Unique and Extraordinary!

You are unique and extraordinary and don't let anyone tell you that you are not bright, not clever and not full of potential.

"Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another."

Nelson Mandela

Goals and Targets!

We all know that setting goals and personal targets is a vital tool for everyone. It gives us our long-term vision as well as helping with our short-term motivation. By setting clearly defined goals and targets we can measure and constantly and consistently celebrate our achievements and our successes and focus on the areas where we are not achieving great outcomes.

"We don't have to be facing 

a personal tragedy to make our relationships 

our number one priority.

No project, no deadline, no clean kitchen 

is as important as the quality

of our relationships."

"Random Acts of Kindness"

Nottingham Schools and Learning Team!

I had a great day yesterday with Nottingham City's 'Schools and Learning' team at the Denewood Centre in Nottingham.

The Crazy Ones!

"The ones who are crazy enough 

to think they can change the world 

are the ones that do!"

APPLE

Hovingham Primary School and Mathletics!

I visited Hovingham Primary School this afternoon. Janet Spence, the headteacher, and Jane Fisher, who is now Assistant Headteacher and leads the work on Mathletics, have created an extraordinary culture focused on hard work and positive attitudes. These celebrations brought powerfully alive by the whole school's singing and the positive psychology that surrounds every aspect of their work including this brilliant initiative to help the children with their maths. 

Open Public Services White Paper!

"The failure to educate every child to the maximum of their abilities is not just a moral failure to accord every person equal worth, it is a piece of economic myopia which leaves us all poorer.

Classrooms Matter!

And back to our schools... we know the key to school improvement. It’s the quality of what goes on in our classrooms and everything points to the fact that passion, performance and persistence are the keys to success.

"There is so much in the world for us all

if we only have the eyes to see it,

and the heart to love it,

and the hand to gather it ourselves."

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Reading Matters!

I spent a large part of the day with the Reading Matters team at The Royal Armouries. I have become a trustee for Reading Matters, a social enterprise ,which for over 12 years has recruited, trained and supported thousands of volunteer reading mentors in schools across Yorkshire. It was great to spend the day with the small Reading Matters team which has developed, designed and delivered a range of tried and tested training programmes, providing a broad range of literacy support.

Beliefs, Values and Attitudes!

I often ask myself what are we trying to achieve together? What is our vision for provision for our children and young people? How do we continue to build brilliant learning, in brilliant learning places to serve brilliant learning communities? What is the trick to releasing the magic and unlocking the potential of each and every child, of each and every colleague and of every family and every community to be their brilliant best?

No surprises: SSAT Report on Early Academies!

The report chronicles the journey of academies, in many cases from underachievement to growing confidence among students, increasing popularity among parents, and rapidly improving examination results.