AND FINALLY THIS YEAR!

Another Christmas and for me 2013 has been another great year...

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE!

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it’d be easy, they just promised it would be worth it."

SHEFFIELD COLLEGE

I visited The Sheffield College again yesterday with Mike Garnock-Jones to see Heather McDonald, the College Principal, and Caroline Morrison, who leads for the College on the Made in Sheffield programme.

THE DNA OF GOOD DECISIONS!

The DNA of Good decisions.

Great decisions come from saying "I don’t know"

The higher the questions/statements ratio the better

Great decisions come from external awareness

You need to think long term

You can make mistakes, even big ones and prevail.

 By "Jim Collins"

TEN KEYS TO LEADERSHIP GREATNESS!

10 Keys to Leadership and Management Greatness.

1. Maintain absolute integrity.
2. Know your stuff
3. Share your vision
4. Show total commitment
5. Be positive and expect positive results
6. Take care of people
7. Put duty before yourself
8. Stand out in front
9. Be decisive
10. Focus on and do what matters

by "Jim Collins"

A MESSAGE ON SUNDAY!

At the end of a tough week, for those on the front line in schools, this is worth reading.
"ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. 

LEAD, COACH AND MOTIVATE!

I wonder how the workforce in our schools feels this weekend after the last week where we had the publication of Sir Michael Wilshaw's second annual report from our friends at OFSTED and the DfE published the Key Stage 2 data! Especially those colleagues who on Monday morning must turn up at schools described by Sir Michael as "totally inadequate" and teach!!

SUCCESS FOR ALL!

I met Paul Prest yesterday. Paul is an old colleague and friend who now manages the Success for All initiative.

LOOK NORTH INTERVIEW!

I was on Look North on Wednesday evening following the publication of Sir Michael Wilshaw's second Annual Report which for the first time contained regional reports.

MEADOWHEAD SCHOOL

I visited Meadowhead School again yesterday with Mike Garnock-Jones, to see Steve Fowler, the headteacher and Mark Cocken, the Associate Assistant Headteacher, Vocational and Work Related Learning, and who leads the programme in the school. Mike and I were there to discuss the school's involvement in Made in Sheffield.

CUTLERS' EDUCATION COMMITTEE

I was in Sheffield again earlier this week with the Cutlers' Education Committee to look at how we continue to develop the work we have been doing this year with Bradfield School, Firth Park Community Arts College, Stocksbriodge High School and Yewlands Technology College.

ALL SAINTS RC HIGH SCHOOL

I visited All Saints RC High School again yesterday with Mike Garnock-Jones, to see Clare Scott, the headteacher and had a great session discussing the school's involvement in Made in Sheffield.

FOUR STEPS TO ACHIEVING BRILLIANT LEARNING

As we wait for Sir Michael Wilshaw's second annual report, which has been heavily leaked/trailed over the weekend, it is interesting to remember that many of the most successful countries have recognised that command and control over education as determined by a National Curriculum, high stakes testing and inspection isn't the answer to building brilliant provision and are focusing instead on teaching, outcomes and trust.

CULTURE IS DEFINED BY TRUST!

The Great Place to Work Institute’s annual surveys are conducted with more than 1.5 million employees, in more than 3,600 organisations, in forty different countries has identified that success in any organisation really boils down to just one five‐letter word: TRUST.

A CULTURE OF SHARING, NETWORKING AND LEARNING!

Those of us who believe that every school can be a great school need to work together and create a culture where we share our successes and ideas, network with other people who share our passions, beliefs and values and continuously and constantly learn!

WE LEARN WHAT WE LIVE!

I was reading that wonderful piece 'A Child Learns What They Live' by Dorothy Law Nolte and thinking about the constant and relentless barrage of criticism we are facing following the PISA results published this week and with the press coverage this weekend before the publication of Sir Michael Wilshaw's Annual Report.

VISION AND COACHING MATTER!

The trouble with the release of the PISA results this week is that everyone jumps on the data and we start an endless blame game with politicians, unions and officials jumping up and down about the failings of their schools, their teachers, their governments, past and present!

