Having now decided as a staff what we want our Highfield achiever to have with regards to skills and personal qualities. (see this weeks bulletin) We need to consider how the curriculum will help them to achieve these.

We need to ensure first class SEN provision, both in terms of resources (with fully qualified and trained SEN teachers) and appropriate facilities - especially for those students at the top end of the spectrum (which have been overlooked for years...)

Pupils need to be prepared for the world of work and further education. Thinking for themselves is something that many young people are not good at. See comments from universities and FE colleges - they are spoonfeeding their students.

See my space

Having been involved in administration of Adult Literacy/ Numeracy I think that key skills as these are an important provision. There are a vast array of short on-line tests available in this vain from various examining boards. I will obtain more info and bring it along.

I attended the learnign and teaching group this week and was really impressed with the ideas that were coming out of this group, with a lot of colaborative working between departments and hopefully this will be part of the curriculum champions work over the weekend.

I hope one way of encouraging collaborative working between departments will come via the Faculty Frameworks. One of its aims is to share good practice to ensure pupil progress.

Collaborative working between departments is important for consistency and to push up the quality of teaching and learning, especially among the small number of staff members where this and their relationship with the kids is a serious weakness.

Let's make sure we use the raft of proposals generated recently by faculty SEF work and Faculty Improvement Plans to inform the curriculum plan. Seems to me that faculties have targeted what is needed / what they would like, so let's not do it all again! We must build in time for the Pastoral faculty development plan targets to be made possible - they are currently not in time available. One other local school timetables staff to meet with and review members of their tutor group one lesson a week: three 15 - 20 minute chats in one lesson allows all members of each tutor group to be met every half term. Much nodding happened when I mentioned this at the last AR&R meeting. HoH/aHoH could use this time for critical kids, LAC's, SEN reviews etc. Only problem is it impacts on lesson time, but is 20 minutes of a lesson missed once a half termtoo much to ask?