My colleague Mike Cooper picked up the message about the British Council's Key Stage 3 initiative...
"Chris, I note from your blog that British Council are looking to support activities at KS3 including Enterprise. Our next Secondary Enterprise Forum is on 23rd October and has a focus on evaluation and curriculum development looking at how enterprise is integrated. THis will include KS3. We could enrol 10 schools from the forum to engage with this project and get something moving.Aware that we don't want everyone contacting British Council are you content with us promoting the idea and offering propsals to Council? Regards Mike"
Mike will take up the challenge so we don't miss this opportunity... which is great.
Chris
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Earlier this year, Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, in association with Education Leeds, began its quest to find a promising young sports-person that it could support with free gym use and specialist sports guidance for a year...
The plan was to find one talented young athlete that the hotel could help to fulfill their potential.
But when it came to choosing the winner, things got tricky. The applications were so good that Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa’s General Manager, Gordon Jackson, decided to award not one sponsorship package, but three. Fiona Berry, 15, Sam Parker, 15, and Rachael Speight, 16, so impressed Gordon that each of them was awarded the special red letter prize. The three winning candidates have been awarded a year’s membership to use the hotel’s spa and gym facilities so that they can continue their sporting development. They will also receive invaluable, specialist training and nutritional guidance from a qualified team of experts.
The plan was to find one talented young athlete that the hotel could help to fulfill their potential.
But when it came to choosing the winner, things got tricky. The applications were so good that Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa’s General Manager, Gordon Jackson, decided to award not one sponsorship package, but three. Fiona Berry, 15, Sam Parker, 15, and Rachael Speight, 16, so impressed Gordon that each of them was awarded the special red letter prize. The three winning candidates have been awarded a year’s membership to use the hotel’s spa and gym facilities so that they can continue their sporting development. They will also receive invaluable, specialist training and nutritional guidance from a qualified team of experts.
Fiona is a student at Garforth Community College. She has played for Manchester United for four seasons and for Leeds United Centre for Excellence for one season. She has also been selected to play for England’s under 15 team in five international matches.
Sam is a student at Temple Moor High School and is a keen participant in a number of sports, particularly rugby, cricket, football and badminton. He plays for Whitkirk Cricket Club, Leeds Taveners, his school cricket team, Colton Juniors Football Club and has represented Leeds at badminton. He has been described by his rugby coach as “a very professional player, both on and off the field”.
Rachael is a student at Garforth Community College, and despite winning the hockey National Shield 2007 with Leeds Adel Carnegie Hockey Team, has an even greater talent for athletics. She is currently ranked 13th in the UK in the 300m sprint, and holds the all-time record at Leeds City Athletics Club for both under 17s and senior women. She has targeted the 2016 Olympics, and maybe even 2012, if her training goes well.
This is a brilliant initiative. Let's hope Fiona, Sam and Rachael use this opportunity to take their talents to new heights and achieve even greater things.
Chris
Sam is a student at Temple Moor High School and is a keen participant in a number of sports, particularly rugby, cricket, football and badminton. He plays for Whitkirk Cricket Club, Leeds Taveners, his school cricket team, Colton Juniors Football Club and has represented Leeds at badminton. He has been described by his rugby coach as “a very professional player, both on and off the field”.
Rachael is a student at Garforth Community College, and despite winning the hockey National Shield 2007 with Leeds Adel Carnegie Hockey Team, has an even greater talent for athletics. She is currently ranked 13th in the UK in the 300m sprint, and holds the all-time record at Leeds City Athletics Club for both under 17s and senior women. She has targeted the 2016 Olympics, and maybe even 2012, if her training goes well.
This is a brilliant initiative. Let's hope Fiona, Sam and Rachael use this opportunity to take their talents to new heights and achieve even greater things.
Chris
GREAT NEWS!
It's official. The Key Stage 3 SATs are history!
In September I suggested that we should look at the balanced scorecard approach in New York. The system has five aspects that could prove useful:
It's great to know that the DCSF are listening and that we are finding out more and looking at how we can develop our own balanced scorecard.
Chris
In September I suggested that we should look at the balanced scorecard approach in New York. The system has five aspects that could prove useful:
- it is outcomes based;
- it combines transparency with complexity;
- it is focused;
- it provides an incentive for schools to improve attainment for the most deprived;
- it supports a bottom-up approach to school impprovement.
- school environment (15%);
- student performance (30%);
- student progress (55%);
- closing the achievement gap.
It's great to know that the DCSF are listening and that we are finding out more and looking at how we can develop our own balanced scorecard.
Chris
I attended another of our induction sessions today at the Derek Fatchett Centre...
These sessions always inspire me as I meet great new colleagues who have made that decision to join the A Team... the best education team anywhere! These colleagues bring creativity, imagination, ideas and experience and they certainly are talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful additions to their teams.
Our job is to continue to develop the leadership and culture that will release their potential, their magic, their passion and target their hard work to make a real difference for our children and young people.
Chris
These sessions always inspire me as I meet great new colleagues who have made that decision to join the A Team... the best education team anywhere! These colleagues bring creativity, imagination, ideas and experience and they certainly are talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful additions to their teams.
Our job is to continue to develop the leadership and culture that will release their potential, their magic, their passion and target their hard work to make a real difference for our children and young people.
Chris
I went to Asquith Primary School's 6th birthday celebrations this afternoon...
Asquith Primary School opened on 14th October 2002 with five children and is now a thriving little one form entry primary school with over 200 children. Gill Austerfield, the headteacher, has worked incredibly hard to build a wonderful little primary school that aims to be 'a school where achievement is high and every child is able to develop and thrive within a supportive atmosphere where learning is fun and the value of each individual is evident'.
At their special celebration assembly, the older children sang and talked about their school and their aspirations and it was wonderful. I wish more of the people who said this school was mistake could have been there this afternoon to see what Gill and her talented team are doing... simply releasing the magic!
Chris
Asquith Primary School opened on 14th October 2002 with five children and is now a thriving little one form entry primary school with over 200 children. Gill Austerfield, the headteacher, has worked incredibly hard to build a wonderful little primary school that aims to be 'a school where achievement is high and every child is able to develop and thrive within a supportive atmosphere where learning is fun and the value of each individual is evident'.
At their special celebration assembly, the older children sang and talked about their school and their aspirations and it was wonderful. I wish more of the people who said this school was mistake could have been there this afternoon to see what Gill and her talented team are doing... simply releasing the magic!
Chris
I started the day at Allerton High School...
I was there for the BSF Gateway Review which is an assessment commissioned by Dave Page, Deputy Chief Executive of Leeds City Council who 'owns' the BSF Project. An independent team of experienced colleagues are carrying out the review to help us learn from the early work on the BSF schools. I'll let you know what they tell us about further developing and improving our delivery of this hugely important project.
Chris
I was there for the BSF Gateway Review which is an assessment commissioned by Dave Page, Deputy Chief Executive of Leeds City Council who 'owns' the BSF Project. An independent team of experienced colleagues are carrying out the review to help us learn from the early work on the BSF schools. I'll let you know what they tell us about further developing and improving our delivery of this hugely important project.
Chris
It has been hectic week spent with great people visiting great places but set as always here in Leeds against a background of noise and criticism as we continue to do some of the really hard things to achieve the only thing that really matters: delivering great outcomes for our children and young people...
We had visitors from Sollentuna in Sweden, from Land Securities Trillium and from RM who all talked about the brilliant things we are doing here in Leeds... building truly world class provision.
I visited some brilliant learning places:
- the David Young Community Academy with the Education Leeds Board;
- the new Rodillian School with Cllr Harker;
- Colton Primary School with Cllr Harker to see the npower Climate Cops;
- Great Preston CE Primary School to attend the official opening of their new building;
- Thorner CE Primary School to open their new library.
We also had individual success with talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful Nicola Davies from Garforth Green Lane Primary School being made MFL Teacher of the Year.
