THE BIG CHALLENGE 2014!

I was at The BIG Challenge Awards 2014 this evening at the Holiday Inn Royal Victoria in Sheffield hosted by David Grey MBE, Group Managing Director of OSL Group Holdings Ltd.

SHEFFIELD CITY-WIDE LEARNING BODY!

I was at the Sheffield City-wide Learning Body this afternoon to talk about the development of the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield scheme.

GOOD NEWS! PROBLEM SOLVING SUCCESS!

It is great to hear that England's teenagers are "significantly above average" in problem-solving, according to Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's latest results. 

CULTURE MATTERS!

It has taken me a lifetime, working with some extraordinary colleagues and organisations, to fully understand that the key to success for any of us lies in the culture we establish.

WELL-BEING IN THE WORKPLACE!

NEF’s Centre for Well-being and NEF Consulting have published a new report outlining what the evidence shows about well-being in the workplace.

EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!

We should now be eating at least seven portions of fruit and vegetables every day to live longer and get real health benefits.

REMEMBER!

SING!

I have always said that singing and music makes you cleverer, happier and healthier and when you watch choirs in schools, at concerts or on the TV you see the power of singing. Professor Graham Welch, Chair of Music Education at the Institute of Education, University of London, has studied developmental and medical aspects of singing for 30 years: "The health benefits of singing are both physical and psychological. Singing has physical benefits because it is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, even when sitting.Singing has psychological benefits because of its normally positive effect in reducing stress levels through the action of the endocrine system which is linked to our sense of emotional well-being. Psychological benefits are also evident when people sing together as well as alone because of the increased sense of community, belonging and shared endeavour."

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

ALWAYS REMEMBER The most significant and important influence in anyone's life in terms of their learning, their achievements and their successes is their mum!

CELEBRATE AND BE POSITIVE!

I have found the 'The Keys to Success'...

• We all need to be positive;
• We all need to celebrate; and
• We all need to shout about the great things colleagues are doing. 
• We all need to share;
• We all need to network; and 
• We all need to learn from what works. 

Let me know if I can help you on your journey to OUTSTANDING!

TAKE CARE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER... ANYONE FANCY A COFFEE?

After another interesting week I have been thinking about the things that really matter and remembered this story which always makes me smile...

REMEMBER THAT SKILLS MATTER!

"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."

We all know that autonomy is important because it develops ownership, responsibility and trust but there seems to me to be a huge contradiction between the freedom and empowerment for headteachers and schools and the command and control mentality the DfE is imposing on schools.

SHEFFIELD SENIOR LEADERS

I was in Sheffield yesterday talking to a small group of senior leaders from Sheffield secondary schools about the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield programme and how we hope it will develop over the next three years.