"When we experience something together we share a common memory, a common insight and develop a common wisdom. The more we share the easier it is to work together and the more we develop a common language and common understanding."
We had another interesting week last week culminating in the local and national elections which have redrawn the political landscape both in Leeds and in Westminster...
After the Bank Holiday weekend I attended the usual round of meetings and we had the monthly meeting of the Education Leeds board. I also managed to fit in visits to Chapel Allerton Primary School and Queensway Primary School to meet with Nicholas Sykes, Gail Palmer-Smeaton and their teams who are releasing the magic in some wonderful young people. And finally, I had lunch with the Education Leeds SENSAP team where we celebrated their work over the last weeks and months supporting some of our most special and precious children and young people and their parents and carers.
Here in Leeds, we are building a children's services world where we create integrated teams with shared agendas, common perspectives, and shared beliefs and values. And while there will always be "differences", these surely bring unique and special perspectives that provide us with opportunities to do things differently: to be creative and imaginative; but also disciplined and focused. We must all continue to work to develop one common and shared vision: a powerful and compelling picture of the future that we want to build for all our children and young people; their families; and communities. This takes courage, it takes patience, but most importantly it takes great leadership…and not just from Eleanor Brazil as interim director of children's services, or from me, as chief executive of Education Leeds… from all of us.
Over the next few weeks, and particularly when the going gets tough, we all need to be more visible, articulate our shared vision, and repeat it time and time and time again. We all need to understand the journey we are on, and to constantly celebrate our successes and recognise our continuing challenges. Our fundamental work here at Children Leeds is about providing leadership for managing performance, managing resources and managing change: it’s about questions, answers, problems and solutions; and we must invite everyone to comment, to criticise, to praise, to suggest alternatives and to question. We need all our colleagues, our partners, our stakeholders and importantly our young people to understand that their opinions are valued and welcome. This is a critical period in the Children Leeds story and I know that some colleagues are finding the situation worrying: too many challenges; not enough time; too much change; and not enough attention paid to the things that really matter. I see things differently. I feel energised and uplifted by the challenges we face. Wherever you are in this children's services world these are opportunities to share, opportunities to shape the future and opportunities to take the initiative and to make a difference.
Thank you for all your hard work. It is always appreciated and is never taken for granted. As we face yet another period of political change we must stay focused on the things that really matter, and build the team around the school alongside the teams around the child and the family. Remember that our greatest advantage and our greatest asset is our colleagues who are unique, fragile and brilliant human beings with enormous potential, and we must work with them to release their magic to benefit the children and young people of this wonderful city.
Chris
Sunday, 9 May 2010
I received this wonderful e-mail from Doreen Conroy, Whole School Development Officer at Portland Central School in New South Wales, Australia...
"Dear Chris,I have been visiting educational partners in Leeds over the past 17 days as part of my NSW Premier's Study Scholarship. I just wanted to let you know how wonderful the experience has been for me. Your schools and Education Leeds have been extremely generous in giving their time and sharing their practice. Everywhere I went I was greeted warmly and I have learnt so much. I know one should not just select from over the fifty people I have met but I must share with you my absolute delight with Carr Manor High School. Simon Flowers and his staff are offering outstanding education for young people, Lori Beckett's (Leed Met Uni) work with schools as an academic partner developing teachers as researchers is such good practice and finally Catherine Gaddes and the 14-19 team at Education Leeds are ensuring that next practice will improve outcomes for young people. In all the schools I visited the tone was excellent and young people were engaged in learning and prepared to have a chat in such a polite manner. Many thanks and congratulations on the quality of education in Leeds. Cheers Doreen."
As always, it is great to have independent judgements on the work we are doing here in Leeds and deeply encouraging to read these very positive comments from Doreen.
Chris
"Dear Chris,I have been visiting educational partners in Leeds over the past 17 days as part of my NSW Premier's Study Scholarship. I just wanted to let you know how wonderful the experience has been for me. Your schools and Education Leeds have been extremely generous in giving their time and sharing their practice. Everywhere I went I was greeted warmly and I have learnt so much. I know one should not just select from over the fifty people I have met but I must share with you my absolute delight with Carr Manor High School. Simon Flowers and his staff are offering outstanding education for young people, Lori Beckett's (Leed Met Uni) work with schools as an academic partner developing teachers as researchers is such good practice and finally Catherine Gaddes and the 14-19 team at Education Leeds are ensuring that next practice will improve outcomes for young people. In all the schools I visited the tone was excellent and young people were engaged in learning and prepared to have a chat in such a polite manner. Many thanks and congratulations on the quality of education in Leeds. Cheers Doreen."
