The pieces that build brilliant!

Following my visits to John Smeaton Community College and Victoria Primary School and meeting colleagues from Fieldhead Carr Primary School, Parklands Primary School and Seacroft Grange Primary School at the Leeds Children's University celebrations yesterday, I was thinking again about what it takes to build brilliant...

What are the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle?

Looking at the extraordinary work John Daulby, Marilyn Steele, Ali Carrick, Nick Edensor, Sheena Critchley, Cath Hindmarch, Mike O'Grady and their teams are doing at schools in East Leeds, my suggestions would be:

• strong, passionate and totally committed leadership;
• clear, shared vision, values and beliefs driving all aspects of the work of the school;
• a wonderful learning team who passionately believe in what they are doing;
• high expectations of every child and the whole learning team;
• strong, dynamic and wonderful relationships;
• inspiring teaching within a nurturing culture;
• high parental support, engagement and involvement..... and
• some talented, brilliant, gorgeous and wonderful young people!

These learning teams are doing a brilliant job and creating fantastic learning environments for their children in really great schools.

Chris