-age autism outreach service, encompassing SILC teachers who were working less formally on outreach. There are four teachers who are seconded to the STARS Service for a number of days each week. It is an important aspect of the Service that staff are practising professionals. In addition, there are three teaching assistants who are employed full-time. The service supports the parents and schools of children and young people with a diagnosis of autism.

STARS was accredited by the National Autistic Society in November 2007 and was reviewed by a team of three during Thursday, 27 and Friday 28 November 2008. The review team examined practice in four areas:
· Transition
· Referral to the Service
· Partnership with Professionals and Parents/ Carers
· Teaching/ Learning: Curriculum

Feedack from the Review Team has been fantastic and the following areas were highlighted as good practice

• An ethos of enabling is very obvious and strong and constitutes good practice;
• The Team’s practice in supporting parents through its “Stay and Play” sessions is exemplary;
• The collaborative working with the library service to provide Boardmaker software in 15 libraries and a monthly drop-in session for parents and professionals is good practice.

The Review Team also said that this is an outreach service that other outreach services should come to see and that the self-evaluation against the NAS Standards is a beautiful piece of work.
Carole is right, this is a fantastic service, doing a great job in a very complex area of work and I look forward to seeing their work when I visit them after Christmas.

Chris

My colleague Heather Scott, Deputy Headteacher at Allerton High Business & Enterprise Specialist School sent me this e-mail after yesterday...

"Hi Chris, Thanks so much for being there yesterday - we had a great day! We loved the way that Gordon Brown interacted with the kids, and was much warmer and friendlier than his regular image - we also loved the way he sat on the yellow cubes in our PSE breakout space, and asked the students about their OCR National in Health & Social Care. The most fantastic bit for me and you can bet it will be in our next prospectus! was when he said: "I wanted to come here.. to congratulate everyone who is associated with this great new school. It's the most open, the most colourful and the most innovative school I have seen in many, many years... I believe it will be a model for other schools around the country for years to come." Please can you find time to thank everyone involved with the BSF programme for all their input to our "great new school", as this is very much a team product. See also attached link to YEP, who created a video version of the visit at http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Brown-opens-39model39-Leeds-school.4743494.jp-.


Best wishes.
Heather

My colleague Heather Scott, Deputy Headteacher at Allerton High Business & Enterprise Specialist School sent me this e-mail after their incredible day yesterday...

"Hi Chris, Thanks so much for being there yesterday - we had a great day! We loved the way that Gordon Brown interacted with the kids, and was much warmer and friendlier than his regular image - we also loved the way he sat on the yellow cubes in our PSE breakout space, and asked the students about their OCR National in Health & Social Care. The most fantastic bit for me and you can bet it will be in our next prospectus! was when he said: "I wanted to come here.. to congratulate everyone who is associated with this great new school. It's the most open, the most colourful and the most innovative school I have seen in many, many years... I believe it will be a model for other schools around the country for years to come." Please can you find time to thank everyone involved with the BSF programme for all their input to our "great new school", as this is very much a team product. See also attached link to YEP, who created a video version of the visit at http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Brown-opens-39model39-Leeds-school.4743494.jp-.Best wishes, Heather."

It was a fantastic day for all of us and I am so proud of everyone who has played a part in making Allerton High School such a brilliant success story.
Chris

I went on to the 'Meet The Cabinet' session at Savile Hall near the Royal Armouries...

Around 200 people from businesses, councils, health authorities and the voluntary and community sector from across Yorkshire and the Humber had been invited to the event where we had the chance to quiz Gordon Brown and his cabinet. The audience also included thirty young people from the Leeds Youth Council, the Youth Parliament and our young Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.

Senior ministers sat around tables discussing a range of topics, including the economy, education, housing and climate change. I was lucky enough to sit with Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

We also had the chance to direct questions to the Prime Minister, with topics raised including climate change, problems with the construction industry and the effect of the credit crunch on small businesses. The best question came from one of our young people from the Leeds Youth Council who received warm applause when she addressed the Prime Minister and told him: "Young people get a bad press. People should know that most young people do good things", particularly here in Leeds.

