Headteacher blog 30th September 2016

This week we have seen some of the best of Farfield. I had to write an annual Educational Visits Report for governors and calculated that we had 54 school trips last year, not including the regular trips to sports clubs as part of PE lessons or the local visits by foot. These visits certainly enhance our broad curriculum and provide superb memories for the children. This week class 2Lo had a super visit to the Leeds Medical Museum as part of their work on Florence Nightingale; the class were clearly inspired as yesterday the school’s tyre park seemed to have been turned into Scutari Hospital during a break time – there were ‘casualties’ draped across makeshift beds and ‘nurses’ scurrying around! Another quality of Farfield teachers is the extent to which they plan exciting and engaging lessons – even if the subject matter is really a bit ‘dry’. This week we had a great example of this as Y6 had a Star Wars Day to help them learn about active and passive voice in their writing.

This week I have also met with local Farsley head teacher colleagues to plan greater collaborative work, peer evaluation and mutual support between the schools. We have always got on very well but it may be time to work more closely together in a more formal manner. In November, teachers across the three schools will be working together to look at the evidence and quality of reasoning and problem solving within their maths curriculum and children’s books.

Finally, I shall be representing Leeds Primary Headteachers at the retirement event for Nigel Richardson today. Nigel Richardson is the Director of Children’s Services for Leeds and he has led a transformation in his service over the past six or seven years, resulting in improved outcomes for vulnerable children and a very good Ofsted report last year (Leeds having been slated in 2009). I have worked with Nigel for many of those years on the Leeds Safeguarding Children Board and his contributions have always been insightful and challenging. He leaves Leeds’ Children’s Services in a strong position as the most highly-rated children’s services in the country (compared to other ‘core cities’) and this is a huge personal achievement.