I don’t think I had better wish any of our national (or regional) sports teams luck in future, I appear to give ‘the kiss of death’ when I mention them on my blog!

This week has been very busy right across our organisation as it is ‘Performance Management’ time when all our deliverers are observed by their line managers. It is really pleasing for me to go into lessons and observe first hand how skilled our teachers and deliverers really are. Our group is really fortunate in having a mix of very experienced colleagues along with teachers new to the profession. Any successful organisation needs both. These lesson observations continue for the next two weeks.

I’d like to give a quick update to those families who may be affected by a move to the Medtia building in the centre of town. This is particularly relevant to the young people aged 16-19 in Lumenus and Digit4ll and to our post 19 groups. Myself, Daniel, Rita and our legal team met this week with Mrs Medtia and her legal representatives. We have put forward a revised proposal to try to bring the planned move forward and we are still awaiting their response. In the meantime, it is looking unlikely that any of our young people will be transferring to the new campus until Christmas at the earliest. I am aware that a number of families, especially from Horizons, are anxious about the proposed transition arrangements. I would like to reassure you that as soon as I am in a position to give you solid and reliable information I will contact you directly.

I sat in on our first Person Centred Reviews this week. Cath and Danielle are doing a brilliant job in ensuring information is gathered before these meetings which allows the attendees to have time to discuss and debate the key issues. I am hoping to attend all Year 14 reviews this year and get in as many Year 7s as is possible.

I was in Birmingham on Thursday preparing for a meeting with Edward Timpson, the Minister for Children and Families. I chair a national group called Special Schools’ Voice, who work with various government agencies to try and improve the provision for our schools and young people. The focus of the meeting with the minister will be to highlight the challenges our young people face as they move into young adulthood and also to update the government on the progress of the Education Health and Care Plans. I will feed back to you via this blog after the meeting later in the month.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Graham