Focus on people

• Further resources

"Focus on brilliant people" - how Leeds addressed the curriculum and extended services across the authority

Websites

www.educationleeds.co.uk

www.interesting-times-in-leeds.blogspot.com

Key challenges:

• Who needs to be able to access the resources, and where and when do they need access?
• How to consult with pupils, families, staff and the wider community to identify priorities and need?
• How will we value and celebrate learning?

Overview:

Education Leeds has 1,100 staff and is responsible for providing all education support services for schools in Leeds; a role it has been doing since 2001. At that time a large number of schools were causing concern. But there has been a huge improvement since then, and now many schools are beacons of excellence. Exam results and attendance levels have improved, and parents and young people are now actively involved.

Approach:

To achieve this sea change, Education Leeds focused on the needs of children, young people and their families. We needed to develop the team of colleagues, our 'brilliant people' - to determined how these needs could be met. Including aspects outside of the formal learning environment, such as: breakfast clubs, study support, protecting those at risk, supporting good parenting and developing healthy living.

This required the effective and powerful use of the available data - to monitor those on free meals, ethnic minorities, fostered children - in order to target and work with all the extended services groups as well as parents.

The importance of trust

It was important to develop trust between Education Leeds, the Local Authority and all the schools within the local authority. And second, to inspire all those involved in education.

There were high expectations not only of teaching colleagues, but also of students and all those involved in education in Leeds - the community, parents, local authority and Education Leeds itself.

A common vision

The vision itself focused on efficacy and esteem and needed to have clear, shared goals: academic, as a percentage of students achieving A-C grades, as well as related to cultural, behavioural and attendance aspects. To achieve this Education Leeds has 4,500 mentors targeting vulnerable young people and in schools the whole workforce coach small groups and individuals.

Engaging, involving and listening to our young people is also key to instigating change.

Education Leeds and Schools have developed the "Investors in Pupils" programme and young people are involved in school councils, health groups, project groups and belong to the Youth Council. Over the last three years the voice of young people has also been heard through projects such as the "Power of Me" which enables them to tackle issues like safety, bullying and cyber bullying.

The power to change

Schools in Leeds now have more autonomy. They are encouraged to become inclusive schools, healthy schools, Stephen Lawrence schools and eco schools and staff are invited to share knowledge at "market events". For projects such as the Building Schools for the Future, Education Leeds encouraged teachers to go to Sweden, prior to designing new schools, to encourage different techniques and pedagogies. Staff attend seminars run by experts on the future of education, challenging everyone's thinking in a relentless and uncompromising approach to building brilliant learning in brilliant learning places supporting and serving thriving and successful communities.

The Chief Executive of Education Leeds believes the key lesson is the importance of 'taking all those involved with you at all times' - informing people of the individual steps and supporting those that share the vision - instead of presenting just the final vision.

By creating a shared vision for all those involved there is a sense of empowerment - leading to improved performance.

Key points and recommendations:

• Give autonomy to all those involved
• Have a mentor that can support and encourage you
• The vision development activity could be used to agree priorities and to ensure a shared set of goals

Leeds PE lesson Multisports Saturday sports club