We have had more great results in from our secondary schools...
The latest results from Allerton High School, Prince Henry's Grammar School, Priesthorpe School and Primrose High School provide even more evidence of the outstanding work our secondary schools are doing. It is brilliant to see the overall picture developing where we have achieved some simply stunning results across the whole city and where young people in every single secondary school have achieved some great individual achievements. We are still waiting for results from Wetherby High School to complete the picture so things may get even better!
As I said before we can't afford to be complacent however and we need to see what the national picture looks like to see how much we have closed the gap and we need to look at the results for groups and individuals to see the impact of our more targeted work with our looked after children, children on free school meals and other under-achieving groups.
These are going to be my last GCSE results but to have achieved over 50% of our young people getting five good GCSE results including English and mathematics and over 75% achieving Level 2 qualifications is an extraordinary achievement especially when you remember where we started from in 2001! I am deeply proud of all the schools here in Leeds and all those colleagues who have gone the extra mile to achieve such brilliant outcomes for the most valuable resource this city possesses... it's children!
Chris
Friday, 27 August 2010
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Amongst all the good news about GCSE results and capital investment the DfE released figures regarding absences and truancy...
As you know, attendance is an issue we take very seriously and masses of work is being carried out to ensure children and young people are in school as much as possible. This is having a positive impact and primary attendance for this year improved from 94.1 per cent to 94.3 per cent and secondary attendance improved from 91.5 per cent to 91.9 per cent. However, the figures for the last spring term showed Leeds was second worst nationally, behind Manchester, for secondary schools and the fourth worst nationally for primary and secondary combined; and eighth worst for unauthorised absences.
Clearly as a city we need to do even more to tackle poor attendance and persistent absence which is one of the priorities within the Children and Young Peopls's Plan. We are seeing positive effects and levels of persistent absence in secondary school decreased from 8.3 per cent in 2009 to 6.9 per cent in 2010 and in primary schools it fell from 2.9 per cent in 2009 to 2.6 per cent in 2010.
We know that if our children and young people attend school regularly they will do well and, together with schools and families, we will continue to work on initiatives to improve attendance so all children and young people in Leeds benefit from the brilliant educational oportunities and offer available in our schools.
Chris
As you know, attendance is an issue we take very seriously and masses of work is being carried out to ensure children and young people are in school as much as possible. This is having a positive impact and primary attendance for this year improved from 94.1 per cent to 94.3 per cent and secondary attendance improved from 91.5 per cent to 91.9 per cent. However, the figures for the last spring term showed Leeds was second worst nationally, behind Manchester, for secondary schools and the fourth worst nationally for primary and secondary combined; and eighth worst for unauthorised absences.
Clearly as a city we need to do even more to tackle poor attendance and persistent absence which is one of the priorities within the Children and Young Peopls's Plan. We are seeing positive effects and levels of persistent absence in secondary school decreased from 8.3 per cent in 2009 to 6.9 per cent in 2010 and in primary schools it fell from 2.9 per cent in 2009 to 2.6 per cent in 2010.
We know that if our children and young people attend school regularly they will do well and, together with schools and families, we will continue to work on initiatives to improve attendance so all children and young people in Leeds benefit from the brilliant educational oportunities and offer available in our schools.
Chris
This afternoon I met with Jane Wardman and Alison Shaffner who wanted to talk to me about the Children's University pilot work they have been doing in the Seacroft and Manston Family of Schools...
Raising children's aspirations is at the heart of everything we do here at Education Leeds and we constantly aim to develop the understanding that anytime, any place, anywhere learning is one of the keys to success in life. The Children's University is a national organisation that provides 7 to 14 year olds with exciting and innovative learning activities and experiences outside normal school hours. Through this initiative we aim to celebrate achievement and reward participation in a range of accredited and quality assured activities outside school. This is a brilliant initiative which Jane and Alison have been working on to ensure that we have a sustainable model for the future and it is wonderful that I have been invited to be the first Chancellor of Leeds Children's University.
