My colleague Kevin Burke from the BESD SILC sent me this after reading the poem a friend sent me...

"Dear Chris, I work at Elmete Central BESD SILC and often read your blog (mainly to catch up with the city's excellent learning journey!) As well as a rant, my e-letter is to thank you really for putting the poem onto your site. As you know it's extreme where we work and sometimes the possible seems to be the impossible! Our kids complexities are beyond belief. We have a dedicated team in our school. All working above and beyond to ensure that the most Leeds' kids achieve, succeed and have the best start to their life. Our outstanding team know exactly what our kids need to achieve and this will hopefully be idenitifed in the next few years' examination results. I feel that more than often BESD practitioners are slamemd for trying to achieve the unachievable. For example, in my opinion our year 11's aren't ready for GCSE Shakespeare- nor interested, why would they be!? So why are we judged on the fact that they can't read it, let alone understand? It makes my mind boggle to wonder where these standards for BESD come from. As the dedicated team of profressionals we work above and beyond to sustain our kids. I know we give them a good start. If we didn't I for one wouldn't work here. A day in the SILC can't be described. Sometimes, this challenging enviroment seems unachievable, but with our visionary head, who always ensures our safety and practise is consistent and spot on, the extreme job becomes easier. I currently lead music and have a lot of passion for creativity and believe that it anchors progression. The poem has encouraged me tonight, so thanks. Sorry for my rant, it just picked me up after a heavy day. Kevin."

We all know that we all need to do more on this critical element of our work and I am deeply thankful to all those colleagues who work so hard in our behaviour continuum with some of the most challenging and difficult young people in Leeds. The success of our efforts here are so important to what we are trying to achieve so I am grateful that those talented, committed and fantastic colleagues who are making such a difference for this group of our children.
Chris