I have had a bad day...

I used to be able to work continuously. Long days one after another didn't use to be a problem. I don't know about you but as I get older I find it is becoming more and more difficult to keep it up. Migraine always strikes when I am really tired and when the world is simply too demanding and, although I take tablets that are really good at tackling the symptoms, when I am passed it they simply don't work ...

Today I woke early with the headache from hell and sadly, I missed the Leadership Team away day and the 'Bolly Rock' gig at Allerton Grange High School both of which I know would have been fantastic but I suppose what my brain is telling me is that I need a rest.

I am really looking forward to a holiday.
Chris

I went to another retirement do today...

My colleagues Margery Page is retiring after 34 years as an Educational Psychologist here in Leeds. Margery has had an enormous impact here in Leeds and affected the lives of a huge number of children. I will personally miss her insight, her dedication and commitment.
Chris

My colleague Margaret Dalby sent me this after visiting Morley Victoria Primary School last night...

"Last night was my last primary school concert at Morley Victoria. I am now available as rent a crowd at any primary concerts throughout the year. As usual it was sensational with brass,woodwind, strings and singing. The Yr 6 boys did the Haka! and sang YMCA with all the actions, Yr 5 did an Elvis medley and they ended the concert with Shine from Take That. So many smiling faces happy confident children every child in Yr 5 &6 took part. I have had a bad two weeks with the loss of a 37 yr old nephew but children are a great healer I can see why you like your job. Margaret"

You're right, Margaret, I love my job. Thanks for sharing this with me.
Chris

I was reading this article about stress and the impact it has on the nervous, hormonal and immune systems...

Stress is of course something we all live with but I am told that diet can play a significant and important part in improving your physical and emotional well-being. So to quote the article "if stess is turning you into a moody chocoholic insomniac, with no sex drive, constant colds, tummy trouble, dire concentration and heart palpitations here is what you need to do"...

• boost your magnesium intake... magnesium helps the body make energy, balance blood-sugar levels and maintain healthy blood pressure.... magnesium is found in green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and pulses.


• Ideally don't drink coffee and certainly don't drink coffee before 10 am.


• Never skip meals. Eat three low-GI meals a day with snacks if necessary.


• Beef up your vitamins B5 and C... stress reduces these vitamins. B5 is found in eggs, fish, meat, lentils and whole grains. C is found in berries, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes and all fruit and vegetables.


• Raise your serotonin levels... eat yoghurt, bananas, figs and dates and drink milk.


• Eat oats for breakfast!


• Ditch caffeine, sugar and alcohol!


• Take gentle exercise but don't overdo it!

It's be healthy week so look after yourself; de-stress and unwind whenever you can.

Chris

It has been one of those days when I have been forced to think about what LOCAL means...

I totally agree with those colleagues who tell me that we must continue to build local solutions and restructure all our services and provision... starting from and building with those fundamentally important local pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that makes up this wonderful city of ours. But it is also important to recognise that local isn't simply about the structures and services it's a commitment to looking at everything we do through the same lens... the local lens.

It can't simply be acceptable to think local when it comes to the partnerships and services we provide. It also applies to where we shop, where we eat, where we walk, where we build our relatonships and where we send our children to school. You can't have it both ways if we believe in local solutions and local services we have to embrace local services for us... how many of us don't choose local schools for our children and then complain about the local area; the anti-social behaviour, the rubbish and the lack of care and respect?

We won't get great local schools, great local services and great local communities unless we all buy in... and it's not about pick and mix... you can't choose which bits you want and which bits you don't... it's all or nothing!

I know that people continually tell me that they agree with me but they are not prepared to experiment with their own children. All I would say is whose children should we experiment on if not the children of people who care and are passionate about what we do. After all if things are not good enough for your children surely they aren't good enough for anyone's children.
Chris

I finished the day at Allerton High School at a North East Governors' Wedge Meeting...

The meeting was well attended by a really good group of governors and we had updates on the Parent Partnership Service, the Leeds Healthy Schools Strategy, Alcohol Misuse and 14 - 19 Provision. These all stimulated some really good discussions and some interesting questions at a really excellent meeting.
Chris

I went on to talk to the Secondary Headteachers at the Headingley Experience...

The headteachers were looking at the 14 - 19 Review and Dirk Gilleard, Gary Milner and Christina George from the LSC joined me. We face some real challenges to ensure that we build a system which puts the needs of the learner first and build local solutions that link into and connect with city pathways.

We all agreed to spend a day together in early September to continue to work on the models.
Chris

I was invited at short notice to drop in to Victoria Primary School...

I managed to drop in at lunchtime and I am so glad I did because this is a wonderful school doing brilliant work in so many areas. Tessa Mason had invited me to look at the work which resulted from a visit the the Leeds Art Gallery and I also managed to fit in a look at their new ICT portal which is truly amazing!

The school had organised the hall to become their own art gallery and the work I saw was outstanding... the children had produced photographs, written poetry, focused on their special people, made picture frames, produced keepsake boxes and decorated tents... and it had pulled in the crowds from the community to look at the work.

The new ICT portal is opening a new world for the learning team and the children. Again it is inspiring to see what they are doing and how it is engaging young people and colleagues. You can visit their website at www.victoria-pri.leeds.sch.uk.
Chris

I started the day with breakfast at Roundhay School Technology College...

I had breakfast with the North East Leeds Learning Partnership headteachers and while we all wondered what we were doing there at this time of year it was a really good discussion about some of the things that matter. Interestingly Jon Farley, Headteacher at Kerr Mackie, asked if we could offer some tea-time meetings for the headteachers who are not at their best early in the morning. We will arrange a series of tea-time sessions for next year.
Chris

A good news story for you...

On Friday, 6 July 2007, Harehills Primary School were runners up at the Drax Cup 2007 cricket event. This took place at Headingley Carnegie Cricket Ground and involved schools from all over Yorkshire.
BRILLIANT!
Chris