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To Our CEO’s Blog
CEO’s Blog: “We’re cathedral builders – and we always have been.”
It is probably far too late in the month to wish readers a ‘Happy New Year’, but somehow for this first blog of 2021 it would seem impolite not to, especially in the context that the closing words of my previous piece was to wish you all a good Christmas.
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CEO’s Blog: “The Shape of the Spoon”
As we move toward the end of the term, and the end of the calendar year, we will all be taking some time to reflect on what 2020 has meant to us. Writing in a personal capacity, as I do for these blogs, there have certainly been many lows as well as highs as I am sure you, my reader, will have experienced also.
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CEO’s Blog: “We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.”
Readers of my blogs will recall that earlier in the year (March 2020) I drew my inspiration from Michael Palin’s “Pole to Pole”, a book I had chosen to read during the most restrictive phase of…
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CEO’s Blog: “If you have to tell folks ya is, ya probably ain’t!”
One of the reasons I enjoy history, and became a History teacher, was my capacity to enjoy and recall events with reasonable accuracy and ease. Thinking of a theme for my blog this month, I was…
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CEO’s Blog: When no one is watching.
I hope this Blog finds all its readers safe and well, as we continue to live and work through these times. There are numerous writers and broadcasters who have made the timely, and expedient, connection between…
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CEO’s Blog: Learning: a precious resource.
Learning: a precious resource. For the past week or so, I have been reading Michael Palin’s “Pole to Pole”, in which he charts a journey from the North to the South Pole, passing along the line…
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CEO’s Blog: The great outdoors
Perhaps writing this blog in the aftermath of some of the worst and most damaging storms for decades may be unwise, but it was prompted by several occurrences last week that I wanted to share with…
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CEO’s Blog: “And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you.”
It was almost ten years ago to the day that I began my association with John Taylor, by taking up the headship at John Taylor High School. My most vivid memory of 4th January 2010, which succeeded a somewhat sleepless night, was to be greeted at the snow-covered entrance to the school by a member of our admin staff, who enquired with an outstretched arm and an upturned palm, “So, are we opening today, boss?” Welcome to headship!
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CEO’s Blog: Front and centre: “The Sage on the Stage”
Welcome to the 2019/20 academic year to you all. At John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust we particularly welcome Church Gresley Infant and Nursery School to our family, our tenth primary phase partner. As with a new school to the Trust, I also welcome all colleagues, children and families that have become part of the JTMAT community this year. I am excited about what you will bring to us, and what you will share alongside us.
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CEO’s Blog: July 2019 Letter to Year 13
So, here goes. I’ve written you a list. I hope it makes sense. If it does, that’s great. If any of it resonates with you – even better. The list is in no order, other than that in which the ideas came to me, which has little bearing on their importance. It’s also by no means exhaustive, as you’ll see, but it is based on some of the challenges I know that some of you will face.
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CEO’s Blog: May 2019 Know thyself
In a previous blog (February 2018), I wrote about John C Maxwell’s “Five Levels of Leadership”, and the privilege I have of working alongside other leaders at differing phases of their professional and personal development. Maxwell…
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CEO’s Blog: April 2019 Wellbeing – More than a kite mark
Back in the 1990s, when I first assumed formal leadership responsibility in a school and started to correspond regularly with parents, I noticed a problem.
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CEO’s Blog: March 2019 Words fail?
I found myself in a situation last week in which, far from the first time, I used the expression “words fail” in describing my response to a shocking piece of news.
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CEO’s Blog – January 2019
The themes of our development were metacognition and self-regulation, feedback, and collaboration. The Education Endowment Foundation, a representative of which joining us for the day to support our professionals in conducting and accessing research, have collated a huge gamut of studies undertaken to establish what has impact, and at what financial cost.
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CEO Blog December 2018
Again attempting to avoid another seasonal favourite – the “Review of the Year” – I’ll merely state that it’s been a hugely positive 2018 from my perspective as our Trust has welcomed great new schools into its family, achieved considerable successes for its communities and seen our amazing children and adults achieve beyond their own high expectations.
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The “knight’s move”
As you will appreciate, my time available to read for pleasure is a scarce luxury – but one which I look forward to when a half term break or longer holiday is approaching. This half term,…
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Official Opening, John Taylor Free School
As many readers will be aware, last week saw the official opening of John Taylor Free School by His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester. I have been asked by several of our guests that day…
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New terms, new children, new schools – and old chairs!
The first week of the new academic year is always an exciting time, as we welcome new children and staff to our schools and look forward to the implementation of the plans and strategies that we…
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End of Year Report
For this, my final, blog of 2017/18 I would like to do two things: update readers about the progress we’ve made as a Trust this academic year, and share with you my thoughts as we move…
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“Getting the best out of everyone.” – JTMAT Governance Conference 2018
As we approach the end of the academic year, I look forward to our annual JTMAT Governance Conference. This annual event is a great opportunity for many of our colleagues from local governing bodies across all…
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