As always, it is great to have independent judgements on the work we are doing here in Leeds and deeply encouraging to read these very positive comments from Doreen.
Chris
Thursday, 6 May 2010
What makes a great primary school?
I visited Queensway Primary School this morning...
I was feeling down so I popped in to see Gail Palmer-Smeaton and her wonderful team for a quick cup of coffee. Last time I visited the school Gail was is in the middle of building work as the new children's centre was being built. The building now looks fantastic and Gail and the team were their usual high octane selves and are releasing a very special kind of magic. I talked to Gail about the future, children's services and the Key Stage 2 SATS and I also got the chance to briefly walk around the school to see things in action.
The 'can do' culture is everywhere reinforcing that this is the most important thing we do here in Leeds; educating the future and recognising it's incredible potential! The key is to ensure that everyone is happy, healthy, safe and then focusing on them being increasingly successful... the children, the learning team and the parents and carers. This is a wonderful school with a great team led by an inspirational headteacher who together have built something really special at Queensway Primary School .
Chris
I was feeling down so I popped in to see Gail Palmer-Smeaton and her wonderful team for a quick cup of coffee. Last time I visited the school Gail was is in the middle of building work as the new children's centre was being built. The building now looks fantastic and Gail and the team were their usual high octane selves and are releasing a very special kind of magic. I talked to Gail about the future, children's services and the Key Stage 2 SATS and I also got the chance to briefly walk around the school to see things in action.
The 'can do' culture is everywhere reinforcing that this is the most important thing we do here in Leeds; educating the future and recognising it's incredible potential! The key is to ensure that everyone is happy, healthy, safe and then focusing on them being increasingly successful... the children, the learning team and the parents and carers. This is a wonderful school with a great team led by an inspirational headteacher who together have built something really special at Queensway Primary School .
Chris
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
I visited Chapel Allerton Primary School this afternoon...
I had been invited by Fran Hall to visit the school to look at the work she was doing with 'Every Child Counts'. This intensive programme is achieving some extra-ordinary results and Fran allowed me to sit in and watch one of her sessions. Through this work children are making huge gains and becoming more confident about number. It is also important that the improved outcomes appear to last after the twelve week programme. We need to continue to release the magic and reach more children through wonderful interventions like 'Every Child Counts' and 'Every Child a Reader' building on Fran's passion, commitment and enthusiasm for maths and her belief that every child can succeed. I also had the opportunity to look around the school with Nicholas Sykes, headteacher, and meet some of his colleagues and some of his wonderful children. Whenever I visit a school I ask myself the same question... what makes this school, Chapel Allerton Primary School, successful?
I had been invited by Fran Hall to visit the school to look at the work she was doing with 'Every Child Counts'. This intensive programme is achieving some extra-ordinary results and Fran allowed me to sit in and watch one of her sessions. Through this work children are making huge gains and becoming more confident about number. It is also important that the improved outcomes appear to last after the twelve week programme. We need to continue to release the magic and reach more children through wonderful interventions like 'Every Child Counts' and 'Every Child a Reader' building on Fran's passion, commitment and enthusiasm for maths and her belief that every child can succeed. I also had the opportunity to look around the school with Nicholas Sykes, headteacher, and meet some of his colleagues and some of his wonderful children. Whenever I visit a school I ask myself the same question... what makes this school, Chapel Allerton Primary School, successful?
- a talented and developing learning team;
- a clear and developing vision driving the work of the school;
- some strong and highly effective teaching;
- positive relationships and high expectations; and
- some talented and wonderful young people!
The school has enormous potential and Nicholas and his learning team are clearly making a real difference through brilliant initiatives like 'Every Child Counts'. They have created an attractive and stimulating learning environment for the children, supported by an effective extended services programme working at the heart of this diverse, rich and multicultural community.
Chris
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
The time is simply flying by and we are heading for an interesting couple of weeks as we run up to half-term with the elections, the KS2 SATs and the ongoing programme to develop the new children's services arrangements. Blink once and it will be the Summer holidays, blink twice and we will be at the start of a new term. This has been another week where trust, respect, equality, inclusion and our constant search for excellence has shone through despite the challenges we are all facing...
