Strategic Core

County Hall

Martineau Lane

Norwich

NR1 2DL

Minicom: (01603) 223833

Mr D Lennard Jones

BS/MAH/28 01603 223474

24 January 2002 01603 223838

To all Headteachers

Dear Colleague

Following discussions with you we introduced a revised programme of headteacher meetings a year ago. As a result afternoon, twilight and evening meetings were introduced in each of the areas and we changed the format so that there was a discussion item at the meeting together with shorter briefings on key issues and an opportunity for headteachers to raise issues on the agenda. Numbers of headteachers attending these meetings have suggested that we have still not got the pattern quite right. Attendance over the summer and autumn terms of last year was as follows:-

The purpose of this letter is to ask for some feedback on these meetings. Subject to your comments I propose that one change that should be made is to revert to the previous pattern of late afternoon meetings and to use the same 5 venues each term.

It is never easy to find venues that suit everyone, do the following five venues provide a fair spread around the County?

King's Lynn Professional Development Centre,

Fakenham High School,

Norwich Professional Development Centre

A Great Yarmouth Gorleston venue, perhaps St Mary's Primary School, Gorleston,

Easton College

Please let me know if you have any comments about the particular start time, is 4 pm, 4.15 pm or 4.30 pm best?

We have tried different approaches to the agendas. There are many issues discussed with small groups of headteachers through groups meeting under the Improvement Partnership umbrella. The value of our open meetings is that they provide an opportunity each term to share key information and issues with all headteachers in the County and for you to have the opportunity to express views about these issues and to help shape the education service in Norfolk. I would like to hear your thoughts about agendas and related issues.

Subject to the responses that you make to this letter I propose that we arrange 5 late afternoon meetings on the following dates:

For this term I propose the following current issues which I think would be valuable to discuss:-

I propose that I offer these areas for discussion, pick up a couple in detail and answer questions or discuss others. I would ask you to indicate those areas which are of particular interest to you on the reply slip below.

It is important to me that I know what you think about these meetings and that we work together to ensure that we have a structure for these meetings that meet the majority of needs. It gives us a regular opportunity to exchange thoughts about how we can take the Education Service in Norfolk forwards. Please put your comments on the attached form or respond electronically by email or even better via the reply form on esinet.

Please put these dates in your diary and unless your feedback suggests a different strategy for this term, these are the dates for our meetings this term. When I have your feedback (by 8 February if possible please) I shall write with dates for our Summer and Autumn term meetings.

Yours sincerely

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Reply slip

Name

School

Question 1: Which of the 5 meetings proposed would you anticipate attending,

Gorleston/Fakenham/Norwich/Easton/King's Lynn?

Question 2: What do you think about the timing of headteacher meetings?

Question 3: What do you think about the location of headteacher meetings?

Question 4: What do you think about the agenda for headteacher meetings?

Question 5: Please make any other comments that you wish to about the meetings

and then please return this slip to:

Michele Herring, Room 16A, Education Department,

Norfolk County Council,

County Hall,

Martineau Lane,

Norwich, NR1 2DL.

Email michele.herring.edu@norfolk.gov.uk