I was really sorry that I missed the 8th Peace Poetry Celebration at the Civic Hall last night but my colleague Rehana Minhas, Director for Equality and Entitlement, sent me this e-mail after last night's event...
"Dear Chris, Our 8th annual peace poetry celebration was a great success. Families turned up to support their children as well as Head teachers and teaching staff. Our chief judge was Rommi Smith. The Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr. Patrick Davey opened the event and stayed to make presentations to the winners and runners up and certificates to all who had been short listed. The New World Steel Symphony Orchestra provided wonderful musical entertainment. The partnership between Education Leeds, Leeds City Council, Yorkshire Evening Post, Together for Peace , Trinity and all Saints and Arts at Trinity has grown and been sustained bringing creativity and innovation to the fore.
The primary school winner was Jameel from Hunslet Moor Primary School, and the runners up were Bethany Pinder and Carla House also from Hunslet Moor. The secondary school winner was Charlie Sykes from Woodkirk High. The runners up were Joshua Brown from Abbey Grange and Whitney Downing from Woodkirk Hiigh The Yorkshire Evening Post will be providing coverage of the event.
We had a surprise guest at the event, Ed Balls M.P. who spoke to the audience and as ever was very enthusiastic about the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard. He asked about the progress we have made in rolling out the standard nationally. Getting Ed Balls to our event form his meeting at the Civic was the genius of the Deputy Lord Mayor. Kind regards, Rehana."
It is great to see that the Peace Poetry Competition continues to excite schools and produce some wonderful poetry. I hope that it will continue to grow and develop and encourage more of our children and young people to see themselves as young poets.
Chris
Friday, 26 November 2010
ROUNDHAY ST JOHN'S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
I moved on again to Roundhay St John's CE Primary School...
Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School is a wonderful little school where Barbara Custance,acting headteacher, Libby Harrison, acting deputy headteacher and their colleagues are clearly doing great things. It was great to talk to Barbara and Libby and to see that the school is making real progress under their energetic leadership until the new headteacher arrives in January. Like on my last visit we all went outside and took part in their innovative collective worship and 'Wake Up and Shake Up' session with a colleague whose energy and enthusiasm as we approach the end of term was amazing! The whole session was great. Barbara passionately led the collective worship and the 'Wake Up and Shake Up' was led by Sarah, a really talented, enthusiastic and energetic colleague, and the children were fabulous!
There is something really special at Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School . A talented, gorgeous and wonderful team led by Barbara and Libby who are doing a brilliant job.
Chris
Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School is a wonderful little school where Barbara Custance,acting headteacher, Libby Harrison, acting deputy headteacher and their colleagues are clearly doing great things. It was great to talk to Barbara and Libby and to see that the school is making real progress under their energetic leadership until the new headteacher arrives in January. Like on my last visit we all went outside and took part in their innovative collective worship and 'Wake Up and Shake Up' session with a colleague whose energy and enthusiasm as we approach the end of term was amazing! The whole session was great. Barbara passionately led the collective worship and the 'Wake Up and Shake Up' was led by Sarah, a really talented, enthusiastic and energetic colleague, and the children were fabulous!
There is something really special at Roundhay St John's Church of England Primary School . A talented, gorgeous and wonderful team led by Barbara and Libby who are doing a brilliant job.
Chris
TEMPLE MOOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE COLLEGE
I moved on to visit Temple Moor High School Science College again...
It was wonderful to see the brilliant new building again and to walk around the school with Martin Fleetwood, the headteacher, who has a wonderful rapport and relationship with his students. Martin showed me the inclusion areas and the work the school is doing with the East SILC to include 16 young people into the Temple Moor learning community and to access key elements of the curriculum. It is another real success story in our ongoing journey to create great, inclusive and reflective local schools for all our children and young people. Martin and his team are doing a brilliant job and have created a wonderful foundation on which they are building brilliant provision to secure outstanding outcomes.
Chris
It was wonderful to see the brilliant new building again and to walk around the school with Martin Fleetwood, the headteacher, who has a wonderful rapport and relationship with his students. Martin showed me the inclusion areas and the work the school is doing with the East SILC to include 16 young people into the Temple Moor learning community and to access key elements of the curriculum. It is another real success story in our ongoing journey to create great, inclusive and reflective local schools for all our children and young people. Martin and his team are doing a brilliant job and have created a wonderful foundation on which they are building brilliant provision to secure outstanding outcomes.
Chris
BBC RADIO LEEDS
I started the day today at the BBC Radio Leeds studios...
I had been asked by BBC Radio Leeds to talk about exclusions and the report produced by Barnardo's which highlighted the case of Ben who lives in Leeds and who had been excluded from school and supported by Leeds Reach@Barnardo's. We have a great track record here in Leeds with exclusions and more importantly wherever possible finding alternatives to exclusion. We know that we need to work closer with partner organisations, like Barnardo's, who can provide more personalised and targeted support to some of our young people with the most challenging lives. Exclusion is a disaster for young people and we must all continue to work to avoid permanant exclusions.. whatever it takes!
