I attended the end of term celebrations at the Elmete Centre today...

It was an opportunity to reflect on another great year with colleagues from all areas of school improvement, learning communities and extended services. It was also the opportunity to thank Carol Stagg and Chris Pollard who have both made an enormous contribution to learning in Leeds. Carol Stagg has transformed the work of the learning communities team; a great team of colleagues who are working at the cutting edge of creativity, enterprise and information technology and achieving really impressive outcomes for target groups of young people through the CLCs. Chris has brilliantly led the National Strategies team; a great team of colleagues delivering some fantastic programmes and achieving wonderful outcomes for children and young people across the city. Many colleagues from these teams are also leaving us to take up posts in schools, children's services and agencies where they will be able to continue to make a real difference and share the Education Leeds magic.

We wish Carol, Chris and everyone else leaving us this term every success in the future... whatever it holds!
Chris

This afternoon I visited one of my favourite primary schools...

I was at Hovingham Primary School where Janet Spence, Jane Fisher and their amazing colleagues are releasing an extraordinary magic and energy. It is unbelieveable really to see what they are achieving and their efforts are releasing so much potential in these wonderful children. I was there for Hovingham's 'X' Factor, a maths based talent show but just sitting watching the children coming into the hall and singing with such energy, passion and enthusiasm is simply astonishing. And what were they singing...

"Believe"

When I look up to the stars,
there’s a burning deep inside me
and I feel a power growing in my soul.
There is something I can sense,
deep within a dream to guide me,
and I know that I am reaching for my goal.

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

When the skies are dark and grey,
we still know the sun is shining:
though it’s out of sight, its light is glowing still.
And as long as I believe,
there is nothing I can’t wish for;
not a dream that I’m unable to fulfill.

(Oo oo oo oo)

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

(Ah ah ah
if I can just believe in me.)

And whatever it takes I’ll find it somehow;
whatever it needs I’ll show I’m strong.
Whatever it takes I’ll make it happen:
finding out where I belong.

(I’ll find it somehow.
I’ll show I’m strong, I’ll show I’m strong.
I’ll make it happen:
finding out where I belong.)

While the world is spinning round,
I can sometimes lose direction
and I know how hard it is to find my way.
But with friends around to care,
there is nothing I can’t handle,
and I’ll face the future treasuring each day.

(Oo oo oo oo)

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

I visit so many schools here in Leeds and I see so much that is simply brilliant but what these great colleagues are doing at Hovingham Primary School is just inspirational!
Chris

I moved on to Grange Farm Primary School to see Katherine Stoker...

I was able to thank Katherine who has been headteacher at Grange Farm Primary School for 15 years after being headteacher at Blenheim Primary School for five and a bit years as part of a remarkable career spanning 36 years of passion, commitment and hard work. Katherine is a much loved headteacher of a great school where she has worked her magic and touched colleagues, families and hundreds of young lives in a community which has really needed her genuine and really appreciated care, guidance and support. It was great to be able to thank Katherine personally for everything she has done during a life of dedication and service.
Chris

I visited Beeston St Anthony's RC Primary School this morning to see Maura Laverty...

I was able to thank Maura at a special assembly that her colleagues had arranged and where the children sang their wonderful school song and sang it so brilliantly it nearly had us all in tears. This is what they sang...

"Believe"

When I look up to the stars,
there’s a burning deep inside me
and I feel a power growing in my soul.
There is something I can sense,
deep within a dream to guide me,
and I know that I am reaching for my goal.

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

When the skies are dark and grey,
we still know the sun is shining:
though it’s out of sight, its light is glowing still.
And as long as I believe,
there is nothing I can’t wish for;
not a dream that I’m unable to fulfill.

(Oo oo oo oo)

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

(Ah ah ah
if I can just believe in me.)

And whatever it takes I’ll find it somehow;
whatever it needs I’ll show I’m strong.
Whatever it takes I’ll make it happen:
finding out where I belong.

(I’ll find it somehow.
I’ll show I’m strong, I’ll show I’m strong.
I’ll make it happen:
finding out where I belong.)

While the world is spinning round,
I can sometimes lose direction
and I know how hard it is to find my way.
But with friends around to care,
there is nothing I can’t handle,
and I’ll face the future treasuring each day.

(Oo oo oo oo)

I can do anything at all,
I can climb the highest mountain,
I can feel the ocean calling wild and free.
I can be anything I want,
with this hope to drive me onward,
if I can just believe in me.

