Wednesday, 31 May 2017
BARNSLEY, DONCASTER AND ROTHERHAM BLBW SCHOOLS VISIT THE LIFEWISE CENTRE
I had a great day yesterday, at the Lifewise Centre just off the M18, working with a fantastic group of Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' Ambassadors from Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham!
Wednesday, 24 May 2017
OUR VISION!
We need an SCR Vision which commits to a skills entitlement for all young people and which delivers high quality experiences of the world of work, business mentoring and careers and enterprise provision... elements that we know improve attendance, behaviour and attainment.
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
BLBW GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH!
We are rapidly reaching the end of another year in the life of the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme and what a year it has been!
Monday, 22 May 2017
SHARE, NETWORK AND LEARN!
The solutions to all the problems facing educators the world over are out there somewhere. No one is wrestling with a challenge, an opportunity or a problem that someone somewhere hasn't already solved.
WHAT WORKS!
I am over in Sheffield again looking at how we continue to support and develop the Cutlers 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme which is currently working with 29 secondary schools and colleges across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. It's a brilliant scheme rooted in research, evidence and data about what works!
Importantly, the programme is led and supported by a rapidly growing group of businesses and employers who are passionate about what we are trying to do and the skills we are developing in our young people… the skills employers need. To find out more contact me!
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE THE WOW FACTOR!
We know that young people are struggling to secure first-hand experiences of the world of work (WOW) and far too many have no real awareness or knowledge of the world of work, career pathways or future job prospects. We also know from research, evidence and some innovative projects like the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programmes in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, that experiences of the world of work can be a major catalyst for change among young people, particularly those who are underachieving, disadvantaged and harder to reach.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...
Grit is a positive trait that involves perseverance of effort to accomplish a long term goal no matter what challenges lie in the way and research shows that people who have grit are more likely to be successful than those with high IQ or those who were simply conscientious..
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Monday, 15 May 2017
'BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS' WORKS!
The Cutlers' Better Learners, Better Workers' programme is built on the same principles as the Careers and Enterprise Company.... 'build on what works' and 'test, learn and adapt'!
OUR ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IS TOXIC!
"The assessment and accountability system is toxic.... It was designed in response to a breakdown in trust between education professionals, policymakers and the wider public. The system was failing, people said, and it was the fault of the professionals. Therefore, it was necessary to set the judgements of inspectors against those of students, staff and other school stakeholders, and to make their judgements the grounds for executive action against schools."
DETOXIFYING SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY by James Park
Sunday, 14 May 2017
THIS SUNDAY STAY POSITIVE!
“If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don't! If you want to win, but think you can't, It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you're lost; For out in the world we find success begins with a fellow's will; It's all in the state of the mind. Life's battles don't always go to the strongest and the fastest, But sooner or later the colleague who wins is the colleague who thinks they can.”
Friday, 12 May 2017
Thursday, 11 May 2017
CEC 'JOINING THE DOTS' CONFERENCE
it has been a wonderful week for the Cutlers "Better Learners, Better Workers' programme with the CEC 'Joining the Dots' Conference on Wednesday at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Our Cutlers' Ambassadors were the stars of the show with young people from The Dearne ALC, Westfield School and Yewlands Academy meeting and greeting the 800+ headteachers, teachers, employers, enterprise advisers, enterprise co-ordinators and careers and enterprise providers who attended this really important national conference.
AND...AND... AND...
We also had three of our wonderful Year 11 Cutlers Gold Ambassadors helping Lord Young at the CEC Awards Ceremony which closed the conference!
They were simply amazing and these young people make it all worthwhile!!!
Monday, 8 May 2017
INTELLIGENT ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS!
Do we really believe that headteachers, teachers and schools will only do their job properly if they are constantly criticised, tightly directed and carefully monitored? Do we really believe that a significant and increasing minority of headteachers, teachers and schools are performing so poorly that they need to be identified, publicly shamed and removed from their roles? OR do we really believe that headteachers, teachers and schools are generally well intentioned and professional in their work, but that they need to have continuous challenge, support and guidance about what they are doing?
LEARNING LEADERSHIP MATTERS!
We need to develop passionate 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.
Saturday, 6 May 2017
THE SIGN ON THE DOOR... JUST DO IT!
Throughout my working life things I have lived with constant and relentless change. Things have never stayed the same and I have been blessed to be living in a world where creativity, innovation and change have been constant factors.
Friday, 5 May 2017
TEAMWORK MATTERS!
I caught up with an old colleague and friend today who reminded me that 'Better Learners, Better Workers' is achieving great things for some wonderful young people and that above all teamwork matters...
Thursday, 4 May 2017
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
THE IMPROVEMENT CYCLE!
In the early days, when I worked in North Yorkshire, I worked on a hands-on science project called Earth and Space. at the Hospitium in the Museum Gardens in York. Rowntrees were one of our supporters and they provided free Kit-Kats for all the children... and they always talked about their batch system which produced the same unique product. The focus wasn't on creativity or development or ideas... it was simply producing the same high quality product; millions of times!!
