THIS SATURDAY, READ THE STARFISH STORY!

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around" 

Leo Buscaglia

I love this story about the small things we can all do that make a difference. .. "While walking along a beach, a man saw in the distance what looked like a boy dancing...

THANKS FOR THE INTEREST!

It’s amazing that the blog reached, and was read by, colleagues in the United States, Russia, Germany, Ireland, France, India, Portugal, Thailand and Switzerland as well as colleagues all over the UK during the last month.

'BACK TO THE FUTURE' AT MAGNA!

I was at Magna yesterday with the Y9 Cutlers' Engineering Ambassadors...

FOLLOW YOUR PASSION!

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

The answer to building brilliant is practice, practice, practice.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY...

IT'S HALF-TERM!

Another half-term full of achievements and successes but yet another half-term full of challenges about how we move forwards with education and learning.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO...

THINK TEAM, BELONG, STAND TOGETHER AND TAKE TURNS!

I love this story..."This Autumn, when you see the geese heading south for the winter, flying in a "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way."

SAY YES!

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO THINK TEAM!

I have been blessed throughout my working life to be part of some great teams and I know from hard experience the enormous power of teamwork in addressing the real challenges we face in education. I know it's half-term but I found this story on the web and it made me smile...

"A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap...

LISTEN, SMILE, ACT AND BE POSITIVE!

Whether you work in schools, hospitals, care homes or businesses you don't need to be constantly reminded about your failings, your mistakes and the things that go wrong... we are by are very nature reflective and thoughtful individuals.

HAVE A GREAT HALF-TERM!

Despite the fact that we all live in a world of constant change, of constant criticism, negativity, reviews and inspections, I am blessed to work with some amazing people. We need to think team, be positive and we all need to wear the t-shirt....

IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

I have been talking to colleagues about schools, education and learning and I always ask myself after visiting great schools and brilliant places what is it that makes it a brilliant learning place and what can we learn from what talented colleagues are doing. The answers aren't rocket science...

CUTLERS 'MADE IN SHEFFIELD' ARTS, CULTURE AND SPORTS PARTNERS MEETING

Yesterday, I met with some of the great partners who are bringing the Arts, Culture and Sports sectors alive for some impressive young people at Firth Park Academy, Stocksbridge High School and Westfield School.

THE CUTLERS' EDUCATION COMMITTEE... FOCUSING ON ENGINEERING!

I was in Sheffield yesterday morning meeting with the Cutlers' Education Committee which is guiding the engineering strand of the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield scheme. 

Craig McKay, the current Master Cutler, Doug Liversidge, who chairs the Cutlers' education committee, and George Kilburn, the Chief Executive of the Cutlers' Company are all passionate advocates for the scheme which now reaches 480 young people from ten Sheffield secondary schools and colleges and is working in ten key employment sectors.

THINK ONCE, THINK TWICE, THINK TEAM!

As the world of education goes through it's latest iteration we must all continue to work together to ensure that everyone stays focused on learning, standards and outcomes and whatever you do make sure that you are part of a co-operative, collaborative team...

TEAM TIPS!

I have spent most of my working life in teams; some great teams, some not so great teams and based on both my personal experience, and the research I have read, I have come to the conclusion that great teams have the following characteristics...

HAPPY SUNDAY!

HAPPY SATURDAY... ANYONE FOR COFFEE?

This great story reminds us all about the things that really matter...

"A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was...

THE SKILLS THAT MATTER!

We want to develop in these young people the skills and attributes employers have told us are missing in our young people. 

WHAT A WONDERFUL WEEK!

This week I have attended three launch events and seen around 200 young people start on the Cutlers' 'Made in Sheffield' programme. These programmes are intended to give the students the edge and make them stand out from the crowd.

CUTLERS' ' MADE IN SHEFFIELD' CONSTRUCTION AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT SECTOR LAUNCH EVENT

Yesterday evening I attended the launch event for the Cutlers 'Made in Sheffield' Construction and the Built Environment strand at Fir Vale School.

CHALLENGES AHEAD!

We know that we are preparing young people for a world of work that is constantly changing and that we are preparing them for jobs that don't exist yet, using technologies that haven't been invented, to address problems and challenges we don't really understand or know the answers to.

ANOTHER MADE IN SHEFFIELD CELEBRATION EVENT!

This evening we welcomed the new cohort of students onto the engineering and advanced manufacturing and the arts, culture and sports strands of 'Made in Sheffield', at a ceremony at the Cutlers Hall.

SKILLS MATTER!

NHS AMBASSADOR TRAINING DAY

Amazing session today at the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Training Centre. I was there with around 90 young people from Year 9 at Firth Park, Forge Valley, Fir Vale, Meadowhead, Stocksbridge  and Westfield secondary schools.

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO ARTISTS, CREATORS, INVENTORS, DESIGNERS, STORYTELLERS, CAREGIVERS AND BIG PICTURE THINKERS!

Working with young people makes you realise that we are living in digital times and that change is happening at an exponential rate. What is encouraging is meeting and working with the young people  on the Engineering and Arts, Culture and Sports strands of 'Made in Sheffield', at Bradfield, Firth Park, Handsworth Grange, Outwood Academy City, Stocksbridge and Westfield. They are creative, imaginative and passionate about engineering, the arts and sports and culture and are developing the skills that matter; the skills that will give them the edge.

PLEASURE + ENGAGEMENT + MEANING = HAPPINESS!

Everywhere you look people are doing some interesting things about happiness and reflecting on the fact that we are less happy now than we were and getting even more unhappy...

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. 

If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." 

Albert Schweitzer

THE FIVE WAYS TO WELL-BEING!

KINDNESS MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

CUTLERS 'MADE IN SHEFFIELD' ARTS, CULTURE AND SPORTS AMBASSADORS!

I have been working with some wonderful young people at Firth Park Academy, Stocksbridge High School and Westfield School over the last two days.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD BRILLIANT PROVISION?

Following my recent visits to Firth Park Academy, Outwood Academy City and Westfield School and meeting colleagues from Stockbridge High School, I was thinking again about what it takes to build brilliant provision...

What are the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle needed to create great learning and great outcomes?

WHY CAN'T EVERY SCHOOL BE A GREAT SCHOOL?

Don't tell me that every school can't be an outstanding school.

IT SIMPLY ISN'T WORKING! ADDRESSING THE REAL CHALLENGES WE FACE!

We have thrown billions at ideology and structures but it's strange that no school system in the world has adequately addressed the real challenges we face, even though all of them know they must do so. 

THIS SUNDAY MAKE SOMEONES DAY AND SEND FLOWERS TO SOMEONE SPECIAL!

To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower.

Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.

William Blake

THE CUTLERS...DEVELOPING 21st CENTURY SKILLS!

The Cutlers Company believe that the future is only going to be secured if we develop a 21st Century Learning Framework to drive our learning landscape. A framework built on 21st Century skills as well as subjects. 

CELEBRATE FIRTH PARK ACADEMY SUCCESS AT THE SHEFFIELD STAR 'BEST IN EDUCATION' AWARDS 2015