As mentioned in our last edition of Foundation News, we have been working hard since January on reviewing how to achieve our mission over the coming years. I am delighted to say that the outcome of that review has been unanimously approved by the Foundation and Academy Trust Boards and that we are now in a position to pursue our new Foundation Strategy. Over the coming months I will be sharing aspects of our plans with you and engaging in conversations about how we will work together to make them a reality. This month, I will focus on the fundamental part which is the reason why are all working for this organisation: education.
The greatest structural change that we are going to see is in terms of the amount of resource available for us to engage in meaningful, collaborative work across our schools. Over the coming months and years, this will include:
- opportunity for teachers and leaders to support and learn from other schools within the Foundation through a Specialist Leader of Education programme
- more collaboration between departments and subject areas across schools through enhanced subject networks with dedicated leads
- coherent Foundation-wide approaches to coaching, mentoring and career development
- an increased focus on Foundation-wide educational strategy and the systems to deliver it
- a move towards a more unified digital approach in order to be able to better share educational resources and best practice
- stronger collaboration between the Foundation’s sixth forms to maintain and widen the post-16 offer for learners
- peer reviews for departments and leaders to learn from other settings within the Foundation
In order to facilitate all of the above, we are in the process of recruiting a Director of Education who will work closely with Headteachers in setting up all of the systems and structures needed to make these developments achievable and sustainable. I hope to be able to introduce you to that person in our next issue.
I finally I wanted to share a very brief reflection on the enjoyment that my family and I are currently feeling on being back in the UK after two years away. One of my children’s favourite books is the set of short poems by the wonderful children’s author Shirley Hughes called Out and About Through the Year. A girl and her baby brother enjoy all of the different seasons with the associated weather and activities. My children couldn’t relate to that in a country where the weather was either ‘hot’, ‘very hot’ or ‘very, very hot’ and every day had a blue sky. All four of us in our family have been enjoying seeing winter turn into spring and watching the transition from snowdrops to crocuses to daffodils to tulips to bluebells. It has made me realise how useful it is to step back sometimes to appreciate how lucky we are in many respects. Wishing you all a continued beautiful spring and, to our many Muslim colleagues and friends, Eid Mubarak when it comes.
Jodh Dhesi
Following on from feedback and questions received from staff members across the Foundation, Jodh has put together some short videos to introduce himself virtually and give a better insight into his background and way of working. The first of these videos can be found here: https://vimeo.com/539100677
