Sheffield Springs Academy!

I finished the day at Sheffield Springs Academy at their Employer Engagement Event.

The Sheffield College!

I started the day at The Sheffield College with Heather MacDonald, Chief Executive, and Bill Jones, Executive Director of Planning and Performance.

"Ability is what you're capable of doing.

Motivation determines what you do.

Attitude determines how well you do it."

Lou Holtz

The Choice is Yours!

Being exceptional is not defined by what you have or what you do, it depends critically on your attitude and the decisions you choose to make.

“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision,

the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. 

It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” 

Henry Ford

"From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth,

from the laziness that is content with half-truths, 

from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth, 

deliver us."

Ancient Prayer

How are we doing?

What does the latest release of Key Stage 1 data tell us about how well we are doing, the challenges we face, the things we need to rethink and the things we need to do better?

OFSTED Inspections from January 2012!

From January 2012, school inspections are changing again and will report on four key judgements:

• achievement; 
• the quality of teaching; 
• the quality of leadership and management; 
• behaviour and safety. 

Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement!

I visited the Royal Academy this afternoon to see the 'Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement' exhibition.

Tamarind!

I went to the amazing Tamarind restaurant last night as recommended by my good friend Parin Bahl!

Resilience Matters!

I am developing a new curriculum framework and Martin Seligman, Carol Dweck and Alison Duckworth all stress that resilience is a key aspect of success in learning and whether you are a parent, a teaching assistant, a teacher, a headteacher or a Director of Learning this is a critical issue!

'Pret A Manger' colleagues wear a shirt bearing the logo 'Team * Pret'. How do we build and develop 'Team * Learning'?

Releasing the Magic!

Another week has flown by and my travels around the North of England have been brought alive by so many extraordinary people in so many different settings releasing an extraordinary magic. I was talking to Mick Waters again on Sheffield Station and it is not a surprise that it's people who make the difference but depressing how little understanding there is at the DfE that you don't change anything by simply changing structures. Those people who believe that Academies, Free Schools or Teaching Schools are going to sort out the fundamental issues facing us in terms of underperformance are failing the thousands of young people who need us most! We need 'beautiful systems' but more importantly we need a cultural change that trusts, empowers and releases the extraordinary potential dormant in so many places. We need a new curriculum that develops life skills, basic skills and employability skills. We need to build character alongside academic and vocational excellence. And, from the earliest opportunity we must develop passion, persistence, determination, self-discipline, self-control, emotional intelligence, gratitude, optimism, curiosity and enterprise as we educate our children and young people. I am working on a new curriculum model and would welcome feedback from those who are searching for the way to release potential and magic in every school, every colleague and every young person... whatever it takes! Chris