These young people are our future and it was great to talk to them after the event. We all need to show them more respect and listen to their ideas and solutions to the challenges we face.
Chris

Having one of our new school buildings opened by the Prime Minister was fantastic but to have two opened by two different Prime Ministers is simply amazing...

Gordon Brown officially opened the brilliant new Allerton High School building yesterday. He was accompanied by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The Prime Minister and Ed Balls were greeted by head teacher Elaine Silson and the head boy and girl of the school, before the Prime Minister cut the ribbon to open the wonderful new building described by the Prime Minister as a model for the future.
“This school is conceived as a 21st century school, one that will lift the ambitions and aspirations of young people in this area…I believe it will be a model for other schools around the country in years to come.”

Thi is another new high and, after our success at the BSF Awards, I hope colleagues will be even more proud of what they have achieved with this brilliant new building.
Chris

This evening I attended the 'Global Citizens for Peace' event at the Civic Hall...

"Never doubt that a small group of
committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever does."

Education Leeds and Together for Peace have been working in partnership with PeaceJam since 2006 an this year 50 young people and colleagues from Abbey Grange, Brigshaw, Garforth, Intake, Prince Henry's and South Leeds High Schools attended an international symposium for Youth and Peace in Los Angeles with seven international Nobel Peace Laureates including Desmond Tutu.

Over the last seven wonderful years here in Leeds we have transformed learning in our schools and built brilliant learning places. What PeaceJam shows is that together, if we believe it, we can change the world.
Chris

For the past few years the Guild of Foodwriters has run CookIt! - a successful cookery competition for children aged between 10 and 14.Last year for the first time the Guild added to this a food writing competition for those aged between 15 and 18: CookIt-WriteIt! ...

Once again entries are invited for the Guild of Food Writer’s annual CookIt! and WriteIt! competitions from children and students between 10 and 18 years of age. These hotly contested competitions are a great way of encouraging the younger generation to have a greater interest in good food, something the members of the Guild of Food Writers feel passionate about. The CookIt! competition is open to all young cooks aged between 10 and 14 years of age. The theme for 2009 is ‘High Five!’ and entrants are asked to create a delicious two-course family meal using five or more different fruit and vegetables. The importance of eating fruit and vegetables is well known, but the judges will be looking for entrants that can really show just how delicious they are too! The six finalists will be invited to London, with all expenses paid, on Thursday 4 June 2009, where in the kitchens of the BBC Good Food Magazine, they will prepare their meals for a panel of judges including Xanthe Clay (Saturday Telegraph and author of Recipes to Know by Heart) and Mike Robinson (of The Pot Kiln in Berkshire). There will be some great prizes to be won and the final will also feature in a future edition of BBC Good Food Magazine. Closing date for entries is Thursday 23 April 2009. For more details on the competition visit: www.gfw.co.uk/children/?sub=62.

For food writers of the future the WriteIt! competition is a must! Open to students aged between 15 and 18 years of age, the competition invites articles on a food related subject. The judging panel includes respected food writer and critic, Charles Campion, broadcaster and restaurateur, Thomasina Miers and Alex James, formerly of Blur and now a successful cheese maker and food columnist. The judges will be looking for a real passion and understanding of the chosen subject, whatever that might be! It could be as simple as a description of a person or place that inspired an interest in food and cooking or a review of a restaurant or a campaigning article on a food-related subject. There will be some great prizes to be won. Closing date for entries is Tuesday 3 February. For more details on the competition visit: www.gfw.co.uk/children/?sub=61.

Why not encourage your young talented chefs and writers to enter?
Chris

I started the day having breakfast at Elland Road...

My colleague Chris Halsall had invited me to speak at the start of a conference for primary headteachers called 'Making Learning Irresistible - Curriculum Innovation in Primary Schools'.
The conference featured Gareth Mills from QCA talking about the Primary Curriculum Review and workshops sessions on 'a curriculum that matters' by colleagues from Morley Victoria Primary School, 'engaging pupils and parents in learning through learning logs' by colleagues from Pudsey Primrose Hill Primary School, 'developing enterprise across the curriculum' by colleagues from Hunslet Moor Primary School and 'innovation through ICT' by colleagues from Robin Hood Primary School.

