Dear Headteachers,
I am continuing my engagement and listening exercise across the county and had the pleasure of attending a consortium of seven primary heads at a charming location at the Church of the Holy Cross in Moreton Morrell. I was able to listen and engage with heads on areas they felt were a priority for working with the LA to improve outcomes for young people.
My thanks to Margaret Pollard for the invite and to the positive energy of the headteachers who are committed to partnership work. These meetings are very important in allowing me to ensure the LA hears the voice of strategic leaders and has the right priorities.
I also attended a focus meeting with heads from primary and secondary schools on the Fair Access Protocol and what priorities we need to focus on in the upcoming consultation. Once again, I was impressed with the deep commitment to partnership work and to putting young people first.
This meeting highlighted the need for transparency and a sense of ‘fairness’ in schools sharing the load with regards to statutory responsibilities and, of course, the role of the LA. It showed how important it is to review our systems and ensure improvements can be made based on joint feedback. Next steps will be to convene again and start to draft a protocol. Further comms will be sent in due course.
Finally, a reminder that the next Heads conference is on June 6th where I look forward to seeing another great turnout of senior leaders in person. Again, further comms will be shared with you.
Have a lovely weekend,
Johnny Kyriacou,
Assistant Director for Education Services.