This week I have been thinking a lot about the launch of the Education Strategy and the importance of the delivery plan itself. You will be receiving an invite for Friday 18th March at 5PS in the morning, where we will be formally be launching the Education Strategy, outlining the next steps and opportunities that the strategy brings and workshopping some significant themes.

A golden thread running through the education strategy is how we challenge the inequalities that exist in our education system and relentlessly promote excellence and equity. Last week Marc Rowland delivered a follow-up workshop to his Camden Conversation titled: From mitigation to success – Developing an effective disadvantage strategy (slides attached below), focusing on seven strategic components in setting a strategy. As ever, plenty for us to consider and apply, as we promote a system which is better for disadvantaged children and is actually a system better for all children.

The Post 16 strand in the education strategy is now being taken forward by Sean Harford, formerly Ofsted HMI, who has agreed to lead this important piece of work for two days a week. Sean is very enthusiastic and brings a wealth of experience to this area, he is currently meeting key people before setting up the first steering group.

Last Thursday, was World Book Day and it was joyous seeing so many children locally and on social media, setting off to school with their various outfits and favourite book (Two favourites of mine, Helen McNulty as The Worst Witch and Maya Borwick-Fox, The Hungry Caterpillar). The education strategy has a crucial and important ambition, which is promoting reading by 7 years of age. Reading opens up the world of learning and ultimately influences life chances. We have been considering what success might look like for this aspiration, however, one key and undisputed outcome is promoting the love of reading. Whilst we see the ravages of war in the Ukraine and the suffering of families and young people, I was struck by a message from an author in Canada, to the children of the world, (Richard Van Camp) who encapsulates so much in a short and profound note:

Reading is freedom. Reading is breath.

Reading lets you see our world in a new way and it invites you into worlds you never want to leave.

Reading allows your spirit to dream.

They say books are friends for life and I agree.

The perfect universe of you only grows when you read.

Stories are wings that help you soar every day, so find the books that speak to your spirit, to your heart, to your mind.

Stories are medicine, They heal. They comfort. They inspire. They teach.

Bless the storytellers and the readers and the listeners. Bless books. They are medicine for a better, brighter world.

Mahsi cho. Thank you very much.

Jon Abbey

Managing Director of Camden Learning