HOW THE WORLD'S MOST IMPROVED SCHOOL SYSTEMS KEEP GETTING BETTER!

In 2010 McKinsey & Company published ‘How the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better’ which analysed twenty systems from around the world and examined how each has achieved significant, sustained and widespread gains in student outcomes. The report provides a really important toolkit to help develop brilliant learning... learning leadership, beautiful systems and intelligent accountability.

If you want to read the report visit the McKinsey website at http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/transforming_education

HOW THE WORLD'S BEST-PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS COME OUT ON TOP!

We need to develop more evidence based approaches to improving teaching and learning. I have been re-reading ‘How the world’s best performing school systems come out on top’, which McKinsey & Company published in 2007 and which examined the common characteristics of high-performing school systems. The report identifies the elements needed to achieve real gains in student outcomes. The report is a great read and provides a really great toolkit to help develop brilliant learning.

If you want to read the report visit the McKinsey website at http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/transforming_education

WITHOUT VISION!

It has been a deeply sad ending to another strange week...

FORGE VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL

I visited Forge Valley Community School with Mike Garnock-Jones yesterday and met with David Bowes, the Executive Headteacher, to discuss the fact that the pilot phase of the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield programme was ending and we wanted to review, evaluate and further develop the work we have been doing.

TEN MESSAGES FROM PISA!

The more I read the PISA results the more I see that there are some really important messages which we need to use to help us guide and shape future provision.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PISA 2012! LEARNING LEADERSHIP MATTERS

"High-performing systems tend to align policies and practices across all aspects of the system, they make them coherent over sustained periods of time, and they see that they are consistently implemented. Perhaps the most important outcome of world-class school systems is that they deliver high-quality education across the entire school system so that every student and every school benefits." Andreas Schleicher

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PISA 2012! INTELLIGENT ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS

"High performers have also moved on from administrative control and accountability to professional forms of accountability and work organisation. They support their teachers in developing innovations in pedagogy, in improving their own performance and that of their colleagues, and in pursuing professional development that leads to stronger education practice. The goal of the past was standardisation and compliance; now, top performers enable teachers to be inventive. In the past, the policy focus was on providing education; in today’s top school systems, it’s on outcomes, shifting from looking upwards in the bureaucracy towards looking outwards to the next teacher, the next school, about creating networks of innovation." Andreas Schleicher

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PISA 2012! TEACHERS MATTER

"And nowhere does the quality of a school system exceed the quality of its teachers. Top school systems pay attention to how they select and train their staff. They watch how they improve the performance of teachers who are struggling and how to structure teachers’ pay. They provide an environment in which teachers work together to frame good practice. And when deciding where to invest, they prioritise the quality of teachers over the size of classes. Not least, they provide intelligent pathways for teachers to grow in their careers."Andreas Schleicher

STOCKSBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL!

I visited Stocksbridge High School again yesterday to see Steve Davies, the headteacher and Claire Jackson, assistant headteacher, and had a great session discussing the school's involvement in Made in Sheffield.

AND REMEMBER TO...

“Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.”

Wilfred Peterson

HAPPY SUNDAY!

"That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest."

Henry David Thoreau

LIES, DAMN LIES AND BORIS!

The older I get the more I despair at the mess our society has got itself into. And I despair at the lack of connection between ordinary people and our political class.

COACHING MATTERS!

I have been to some incredible learning places recently. In Leeds, Sheffield and across the country, brilliant colleagues, working in schools and classrooms, are releasing the magic and delivering world class outcomes, often against the odds. 

We know what it takes to build brilliant... it's alive and well in so many places.

COACHING FOR SUCCESS!

A colleague has asked me to do some coaching for her and it made me think that whether we like it or not, our colleagues know what we think of them and we all know that children, young people, colleagues and friends live up to, or down to, our expectations of them.

LEARNERS INHERIT THE EARTH!

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth,

while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped

to deal with a world that no longer exists."

Eric Hoffer

I spent time today with two extraordinary colleagues who have had incredible learning journeys and achieved so much.