Interestingly there is so much great stuff going on that we could have run brilliant workshops featuring innovative and creative practice from schools across Leeds for the next few weeks. The challenge we face is how do we share and disseminate all the good things that are happening across the city to enable us to continue to build outstanding provision and deliver world class outcomes for all our children and young people.
Chris

WE WON!... MORE AWARDS... BRILLIANT!

Leeds’ Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme has won two of the first national annual awards to celebrate the transformation of education across the country...

The prestigious Excellence in BSF National Awards were announced in London with Leeds competing against 19 other local authorities from across England. The successful authorities were selected by judges from the design community, construction industry, educationalists, students and BSF delivery partners.

We won the two categories I wanted us to win:

• INNOVATION IN ICT;
• BEST OPERATIONAL LEP.

FANTASTIC... WHAT A BRILLIANT OUTCOME!
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE IN OUR AMAZING BSF TEAM WHO ARE SIMPLY THE BEST!

And to cap it all the awards are silver stars!
Chris

I received a gentle rebuke from my colleague Maggie Hartley who is Extended Schools & Services Cluster Coordinator for Beeston Hill & Holbeck...

"Dear Chris - I'm sorry that I wasn't able to say this yesterday but our server was down! - Thank you so much for coming to the concert on Monday - fitting it into your busy schedule - we really appreciated your support. I'm even more sorry that I implied that the concert "started your Monday" - I know that you probably had at least three other engagements first and I'm sorry that I didn't say that at the time! SORRY!!!

I must admit I was a little disappointed when reading your Blog - really excited to begin with but then felt that the children and their staff were a bit hard done-to!! I know ---- ten compliments NEVER outweigh one criticism as it's the criticism that the reader remembers!! Please remember that:- The group was originally set up to improve community cohesion across LS10 and LS11 and includes several children with Statements for their behaviour as well as learning needs. Some of them had been unable to even stand in a line for more than a few minutes when they first started practicing so the fact that they were able to remain in the group and sing is real progress! One little girl with VERY special needs was standing on the front row, sang EVERY word and didn’t lose concentration at all - she brings £1 EVERY week to pay because she loves it SO much and she doesn’t want it to finish!! Through no fault of their own, the children arrived with no time to spare for a "Mental Build-up" with the choir leaders (who they only meet once a week as they are from 11 different schools).

If you set endorphins flowing in a group of challenging children then excitement and talkativeness is likely to ensue - ESPECIALLY if the choir leader hasn't given them their "pep-talk" to start with! The children and their staff have been giving up their time freely from 3.15 to 4.45pm on a Tuesday since half term to learn these songs - as they aren't from one school where they can practice together they have to concentrate hard for that time to get it right and their attendance has been exceptional. Yes I agree that some of them could have been more attentive but from where I was sitting I could see all their faces and I think I might have been more inclined to tell them that they were FABULOUS - and that they will be EVEN MORE fabulous when they remember to stand still and silently. Sally spoke to them in this way after the performance and that made them think about their behaviour – they were mostly wonderful during their final yesterday evening!!

Having watched Jean and Roy mould this group of over 120 children with the undivided support of the 15 or 16 staff who attend every week AND seen the progress that they have made in such a short time, I am exceedingly impressed and was not disappointed with them - nothing that a "nagging" from Jean and Roy won't cure!!! The children plan to surprise you on Tuesday so BE PREPARED to be amazed!!! Thanks again for attending. Maggie"

Maggie's right of course, negative coaching never works. As I said in the original message the choir was in so many ways fabulous!
Chris

I moved on again to Allerton Grange School...

I was going to see the new headteacher, Rick Whittaker, who is working with his team to prepare to move into their fantastic new Building Schools for the Future building which will open next September. Rick tells me that it is a bigger version of the wonderful Allerton High building so it will be worth waiting for! It was great to listen to Rick and to walk aroung the school and see the real potential which will move into the new building.
Chris

I moved on to Ralph Thoresby High School...

I had gone to see Stuart Hemingway, headteacher, and his brilliant new school. Stuart is so passionate about the school and the opportunities the wonderful building provides for his young people and this community. It was great to walk around the school with Stuart and see some of his young people.
Chris

I started the day at Lawnswood School...

