posted on 03 November 2009 09:20
Trainer Will Ord runs a great course called “Good to Outstanding”. I’m thinking about marketing one called “Good to Satisfactory” because that’s what’s happening right now. The official goalposts have moved so that schools doing largely the same as (and maybe better than) they were a few years ago are now graded less favourably. It’s a bit like running 100 metres in 10 seconds, then next week finding 10 metres added to the track. And still being expected to run it in 10s.
At what point do we stop, dig in our heels, and then turn to follow what we believe? As I say to all the dedicated, rigorous, creative and big-hearted school leaders that I meet, “there’s not exactly a queue at your office door for your job…”.
Children’s growth into mature, confident and ethical citizens comes first; the numbers that describe them second (or fifth).