I moved on to the sixth Annual Leeds Peace Poetry Competition at the Civic Hall...


This year the theme was 'Picture Peace' and the evening involved readings of the ten finalists from each of the three age groupings - primary school children, secondary school students and adults. The YEP Award was presented by Peter Lazenby. The Leeds Trinity Award was presented by Dr Paul Hardwick. The overall Leeds Peace Poetry Awards were presented by Kei Miller. Musical interludes were provided by Kamaljeet Ajimal and the wonderful Silver Sparrows.
Chris

Late this afternoon I attended the Leeds Mentoring Celebration of Success at the Civic Hall...

This year there have been 4220 mentoring partnerships here in Leeds and the evening provided us with another wonderful opportunity to listen to young people's stories of success encouraged and supported by brilliant mentors. The awards were presented by John Townsley, headteacher at Morley High School, by the Lord Mayor of Leeds and by Cllr Stewart Golton, Lead Member for Children's Services.

Andrew Edwards from BBC Radio Leeds interviewed some of the award winners on the themes of awareness, aspiration and achievement and Bex Wilson, a trainee primary teacher, talked about her 'Hip Hop Summer School' with some of her students. A fantastic evening was had by all.

Thanks to Barry Hilton and the talented Leeds Mentoring team who are making such an incredible difference across the city.
Chris

The damage was that 123 schools were closed across Leeds including 25 secondary schools...

I was told that the problem was that buses couldn't get out of the bus depot because of the snow and ice, side roads on the estates were tretcherous and staff couldn't get into schools from their homes. Difficult to understand it really since I had made it from North of York and by 10.30 the snow and ice was rapidly disappearing.
Chris

I started the day early at the David Young Community Academy...

I had travelled there from York through the snow for a breakfast meeting with the Seacroft and Manston Family of Schools headteachers. Sadly none of them managed to make it and all the schools were closed for the day because of the snow and the transport problems. So the team who had made it to David Young and I shared the hot bacon rolls and the coffee before I set off for Merrion House to survey the damage.
Chris

My colleagues sent me some fabulous photos of the official opening of Allerton High School by the Prime Minister...

It is a wonderful set of memories of a great day for everyone involved with Allerton High School.

Chris

My colleague, Ken Campbell our Stepping Stones Programme Manager, sent me this wonderful piece of news about Dinneka Smillie...

"Hi Chris, Dinneka is being interviewed by the Guardian newspaper today on the basis of her winning the Aimhigher national award. I will be with Dinneka as the interview is by telephone. The completed report will appear in the regular 'College Voices' item and will be written by Janet Murray. Dinneka is now 18 and no longer in care. Ken."

Dinneka will go far!

Chris

I started the day at Boston Spa School...

It was really encouraging to spend time with Chris Walsh, headteacher, to walk around the school listening to 1800 young people at work and to meet, talk and listen to some of those fantastic young people.

This is very clearly a school going places in terms of its leadership, its culture and ethos and its standards, which have improved dramatically over the last couple of years. The school is working hard to develop 'student voice' from a traditional School Council approach picking up and developing their work with Investors in Pupils and the ideas they have taken from 11 Million Takeover Day. The challenge we all face is building brilliant and ensuring that all our young learners take responsibility for their own learning, set their own goals and are coached for excellence. It is encouraging to talk to Chris and his students about their commitment, passion and belief in Boston Spa School as a Centre of Excellence for School Sport and PE and for learning.
Chris

My colleague Ros Vahey sent me this e-mail after the Common Purpose 'Your Turn' event...

"Dear Chris, Year 9s from Lawnswood, City of Leeds, Crawshaw and Abbey Grange participated in ‘Your Turn’, a 3 day Common Purpose programme which finished this week. These young people – especially Ben from Crawshaw, Nicola from Abbey Grange and Joe from Lawnswood - stole the show with their leadership skills. They participated on Monday in a ‘Dragons Den’ which meant they were working on real challenges in the city – including how do we make KS3 so exciting that everyone attends school 100%! They developed a ‘pitch’ and won! Some great examples of team working, presentational skills, creativity and determination. How would Gordon Brown like to give the 2.5% reduction in VAT to education so the young people can redesign curriculum delivery, assessment, reward systems and design the school day! Ros."

Your Turn is a brilliant programme and it is great to see our young people putting the educational world to right.

Chris

This evening I went to the Leeds Schools Music Association Christmas Festival Concert at the Town Hall and it was brilliant...

Around 450 fantastic children and young people entertained a packed house at the Town Hall. The Schools Festival Choir was made up of children from 43 primary schools and the Sing Leeds South Choir was made up of children from nine primary schools in Hunslet, Belle Isle, Beeston Hill and Holbeck. The concert also included performances by the Leeds Youth Brass Band, the Leeds Schools Choir, the Leeds Youth Choir and the Staff Choir. My favourites were 'O Holy Night' sang by a soloist from Opera North and the Staff Choir, 'Raggle Taggle Three Wise Men' sung by the Schools Festival Choir and everyone singing 'Do They Know It's Christmas'.

What a great evening. When Artforms music team does singing it is simply incredible and this evening we saw a great team release a very special magic from some wonderful young people.
Chris

The YEP's Xmas Factor!

It's that time again and twenty-one schools from across the city have taken up the challenge...

From today videos of the schools go on-line at www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk You simply visit the site and click on the Xmas Carol Factor button, watch the videos and vote for your favourite.
Chris