Colleagues at Lawnswood have had a great year and I was visiting to see some of the things Milan Davidovich, headteacher, was proudest of. I met the Senior Leadership Team, the School Council, had a guided tour with two young members of the School Council, met a young man on the ASDAN programme, talked to a sixth form philosophy group, met colleagues and young people involved with health initiatives in the school and watched the Rock Challenge DVD. It was a whistlestop tour and a brilliant start to the day with some wonderful young people, some talented colleagues and more importantly it showed Lawnswood at it's very best!
Chris

I attended session at the Carnegie Stadium today looking at young people's perceptions of leadership and management in Children's Services...

The 'Children and Young People Leadership and Management Project' is a research event run by the Carnegie Leaders in Learning Partnership working with the Children's Workforce Development Council. Young people from Freeston Business and Enterprise College in Wakefield were the young researchers leading the project which is one of five projects being sponsored by CWDC across the country.

Freeston's mission is 'Making a Difference' and if Natalie, Jacob, Vanessa, Gemma, Amber, Joel, Edward, Marina, Aiden and Leanne are anything to go by this is a great school doing brilliant work.
Chris

My colleague Ken Campbell our Stepping Stones Programme Manager sent me this e-mail...

"Hi Chris, Our recent newsletter has attracted interest from a number of local authorities. The demand for our DVD has been such that we have put it on Youtube. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nimnahE7xWA
Best wishes Ken."

This is s agreat DVD celebrating some incredible work and fronted by a brilliant young woman who will go far!
Chris

GREAT NEWS!

I thought you'd like to know that Penny Fields won the public vote last night for the £50,000 People's Millions fund! Thanks to everyone who voted!
Chris

My colleague Eddie Colquhoun who works in the Attendance Strategy team sent me a copy of his latest liitle book, 'You're Never Too Old To Be Young Again!' and it's a brilliant read...

"Believe in the best, think your best, study your best, have a goal for your best, never be satisfied with less than your best, and in the long run things will turn out for the best."

Henry Ford

This is a collection of stories, pearls of wisdom, great advice, fabulous quotes and would make a great Christmas present. Sections on have a mid-life adventure!, if you don't know where you are going any road will take you there!, laugh and the world laughs with you, you could be a priceless antique, be a risk taker!, and the best is yet to come are wonderful antidotes to the usual miserable stuff in the papers and on the news.

The epilogue of this little book says " I am told that we laugh a staggering three times less than we did in the 1950's. Remember, fundamentally, we don't need to be happy to laugh, but we can laugh to be happy. If laughter is the best medicine isn't it about time we all introduced it again to every area of our everyday lives? Let's bring celebration back into every moment of our lives!"

Thanks Eddie and Judy for a great read which made me laugh, smile and occasionally weep.
Chris

I finished the day at the 'Talking Leeds Talking Success' event at The Met Hotel...

Charlee Bewsher, Programme Co-ordinator at the Project, had invited me to the event that celebrated and recognised the success of children and young people in Leeds. It also saw the launch of the new Children Leeds DVD. It was a mixture of performances, speeches and recognition and included some real magic from some really talented young people... Sukbir Kaur performance poet, Ingi Hughs, singer and guitarist and Jeremy Davidson, dancer and singer.

This small celebration of our young people needs to be further developed next year when we should take over the Town Hall and really celebrate the talents and magic of our incredible young people here in Leeds.
Chris

I visited Windmill Primary School this morning to listen to the Sing Leeds South choir which draws children from nine primary schools in LS10 and LS11...

I had been invited by Maggie Hartley, Extended Schools and Services Cluster Co-ordinator, and Salena Riley, Cluster Co-ordinator LS10XS Extended Services who wanted me to see the wonderful work going on in the cluster. It is always wonderful to visit Windmill Primary School... whatever the reason and for those of us who could see it, there was lots of magic which we can build on. Magic, captured in the faces of some of the children who were, for moments, lost in their singing and transported somewhere wonderful. Singing releases endorphins that make you feel happier and brighter and more effective and great singing requires discipline, listening skills, teamwork and practice, practice, practice. Sally Sumpner's children were a credit to her and her team as they listened and applauded every song. From small acorns oak trees grow and while there is more to do with the choir there is real potential here and in so many ways they were fabulous.

