The time is simply flying by and we are heading for an interesting couple of weeks as we run up to half-term with the elections, the KS2 SATs and the ongoing programme to develop the new children's services arrangements. Blink once and it will be the Summer holidays, blink twice and we will be at the start of a new term. This has been another week where trust, respect, equality, inclusion and our constant search for excellence has shone through despite the challenges we are all facing...

I started the week with Chris Halsall and her colleagues at our primary school improvement partners professional development day at Weetwood Hall. It was great to be able to talk to these colleagues about the opportunities and the challenges we face with building outstanding children's services here in Leeds. I finished the day at the supplementary schools celebration at Weetwood Hall. The event was to recognise the fantastic achievements of the supplementary schools in Leeds who had gained the Quality Framework Awards. Wesley Wu, our supplementary education coordinator who has led this important aspect of our work, told us all that we were the most successful area in the Yorkshire and Humber region with over twenty supplementary schools in the Leeds area achieving these important awards. On Wednesday, I had breakfast with colleagues from the Templenewsam Halton family of schools where we considered: the Key Stage 2 SATs boycott; the new children's services arrangements; 21st Century Schools; special needs and behaviour provision; early years; and extended services, and talked about the characteristics of brilliant provision. On Thursday, I attended the first meeting of the statutory Children Leeds trust board which will play a vital role in shaping provision for children and young people here in Leeds, and deciding on our shared priorities so that we can target our collective energies and resources to make a real difference. I moved on to chair the community safety launch of the Department of Health toolkit 'Improving Safety, Reducing Harm'. The event brought together colleagues from agencies across the city who are working with girls and young women with a particular focus on how together we can improve their safety and reduce harm. I moved on again to the South Seacroft community cohesion event 'Get Up, Get Out, Take Action' at Parklands Primary School. The school was packed with children, parents and carers, staff and partners who were attending this brilliant celebration managed by Viv Gibbons, cluster activities manager for the Seacroft Manston family of schools. They were also holding a volunteer awards ceremony and I had been asked to present awards to children, parents and carers, groups and individuals who were working to make a difference here in Seacroft. I finished the day at the 'Leeds for Life' Citizenship Awards at the University of Leeds. There are over 2000 students volunteering at the University of Leeds who run and support local, regional, national and international projects which were showcased during this wonderful evening with some extraordinary young people. I was there to present the 'Education Award' and the winner was Katherine Hamilton who is hoping to become a primary teacher following her experience at Hollybush Primary School.

This week has been brought alive by some extraordinary people, provision and places: Chris Halsall and her school improvement partner colleagues; Wesley Wu and colleagues from the supplementary schools; headteacher colleagues from the Templenewsam family of schools; colleagues at the community safety launch; and Viv Gibbons, Cath Hindmarch and colleagues at the South Seacroft community cohesion event. Wherever I have been this week has reinforced the fact that we need to powerfully connect together the team around the school, the team around the child and the team around the family to ensure that every child in Leeds is happy, healthy, safe and successful.

We need to continue to focus our energies and efforts on the things that really make a difference and eradicate the irrelevant, the obsolete and the things that simply get in the way. Together, we must work to release the potential and magic in all our children, in all our colleagues and in all our communities... whatever it takes! We need to think local and think about how we streamline our work to create beautiful systems around our brilliant learning places. Beautiful systems that reinforce and support a culture based on trust, respect, equality, inclusion and excellence.
Chris