CEO Thought for the Week

Happy Friday Everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine and looking forward to a warm weekend!

I had the privilege yesterday of visiting Spilsby Primary Academy and to be given a tour of the school by Y6 Ambassadors. It was great and I absolutely loved it! As the children spoke to me I couldn't help but smile at how they described their school, their learning, their environment and their adults. It was all positive stuff and they were clearly very proud to be given the responsibility to show me around.

In the midst of busy school life we can often feel like children are just the recipients of our input and that we're rushing around doing everything to provide "stuff" for them. But conversations like yesterday remind me that we're in a partnership with our pupils and they often are the biggest advocates for our schools if we empower them to be. So a few questions to ponder over the weekend.... Are our pupils partners in their learning? Do they understand what we need them to know and remember and why? Do they understand why our classrooms have the resources and the displays they do? Are we including them in discussions about changes in our school- such as why we've updated the rewards systems, how we're improving behaviour, what the man with the toolbox and the big van is doing on our roof!! Do they know about the Trust and why those people keep coming in and walking around our school? And so on.... If we want them to be fully engaged with school and all it brings then we need to include them in the conversation and share our plans.

Our schools for many of our children are safe spaces, a 2^nd home or where they feel part of a broader school family and therefore I feel its only right that, just like we would with our own children at home, we keep them updated and included in all that's happening. Our children are the evidence of the success of our schools so if the impact of our hard work isn't landing with them and they can't articulate it then we need to rethink, pivot, adjust and go again. The best schools and the best classrooms are where children and adults are on the same page, with shared goals working with and for each other.

Have a wonderful weekend and as always thank you for all you do- you are amazing!

Best Wishes

Gavin