Three is the Magic Number - AAA and iii

According to Embrace, De La Soul and other musicians, 'Three is the Magic Number'. It would seem three letters are equally important - especially when they are repeated. With this in mind, we would like to share AAA and iii.

Child Friendly Leeds - Attendance, Attainment & Achievement

Last month we attended a wonderful Child Friendly Leeds Ambassador event at Carr Manor Community School. The welcome from Tom Shaw, Acting Senior Manager for the school really was impressive. Tom's key messages - in no particular order were around:

• the importance of quality coaching
• partnerships in learning
• creating communities - with connections and a sense of belonging
• building, maintaining and repairing relationships
• building a character for learning so we can enjoy and achieve

Phil Mellen, Deputy Director in charge of Learning for Leeds City Council continued this message with his call to focus on Attendance, Attainment & Achievement. We were particularly impressed by the fact that Leeds view Achievement in its widest sense - looking at sport, the arts, well-being and resilience. We agree completely - yes we want high standards, but not at the expense of well-being. As to raising attendance, we need to offer a curriculum that appeals to all children. In an ideal world, schools would be places that learners want to attend rather than being places they have to attend. It's about ENGAGEMENT & ENJOYMENT!

Ofsted - Intention, Implementation and Impact

We often hear afPE leaders talking about 'The 3 is' in relation to Ofsted as well as ways to consider best use of the PE and Sport Premium. Too often, we hear of schools not spending this funding wisely and ethically, but that's for another blog post. What struck us this week were the words of Sean Harford, a man who we hold in high esteem... Which brings us back to the mission of Leeds City Council - to help schools create a climate and culture of engagement and enjoyment - with aspiration permeating throughout. By sharing research, research and ideas, we can all work together to help all learners feel valued and excited by education in its widest sense. By including 'move and learn' approaches, we can help certain children overcome their fears of certain subject as well as engage even the most reluctant of learners. Together, we can make a difference - with or without those three letters.