Over the past three months, one of the major projects that I have been working on is a strategic review of the work of the Foundation. Back in the autumn, our governors asked a series of questions about what our mission – making Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK – means in practice. They asked me, coming in, to help define what it will look like if we are successful in the mission, and also what steps we will need to take and what resources we will need in order to make it happen. As such, I have spent my time doing two things: firstly getting to know how the organisation currently works, and secondly pulling apart the mission so as to understand what it really means, and should mean, to be a King Edward VI school. We are progressing well with this project and I am looking forward to being able to share soon with the whole Foundation what the thoughts of those involved in the process (governors, trustees, headteachers, other school staff and Foundation Office team) feel should be our next steps.
Obviously a key part of that process has been to understand our schools as well as possible: the return onsite for pupils last month meant that I was able to spend an afternoon recently at one of our newest schools, King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy. It was a pleasure to be shown around by the headteacher, Damian McGarvey, and to see polite, smartly dressed pupils working hard in every classroom we entered. As Damian will be the first to say, the school has many challenges to contend with, as was exemplified for me by the row of derelict shops and unwholesome looking public house on the very doorstep of the premises.
However, Damian and his team are working flat out to make things better for their pupils, and meeting the Head Boy and Girl allowed me to see how proud they are of their school. If we get our strategic review right, I want those pupils to be able to say what difference being a part of King Edward VI Foundation has made to their daily experience. With our latest school, King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls, joining us in September, and others interested in doing so, we have the chance to make a real difference to more young people’s lives, while maintaining the excellent standards in our older schools. It is a big challenge, but an exciting one, and I am looking forward to working on it with everyone as we get our plans in place for the coming years.
Obviously a key part of that process has been to understand our schools as well as possible: the return onsite for pupils last month meant that I was able to spend an afternoon recently at one of our newest schools, King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy. It was a pleasure to be shown around by the headteacher, Damian McGarvey, and to see polite, smartly dressed pupils working hard in every classroom we entered. As Damian will be the first to say, the school has many challenges to contend with, as was exemplified for me by the row of derelict shops and unwholesome looking public house on the very doorstep of the premises.
However, Damian and his team are working flat out to make things better for their pupils, and meeting the Head Boy and Girl allowed me to see how proud they are of their school. If we get our strategic review right, I want those pupils to be able to say what difference being a part of King Edward VI Foundation has made to their daily experience. With our latest school, King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls, joining us in September, and others interested in doing so, we have the chance to make a real difference to more young people’s lives, while maintaining the excellent standards in our older schools. It is a big challenge, but an exciting one, and I am looking forward to working on it with everyone as we get our plans in place for the coming years. 
