Monday 23rd July 2007, 00:53No Child Gets Left BehindI am Chair of Governors at my son’s School which is our local primary school. I have been inspired by the work and commitment of the staff, parents and children who form this school community. I have only recently taken on this role and it has opened my eyes to the way in which this group of people led by Mrs Boyle (the amazing Head Teacher) review every aspect of every child to ensure they all get the very best chance in life to achieve their goals and aspirations. Yes there is maths, English, history etc etc. but also dance, sport, cookery club, choir, music, stars in your eyes competitions, creative arts and and and and much more.
So what, I hear you say. Well it’s made me think. The energy that flows in this organisation is awesome. The passion shown and the dedication are immense. These early years are the bed rock for a life, and yes I know it is a partnership between school and parents but for some children it is more than just school, it is a safe place. It is a place for recognition and support, for growth and stretch.
In the UK we have policies around the concept of “Every Child Matters” many of which are great and offer a vision for how we can develop our services and style of school. But I was reading about the USA concept of “No child gets left behind” and I must admit to feeling a great alignment with this concept. Our gifted and talented children have the joy of focus and energies. Individual tracking ensures each child has a personalised learning plan and one to one support is offered for all those needing this type of close contact and intimate support. Even so for some children school and educational achievement is only one issue they are facing as young people. For some children everywhere, life can be tough, life throws up some tough challenges and my heart drifts into thinking about the ways in which we must all seek to provide the flexibility of wrap around support models which wrap around where the child is today, wraps around their world with the struggles and the empty places. In our school so much is done to make sure “no child gets left behind” and I must pay my respects to the professional work of the staff and parents in their search and desire to capture every opportunity to lift children.
So I hope you will forgive me if I sit here in my own world day dreaming, thinking, shuffling emails and wondering did we do everything today, this week, this year for those children. The end of the academic year is a ripe time for review and renewal. I want A4e to be able to reach into these young people and offer our creativity before they become older people with entrenched issues and I hope I am not dreaming by hoping we can find ways to build stronger people who need our services less in the future.
Thanks
Roy Newey
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