CHARACTER, RESILIENCE AND GRIT!

After a glorious Summer of Olympics, Paralympics and now Andy Murray winning his first Grand Slam event we face an Autumn landscape of public sector strikes, financial problems, more cuts, local authority services increasingly under pressure, schools facing increasing challenge and academisation, OFSTED turning up the pressure and plenty of personal challenges. Clearly, as demonstrated by our Olympians, Paralympians and Andy Murray, to be successful we need to develop character, resilience and grit.

PAUSE, REFLECT, THINK AND LEARN!

I found this on my colleague and friend Roel Rohner's Dalton Page.

SKILLS MATTER: The Route to Growth!

The EEF, in their report 'The Route to Growth'. outline a framework for what they want our economy to look like, and argues that we need a strategy for how we get there.

Share and network the things that work and stop doing the things that don't!

Michael Gove argues that an academic education is the best preparation for the opportunities created by the knowledge based industries of the future and would argue that we must say what we would teach our children and young people.

THIS SUNDAY SEND FLOWERS TO THOSE YOU LOVE AND CARE FOR!

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

SHEFFIELD UTC!

I spent the day in Sheffield yesterday. I had been invited to the ground-breaking ceremony for the Sheffield University Technical College where I met a lot of colleagues and some old friends.

My answers to the challenges we face?

I have been working on school improvement for over twenty years and I know some people will ask why haven't we cracked it and already delivered great schools, brilliant learning and fantastic outcomes everywhere. I wish it were that easy.

The Story of the Geese!

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."

YOU MUST WATCH THIS!

"The world is changing rapidly but our education system is not keeping pace."

I watched 'We Are The People We've Been Waiting For' again yesterday evening...

REMEMBER!

"Most of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer. The Nobel. Oscars. Tonys. Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures... A thank you. A pat on the back. A kiss. A four-pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset. Hot soup. Cold beer. Don't fret about copping life's grand awards. Enjoy its tiny delights. There are plenty for all of us."
United Technologies Corporation

What can we learn from the Olympics and the Paralympics?

It's brilliant that the Olympics and now the Paralympics have taught us is that anything is possible with passion, commitment, determination and sheer hard work. This is a message we need to take into our schools and our classrooms.

THIS SUNDAY, PHONE A FRIEND!

CULTURE MATTERS!

Watching and reading horror stories about how we treat people with disabilities, people who are in hospital, people who are in care and young people in schools makes you realize that it isn't simply about standards but fundamentally the problem is about culture.