Newsletter September 2019
I am again looking forward to the new academic year and the challenges the new OFSTED approach to inspection of schools will bring! As always I hope that local schools will continue seek my support in developing all aspects of high quality provision in this my 10th year as an independent consultant. In particular this year I have spent the summer reviewing the resources I have developed over the years to support Leaders of Learning in Primary Schools.
My Subject and Phase Leader Handbooks have been updated over the years to reflect changing expectations . With the renewed focus on curriculum development and leadership and less emphasis on data driven improvement, I am delighted to say the new version is much better, and should be a real help to all those working in schools 2019-2020 to improve all pupils’ experiences.
Leaders in our schools need to fully realise the opportunities that are open to them as a result of Amanda Speilman’s initiative to redress the imbalance that has arisen as a result of the over emphasis on SATS results and data in recent years. They now have the chance to reshape and rebuild their curriculum, to secure effective, deep and lasting learning, and to restore in staff their faith in their own skills and ability to lead learning in their classrooms effectively. It is a moment in time to be seized with open hearts and minds by leaders at all levels in the nation’s schools.
My revised handbooks support leaders in developing their own knowledge and practical skills to design and implement a curriculum that fully matches the needs of the children they seek to educate. Their job is to ensure that the work they do on design has the impact in classrooms that is both tangible and visible and can be reported to others when required. It sets out their clear roles and responsibilities and clarifies why what they do in the time allocated to them is so important and crucially helps them to embed a whole school understanding of progression in learning in their area of responsibility.
The new handbooks, together with specific support in progression planning and ideas for useful assessment in all subjects are now available, to support any INSET you have planned in the coming year to revise and review your own unique curriculum. Give me a call to arrange access or support.
In 2006 Christine Gilbert established a vision for a highly personalised education by 2020 which you might like to revisit as you reflect on how far we have/have not come since then in light of what is now proposed. I shall certainly be taking a long hard look at it in my termly Network meetings that now extend across the SW as C.A.S.E., Level Heads and S.P.A. look out for my September invitation to join or rejoin these invaluable sources of inspiration that keep you up to date in the things that really matter.
I have received many endorsements for my work since Inspir.ed was formed, but my favourite still has to be this one from Sue Heale, a very successful head teacher working in schools in Somerset:
“Across 15 years and in 3 different headships of schools that were rated by Ofsted as requiring special measures through to one that was recognised as outstanding, Jenny has provided a highly effective and much valued combination of inspiration, advice, support and challenge. Her wide-ranging connections with the education community, and the extent and depth of her reading, have kept me abreast of and supported me to embrace, constructively question and sometimes challenge, current education thinking. With a particular flair for the technical language of education, working in partnership with Jenny has made the process of writing SEFs and monitoring reports an enjoyable and rewarding task. Training delivered by Jenny consistently provides excellent value for money and never fails to deliver to the agenda I have agreed with her. In a nutshell: Jenny knows education; understands education; researches education and has constructively supported me to continuously improve the education offered to ALL pupils. And after all, isn’t this what every child deserves?”
It says in a nutshell what I do best, so if anything there resonates as a need with you, feel free to contact me, and I shall be happy to help as appropriate.
Good luck with the new academic year. I am STILL HERE if you need me!