Maura has been headteacher at Beeston St Anthony's RC Primary School for ten years after being headteacher at Barkston Ash RC Primary School for three years as part of a remarkable career spanning 37 years of passion, commitment and hard work. Lynne's career hasn't ended quite as she had hoped because she has been recovering after a serious operation following ongoing problems with her health. She is a much loved headteacher of a great school where she has worked her magic and touched colleagues, families and hundreds of young lives. It was great to be able to thank Maura personally for everything she has done during a life of dedication and service.
Chris

“You can program yourself to be positive. Being Positive is a discipline … and the more adversity you face, the more positive you have to be. Being positive helps build confidence and self-esteem”
Rick Pitino, University of Louisville Head Basketball Coach

I recognise that as we draw to the end of yet another term colleagues are tired and it is easy to forget what we have achieved together this year. Whatever the critics, the sceptics and the rabblerousers throw at us we have had another great year and this year results will show that when they start to be published later in the Autumn. Not just the GCSE/Level 2/Key Stage results but our attendance and exclusion figures, our latest OFSTED analysis, our healthy schools data, our PE and school sport data, our Stephen Lawrence uptake, our Inclusion Chartermark uptake and much, much more. Colleagues in schools and Education Leeds have had a briliant year and we all deserve a rest and the chance to unwind and recharge the batteries for one last time... and always remember when it comes to judging our successes and failures...

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt

Keep the faith

Chris

I also attended the Council's Executive Board with my colleague Dirk Gilleard to gain approval for the latest batch of reports. Councillors on the Executive Board approved all our proposals so we can now get on with the real work...

They agreed our proposals to turn Primrose High School into an Academy sponsored by the Co-op and supported by the Leeds City College, to turn Parklands Girls High School into a mixed Academy sponsored by E-ACT and to establish City of Leeds as a 11-16 school with strong new governance, powerful leadership and a relentless and uncompromising focus on great teaching to achieve a step-change in outcomes and results. All three schools will be monitored, challenged and supported through this next transitional period to ensure that we provide the environment where young people thrive as learners, achieve brilliant outcomes and reach their potential... whatever it takes! The Executive Board also agreed changes to admission numbers for primary schools to contain our rising primary population.

I am grateful to colleagues, partners, sponsors and everyone who has worked to achieve these outcomes. As always, our challenge now is to deliver!
Chris

I moved on again to Manston St James CE Primary School to see Lynne Gillions...

The school were at the church for a performance by Key Stage 2 children but I was able to thank Lynne. She has been headteacher at Manston St James CE Primary School for 5 years after being headteacher at Kirkstall St Stephen's CE Primary School for seven years as part of a remarkable career spanning 37 years of passion, commitment and hard work. Lynne is a much loved headteacher of a great school where she has worked her magic and touched colleagues, families and hundreds of young lives. It was great to be able to thank Lynne personally for everything she has done during a life of dedication and service.
Chris

At lunchtime I attended the retirement celebration for Paul Rogerson CBE, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, at the Town Hall...

Paul has been Chief Executive for eleven years and most of the great and the good seemed to have been drawn back to the Town Hall to recognise the contribution Paul has made to Leeds and the Yorkshire and Humber region. It was a wonderful event fitting for someone who has brought so much to the city and made such a difference.
Chris

I moved on to Templenewsam Halton Primary School to say thank you to Kay Crellin...


Kay has been headteacher at Templenewsam Halton Primary School for 25 years out of a remarkable career spanning 50 extraordinary years of dedication, passion, commitment, dance and service. Kay is the brilliant headteacher of a simply wonderful school where over quarter of a century she has worked her magic and touched thousands of young lives. It was great to be able to thank her personally for everything she has done during a life of service.
Chris

I started the day at the Attendance Strategy Team Service Development Day at Castle Grove...

I had been invited by my colleague Jancis Andrew who leads the service to talk about the future, the challenges we face and the opportunities to continue to build brilliant provision for young people. These colleagues have worked incredibly hard over the last year and achieved great things in so many areas. Their work lies at the heart of our challenge to achieve outstanding results for our children and young people with over 1000 children who are pesistently absent in our primary schools and over 3000 young people who are persistently absent in our secondary schools. We all know that the quality of provision and the quality of teaching in most of our schools is good and that if children and young people attend regularly and work hard consistently they will succeed. Our challenge for those young people on free school meals, those who are destined to become the NEET cohort and those who live in poverty is can we get them to attend regularly, work hard and achieve. This group of colleagues are part of the glue that connects things together, a key piece of the jigsaw puzzle that connects around schools and families and children to make great children's services.
Chris

I attended the third and last session organised for headteachers and governors to meet with Cllr Keith Wakefield, Cllr Judith Blake and Cllr Jane Dowson to discuss the future...

