JCG
Sep 12th, 2005 by Don Ledingham
In early to make up for not being in on Friday. However, the fact that I can access my e mail at home had enabled me to respond to all my emails last night. There was still plenty to clear.
Meeting of Management Team at 8.30am. Alan Blackie has been on holiday for the past two weeks so we had a fair bit to catch up with. Fortunately there hadn't been to many problems over this period.
10.00 Met with Patricia MacCall, Secretary of the Primary Nursery Headteachers' executuve. Patrica had a response to the communications paper which we talked through. It's obvious that there is still a great deal of sensitivity relating to the fact that primary schools have not been given business managers. Rightly or wrongly there is an impression that secondary schools have been advantaged in this matter. I don't intend to get into an argument about whether the perception is right or wrong but to focus upon the need of schools if it will benefit the teaching and learning process. As I mentioned on Thursday I'd like to explore what would rectify the matter; cost it and try to put into place a strategic plan which would enable us to move towards that position over a three year period. I did warn Patrica that in the event of there being no new money that we would have to consider finding the resources from within our own budget which might necessitate some form of cut elsewhere.
12.00 Out to Longniddry Primary to have chat with Ann McLanachan. The school had its familiar buzz of energy and activity. Ann is doing some very interesting work with her team in relation to Learning Teams which we will be posting under the Research heading on this website. 1.00 Then on to Aberlady Primary school to meet Jackie MacKinnon. The school has been very sympathetically extended over the last few years and Jackie took me round to meet the staff. A very purposeful environment with a strong fucus on rasing attainment.
2.00 Back to the office for the JCG Joint Consultative Group - which meets every few months to enable the unions and department to share information. I shared our budget statement and described the attainment action plan. Other items included Additional Support for Learning; links with colleges; long term absence.
4.00 Spent the rest of the day trying to clear my desk. Patricia had commented this morning how I appear to have a paperless office - that wasn't the case this afternoon!