Chris
I had been asked by BBC Radio Leeds to talk about exclusions and the report produced by Barnardo's which highlighted the case of Ben who lives in Leeds and who had been excluded from school and supported by Leeds Reach@Barnardo's. We have a great track record here in Leeds with exclusions and more importantly wherever possible finding alternatives to exclusion. We know that we need to work closer with partner organisations, like Barnardo's, who can provide more personalised and targeted support to some of our young people with the most challenging lives. Exclusion is a disaster for young people and we must all continue to work to avoid permanant exclusions.. whatever it takes!
Chris
CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC COLLEGE
And finally last night I attended the Awards Evening at Corpus Christ Catholic College...
It was a real honour to be asked by Mike Woods, headteacher at this highly successful school, to be part of this very special evening. Martin Dowling, chair of the governing body, introduced the evening which also included performances by the College Band who played 'Swinging Brown Jug' and the theme from The 'Great Escape' and the College Choir who sang 'Can you hear me', 'Run' and 'Walking on sunshine'. The Class of 2010 were very clearly everything you could want from a group of young people... talented, gorgeous, brilliant and wonderful! Mike Wood the headteacher at this great school reviewed the last five years with some great photographs of the young people on their journey through the school from starting in Year 7 in 2005 to their GCSE results and Graduation Ball in 2010. The school achieved their best GCSE results this year and George Mudie MP presented the young people with their certificates and prizes.
It was great to share this very special evening with the team at Corpus Christi.
Chris
It was a real honour to be asked by Mike Woods, headteacher at this highly successful school, to be part of this very special evening. Martin Dowling, chair of the governing body, introduced the evening which also included performances by the College Band who played 'Swinging Brown Jug' and the theme from The 'Great Escape' and the College Choir who sang 'Can you hear me', 'Run' and 'Walking on sunshine'. The Class of 2010 were very clearly everything you could want from a group of young people... talented, gorgeous, brilliant and wonderful! Mike Wood the headteacher at this great school reviewed the last five years with some great photographs of the young people on their journey through the school from starting in Year 7 in 2005 to their GCSE results and Graduation Ball in 2010. The school achieved their best GCSE results this year and George Mudie MP presented the young people with their certificates and prizes.
It was great to share this very special evening with the team at Corpus Christi.
Chris
Thursday, 25 November 2010
SOUTH LEEDS ACADEMY
I visited the South Leeds Academy this afternoon to see my colleague Colin Bell, the Principal at this remarkable learning place...
Colin is the remarkable principal at this wonderful learning place and I wanted to visit the Academy again before I leave Leeds because the story of South Leeds Academy is yet another of our successes. I am particularly grateful to Colin and his colleagues at the South Leeds Academy who have achieved something quite remarkable over the last five years. Colin's leadership, in particular, has transformed provision as we moved from two failing schools with massive problems of underachievement, low expectations and disaffection in awful buildings with little hope or aspiration to a position where we have passion, commitment and success in a wonderful newly built learning environment where young people are more positive and optimistic. We are also on a trajectory that will achieve the previous Government's magical 30%, and the current Government's new 35%, achieving 5A*-C grades at GCSE including English and mathematics. They are also on track to achieve 80% of the young people getting five good GCSEs or the equivalent; which is simply unheard of in South Leeds.
The challenge of course is to build on this real success story; to build on what Colin and his team have achieved... whatever it takes!
Chris
Colin is the remarkable principal at this wonderful learning place and I wanted to visit the Academy again before I leave Leeds because the story of South Leeds Academy is yet another of our successes. I am particularly grateful to Colin and his colleagues at the South Leeds Academy who have achieved something quite remarkable over the last five years. Colin's leadership, in particular, has transformed provision as we moved from two failing schools with massive problems of underachievement, low expectations and disaffection in awful buildings with little hope or aspiration to a position where we have passion, commitment and success in a wonderful newly built learning environment where young people are more positive and optimistic. We are also on a trajectory that will achieve the previous Government's magical 30%, and the current Government's new 35%, achieving 5A*-C grades at GCSE including English and mathematics. They are also on track to achieve 80% of the young people getting five good GCSEs or the equivalent; which is simply unheard of in South Leeds.
The challenge of course is to build on this real success story; to build on what Colin and his team have achieved... whatever it takes!
Chris
LEEDS MENTORING ANNUAL AWARDS
And finally last night I attended 'Celebrating 10 Years of Success'; Leeds Mentoring Annual Awards Ceremony at the Civic Hall...
This year there have once again been over 4000 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 Steve Matthews, Chief Executive of the 'Mentoring and Befriending Foundation', Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, Cllr Jim McKenna, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Paul Caddick, Cllr Judith Blake, Lead Member for Children's Services and Cllr Jane Dowson, Lead Member for Learning. We also had brilliant performances by the 'Temple Moor Singers' from Temple Moor High School and 'Revelations' from City of Leeds School.