It was a great opportunity to share where we are, the challenges we face and the opportunities that lie ahead as we build the new children's services arrangements for the city.
Chris

I met Sheena Pickersgill today...

Sheena talked to me about a programme she is developing around the concept of mental toughness. There is a lot of work in sport to develop mental toughness which is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to generally cope better than other people with the many demands that are placed on you. Specifically, these programmes help you to be more determined, focused, confident, resilient, and in control under pressure.

Research suggests that the key characteristics associated with mental toughness in the best athletes is around:
• Having a powerful self-belief:
• Having an unshakable belief in your ability to achieve your goals
• Having a set of unique qualities that make you better than your opponents.
• Having an insatiable desire to succeed whatever it takes.
• Having the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
• Having motivation, persistence, determination and commitment.
• Remaining totally focused on the task at hand.
• Being able to switch focus on and off as required.
• Not being adversely affected by others performance.
• Being able to regain control following unexpected events.
• Thriving on the pressure
• Accepting that anxiety is inevitable and knowing that you can cope with it.

This has been what Education Leeds has been about over the last ten years and again the keys to success are about managing your self-talk, using affirmations and visualisations and setting powerful but realistic goals which drive progress, outcomes and achievement. And just look at what we have achieved together!
Chris

We can do anything, well almost anything, if we are prepared to work at it...

After ten years here in Leeds I am fed up with people telling me it can't be done because it can and it is and it will continue to be by those colleagues who are passionate, committed and believe. The answer to achieving outstanding outcomes is determination, persistence and hard work. The challenge as always is are you disciplined enough and focused enough to make things happen. Whether its stopping smoking, losing weight, learning a new skill, a new language or even starting your own business as always it's up to you!
Chris

The Primary Curriculum

The Government intends to return the National Curriculum to its intended purpose – a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines – and will shortly announce its next steps...

Colleagues have also asked whether primary schools will still be getting an additional training day in 2010/11. The answer from the Department for Education is yes. All primary schools teaching Key Stages 1 and 2 will receive an extra non-contact day in 2010/11 to help them prepare adequately for the next school year and consider new approaches!
Chris

The Schools System: Draft Structural Reform Plan

I expect like me you will have read the new Government's reform plans for education...

It's an impressive document and contains some great ideas and some radical thinking which we must use to challenge our thinking and look carefully at what we are doing. We must use it as a framework and continue to build on our school improvement policy and the strong and highly effective relationships we have established here in Leeds. In case you have missed it the key elements are as follows:

"Greater autonomy for schools
In many of the most successful education systems in the world, individual schools are given a high level of autonomy. It is head teachers and teachers, not bureaucrats and politicians, who inspire pupils and drive school improvement. We will invite all schools to apply for the kind of autonomy that has served schools in America, Canada, Sweden and Finland so well.
Improved parental choice
As well as improving standards in all schools, we will also capitalise on the passion of parents, teachers and charities who want to make a difference by making it easier for them to set up and run their own schools and create a new generation of great state schools with small class sizes, high quality teaching and strong discipline.
More support for the poorest
At the heart of our Coalition’s programme for government is a commitment to spend more on the education of the poorest children. Our pupil premium is designed to tackle deep-rooted disadvantage by taking additional money from outside the schools budget to ensure those teaching the poorest children get the resources they need to deliver smaller class sizes, more one-to-one or small group tuition, longer school days and more extra-curricular activities.
Whole system improvement
We will attract more great teachers into the classroom by expanding Teach First and further enhancing the prestige and esteem of the teaching profession. We will focus relentlessly on improving behaviour by ensuring that parents accept their responsibilities, teachers have the discretion they need to get on with the job, and pupils respect adult authority at all times. We will also provide sharper, more intelligent accountability that focuses on underperformance by reforming Ofsted. We will introduce simpler revenue and capital funding systems to give better value for money and to tackle disadvantage and raise standards. Finally, we will reform the curriculum so that it reflects the best collective wisdom we have about how children learn, what they should know and how quickly they can grow in knowledge. "

The Schools System Structural Reform Plan is the first part of a comprehensive plan for supporting children and young people that will be published by the Department for Education. The Department are also carrying out reviews of the primary curriculum, special needs and early years. In the coming months the Government will also set out how they will ensure all children have the fairest start in life, working closely alongside the Ministerial Taskforce on Childhood and Families.

Interesting times!
Chris