I started the week with Chris Halsall and her colleagues at our primary school improvement partners professional development day at Weetwood Hall. It was great to be able to talk to these colleagues about the opportunities and the challenges we face with building outstanding children's services here in Leeds. I finished the day at the supplementary schools celebration at Weetwood Hall. The event was to recognise the fantastic achievements of the supplementary schools in Leeds who had gained the Quality Framework Awards. Wesley Wu, our supplementary education coordinator who has led this important aspect of our work, told us all that we were the most successful area in the Yorkshire and Humber region with over twenty supplementary schools in the Leeds area achieving these important awards. On Wednesday, I had breakfast with colleagues from the Templenewsam Halton family of schools where we considered: the Key Stage 2 SATs boycott; the new children's services arrangements; 21st Century Schools; special needs and behaviour provision; early years; and extended services, and talked about the characteristics of brilliant provision. On Thursday, I attended the first meeting of the statutory Children Leeds trust board which will play a vital role in shaping provision for children and young people here in Leeds, and deciding on our shared priorities so that we can target our collective energies and resources to make a real difference. I moved on to chair the community safety launch of the Department of Health toolkit 'Improving Safety, Reducing Harm'. The event brought together colleagues from agencies across the city who are working with girls and young women with a particular focus on how together we can improve their safety and reduce harm. I moved on again to the South Seacroft community cohesion event 'Get Up, Get Out, Take Action' at Parklands Primary School. The school was packed with children, parents and carers, staff and partners who were attending this brilliant celebration managed by Viv Gibbons, cluster activities manager for the Seacroft Manston family of schools. They were also holding a volunteer awards ceremony and I had been asked to present awards to children, parents and carers, groups and individuals who were working to make a difference here in Seacroft. I finished the day at the 'Leeds for Life' Citizenship Awards at the University of Leeds. There are over 2000 students volunteering at the University of Leeds who run and support local, regional, national and international projects which were showcased during this wonderful evening with some extraordinary young people. I was there to present the 'Education Award' and the winner was Katherine Hamilton who is hoping to become a primary teacher following her experience at Hollybush Primary School.
This week has been brought alive by some extraordinary people, provision and places: Chris Halsall and her school improvement partner colleagues; Wesley Wu and colleagues from the supplementary schools; headteacher colleagues from the Templenewsam family of schools; colleagues at the community safety launch; and Viv Gibbons, Cath Hindmarch and colleagues at the South Seacroft community cohesion event. Wherever I have been this week has reinforced the fact that we need to powerfully connect together the team around the school, the team around the child and the team around the family to ensure that every child in Leeds is happy, healthy, safe and successful.
We need to continue to focus our energies and efforts on the things that really make a difference and eradicate the irrelevant, the obsolete and the things that simply get in the way. Together, we must work to release the potential and magic in all our children, in all our colleagues and in all our communities... whatever it takes! We need to think local and think about how we streamline our work to create beautiful systems around our brilliant learning places. Beautiful systems that reinforce and support a culture based on trust, respect, equality, inclusion and excellence.
Chris
I started the week with Chris Halsall and her colleagues at our primary school improvement partners professional development day at Weetwood Hall. It was great to be able to talk to these colleagues about the opportunities and the challenges we face with building outstanding children's services here in Leeds. I finished the day at the supplementary schools celebration at Weetwood Hall. The event was to recognise the fantastic achievements of the supplementary schools in Leeds who had gained the Quality Framework Awards. Wesley Wu, our supplementary education coordinator who has led this important aspect of our work, told us all that we were the most successful area in the Yorkshire and Humber region with over twenty supplementary schools in the Leeds area achieving these important awards. On Wednesday, I had breakfast with colleagues from the Templenewsam Halton family of schools where we considered: the Key Stage 2 SATs boycott; the new children's services arrangements; 21st Century Schools; special needs and behaviour provision; early years; and extended services, and talked about the characteristics of brilliant provision. On Thursday, I attended the first meeting of the statutory Children Leeds trust board which will play a vital role in shaping provision for children and young people here in Leeds, and deciding on our shared priorities so that we can target our collective energies and resources to make a real difference. I moved on to chair the community safety launch of the Department of Health toolkit 'Improving Safety, Reducing Harm'. The event brought together colleagues from agencies across the city who are working with girls and young women with a particular focus on how together we can improve their safety and reduce harm. I moved on again to the South Seacroft community cohesion event 'Get Up, Get Out, Take Action' at Parklands Primary School. The school was packed with children, parents and carers, staff and partners who were attending this brilliant celebration managed by Viv Gibbons, cluster activities manager for the Seacroft Manston family of schools. They were also holding a volunteer awards ceremony and I had been asked to present awards to children, parents and carers, groups and individuals who were working to make a difference here in Seacroft. I finished the day at the 'Leeds for Life' Citizenship Awards at the University of Leeds. There are over 2000 students volunteering at the University of Leeds who run and support local, regional, national and international projects which were showcased during this wonderful evening with some extraordinary young people. I was there to present the 'Education Award' and the winner was Katherine Hamilton who is hoping to become a primary teacher following her experience at Hollybush Primary School.
