Welcome back! I hope that the first week back after half term has gone well. The annual rhythm of school terms offers essential moments to stop and take stock. These regular breaks are so important not just for maintaining sanity (and marriages!), but also because term time working can be so busy and consuming it leaves little time for reflection. Being a school leader often means being the both the biggest defender and the biggest critic of the organisation at the same time. Being the defender is likely the instinctive part of the two but keeping a sharp self-evaluative eye can be more difficult. Research points to effective schools drawing on evidence that is systematically collected to identify their strengths and frankly discuss their weaknesses. These schools are outward facing, and looking for excellence in other settings, as well as actively testing and seeking weaknesses in their own. On my visits to several schools this week I have been struck by the common aspiration of Camden Schools to be outward facing and to share practice. It is that sense of wanting to learn from each other and seek feedback that makes our Camden schools partnership strong. Over the next term, we will be developing and seeking your opinions on the Camden Learning offer for 2023-24. It will continue to be important that this includes meaningful opportunities to continue to learn from others, including beyond our borders, and this should include visits to each other’s schools now that movement is easier. I look forward to consulting more with you about this offer in the coming term.

We have our Headteachers consultative meetings this month, Secondary on Wednesday 16th November and Primary on, Thursday 24th November. Agendas will be sent out ahead of time, and as always, we have lots to talk about. We also intend to resume online Tuesday afternoon meetings with Primary Headteachers on the first Tuesday of every month at 1:30pm. Primary colleagues will receive an invitation and meeting link for the December meeting this week.

Thank you as always for everything you are doing to provide great school experiences for Camden young people.

Best wishes

Stephen Hall

Chief Executive Officer, Camden Learning