Strategic Core

County Hall

Martineau Lane

Norwich

NR1 2DL

Minicom: (01603) 223833

Mr D Lennard Jones

SC/DLJ/MAH/02 01603 223474

20 May 2002 01603 223838

Last term I wrote to you and invited your comments about the way we arrange and structure these meetings. We then discussed this feedback further at the meetings held in the second half of the Spring Term. As a result of this feedback we have arranged a programme of 6 meetings per term and have venues that we hope will prove convenient and that we will use on a regular basis for this year. We can review how things have gone towards the end of the year.

These meetings are an important opportunity for dialogue and a place where we can discuss together developmental issues of importance to schools and the service as a whole. I hope that you will put these dates in your diary.

One of the issues raised within the feedback was the value you place on picking up issues pertinent to individual areas (as opposed to individual schools). As a result I will invite the School Improvement Support Officers to co-ordinate any suggestions about recent local issues that it would be valuable to discuss in these wider forums. I also intend to ask the School Improvement Support Officer for the area to chair the meeting if they are available because I think this might help to give a more local flavour to the discussions.

As previously, it is also important for me to bring issues for discussion to the meetings. In particular I would value hearing current perceptions on school budgets as I begin to think about the budget for the next financial year. I would also be interested to hear your perceptions on teacher recruitment and later in the year we may need to discuss implications arising from the new Education Act as it emerges from Parliament. I think it would also be helpful to discuss issues arising from the document called Inclusion and Raising standards for all children that has already been circulated.

I look forward to meeting you at one of the meetings later on this term.

Yours sincerely

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION