This morning I attended the 'Youth Justice; The Scaled Approach, Stakeholder Briefing Event' at the Civic Hall...

From December there will be significant shanges to the youth justice system with a new sentencing framework being introduced and a 'scaled approach' to tailor interventions to the offending young person based on their risks and needs. We had inputs from Jim Hopkinson, Youth Offending Service Manager here in Leeds, and his colleagues and from Frances Done, Chair of the Youth Justice Board.

The Leeds Youth Offending Service outputs and outcomes make interesting reading:

• Ours is the 6th busiest YOS in the country;
  
• 75% of offenders are boys;
• Half the offences committed by young people are theft and handling, criminal damage and violence against the person;
• 3142 young people committed 5750 offences last year;
• Offending rates are falling!

Youth offending is strongly linked to poverty and deprivation and we need to work harder in schools with our colleagues in the police and the Youth Offending Service to target and work with vulnerable young people to give them education, employment and training alternatives.
Chris

Governments should invest more money on children in the first six years of their lives to reduce social inequality and help all children, especially the most vulnerable, have happier lives...

According to the OECD’s first-ever report on child well-being in its 30 member countries, Doing Better for Children, shows that average public spending by OECD countries up to age six accounts for only a quarter of all child spending. But a better balance of spending between the “Dora the Explorer” years of early childhood and the teenage “Facebook” years would help improve the health, education and well-being of all children in the long term, according to the report.“The crisis is putting pressure on public budgets across the world. But any short-term savings on spending on children’s education and health would have major long-term costs for society,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. “Governments should instead seize this opportunity to get better value from their investment in children and spend early, when the foundations for a child’s future are laid."

We all know that this is key especially for disadvantaged children and can help them break out of a family cycle of poverty and social exclusion.
Chris

National Year of Music

This week Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families launched the first ever National Year of Music...

In launching the National Year of Music, Ed Balls called on schools and local authorities to make a concerted effort to get more young people into music, so that by 2011 over 2 million primary school pupils will have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. This initiative is backed by the Government’s £330 million investment in music, both inside and outside the classroom. The Year of Music runs from September 2009 to September 2010, with events taking place across the country over the coming year.

I hope that every school in Leeds will do something to celebrate and develop their music over the next year.
Chris

Carbon Emissions from Schools: Where they arise and how to reduce them

The Sustainable Development Commission was commissioned by the Department forChildren, Schools and Families to understand the carbon emissions associated with the English school estate and to assess the carbon footprint of the schools...

The 2006 study estimated that the UK schools estate is responsible for 10.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from direct and indirect sources each year. This represents less than 2% of UK carbon emissions, but almost 15% of carbon emissions attributable to the public sector. The current study (2008) estimates that the schools estate emits 8.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The emissions are projected to reduce by less than 20 per cent over the period to 2050, which is insufficient to play a leading role in reducing schools’ impact on potential climate change. As you all know the UK Government is currently committed to a national carbon emissions reduction of 80 percent by 2050 and the Sustainable Development Commission believes that school should be exceeding this target.

We are committed to every school in Leeds being a fully 'Sustainable School' by 2020 and the more we understand these issues the better. To read more about the analysis, for scenarios of how these emissions could be achieved and the recommendations to the DCSF, click on the following link http://www.sdcommission.org.uk/publications.php?id=765
Chris

Lower Your Waste Costs and Increase Recycling in 2009

My colleague Phillip Robson our Head of Commissioning, Procurement and Business Development sent me some information about schools and recycling...

"In line with reducing council waste to landfill and lessening the impact of rising waste
costs, the Council has widened the scope of its trade waste contract with local company
Associated Waste Management (AWM). The contract is open to all schools in Leeds and
has recently introduced additional recycling for plastic bottles and cans. This contract is
competitively priced and will save you money. Schools joining this scheme will be supporting our local economy as well as adding to the Council’s data stream and therefore increasing the understanding of the waste we are all producing across the region. The contract is supported by the Council’s Environment Policy Team and waste resources office. Skip services are incorporated into this holistic contract as required, and any school recycling paper and card can now be set up, so by utilising this service you will help to reduce large waste vehicle usage within your areas, further reducing pollution and improving road safety."