The more time I spend here in Leeds the more I realise the potential we have to build brilliant and in a way the last week captured so much of that collective and individual magic. Colleagues like Ros McMullen, Andy Goulty, Alison Wrigglesworth, Nicola Davies, Heather Scott and many, many, many more who are transforming learning in Leeds and delivering outstanding provision across the city.
Despite the noise and the criticism we must press on with our mission to build a learning landscape where every child and every young person is happy, healthy, safe and successful... whatever it takes.
Chris
We had visitors from Sollentuna in Sweden, from Land Securities Trillium and from RM who all talked about the brilliant things we are doing here in Leeds... building truly world class provision.
I visited some brilliant learning places:
- the David Young Community Academy with the Education Leeds Board;
- the new Rodillian School with Cllr Harker;
- Colton Primary School with Cllr Harker to see the npower Climate Cops;
- Great Preston CE Primary School to attend the official opening of their new building;
- Thorner CE Primary School to open their new library.
We also had individual success with talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful Nicola Davies from Garforth Green Lane Primary School being made MFL Teacher of the Year.
The more time I spend here in Leeds the more I realise the potential we have to build brilliant and in a way the last week captured so much of that collective and individual magic. Colleagues like Ros McMullen, Andy Goulty, Alison Wrigglesworth, Nicola Davies, Heather Scott and many, many, many more who are transforming learning in Leeds and delivering outstanding provision across the city.
Despite the noise and the criticism we must press on with our mission to build a learning landscape where every child and every young person is happy, healthy, safe and successful... whatever it takes.
Chris
CALLING ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS: Connecting Key Stage 3 Classrooms with East Asia
Gareth Mills, Head of Curriculum Development and Implementation at QCA and Vicky Gough Advisor, World Links at the British Council are looking for secondary schools to get involved in this programme...
"Hi Chris, We would like to invite you to participate in a new opportunity for Local Authority/cluster partnerships with schools in the East Asia Region (South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan). This Programme has been developed and will be funded by the British Council. The QCA (and equivalents in NI and Wales) along with curriculum experts from the other participating countries were also involved in the development of this programme to ensure that the ensuing projects can build into the new KS3 curriculum in England as well as the curricula of the other participating countries.
This programme has been developed to reflect the growing importance of the global dimension in the curriculum. Issues of global significance are brought into our lives in a way that they never were for previous generations. Global media and communications, travel and immigration mean that we now have much more exposure to people and cultures from many different parts of the world. This provides a tremendous range of positive opportunities to broaden young people’s experience and knowledge. At the same time, issues of poverty, inequality, conflict, and economic and environmental damage present major challenges for society. Education for the global dimension and sustainable development helps young people to appreciate these challenges and opportunities and to recognise their responsibilities as members of a global community.
This new programme will involve 1 Local Authority or equivalent (a group of at least 10 schools) forming a partnership with two regions from different countries in the E Asian region.
The partnerships (at least initially) will not be school to school but area to area. At least 10 secondary schools (KS3) per LA/Cluster need to be involved. The partnerships will be represented by three participants at a contact seminar, where the partnerships will be formed and the joint projects agreed. We suggest that the three participants include someone from the Local Authority, one Headteacher and one teacher (from separate schools). At least one of these representatives needs to have ICT expertise or knowledge.
Partnerships will carry out joint projects around one or more of the following themes which were agreed as relevant by all the curriculum experts; Enterprise, Tomorrow’s World, Science and Invention, Climate Change, Sports and Health. Issues to do with Global Citizenship will be included in all the projects. If you have an existing partnership with a school or Authority in the region, it may be possible to include them in this initiative if they have applied to take part in their own county.
The British Council will provide; An online platform to carry out the project and some training on how to use that platform at the contact seminar. A project framework and regular additions of materials related to the themes to the on-line platform. 3 funded places per participating Authority or cluster to attend a contact seminar A grant of £1000 per annum to each participating region to cover costs relating to the administration of the project within the UK and the costs of at least one meeting per term for all ten schools. International student and teacher conferences in year 3 of the programme.