Chris
Raising children's aspirations is at the heart of everything we do here at Education Leeds and we constantly aim to develop the understanding that anytime, any place, anywhere learning is one of the keys to success in life. The Children's University is a national organisation that provides 7 to 14 year olds with exciting and innovative learning activities and experiences outside normal school hours. Through this initiative we aim to celebrate achievement and reward participation in a range of accredited and quality assured activities outside school. This is a brilliant initiative which Jane and Alison have been working on to ensure that we have a sustainable model for the future and it is wonderful that I have been invited to be the first Chancellor of Leeds Children's University.
Chris
I met Jon Lees today...
Jon works for Specialist Education Services, an organisation providing specialised education and residential care throughout Norfolk and the wider UK. Specialist Education Services is a company with high aspirations and an inspiring vision about how to meet the learning and care needs of children with severe and complex behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and specific learning difficulties. Jon has been involved with The National Association of BESD Schools (NAES) since 1998, becoming Eastern Region Representative on the National Committee in 2002. From 1996 Jon was Vice Chair of NAES, becoming Chair in 2008. Jon worked in mainstream education and was involved in the development of a co-educational residential BESD school where he was promoted to senior teacher, he worked as Deputy Head resurrecting another BESD residential/day school where he than went on to be Headteacher consolidating and further developing successful practice. I met John earlier in the year at a Ken Robinson event and Jon wanted to talk to me about the work he is doing to develop and support the national network of BESD provision across the country. It was wonderful to share ideas with Jon about the work we are doing with behaviour and how we could connect to the very best practice to continue to develop and improve what we do here in Leeds.
Chris
Jon works for Specialist Education Services, an organisation providing specialised education and residential care throughout Norfolk and the wider UK. Specialist Education Services is a company with high aspirations and an inspiring vision about how to meet the learning and care needs of children with severe and complex behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, and specific learning difficulties. Jon has been involved with The National Association of BESD Schools (NAES) since 1998, becoming Eastern Region Representative on the National Committee in 2002. From 1996 Jon was Vice Chair of NAES, becoming Chair in 2008. Jon worked in mainstream education and was involved in the development of a co-educational residential BESD school where he was promoted to senior teacher, he worked as Deputy Head resurrecting another BESD residential/day school where he than went on to be Headteacher consolidating and further developing successful practice. I met John earlier in the year at a Ken Robinson event and Jon wanted to talk to me about the work he is doing to develop and support the national network of BESD provision across the country. It was wonderful to share ideas with Jon about the work we are doing with behaviour and how we could connect to the very best practice to continue to develop and improve what we do here in Leeds.
Chris
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
I recieved a copy of a video of the presentation Rawdon St Peter's CE Primary School produced as part of their Stephen Lawrence Education Standard work...
The presentation focuses on the life of Eva Schloss, who was Anne Frank's cousin, and who survived Austwitz. Eva visited Rawdon StaPeter's CE Primary School last year and inspired the children. We hope that the DVD will be avaialble to all schools because it is simply inspirational and once again reflects ordinary people doing extraordinary things!
Chris
The presentation focuses on the life of Eva Schloss, who was Anne Frank's cousin, and who survived Austwitz. Eva visited Rawdon StaPeter's CE Primary School last year and inspired the children. We hope that the DVD will be avaialble to all schools because it is simply inspirational and once again reflects ordinary people doing extraordinary things!
Chris
I attended Executive Board this afternoon...
I was there to get approval for the work we are doing on the Primary Capital Programme at Richmond Hill Primary School, Swillington Primary School, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, Gildersome Primary School, Greenhill Primary School and Oulton Primary School and the work we are doing at Corpus Christi Catholic College as the latest part of our Building Schools for the Future programme. I went on BBC Radio Leeds 'Drive Time' later in the afternoon to talk about the impact this will have here in the city. The primary programme represents an additional £33 million investment in the primary estate and the work at Corpus Christi Catholic College an additional £13 million investment which is great news for these schools, the communities they serve so well and for Leeds.
Chris
I was there to get approval for the work we are doing on the Primary Capital Programme at Richmond Hill Primary School, Swillington Primary School, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, Gildersome Primary School, Greenhill Primary School and Oulton Primary School and the work we are doing at Corpus Christi Catholic College as the latest part of our Building Schools for the Future programme. I went on BBC Radio Leeds 'Drive Time' later in the afternoon to talk about the impact this will have here in the city. The primary programme represents an additional £33 million investment in the primary estate and the work at Corpus Christi Catholic College an additional £13 million investment which is great news for these schools, the communities they serve so well and for Leeds.