SIMPLY BELIEVE!

"Those who believe they can, can
and those who believe they can’t, can’t"…

TEACHERS SHOULD BE GARDENERS!

I have always thought that being a brilliant teacher is a lot like being a brilliant gardener.

LIFE'S BIG PRIZES!

If like me you are fed up, with the vacuous celebrity culture that dominates everything in this country and the way the media and the rich and famous take advantage of the rest of us, you probably need encouragement to get you through the dark days.

LUNCH IN LEEDS!

"Good friends are like stars.

You can't always see them 

but they are always there."

WESTFIELD SPORTS COLLEGE

I visited Westfield Sports College in Sheffield again this morning.

FIRTH PARK ACADEMY

I was at Firth Park Academy in Sheffield again today.

BRADFIELD SCHOOL

I started the day at Bradfield School again this morning.

HAPPY SUNDAY!

 

SLOW DOWN, YOU MOVE TO FAST!!

I am really at a loss to understand why everyone is in such a hurry all the time. Everywhere I go people are constantly rushing from one appointment to another, from one place to another with little regard or care for anyone else; jumping traffic lights, ignoring the needs of others and pushing past people without looking or caring. I don't understand why it is but it appears that no-one seems to have any time or patience anymore.

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets"

I love that quote and at times like this when the challenges increase I realise how many fantastic people there are in my world... family, friends and colleagues. It's true by the way that you should love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t because they are simply not worth the effort. I am not sure at the moment that I can believe that everything happens for a reason but I do know that if you get a chance, you should take it and if it changes your life, let it.

Nobody promised that my life or your life would be easy, but I hope that the journey I am about to embark upon with the people I love will be worth it.
Chris

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee." Marian Wright Edelman

We must continue to make a difference for those children and young people who need us most. But it's hard when colleagues are having to work so hard and the climate and the context are so negative!

FIRTH PARK ACADEMY!

I visited Firth Park Academy in Sheffield yesterday morning.

THE FAT EPIDEMIC!

I  have become obsessed by the fact that 60% of men and 50% of women in this country are overweight and an increasing proportion are obese.

LONGLEY PARK SIXTH FORM COLLEGE!

I visited Longley Park Sixth Form College in North Sheffield again this morning with my colleague Mike Garnock-Jones.

                                

IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!

Change is with us: perhaps it always has been and perhaps it always will be.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS MATTER!

This Sunday, have a great day and don't let things get you down.

The things that matter still matter... faith, friends and family!

Since I can't send you flowers, here's the next best thing.

HAPPY SUNDAY!

FANTASTIC: MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE!

I went to the Lowry in Manchester to see Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake for the fifth time this weekend and it was once again an extraordinary experience!

HAPPY SATURDAY!

I have had a wonderful week meeting old friends and colleagues and working with colleagues in Sheffield.

WE MUST ALL STUDY AND LEARN!

We all know, that it is the quality of the teaching team that makes for brilliant learning. That means the teacher, teaching assistants, volunteers and helpers all have a part to play in creating the conditions where learning will flourish.

'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Success is about attitude, determination and persistence. If you want to be successful in any aspect of your life you need great support, a lot of luck and to work hard, be determined and be persistent. There will always be people who will tell you that things can't be any different, that you are wrong to search for better things and that what you are doing is impossible to achieve. They are wrong!

REMEMBERING EDUCATION LEEDS!

"Good friends are like stars.

You can't always see them 

but they are always there."

GENIUS, TALENT AND POTENTIAL!

"If I were absolutely certain about all things, I would spend my life in anxious misery,

fearful of losing my way. But since everything and anything are always possible, 

the miraculous is always nearby and wonders shall never, ever cease."

Robert Fulghum

People constantly tell me what they can't do but as Robert Fulgham reminds us 'everything and anything are always possible'! So we have to make our colleagues understand that they have enormous potential; that they can do anything if they work at it and believe, and that the miracles and the magic are commonplace. 

DO SOMETHING: MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Watching the horrendous coverage of the aftermath of the cyclone that struck the Phillipines, it is easy to think that there isn't anything we can do that will help or make a difference. However, whenever things seem impossible I read this story...

