HAPPY SUNDAY!

Relax, unwind and remember to get a haircut!

OECD: SYNERGIES FOR BETTER LEARNING!

The OECD has published ‘Synergies for Better Learning’ An International Perspective on Evaluation and Assessment which highlights the increased demand for effectiveness, equity and quality in education to meet economic and social challenges. This interesting and thought provoking publication, which you can read on line for free, also recognises that there is a growing trend towards greater school autonomy, which requires systems to monitor how schools are doing.

THE ARTS MATTER!

"The arts are a central part of the human experience and young people cannot participate or understand our history without engaging in the arts..."

NINE WAYS TO BE HAPPY!

Found this on-line and it sums up the things that matter!

EVERYBODY IS A GENIUS!

HAPPY SUNDAY!

MAKE SURE YOU SING!

When I visited William Booth Primary School  it was great to hear that their brilliant new school choir was going from strength to strength. When they performed for parents and guests they sang this song by R Kelly.

"I am a giant

I am an eagle

I am a lion

Down in the jungle

I am a marchin' band

I am the people

I am a helpin' hand

And I am a hero

If anybody asks u who I am

Just stand up tall look 'em in the Face and say

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I'm that star up in the sky

I'm that mountain peak up high

I made it

I'm the worlds greatest

And I'm that little bit of hope

When my backs against the ropes

I can feel it

I'm the worlds greatest"

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Malcolm Gladwell argues that it is practice that makes perfect...

PASSION, SELF-BELIEF, DETERMINED, FOCUSED AND DELIBERATE PRACTICE AND HARD WORK!

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." W. B. Yeats

If you read the McKinsey Report, analyse the PISA data and listen to people like Ken Robinson it is increasingly obvious that, while recognising what has been achieved over the last ten years, we are still not doing enough to ignite and inspire our children to become brilliant little learners.

FIVE STEPS TO HELP RELEASE THE MAGIC!

If we are really serious about changing the culture and creating a culture of excellence we must incentivise and reward co-operation, teamwork, collaboration, networking and partnering. Here are five steps that help to release the magic!

SEARCH AND YOU WILL FIND!

The world around us is full of success and failure, inspiration and boredom, happiness and sadness, opportunities and problems. So if you’re looking for success, inspiration, happiness and opportunities, you will find them.

CREATING INNOVATORS: THE MADE IN SHEFFIELD WAY!

I think Tony Wagner has captured some really important messages in his book “Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World”. I read this brilliant piece by Thomas L. Friedman again which I first saw in the New York Times. I have highlighted and underlined some sections which confirm the importance of the work we are doing with the Cutlers' "Made in Sheffield" approach which is about to be launched into its next exciting phase. Lord Nash is a fan but I am not sure Michael Gove has read it!!

THE CHALLENGE WE ALL FACE!

"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."

Sitting here on Easter Monday reading reports of the Easter union conferences and the DfE's responses to their concerns, I must admit I am confused. There seems to me to be a huge contradiction between the freedom and empowerment for headteachers and schools and the command and control mentality of the new curriculum which is being imposed on schools.