If you would be interested in participating or if you have any questions or comments please contact Andrew Vivian andrew.vivian@britishcouncil.org or Kate Elders (kate.elders@britishcouncil.org) at the British Council. Best wishes, Gareth and Vicky"
"Hi Chris, We would like to invite you to participate in a new opportunity for Local Authority/cluster partnerships with schools in the East Asia Region (South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan). This Programme has been developed and will be funded by the British Council. The QCA (and equivalents in NI and Wales) along with curriculum experts from the other participating countries were also involved in the development of this programme to ensure that the ensuing projects can build into the new KS3 curriculum in England as well as the curricula of the other participating countries.
This programme has been developed to reflect the growing importance of the global dimension in the curriculum. Issues of global significance are brought into our lives in a way that they never were for previous generations. Global media and communications, travel and immigration mean that we now have much more exposure to people and cultures from many different parts of the world. This provides a tremendous range of positive opportunities to broaden young people’s experience and knowledge. At the same time, issues of poverty, inequality, conflict, and economic and environmental damage present major challenges for society. Education for the global dimension and sustainable development helps young people to appreciate these challenges and opportunities and to recognise their responsibilities as members of a global community.
This new programme will involve 1 Local Authority or equivalent (a group of at least 10 schools) forming a partnership with two regions from different countries in the E Asian region.
The partnerships (at least initially) will not be school to school but area to area. At least 10 secondary schools (KS3) per LA/Cluster need to be involved. The partnerships will be represented by three participants at a contact seminar, where the partnerships will be formed and the joint projects agreed. We suggest that the three participants include someone from the Local Authority, one Headteacher and one teacher (from separate schools). At least one of these representatives needs to have ICT expertise or knowledge.
Partnerships will carry out joint projects around one or more of the following themes which were agreed as relevant by all the curriculum experts; Enterprise, Tomorrow’s World, Science and Invention, Climate Change, Sports and Health. Issues to do with Global Citizenship will be included in all the projects. If you have an existing partnership with a school or Authority in the region, it may be possible to include them in this initiative if they have applied to take part in their own county.
The British Council will provide; An online platform to carry out the project and some training on how to use that platform at the contact seminar. A project framework and regular additions of materials related to the themes to the on-line platform. 3 funded places per participating Authority or cluster to attend a contact seminar A grant of £1000 per annum to each participating region to cover costs relating to the administration of the project within the UK and the costs of at least one meeting per term for all ten schools. International student and teacher conferences in year 3 of the programme.
If you would be interested in participating or if you have any questions or comments please contact Andrew Vivian andrew.vivian@britishcouncil.org or Kate Elders (kate.elders@britishcouncil.org) at the British Council. Best wishes, Gareth and Vicky"
This is an interesting project and a wonderful opportunity to connect.
Chris
Monday, 13 October 2008
I spent the day at The Manchester College at a Culture and Leadership event...
The day was organised by The Pacific Institute and consisted of two sessions delivered by Mike O'Brien; one on 'Culture Matters' and another on ''Measuring Culture and Leadership'.
The new Manchester College is one of the largest colleges in the country and Peter Tavernor, the Principal, and Barbara Forshaw, the Vice Principal, have used the Investment in Excellence programme to drive it's growth and development over the last few years as MANCAT and are now taking that approach into the new college.
Mike O'Brien's session reinforced the fact that 'it's leaders that make organisations work' and the critical importance of beliefs driving behaviours that deliver performance. He also used gardening metaphors to urge us to continue to prune our organisations and to get rid of the suckers that drain our energy. He asked us to look at the video game approach to feedback in our relentless pursuit of excellence suggesting that it isn't about winning but about getting to the next level. We must nurture talent, coach for attitude and motivation and work to develop skills and knowledge in all our colleagues.
He also argued that it is not about accountability versus empowerment but accountability AND empowerment. We should spend our time clarifying the vision, walking the talk and coaching our colleagues to do the same. We need to be very clear about what success looks like an how we will know if we are being succvessful, We need to be clear about our goals, define our outcomes, provide direction, develop models and provide reinforcement and encouragement to our colleagues.
Chris
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