WE NEED LEARNING LEADERSHIP!

We need to develop learning leadership throughout the system starting from the premise that everyone is a learner, including students, teachers, headteachers, the school as a community, the wider educational system and the community the school serves. Learning leadership involves maintaining a focus on learning as the key activity a school is engaged in; where everyone is a learner, while recognising that learning is highly sensitive to context and that  people learn in very different ways. Learning leadership also recognises that everyone can be a leader and that opportunities to exercise leadership enhance learning and that we can develop leadership abilities from any powerful learning experience.

WE NEED LEARNING LEADERSHIP!

We need to develop learning leadership throughout the system starting from the premise that everyone is a learner, including students, teachers, headteachers, the school as a community, the wider educational system and the community the school serves. Learning leadership involves maintaining a focus on learning as the key activity a school is engaged in; where everyone is a learner, while recognising that learning is highly sensitive to context and that  people learn in very different ways. Learning leadership also recognises that everyone can be a leader and that opportunities to exercise leadership enhance learning and that we can develop leadership abilities from any powerful learning experience.

'BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS'... HALF-TERM ACTIVITIES

It has been an amazing half-term for the 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme... We had a wonderful session at Magna for the Y9 engineering ambassadors who went 'Back to the Future' to research the history of the engineering and advanced manufacturing sector in Sheffield. We were at Sheffield Wednesday FC for another great 'team building' day with the Y9 arts and culture. construction and South Yorkshire Fire and `Rescue service ambassadors. And finally we were at Jury's Inn for the Y11 engineering ambassadors 'World of Work' session. Thanks to John Barber and the Workwise team and to Levi Ashton and the Sheffield Wednesday Community Foundation team for making it all happen.

THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD... AND!

VISIT OUR WEB-SITE

In Sheffield we have developed something special – an opportunity for young people still at school to develop the skills, character and industry knowledge required for the world of work in the 21st century. Pioneered by the Cutlers’ Company, the powerhouse of engineering and manufacturing in the region, the Made in Sheffield programme has already helped over 500 students from 10 different schools and academies to develop their skills working in 10 different employment sectors. And now the programme is starting in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham. You can find out more by visiting our misambassadors.org website.

AMBASSADORS VISIT SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY FC!

Sadly I missed the great session that Sheffield Wednesday FC organised for our Year 9 ambassadors yesterday. The day was led by Levi Ashton from the Sheffield Wednesday Community Foundation and was attended by students from Firth Park Academy, Outwood Academy City, Stocksbridge High School and Westfield School.

James Colliver, who leads the programme for Outwood Academy City, said that "the students have gained vital skills and will be able to use these experiences both in school and post 16. The session went really well; enthusiastic practitioners, excellent venue and engaged children who were willing to get out of their comfort zone and give everything a go. All of the ambassadors have been great and it's lovely to see children from all over the city, from different backgrounds working collaboratively for the same purpose."  Great to have Sheffield Wednesday supporting us with this brilliant programme.

'BACK TO THE FUTURE' WITH THE CUTLERS' ENGINEERING AMBASSADORS

I was at Magna in Rotherham this afternoon with the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' Year 9 engineering ambassadors from Bradfield School, Handsworth Grange Sports College, Firth Park Academy, Outwood Academy City, Stocksbridge High School, Westfield School and Yewlands Academy.

The ambassadors had a tour of Magna and the opportunity to talk to engineering employers during the morning before working in mixed school groups to research and develop a performance looking back at the history of the Cutlers' Company, the history of steel making in Sheffield and then looking at the future. The day ended with the Master Cutler presenting the ambassadors with their Cutlers' Badges before the students performed for an invited audience of  parents, carers and families and guests. 

BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD 'GOOD NEWS FRIDAY'

I was on BBC Radio Sheffield on Friday with Kelsey and Habib, two of our wonderful Year 11 ambassadors.

It was great that these two young people found the time to come to BBC Radio Sheffield on Friday morning to be part of their ‘Good News Friday’ programme. It isn't easy to go into a radio studio and talk to someone you have never met before and Toby Foster, who introduced the breakfast show, was clearly really impressed with Kelsey and Habib... he said it was hard to believe that they were only fifteen.

It was good to hear Kelsey and Habib talk so positively and enthusiastically about the Cutlers' 'Made in Sheffield' engineering and NHS programmes; their confidence, communication and determination shone through and they were really impressive! They were a wonderful advert for Westfield School and Fir Vale Academy, the engineering and NHS programmes and the Cutlers' Company.

I am looking forward to seeing Kelsey and Habib again at the Cutlers Passport Ceremony at the Cutlers' Hall on Wednesday 8th March 2017.

HEALTHCARE 'TASTER' DAY AT BARNSLEY HEATHCARE FEDERATION

I was in Barnsley yesterday morning at the first Healthcare 'taster' session for the 'Better Learners, Better Workers: Made in Barnsley' programme. It was a great morning and helped the ambassadors from Horizon Community College, The Dearne ALC and Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School understand the importance of the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' skill set and started to get them to appreciate the opportunities and careers within the Barnsley Healthcare Federation.

The attendance in half-term was incredible....a fantastic compliment to Kelly Drury, who runs the programme for the Federation. The ambassadors were great... focused, on-task and engaged... we have some really wonderful young people as part of Kelly's team! This session was about getting the young people to meet the team... a diverse group of the Federation's colleagues and to get the ambassadors to appreciate the range of jobs in healthcare and that worked very well... with business manager, nurse, nurse practitioner, human resources manager and estates manager. The ambassadors were really positive about the session and their induction event at Barnsley College... feedback from the young people about sessions being more practical was helpful and going forward we will check that the sessions are not too classroom based but as active and hands-on as possible. I love 'Made in Barnsley' and can see how well this strand of 'Better Learners, Better Workers' is going to work!! I am looking forward to planning the next steps with Kelly after half-term.