I received this e-mail from my colleague Tracy Dell, Headteacher at Methley Primary School...

"Dear Chris,Hope you have a had a good week! Read your blog and used it to reflect on my great team! Thank you, Tracy

It's great to know that Tracey is 'Making Methley Brilliant'!
chris

The University of Cambridge Primary Review

While the DCSF have already dismissed this research, everyone who cares about learning in this country and who passionately believes in brilliant primary education should read it...

SOME KEY FINDINGS AND ISSUES FROM THE FOUR REPORTS

• Funding primary education: should there be parity between primary and secondary?

The first report records a marked increase in expenditure on primary education from 1998 onwards, yet ’when expenditure is expressed relative to per capita GDP the UK comes 18th out of 29 OECD countries on expenditure on primary education’ and the per pupil primary/secondary funding differential is greater than in some other OECD countries. The report argues that because children’s ‘later progress and achievement are highly dependent on earlier attainment ... it is by no means self-evident ... that primary schools should be less generously funded than secondary.’ DISCUSS!

• Is there now a ‘state theory of learning’?

The second report shows how since 1997 ‘central control in key areas of educational action has been strengthened within a framework of administrative and fiscal devolution ... Government has strengthened its hand through what may be called a “state theory of learning” ... based on the idea that the repeated high stakes testing of pupils, a national curriculum, and in primary schools mandated pedagogy in numeracy and literacy, will raise standards ... There is little doubt that the machinery of surveillance and accountability makes it difficult for schools to deviate from focusing on test performance’ The report questions whether it is right or sensible for governments to intervene to this extent in the fine detail of professional practice. DISCUSS!

• The impact of two decades of ‘reform’.

The reports track change and reform in the primary sector under both Conservative and New Labour administrations and warn that ‘tracing causation between particular reforms and children’s learning is extremely difficult’, though that has been no bar to confident claims both for and against the various reform initiatives. Yet ‘all studies shows clearly that change has occurred, and that in 2007 primary classrooms are very different places from the way they were in 1988, or even 1997.’ It records greater system coherence and improvements in the standards achieved by many pupils, ‘but a decrease in the overall quality of primary education ... because of the narrowing of the curriculum and the intensity of test preparation.’ Moreover, while one major study reported significant changes in teachers’ practice, a much larger number showed that ‘the quality of teacher-pupil interaction on which much learning depends has shown little sign of improvement and there is some evidence of decline ... At the same time, the range of teaching methods employed is probably narrower now than hitherto.’ DISCUSS!

• School inspection: stability, trust and relevance.

The fourth report notes that ‘constant change in quality assurance procedures has proved a great burden and cause for complaint by schools and teachers. While some change is inevitable to meet cultural and political expectations, the degree and pace of change have been exceptionally great in the last fifteen years ... The need to address poor provision and poor teaching is undisputed, but empirical studies have revealed flaws in the [Ofsted] inspection processes and possibilities for improvement ... It is important that policy on quality assurance should inspire the maximum possible trust between politicians, parents and professionals.’ The report also warns that ‘many research studies point to the tendency of narrowly-focused inspection to distort the curriculum. DISCUSS!

Everyone should read and talk about these reports which are available on the Primary Review web-site at www.primaryreview.org.uk.
Chris

I think the things that make brilliant are...

• strong, disciplined, focused and passionate leadership;
• clear, shared vision, values and beliefs;
• a talented, energetic, enthusiastic and creative team;
• empowered, trusted and disciplined colleagues;
• stimulating, exciting and engaging work;
• beautiful systems and routines;
• a powerful, stimulating and interesting learning environment;
• high shared expectations;
• strong, dynamic and meaningful relationships;
• high engagement and involvement of colleagues.

I need your help here and would welcome feedback... is this the recipe for releasing a very special magic or have I missed something?

Chris

I started the day at the Thorpe Park Hotel where we were holding a 14 - 19 Review Day with colleague headteachers and college principals...