Phillip tells me that this contract has been designed with you in mind. Please consider changing to AWM and changing your waste management for the better but check your contract termination arrangements with your existing provider.
Chris

I moved on to the brilliant new Swallow Hill Community College building...

Bernard Knowles, headteacher, and his colleagues have worked incredibly hard to get the fantastic new building ready for the new term, the new students and the challenges ahead. The merger of West Leeds and Wortley High Schools has been a major project and it was wonderful to see the colleagues who have worked so hard to deliver this complex piece of work and at the same time maintain a strong focus on standards and outcomes for the young people at both schools.

I was joined at the school by Cllr Richard Harker and John Battle MP who have been hugely influential and supportive as we have worked to deliver this next element of the Building Schools for the Future programme. It was John Battle's vision for schools in this part of Leeds that has shaped the work we have been doing and the students looked great in their new uniform; the now very usual shirt, tie and blazer. Everyone looked really delighted to be in the new building which provides Bernard, his colleagues and his students with a fabulous canvas on which to build a brilliant learning place over the next year.
Chris

I started the day early at the brilliant new Allerton Grange High School building...

Rick Whittaker, headteacher, and his colleagues have worked incredibly hard to get the fantastic new building ready for the new term, the new students and the challenges ahead. I was joined at the school by Cllr Richard Harker and Fabian Hamilton MP who have been hugely influential and supportive as we have worked to deliver this next element of the Building Schools for the Future programme. The students looked great in their new uniform; a different take on the usual shirt, tie and blazer. Everyone looked really delighted to be in the new building which provides Rick, his colleagues and his students with a fabulous canvas on which to build a brilliant learning place over the next year.
Chris

I ended the day at Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College in Bradford...

I was there for a Business in the Community Leadership Network Dinner with guest speaker Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College opened it's new BSF PFI building a year ago and as you can see it's wonderful. I also met Richard Hughes, headteacher at the College and some of his brilliant students from their three 'Academies': they have a Sports Academy, a Performing Arts Academy and a University Academy catering for young people with particular talents in sport, the arts and their most academic students.

It was a great evening at a school with enormous ambition doing a great job at the heart of one of Bradford's diverse and underperforming communities. It was also encouraging to hear Ed Balls talk with real passion about the challenges we are facing, the opportunities we have and the importance of teaching, leadership, aspiration and business links.
Chris

I started the day early at Clapgate Primary School...

I started the day having breakfast with the children attending the Breakfast Club before talking to Lesley Simpson, headteacher, about the progress the school has made as well as the opportunities and challenges ahead. It was great to talk to Lesley about the learning journey the school has been on and we then walked around the school to meet Lesley's colleagues and some of her wonderful children before I finally joined the 'Wake Up and Shake Up' session with the youngest children in the hall.

It is deeply encouraging to see the transformation that has taken place at Clapgate Primary School over the last few years. Colleagues have very obviously worked hard to create a calm, purposeful and attractive learning place for the children and there is a real energy, enthusiasm and passion wherever you look which is beginning to achieve results.
Chris

I received this e-mail from my colleague Sarah Rutty, headteacher at Bankside Primary School...

"Hi Chris, Just to let you know that we have started our transformational year of aiming to be a truly brilliant 21st century school with a Bankside Best 'Bang'. The split site arrangements at Bankside and Fir Tree have begun with a wonderful start; please come and see them for yourself, you would be an honoured guest - at either site, but preferably both.
The team here - children, parents and staff - have really enjoyed our first full day at school. We would like to share with you our gratitude to all the team at Education Leeds: Derek, Janet, Charlotte, Tony and George, for their support in helping us reach this stage towards achieving our wonderful new £9M (the Greenest in the city!) school. I would also like to add a special mention for the excellent Kier Northern team that are such wonderful partners in this project; only seven weeks in but truly fantastic, 'Bankside Best' new friends! Come and see for yourself: Hi-vis jacket and hard hat will be provided!
As ever, Bankside Best Wishes, Sarah"

I am always impressed by Sarah's enthusiasm, energy and passion which shines though her messages. I am looking forward to visiting both sites to see the Bankside magic in action.
Chris