SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT TEAM!

Research clearly shows that the leadership of schools can have a hugely positive impact on the educational outcomes of young people... but success is all about TEAM!

School leaders set the tone, establish the learning climate, create a culture of professional co-operation and collaboration between colleagues, are key to morale and job satisfaction and their actions determine the nature of the relationships in the school... and most importantly create a team whose passion, enthusiasm and commitment will release the magic!

Successful schools are:

• happy places; 
• healthy places; 
• safe places; 
• places which are rigorous in terms of their focus on standards, on tracking, on the powerful and intelligent use of data; and 
• places where every child matters and no child gets left behind. 

To build brilliant schools we need to continue to coach, nurture and develop brilliant teams: developing:

• inspirational, passionate and distributed leadership; 
• brilliant teaching and learning driven by talented colleagues; 
• a coaching and nurturing culture for adults and young people alike; 
• a focus on character and skills as well as academic excellence; 
• an engaging, powerful and stimulating curriculum offer; 
• wonderful learning environments; 
• high expectations of young people and colleagues; 
• positive and constructive relationships; 
• parents and carers as partners in learning. 

Together we must develop a toolkit of techniques, tips and strategies which can build brilliant learning in brilliant learning places to achieve extraordinary results. We need to continue to reflect, think, focus and stick to what really matters; leadership, vision, positive behaviour, discipline, focus, passion, engagement, creativity, partnerships, relationships, persistence, determination and hard work. We need to continue the conversations, build the relationships and the trust and not be distracted by those who argue that everything we have achieved over the last fifteen years was rubbish. Over those incredible years ordinary colleagues in so many places achieved the extraordinary and transformed outcomes, schools and lives! 

The work of schools and the National Strategies on literacy, numeracy, learning to learn, attendance and behaviour had, and is still having, a massive impact and has left a vital legacy of toolkits and strategies that work. Research and work on how the brain works, positive psychology, Investment in Excellence, STEPS and parenting has changed lives and transformed teams, families and individuals. Work on coaching and mentoring has developed ambassadors and role models for so many talented young people with latent potential and magic who just need encouragement and personal support. Work on creativity, innovation and enterprise has created vibrant and exciting learning connected to real life and the world of work.

We must have the courage to continue to tell our stories about this work and to build brilliant learning and brilliant learning places to deliver a vision for the future and for 21st century learning. And increasingly we must create the environment and the culture to inspire our children to become artists, inventors, scientists, doctors, designers, learners, mathematicians, teachers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers and big picture thinkers... whatever it takes!