Management Information Sheet
December 2009 Letter from Lisa Christensen Including Briefing on Lessons Learnt from Autumn Term Inspections
May I first of all wish you, and all your staff very special seasons greetings, I hope 2010 will be a successful and enriching year for you all.
This year has been characterised by many ups and downs for most senior leaders in both the public and private sectors. I know that the last term has been very difficult for many of you with the increased scrutiny of schools through the Ofsted inspection process. It is clear that the significant 'raising of the bar' in inspections has put many of you under immense pressure, but the outcomes across Norfolk have been, in the main, good. I would like to thank you for the leadership and hard work you give to make our schools good places for Norfolk's children and young people. There is every reason for us all to go into inspections with confidence and to make good use of the support networks available. My staff are ready and willing to use their skill and excellent insights into the inspection process to support you.
Besides wanting to wish you well during this Christmas Season, I would like to draw your attention to three things in particular.
First of all, several of you have asked whether we pass on to DCSF, Ofsted, Government Office and the County Council, the lessons learnt from the inspections. I want to reassure you that we most certainly do. We think we have had some success in getting some better moderation of the way the safeguarding issues were being looked at. In addition, it is essential that we all learn from the experience of others as this puts us in a better position to manage the inspections with confidence. Deeper knowledge of the process can sometimes seem threatening but such knowledge empowers us all and is supportive. I have asked some of my senior, experienced colleagues who also inspect to provide the attached "lessons learnt" briefing paper which I hope you will find helpful.
Secondly, I have been struck by the number of really excellent events, activities and results from many, many Norfolk schools. I do hope you will all continue to celebrate successes with your own community, with each other and do please continue to inform us about things to celebrate. We can't always get to every event, but we celebrate your success none the less.
Finally, several of you, particularly at the Area Headteacher meetings, made me aware of the impact the pressure is having on your well-being. As a result we have decided to publish some guidance on well-being early next term. I hope it will start a County-wide discussion on well-being and I will, together with my senior colleagues, make that a key priority for the next term. I will be asking you all for practical suggestions about how we can address this important issue.
I do hope you also look at nominating colleagues for the Teaching Awards and that you will participate in a celebration of governance in the Summer Term. The Norfolk Governors Network is drawing up some proposals for this at the moment.
Once again can I wish you, on behalf of all my staff, a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2010.
Best wishes.
Lisa Christensen
Director of Children's Services
Appendix
This year has been characterised by many ups and downs for most senior leaders in both the public and private sectors. I know that the last term has been very difficult for many of you with the increased scrutiny of schools through the Ofsted inspection process. It is clear that the significant 'raising of the bar' in inspections has put many of you under immense pressure, but the outcomes across Norfolk have been, in the main, good. I would like to thank you for the leadership and hard work you give to make our schools good places for Norfolk's children and young people. There is every reason for us all to go into inspections with confidence and to make good use of the support networks available. My staff are ready and willing to use their skill and excellent insights into the inspection process to support you.
Besides wanting to wish you well during this Christmas Season, I would like to draw your attention to three things in particular.
First of all, several of you have asked whether we pass on to DCSF, Ofsted, Government Office and the County Council, the lessons learnt from the inspections. I want to reassure you that we most certainly do. We think we have had some success in getting some better moderation of the way the safeguarding issues were being looked at. In addition, it is essential that we all learn from the experience of others as this puts us in a better position to manage the inspections with confidence. Deeper knowledge of the process can sometimes seem threatening but such knowledge empowers us all and is supportive. I have asked some of my senior, experienced colleagues who also inspect to provide the attached "lessons learnt" briefing paper which I hope you will find helpful.
Secondly, I have been struck by the number of really excellent events, activities and results from many, many Norfolk schools. I do hope you will all continue to celebrate successes with your own community, with each other and do please continue to inform us about things to celebrate. We can't always get to every event, but we celebrate your success none the less.
Finally, several of you, particularly at the Area Headteacher meetings, made me aware of the impact the pressure is having on your well-being. As a result we have decided to publish some guidance on well-being early next term. I hope it will start a County-wide discussion on well-being and I will, together with my senior colleagues, make that a key priority for the next term. I will be asking you all for practical suggestions about how we can address this important issue.
I do hope you also look at nominating colleagues for the Teaching Awards and that you will participate in a celebration of governance in the Summer Term. The Norfolk Governors Network is drawing up some proposals for this at the moment.
Once again can I wish you, on behalf of all my staff, a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2010.
Best wishes.
Lisa Christensen
Director of Children's Services
Appendix