WORRIED ABOUT THE CURRENT GENERATION?

Children nowadays are too dependent on adults. Children naturally want to be independent and rebellious and yet, as a child of the 60’s, I am convinced that we were far more rebellious when we were young. Why is this?

WE MUST FOLLOW ALICE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE!

The educational world is changing but only at the pace that we, as school leaders, allow it to, because for the first time schools and especially school leaders can be the catalyst for change.

It is time for schools to shape their own futures, take the reins and start making the decisions that for the past twenty years have been made for us. Just as Alice decided to make her own decisions and enter the rabbit hole, so must we enter and create our own ‘educational’ wonderland.

TOUGH LIFE FOR CHILDREN

Exam success gives you the key to the door,

but ‘character’ determines how well you do on the other side.

I would like to promote the idea that we all learn in the same way, no matter how young or old we are.

In terms of educational provision, that means that the traditional approaches to teaching and learning from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4, need addressing and rethinking.

THINK PIECE

What an Inspiring Day.

I was invited to speak on day one of the Osiris Leadership Conference- ‘Outstanding Leadership’.  The Venue was 1 Drummond Street in London, near Pimlico station. The date was the 6th May and the day that Nicky Morgan performed a complete U turn on forcing academy status as part of the White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere.

THERE IS A PLACE FOR WINNING AND COMPETITION IN EDUCATION

“However good you are, you can always be better – perfection does not exist”

“Everything needs to change so that everything stays the same”

“The price of life as a leader is eternal vigilance”

“The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”

THE STORY THAT NOBODY WILL PUBLISH OR AIR

The Fulbridge Academy is in an area that is rich in social and cultural diversity. At the same time identified as an area of high deprivation. We have over 30 different nationalities and it is a pleasure to work in such a cultural mix.

Only Interested in Bad News?

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COACHING AND TEACHING ARE THE FIRST TWO LETTERS

Whilst sat on a sun-bed in Madeira one of my three sons, not the writer and not the educationalist but the sportsman and football coach one, alerted me to a Twitter account, the ‘Whitehouse Address’ (referred henceforth to as ‘Potus’) and said I must read this particular Blog about the importance of coaching. The sun was behind the clouds and it was easy to read the screen.

REFLECTING ON SIR ALEX’S BOOK ON LEADERSHIP

Being a Successful Leader the Alex Ferguson Way

Inspired by reading Sir Alex’s new book, ‘Leading’ this Blog looks at and pinches the key messages from his leadership approach that resulted in Manchester United dominating the Premier League since its inception. As in all walks of life the success in any organisation is based upon the leadership styles that are employed and the effectiveness of that establishments senior leaders.

PREPARING FOR A TRICKY WORLD

What is the purpose of Education in this modern and ever-changing world?

As a child of the 60’s I am very happy that I grew up in those more simplistic times, for the world my children have grown up in and their children will grow up in, by comparison is a very tricky one. Yet in education we are all still delivering a very similar curriculum to the one I received and my father and grandfather received.

POSITIVE APPROACHES WIN HEARTS AND MINDS MRS MORGAN

Successive governments have made the same basic mistake year after year and education minister after education minister. It is so simple that it amazes me that after so many years of successfully alienating the teaching profession they have not changed their approach. From Baker to Morgan they have successfully ensured that some potentially wonderful initiatives have failed to succeed and have the impact that they potentially could have. The current White Paper looks as though it will be a classic example.