ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO INVENT IT FOR YOURSELF!

There have been over 1600 entries and over 150,000 visitors to the 'Releasing the Magic' Blog, since I left Education Leeds in December 2010, and, just over the last week, it has been visited by over 1000 colleagues from across the world and nearly half of them in the United States...

I have been a passionate blogger for the last ten years and 'Releasing the Magic' followed on from the 'Interesting Times' blog which chronicled the last six years of my life as Chief Executive of Education Leeds. It is encouraging that so many colleagues and friends have stayed in touch using the blog. We all need to share, network and learn about the future; to understand about what works and continue to build brilliant learning in brilliant learning places. It is important that we all keep doing the things that make a difference where it matters... on the front line in classrooms and schools facing the greatest challenges... and alongside colleagues who day-in day-out, change lives and release the magic. We certainly live in interesting times and whatever happens, with Academies and Free Schools and OFSTED and the rest of the learning landscape, colleagues in schools want to be part of something. Personally, talking to those people I trust, I think we need to create a cooperative, collaborative network where we can develop trust, autonomy and accountability as part of a local democratic and responsible framework. A framework that encourages us to share what works and support each other on our collective and individual journeys to build brilliant learning and make sure that every school is a great school for all our children and young people. And always remember the best way to predict the future is to create it for yourself!