                            

BUILDING BRILLIANT: TEN TIPS!

After five years in Wolverhampton, North Yorkshire and York and nearly ten years in Leeds it has become easier to understand the keys to success, how to deliver outstanding outcomes and how to build brilliant teams. I have also learned what leaders need to know to release the magic...

THE HECKMAN EQUATION!

At the heart of the Cutlers' "Made in Sheffield" approach is a recognition that to be successful young people need skills, character and knowledge and that we need to develop a curriculum entitlement that develops all three.

LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS!

It's interesting that Tony Blair spoke recently about the leadership deficit we face in so many crucial aspects from politics to banking and from the NHS to education. And Sir Michael Wilshaw has been stressing the importance of great leadership driving great teaching and learning.

RESILIENCE, GRIT AND DETERMINATION!

I am constantly looking for the keys to success and how we can apply them to the education and learning landscape to ensure that all our children and young people achieve their goals and reach their potential.

SHEFFIELD SPRINGS ACADEMY

Mike Garnock-Jones and I visited Sheffield Springs Academy again this morning to see Russell Heritage, the principal, and some of his senior colleagues to discuss how the academy could get involved in the 'Made in Sheffield' programme

'MADE IN SHEFFIELD'

I was in Sheffield again today working with colleagues who are managing the Cutlers 'Made in Sheffield' programme which now involves six different strands and twelve secondary schools. We are now working in advanced manufacturing and engineering, the Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, the glass industry, the retail sector, computer science and the Children's Hospital.

FIND A WAY!

Working with another group of wonderful colleagues yesterday at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford reaffirmed my belief in people; their energy, passion, enthusiasm and commitment.

WHAT WORKS!

Whatever anyone says the performance of our primary and secondary schools has improved significantly over the last few years. 

THE CHERWELL PARTNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS!

I spent the morning with the Cherwell Partnership of Schools in Oxford, at their 'Innovation for Learning' conference. These schools have worked together to create a learning community whose focus has been on 'Making Learning Irresistible'.

CONNECT, COLLABORATE AND CHALLENGE!

Everyone I talk to about the challenges we face recognises that to achieve world-class outcomes we need a new and different approach to education and learning. This isn't going to be easy in Michael& Michael's world! But always remember that...

BUILDING THE FUTURE TOGETHER!

In order to stimulate new thinking and create the impetus for more radical change, headteachers need to move from focusing overwhelmingly on their own particular school or community, to working more closely together. 

NO FAILURE, JUST FEEDBACK!

When we are dealing with the challenges we currently face and when the going gets tough we need to stay positive and stay focused on the things that matter, in our lives, our work, and in our relationships. We all face a difficult, changing and potentially chaotic future where individuals, families, children, organizations, and businesses all face accelerating change, massive challenges and increasing problems.

SUCCESS!

Success doesn't come in can'ts, it comes in cans. 

I do believe that every school can be a great school, that every child can be successful and achieve and that we can create great teams doing the extraordinary with the current people. We simply need learning leadership, beautiful systems and intelligent accountability to support us as we change the culture to focus on passion and compassion and get people to believe; to believe in themselves and to believe in our children and young people and our colleagues.Throughout my working life, people have told me that things are impossible; that we can't get every child to read by the time they are seven or eight; that we can't get every child to be a brilliant little learner by the time they leave primary school and that we can't get every young person the equivalent of 5 good GCSEs including English and maths by the time they are sixteen. I simply don't accept any of this because across the country these things are already happening in authorities, in schools and in classrooms where colleagues are releasing the magic.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

If you read the McKinsey Reports, analyse the PISA data, review the research evidence about 'what works' and listen to people like Ken Robinson, Dan Pink and Tony Wagner it is increasingly obvious that we need to develop skills, character and knowledge in our little learners and our bigger learners.

WHAT MAKES BRILLIANT!

The media, parents and the public in general have increased expectations of schools and the DfE and OFSTED unsurprisingly have continued to raise the bar...