Serious Doubts about School Effectiveness!

I have been following the BERA Conference and read this extra-ordinary paper by Professor Stephen Gorard from Birmingham University.

The Future Demands Science Technology, Engineering and Maths!

I found this poster outlining why the future demands STEM subjects (Science Technology, Engineering and Maths); which are vital elements of any curriculum we develop for our children and critical aspects of future growth plans.

New research from the United States identifies the top three careers that parents want their kids to pursue. Any guesses?

"This one step -
choosing a goal and sticking to it
- changes everything."

Scott Reed

The Power of Effective Feedback!

The Sutton Trust research sees effective feedback as the single most important part of any organisational improvement toolkit.

What Works!

As we start another year where resources are increasingly tight and we are looking for value for money in every decision we make, everyone who cares about learning, closing the attainment gap and achieving world class outcomes for all our children and young people should re-read the The Sutton Trust publication; 'Toolkit of Strategies to Improve Learning'.

A Climate of Trust and Respect!

I spent the early part pf this morning at William Booth Primary School in Nottingham at the first of two training days starting the new avademic year. Success, whether it is in a classroom with a class of children or a staffroom with a team of colleagues or in an authority with all aspects of children's services depends on creating a culture that empowers, enables and expects real excellence.

Another Beginning!

It's the start of yet another academic year and I am sitting on another train heading off across the country. Exciting times as we see another wave of new Academies opening alongside the first of Michael Gove's Free Schools. As always the changing landscape provides us all with the opportunity to think, to reflect and to review. We must ensure that all our provision continues to improve as we strive to create world class education for every child in every community... whatever it takes!
Chris

Adria Steinberg’s 6 A’s of project-based learning!

Project-based Learning provides us with the opportunity to connect with young people's interests and passions in a way that is authentic, academic, rigorous, applied and active.

The Missing Link!

Carrie Leana argues that it isn't the power of the individual, the wisdom of the outsider or the principal as instructional leader that are the keys to building brilliant learning places. She instead argues that it is the power of the collective that hold the answers.

Howard Gardner's Good Work Project!

"Success is being evaluated in one dimension only, and that is getting wealthy at all costs." 

Howard Gardner

I read this interesting article about Howard Gardner's study of Good Work. The GoodWork™ Project is a large scale effort to identify individuals and institutions that exemplify good work – work that is excellent in quality, socially responsible, and meaningful to its practitioners – and to determine how best to increase the incidence of good work in our society. Gardner and his colleagues have developed a model for forward thinking that should be explored by anyone really interested in developing our educational system.

"Lost yesterday somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever."

Lydia Sigourney