As we head into the jubilee weekend and half term, I know many schools have been marking the occasion in all kinds of ways. I have seen some of the wonderful and fun activities that have been happening across Camden. It has been fantastic to see how the jubilee has been used to inspire children to explore what it means through artwork, literacy, history, and many other creative ways. I am sure it is something many of them will remember as adults!

This week I also attended the Sustainers Fest 2022 where secondary school pupils explored different environmental themes and how they might take these, or their own, initiatives back to their schools. It was great to see such enthusiasm from the young people involved and to imagine what they will be taking back to their schools and potentially into their future careers. I am sure next term and next year we will see many of their ideas blossom.

I was also alerted this week to the Curriculum research review series: English published by Ofsted. The review explores the research literature relating to English, and identifies factors that can contribute to high-quality curriculums, pedagogy, assessment and schools’ systems for managing the subject. This is fundamentally linked to some of the initiatives we are asking schools to consider in the delivery of the education strategy.

Following yesterday’s SLIG meeting, we will be contacting you after half-term term to ask for expressions of interest from schools to undertake various initiatives in a range of different areas.

I hope you all enjoy the jubilee weekend and the half term break. We will be busy after half term as we establish detailed plans for 22/23, explore what initiatives school will take forward and explore and define in more detail our next steps following the schools bill.

I look forward to seeing you all again next term and hope you have a restful break.

Tracey Caldwell

Interim Managing Director, Camden Learning