"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow!

 The important thing is not to stop questioning"

Albert Einstein

'The Talent Code'

I was re-reading the 'Talent Code', by Daniel Coyle, which covers similar ground to 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell, 'Bounce' by Matthew Syed and 'Talent is Overrated' by Geoff Colvin. It draws on research to show that ability isn't something we are born with but something that we can create, grow and nurture.

FED UP WITH OFSTED AND FRUSTRATED WITH DFE!

I was over in Leeds again today catching up with some colleagues who reminded me that the Education Leeds way was to celebrate, share and network excellence and constantly learn from what works! We developed a coherent systemic approach to help every school become a great school and we developed systemic solutions and strategies that recognised that every child mattered! 

"If people are good 

only because they fear punishment, 

and hope for reward, 

then we are a sorry lot indeed."

Albert Einstein

Sheffield College!

I visited The Sheffield College again today to see Bill Jones, Executive Director of Planning and Performance. 

Keep Calm and Come In!

"If you can't explain it simply,

you don't understand it well enough."

Albert Einstein

SCRABTAGZ!

I met the amazing 'SCRABTAGZ' team again this morning when I visited Stocksbridge High School. The team from Year 9 recently won the Sheffield 'Big Challenge' with their simple and hugely effective business idea; selling replica laser cut scrabble tiles on a wooden rack to spell out names or messages. 

Cutlers 'Made in Sheffield' Initiative!

I had another great day today at Stocksbridge High School in Sheffield with the four schools who are working together on the Cutlers 'Made in Sheffield' Initiative!

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

CONGRATULATIONS: William Booth Primary School!

I was really delighted to be at William Booth Primary School in Nottingham yesterday as they came out of Special Measures! It is a fantastic achievement for the whole team who under Gary Fullwood's leadership have worked so incredibly hard to change almost every aspect of their practice and provision and to release the magic in some wonderful young people.

FORGET SATISFACTORY: Extraordinary, Outstanding and Brilliant… whatever it takes!

"The principal goal of education... 

should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things... 

men and women who are creative, inventive, and discoverers."

Jean Piaget

EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE: Ruth Baldwin!

I met up with Ruth Baldwin this morning. Ruth was one of the extraordinary, unique and fabulous individuals who made a real difference as part of the Education Leeds team over the ten years this fantastic experiment lasted.

Small is Beautiful!

These critically endangered Egyptian tortoises recently hatched out at Marwell Wildlife near Winchester.