I am sure that, with even more practice, discipline, focus and hard work, the choir will be even more brilliant when they sing at the Leeds Schools Christmas Concert at the Town Hall on Tuesday next week.
Chris

Vote Today! 08716 268171

To win £50,000 of Big Lottery money, Penny Field Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre will compete in ITV’s Big Lottery Fund, People’s Millions 2008 TODAY... Monday 24th November... and they need your vote... The telephone number you need to vote is 08716 268171 (10p per vote). Penny Field will feature on Calendar Evening News at 6.00pm this evening, but you can vote from 9.00am and any telephone can be used up to 10 times to vote. Please make sure you help by voting.
Chris

It has been another really wonderful week...

I attended the Leeds Young People's Positive Achievement Awards at the Royal Armouries, gave and received awards at the Big STEPS Celebration at the Civic Hall, and spoke at the ADCS, Aspect and RM's Building Schools for the Future Visioning event in Stratford-upon-Avon. I was also proud to be with our fantastic anti-bullying ambassadors at the citywide Anti-Bullying Week event when they learned they were to receive the Diana Anti-Bullying Award later this year in London. I had breakfast with the Morley FOS headteachers, attended another wonderful staff induction session at Derek Fatchett CLC and yet another fantastic STEPS celebration at Hollybush Primary School before finishing the week with lunch with the amazing Dinneka Smillie, our AimHigher Young Sixth Form Learner of the Year. I also managed to get to St Peter's CofE Primary School to see Liz Holliday and her team who are releasing the magic at the heart of Leeds.

I was really pleased and surprised to win the Keith Jackson award this week, but unless I am mistaken most of us will miss out on life's really big and important prizes. I know that I am never going to be Prime Minister, win the FA Cup, win a Pulitzer Prize or win a Nobel Prize and I am unlikely to win X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing, win the lottery, win an Oscar or get a Knighthood. But I do recognise how incredibly lucky I am because I know that I am eligible for life's small pleasures; small pleasures that are worth so much...

A thank you after I've done something really well. A touch or a word when I am feeling down or things haven't worked out well. A kiss or a cuddle from a friend. A starry night. A full moon. An empty parking space. A beautiful smile. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset. Hot soup. Freshly baked bread. Cold beer. Chocolate. Great coffee. Why don't you add to my list?

Don't be upset when life's big awards and rewards don't come your way. Enjoy its small and wonderful delights and pleasures. There are plenty of those for all of us and we can help each other share them.

And talking about helping others, today Penny Field Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre will compete in ITV’s Big Lottery Fund, People’s Millions 2008, and they need your vote! Penny Field will feature on Calendar Evening News at 6.00pm this evening, but you can vote from 9.00am on 0871 626 8171 and any telephone can be used up to 10 times to vote. Please make sure you help our most special children by voting.
Chris

It is brilliant news that a group of dedicated young people from Leeds are to receive a prestigious national award for their commitment to tackling bullying...

All 14 of the city’s original Anti-Bullying Ambassadors from four schools will receive the Diana Anti-Bullying Award at a special ceremony in London later this year. The Diana Awards, established in 1999 in honour of Princess Diana, are presented to young people who work to improve the lives of others. This recognises the brilliant work that Hilary Farmery and colleagues have been doing with 'The Power of Me' initiative which is simply brilliant!
Chris

It's great to read in Christine Gilbert's HMCI Annual Report that about one in six schools are now rated as outstanding and another half are good, leaving about a third as satisfactory and only one in twenty unsatisfactory...

However reading the recent coverage you would think that everything was failing; too much dull teaching, concerns over CRB checks, too big a gap between rich and poor and we are failing our children!

From where I stand things are getting better all the time and, although I recognise that we can do even better than this, isn't it time for a little praise for our wonderful schools, where some talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful colleagues are releasing the magic day-in day-out and making suich an incredible difference here in Leeds.
Chris