This week has been brought alive by some extraordinary people, provision and places: Chris Halsall and her school improvement partner colleagues; Wesley Wu and colleagues from the supplementary schools; headteacher colleagues from the Templenewsam family of schools; colleagues at the community safety launch; and Viv Gibbons, Cath Hindmarch and colleagues at the South Seacroft community cohesion event. Wherever I have been this week has reinforced the fact that we need to powerfully connect together the team around the school, the team around the child and the team around the family to ensure that every child in Leeds is happy, healthy, safe and successful.
We need to continue to focus our energies and efforts on the things that really make a difference and eradicate the irrelevant, the obsolete and the things that simply get in the way. Together, we must work to release the potential and magic in all our children, in all our colleagues and in all our communities... whatever it takes! We need to think local and think about how we streamline our work to create beautiful systems around our brilliant learning places. Beautiful systems that reinforce and support a culture based on trust, respect, equality, inclusion and excellence.
Chris
Sunday, 2 May 2010
On Thursday, at the South Seacroft Community Event, I met Donna Sayce, who is Education Officer at the Dogs Trust here in Leeds...
Donna talked to me about the work that the Dogs Trust do and wanted me to help her by promoting their FREE workshops. The Dogs Trust provides a range of themed workshops delivered by their education team. The workshops provide curriculum links to literacy, numeracy, citizenship and PSHE and a range of activities that provide real opportunities to develop responsibility, self-esteem, respect, confidence and teamwork. The workshops are aimed at primary aged children and focus around responsible dog ownership. The Dogs Trust believes that by educating children we can make a huge impact on animal welfare, communities, environments and reduce anti-social behaviour often associated with dogs.
Donna told me that the workshops are very interactive and fun as they include her two Jack Russell terriers, Dennis and Maisy! You can contact Donna by e-mail at donna.sayce@dogstrust.org.uk or by phone on 0113 2814938. If you want to find out more you can visit their website at http://www.learnwithdogs.co.uk/ where there are also free resources you can download.
Chris
Donna talked to me about the work that the Dogs Trust do and wanted me to help her by promoting their FREE workshops. The Dogs Trust provides a range of themed workshops delivered by their education team. The workshops provide curriculum links to literacy, numeracy, citizenship and PSHE and a range of activities that provide real opportunities to develop responsibility, self-esteem, respect, confidence and teamwork. The workshops are aimed at primary aged children and focus around responsible dog ownership. The Dogs Trust believes that by educating children we can make a huge impact on animal welfare, communities, environments and reduce anti-social behaviour often associated with dogs.
Donna told me that the workshops are very interactive and fun as they include her two Jack Russell terriers, Dennis and Maisy! You can contact Donna by e-mail at donna.sayce@dogstrust.org.uk or by phone on 0113 2814938. If you want to find out more you can visit their website at http://www.learnwithdogs.co.uk/ where there are also free resources you can download.
Chris
Thursday, 29 April 2010
And finally this evening I attended the 'Leeds for Life Citizenship Awards 2010' at the University of Leeds...
There are over 2000 students volunteering at the University of Leeds. They run and support local, regional, national and international projects which were showcased during this wonderful evening with some extraordinary young people. Leeds for Life is intended to enhance and enrich the students experience, inspire them to make the most of their academic and curriculuar experiences and prepare them for the future. Through volunteering young people demostrated that they were abloe to develop skills, knowledge and experience and at the same time make a difference to the lives of others.
I was there to present the 'Education Award' and the three nominees were...
There are over 2000 students volunteering at the University of Leeds. They run and support local, regional, national and international projects which were showcased during this wonderful evening with some extraordinary young people. Leeds for Life is intended to enhance and enrich the students experience, inspire them to make the most of their academic and curriculuar experiences and prepare them for the future. Through volunteering young people demostrated that they were abloe to develop skills, knowledge and experience and at the same time make a difference to the lives of others.
I was there to present the 'Education Award' and the three nominees were...
