We are challenged all the time to do better, and to do it faster and more efficiently and more effectively...

I have been working on school improvement for over thirty years and I know some people will ask why haven't we cracked it and already delivered brilliant learning and fantastic outcomes everywhere. I wish it were that easy. What we haven't tackled or cracked is poverty, deprivation, worklessness and the common factors that conspire against us and prevent young people achieving good outcomes however hard we work. I have also learned from countless school visits over the years that talented colleagues here in Leeds and amazing colleagues up and down the country are releasing the magic and driving up standards and outcomes in some of the most challenging contexts. We have the passion, the discipline, the intellectual rigour, the materials and more importantly we have the people to deliver real magic and to achieve world class outcomes consistently across individual schools and across all schools.

I am not in any way complacent about the challenges we face here in this wonderfully rich, diverse and incredibly challenging city. It's never easy but like you, I am constantly looking for the answers and constantly asking myself how much more I can do, how much more we can do and how much more our schools can do. I am also constantly asking myself about my effectiveness and how I can continue to develop and do better tomorrow than I am doing today.
Welcome your thoughts and ideas.
Chris