HEADTEACHER BREAKFAST

I started the day early at The Aviation Academy next to Leeds Bradford Airport...

In was there for the headteachers breakfast session with the Aireborough and Otley Families of Schools and we talked about the challenges that lie ahead with public sector budget cuts, the White Paper, new Academies, free schools, milestones, floor standards and a constant stream of announcements about cuts locally, regionally and nationally. We all recognised that whatever the future holds we the need to work more creatively and more collaboratively and to invent the new future for ourselves. We also considered increasing numbers, special needs and behaviour provision, early years, extended services, 'Every Child a Reader' and talked about the characteristics of brilliant provision and how schools could maintain their focus on standards with so much change.

We need to nurture confident, self-critical and reflective practitioners who understand the learning process and are working positively with colleagues from Social Care, Health , the Police and the voluntary sector to support families and build healthier and more sustainable communities. We must continue to develop and support confident, passionate and dynamic leaders who had a clear view of what was needed to drive change and achieve that step change in outcomes we all want to see; outcomes not simply measured in terms of Level 4 at Key Stage 2 or 5 A*-C Grades at GCSE .

It was a brilliant start to the day with some great colleagues amd we need to do more of this; to talk more, to share more, to network more and we must all ensure that we continue to have conversations like this to help shape the future.
Chris