- Simon Cleere, Jamie Lakin, Adedamola Adelusi, William Owen and Owen Lee for their work at Dr Rocks Lost Gallery;
- Christina Rose, Emma Daynes and Alex Moore for their work with the Leeds University Union Music Society's Youth Orchestra; and
- Katherine Hamilton for her work at Hollybush Primary School.
These wonderful young people have made a fantastic contribution here in Leeds. The winner was Katherine Hamilton who is hoping to become a primary teacher following her experience at Hollybush Primary School.
Chris
I moved on to Parklands Primary School to 'Get Up, Get Out, Take Action' Community Cohesion event...
The school was packed with children, parents and carers, staff, partners who were attending this brilliant celebration managed by Viv Gibbons, cluster activities manager for the Seacroft Manston Family of Schools. The event was coordinated in partnership with Seacroft Action Group, Parklands Primary School and Seacroft Manston Extended Services and funded by Green Generations and Aldi Stores. Everyone who attended was able to sample local activities and find out about volunteering opportunities in the school and the community. They were also holding a volunteer awards ceremony and I had been asked to present awards to children, parents and carers and group and individuals who were working to make a difference here in Seacroft.
We were all entertained by the school's brilliant little choir who sang 'Give it all you've got'...
The school was packed with children, parents and carers, staff, partners who were attending this brilliant celebration managed by Viv Gibbons, cluster activities manager for the Seacroft Manston Family of Schools. The event was coordinated in partnership with Seacroft Action Group, Parklands Primary School and Seacroft Manston Extended Services and funded by Green Generations and Aldi Stores. Everyone who attended was able to sample local activities and find out about volunteering opportunities in the school and the community. They were also holding a volunteer awards ceremony and I had been asked to present awards to children, parents and carers and group and individuals who were working to make a difference here in Seacroft.
We were all entertained by the school's brilliant little choir who sang 'Give it all you've got'...
"Give it all you';ve got
Cause you've really got a lot
Give it heart, give it mind
Give it soul, don't stop!"
As part of the event the Red Cross will be carrying out a community mapping exercise to identify a community led environmental project in the South Seacroft community with a start up fund provided by Parklands Primary Schoola dn Aldi Stores. The event was followed by a wonderful feast.
This event simply shows us all what we can do together when we have great schools working with their families and communities to build brilliant provision for everyone.
Chris
This afternoon I chaired the conference aimed at ending violence towards women and girls...
The 'Our Shared Responsibility' event brought together coleagues from agencies across the city who are working with girls and young women with a particular focus on how together we can improve their safety and reduce harm. The latest figures suggest that over 100000 women experience domestic abuse every year, 10000 women are sexually assaulted every week and 750000 children witness domestic violence each year here in the UK.
We were looking at how we might develop our vision for services for children and young people affected by domestic violence and we had inputs from colleagues from Safer Leeds, Education Leeds, NHS Leeds and Jo Sharpen, the author of the Department of Health Toolkit 'Improving Safety, Reducing Harm'.
Chris
The 'Our Shared Responsibility' event brought together coleagues from agencies across the city who are working with girls and young women with a particular focus on how together we can improve their safety and reduce harm. The latest figures suggest that over 100000 women experience domestic abuse every year, 10000 women are sexually assaulted every week and 750000 children witness domestic violence each year here in the UK.
We were looking at how we might develop our vision for services for children and young people affected by domestic violence and we had inputs from colleagues from Safer Leeds, Education Leeds, NHS Leeds and Jo Sharpen, the author of the Department of Health Toolkit 'Improving Safety, Reducing Harm'.
Chris
I started the day at the first meeting of the Leeds Children's Trust Board...
The statutory Children's Trust Board plays a vital role in shaping provision for children and young people here in Leeds and deciding on our shared priorities so that we can target our collective energies and resources to make a real difference. We were represented on the Trust Board by two headteacher colleagues; Martin Fleetwood, headteacher at Temple Moor High School Science College, and Sally Boulton, headteacher at Haigh Road Infant School. We have a third seat which will be for one of the SILC principals.
Chris
The statutory Children's Trust Board plays a vital role in shaping provision for children and young people here in Leeds and deciding on our shared priorities so that we can target our collective energies and resources to make a real difference. We were represented on the Trust Board by two headteacher colleagues; Martin Fleetwood, headteacher at Temple Moor High School Science College, and Sally Boulton, headteacher at Haigh Road Infant School. We have a third seat which will be for one of the SILC principals.
Chris
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