This is one of the biggest agendas we are dealing with here in Leeds and the day set out to:

• revisit the vision, values and principles underpinning the 14 - 19 reforms;
• improve shared understandings of the challenges we face here in Leeds;
• progress the concept of a learner entitlement;
• explore how we secure localised comprehensive access for all young people;
• agree how we collectively and individually move the agenda forward.

I'll let you know how it went.
Chris

I received a great letter today from Alison Collins, Pupil Support Manager at Wortley High School...

Alison had received a letter from Jackie Smith, the Home Secretary, about the Weapons Awareness programme she has been running. Pat Regan from 'Mothers Against Gun Crime' had spoken to Jackie Smith about the way the Wortley students had responded to her session and how impressed she was with the letters the students had sent her after the session.

It is wonderful to see the brilliant work colleagues across the city are doing being recognised in this way.
Chris

What a strange day...

We had about five minutes with Beverley Hughes MP because she was called back to the House of Commons to vote! Basically, she said sorry she was late, thanked us for coming, told us that she recognised the importance of joined up solutions, that she recognised the scale of the challenge we were facing and that she was pleased that we were working with the DCSF on these wicked issues.

We did spend the best part of two hours with DCSF colleagues talking about the challenges we face, but what was very clear was that the real focus was around teenage pregnancy NEET; young people not in education, employment or training, youth justice and tackling extremism, The thing I constantly wrestle with on days like today are what did it cost to bring six of us and three colleagues from Government Office down to London to meet with about ten of them and what real value did it add?

I suppose the real challenge is for us to make sure that we build on the outcomes from the meeting and use them powerfully to support us as we continue to drive the Children's agenda here in Leeds. Hopefully at the same time we can declutter and focus our resources on the real issues we are facing.

Chris

I am sitting on a train travelling to London to see Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children...

Rosemary Archer and her team, including Cllr Richard Harker and I, are meeting with DCSF officials about our youth outcomes and then we are seeing the Minister. I'll keep you posted!
Chris

The negatives roll in constantly and we are challenged all the time to do better, faster and more effectively in our schools, our classrooms and our communities...

I want to put it on record that I currently work with the most creative, talented and effective team I have ever worked with and if anyone thinks that they can do better simply roll up your sleeves and step up to the plate.

Interestingly, I constantly visit schools here in Leeds and I know that we are making a real difference to young peoples lives and achieving better outcomes year on year. I know that we have the processes, we have the materials, we have the passion, we have the discipline, we have the intellectual rigour and more importantly we have the people to deliver real magic and achieve brilliant outcomes.

Like you, I am not in any way complacent about the challenges we face here in this wonderfully rich, diverse and incredibly challenging city. Like you, I am constantly looking for the answers and asking myself how much more we can do. I passionately believe that the real key lies with our leaders and our learning teams and how we convince them that the journey we are on is the right journey and that they are in control and trusted as the talented leaders, coaches, guides, mentors and teachers building pathways to excellence for each and every one of our young people.
Chris

It's been one of those days...

I started the day at Leeds Town Hall with members of our Leadership Team and briefly attended Children's Services Leadership Team Leadership Session before I went on to attend the Local Area Agreement Strategy Group Session at the Carriageworks. I then attended the Children's Services Leadership Team meeting with the Joint Area Review team to look at their preliminary findings and provide them with some additional information.

I suppose that you get to the end of a day like this and begin to see the connections. It highlights the big issues, identifies the common factors and allows us to focus on the real challenges we still need to be working on.
Chris

I was reading Ram Charan's book 'Know How' over the weekend...

Ram identifies eight 'Know-Hows' which are needed to create brilliant organisations...

• provide things people want and need;
• look for patterns in a complex world;
• get the right people with the right attitudes and the right behaviours and the right information;
• match people to tasks;
• get teams working together;
• set ambitious but realistic goals;
• set sharp focused priorities;
• anticipate problems and pressure.

How are you building brilliant in your team, your school or your organisation?

Chris