ENTRUST AND THE KEYS TO SUCCESS!

I was with Sharon Kelly, Director of Educational Services with Entrust, today talking about ‘the keys to success’ and how to nurture, support and build on the brilliant provision in Staffordshire.

We need to network with and learn from each other, carefully study the research and share what works and importantly what doesn't! We need to create and share case studies and stories that highlight our successes, to counteract the negative messages everyone receives from our friends at OFSTED. We need to create a library full of magical moments that show what is happening in schools everyday and we need to help everyone strive, struggle and learn to be their brilliant best!!

I have been incredible lucky and my own learning journey has taken me to Wolverhampton, North Yorkshire, York, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Guernsey and Stafford, where I have had the privilege of being supported, encouraged, coached and challenged by an army of outstanding colleagues; colleagues from Education Leeds and from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation who supported the Schools Learning Together initiative in York, by Lou Tice and Neil Straker from The Pacific Institute, by Ian Harrison and Parin Bahl from Capita and the National Strategies, by Dirk Gilleard, Sonia Sharp, Ruth Baldwin, David Dickinson, Mike Viner and countless colleagues from my own teams and interestingly by some fantastic individuals from OFSTED. I have also had the good fortune to learn from a team of extraordinary human beings, including Tim Brighouse, Mick Waters, Ken Robinson, Tony Wagner, Martin Seligman, Carol Dweck, Malcolm Gladwell, Matthew Syed and Tom Peters, to name but a few, who have given me a unique insight into 'the keys to success' and how to build brilliant provision.

And always remember that if anyone else out there wants help with their learning and improvement journey just remember to phone/email/text a friend… I am always happy to help in whatever way I can!