Thanks to Barry Hilton and the talented Leeds Mentoring team who, with our mentoring team from schools, universities, businesses and individuals from across the city, are making such an incredible difference to the lives of some of our very special young people.
Chris
This year there have once again been over 4000 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 Steve Matthews, Chief Executive of the 'Mentoring and Befriending Foundation', Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, Cllr Jim McKenna, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Paul Caddick, Cllr Judith Blake, Lead Member for Children's Services and Cllr Jane Dowson, Lead Member for Learning. We also had brilliant performances by the 'Temple Moor Singers' from Temple Moor High School and 'Revelations' from City of Leeds School.
Thanks to Barry Hilton and the talented Leeds Mentoring team who, with our mentoring team from schools, universities, businesses and individuals from across the city, are making such an incredible difference to the lives of some of our very special young people.
Chris
CASTLETON PRIMARY SCHOOL
I moved on again to visit Castleton Primary School...
Judith Norfolk and her team are doing something wonderful at this little oasis of brilliant primary practice tucked away where it is. We all know that inner city schools must be creative and inspiring places at the heart of their communities 365-24-7 releasing the magic and the WOW factor and that is what you get at Castleton Primary School and some! It is an outstanding school which is busy and rich and has a real family feel where everyone feels special and valued.
This is another brilliant community school where Judith and her colleagues are doing great things and releasing an extraordinary magic. Judith and some of her governors took me on a tour of this wonderful learning place and showed me the new Children's Centre which has been developed since my last visit. This is yet another incredible learning place that I will really miss!
Chris
Judith Norfolk and her team are doing something wonderful at this little oasis of brilliant primary practice tucked away where it is. We all know that inner city schools must be creative and inspiring places at the heart of their communities 365-24-7 releasing the magic and the WOW factor and that is what you get at Castleton Primary School and some! It is an outstanding school which is busy and rich and has a real family feel where everyone feels special and valued.
This is another brilliant community school where Judith and her colleagues are doing great things and releasing an extraordinary magic. Judith and some of her governors took me on a tour of this wonderful learning place and showed me the new Children's Centre which has been developed since my last visit. This is yet another incredible learning place that I will really miss!
Chris
ST BARTHOLOMEW'S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
I moved on again to St Bartholomew's CE Primary School...
Pauline Gavin and her team don't do things by halves at St Barts which is a glorious mix of children from cultures and religions from all over the world! We talked about the many challenges we all face and how schools like St Bart's can maintain their focus on standards and safeguarding despite the challenges we are currently facing with change, cuts and uncertainty. Inner city schools must be creative and inspiring places at the heart of their communities 365-24-7 releasing the magic and the WOW factor and that is what you get at St Bart's and some!.
This is a brilliant school where Pauline Gavin and her colleagues are doing great things and releasing an extraordinary magic.Pauline took me on a tour of this wonderful learning place and showed me the new areas she has developed since my last visit. This is another incredible learning place that I will really miss!
Chris
Pauline Gavin and her team don't do things by halves at St Barts which is a glorious mix of children from cultures and religions from all over the world! We talked about the many challenges we all face and how schools like St Bart's can maintain their focus on standards and safeguarding despite the challenges we are currently facing with change, cuts and uncertainty. Inner city schools must be creative and inspiring places at the heart of their communities 365-24-7 releasing the magic and the WOW factor and that is what you get at St Bart's and some!.
This is a brilliant school where Pauline Gavin and her colleagues are doing great things and releasing an extraordinary magic.Pauline took me on a tour of this wonderful learning place and showed me the new areas she has developed since my last visit. This is another incredible learning place that I will really miss!
Chris
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
SWALLOW HILL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
I moved on to visit Swallow Hill Community College...
I hadn't visited the school for over a year and it was great to see Gill Knutsson, acting headteacher, again. Gill talked to me about the journey ths school had been on since September and the impact and outcomes they were achieving, I was impressed by the calm and very purposeful atmosphere around the school and the building which is bright, light and a wonderful environment for learning. Everyone I spoke to was very positive and optimistic about the school while recognising the very real challenges the staff team still face with creating a shared culture, addressing behaviour, managing attendance and driving up standards. It's only three weeks until the end of term and the team, although tired, have certainly achieved a lot recently and are really confident about the journey to build a brilliant learning place to serve the people of West Leeds.
Chris
I hadn't visited the school for over a year and it was great to see Gill Knutsson, acting headteacher, again. Gill talked to me about the journey ths school had been on since September and the impact and outcomes they were achieving, I was impressed by the calm and very purposeful atmosphere around the school and the building which is bright, light and a wonderful environment for learning. Everyone I spoke to was very positive and optimistic about the school while recognising the very real challenges the staff team still face with creating a shared culture, addressing behaviour, managing attendance and driving up standards. It's only three weeks until the end of term and the team, although tired, have certainly achieved a lot recently and are really confident about the journey to build a brilliant learning place to serve the people of West Leeds.
Chris
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