Raising the bar and empowering learners…….

As summer has come, things have slowed down….not in my head, however!  All I have been thinking about is school….what we are doing next year, how far we have come, what is next, etc, etc…..the script never stops!  But it is always exciting….I’m always keen for the next challenge……

I’m currently reading ‘Creating Learning without Limits,’ a real insight into the Wroxham School under the leadership of Dame Alison Peacock.  It is amazing.  Everything that I have read so far is exactly what I have been trying to achieve at my own school.  Allowing children to reach their true potential without ever putting a ‘limit’ on their learning, or ever having that conversation about how a child ‘could never achieve a level x….’  I’m sure we have all been in these schools.  These conversations make ‘us’ the problem..who are we to put or suggest a ‘cap’ on a child’s learning in school?  Let’s raise everyone’s expectations!  Or perhaps even having ‘expectations’ is the issue?

It is inspiring reading this research.  The systems that have been put in place at the school undeniably put ‘the child first.’  I always say that if we always genuinely put children at the heart of every decision we make, we cannot go far wrong.  But, at the Wroxham…..they are ensuring that every child is given a voice.  Children themselves are at the heart of the decision making.  So powerful!

I’m quickly picking up ideas that we can begin implementing in September.  We have the foundations firmly in place and a strong team raring to go and always seeking to improve.  I’m excited to finish reading about the journey that the school has taken……to see a school like this in action seems necessary for all school leaders.

It’s clearly about getting rid of any preconceptions…..giving children a voice and an understanding of what they can do to improve……and engaging the whole school community in the process of learning, evaluating and perpetually moving forwards……

….off to continue reading!