Chris
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
I returned to the office to watch the GCSE results come in from schools during the morning...
We have seen some extraordinary results today from schools across the city. Results that reflect a huge amount of energy and effort by young people, their teachers and their families over the last eleven years. Every one of our schools has a wonderful story to tell which collective add up to our best results ever and the largest improvement we have ever seen here in Leeds. From Abbey Grange CE High School, Allerton Grange High School, Boston Spa School, Brigshaw High School, Bruntcliffe High School, Cardinal Heenan RC High School, Carr Manor High School, City of Leeds School, Cockburn Community College, Crawshaw School, David Young Academy, Farnley Park High School, Garforth Community College, Horsforth School, Leeds West Academy, John Smeaton Community College, Lawnswood High School, Morley High School, Mount St Mary's RC High School, Parklands Girls high School, Pudsey Grangefield High School, Ralph Thoresby High School, Rodillian High School, Roundhay School, Royds School, South Leeds Academy, St Mary's RC School, Menston, Temple Moor High School and Woodkirk High School we have seen outstanding results and great individual achievements. We are still waiting for results from Allerton High School, Prince Henry's Grammar School, Priesthorpe School, Primrose High School and Wetherby High School to complete the picture so things may get even better!
We can't afford to be complacent however and we need to see what the national picture looks like to see how much we have closed the gap and we need to look at the results for groups and individuals to see the impact of our more targeted work with our looked after children, children on free school meals and other under-achieving groups.
These are going to be my last GCSE results and I am deeply proud of these schools here in Leeds and those colleagues who have gone the extra mile to achieve such brilliant outcomes.
Chris
We have seen some extraordinary results today from schools across the city. Results that reflect a huge amount of energy and effort by young people, their teachers and their families over the last eleven years. Every one of our schools has a wonderful story to tell which collective add up to our best results ever and the largest improvement we have ever seen here in Leeds. From Abbey Grange CE High School, Allerton Grange High School, Boston Spa School, Brigshaw High School, Bruntcliffe High School, Cardinal Heenan RC High School, Carr Manor High School, City of Leeds School, Cockburn Community College, Crawshaw School, David Young Academy, Farnley Park High School, Garforth Community College, Horsforth School, Leeds West Academy, John Smeaton Community College, Lawnswood High School, Morley High School, Mount St Mary's RC High School, Parklands Girls high School, Pudsey Grangefield High School, Ralph Thoresby High School, Rodillian High School, Roundhay School, Royds School, South Leeds Academy, St Mary's RC School, Menston, Temple Moor High School and Woodkirk High School we have seen outstanding results and great individual achievements. We are still waiting for results from Allerton High School, Prince Henry's Grammar School, Priesthorpe School, Primrose High School and Wetherby High School to complete the picture so things may get even better!
We can't afford to be complacent however and we need to see what the national picture looks like to see how much we have closed the gap and we need to look at the results for groups and individuals to see the impact of our more targeted work with our looked after children, children on free school meals and other under-achieving groups.
These are going to be my last GCSE results and I am deeply proud of these schools here in Leeds and those colleagues who have gone the extra mile to achieve such brilliant outcomes.
Chris
Another Year!
I visited Carr Manor High School early this morning to congratulate the team on their brilliant GCSE results...
Simon Flowers and his team have achieved some extraordinary results with 62% of his students achieving 5 A* - C grades and 34% reaching the gold standard with English and mathematics. This equals Fisher Family Trust top quartile performance for this cohort of young people and is the next chapter of an incredible story and a wonderful journey for Carr Manor High School.
Chris
Simon Flowers and his team have achieved some extraordinary results with 62% of his students achieving 5 A* - C grades and 34% reaching the gold standard with English and mathematics. This equals Fisher Family Trust top quartile performance for this cohort of young people and is the next chapter of an incredible story and a wonderful journey for Carr Manor High School.
Chris
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