Just what sort of leadership is needed to take three small schools – an infant, a junior and a secondary – and make one big school? And do it in a way that retains the feel of a small organisation but enjoys all the benefits of being one large learning community? And do it in a matter of months, without the benefit of a new build? And do it in a socially challenged ex-mining community in a way that has the active support of parents?
And then get the best results ever across all key stages...?
The only thing that Dave Harris, Head of the Serlby Park – a ‘3-18 Business Enterprise Learning Community’ in a former mining town in Notts - is more passionate about than the idea of ‘through schooling’ is the belief that schools have a duty to ensure all children should feel happy and secure in order to learn.
And that a change in the nature of leadership - and the way schools approach change - is vitally important for schools to succeed in the 21st century.
A regular speaker at conferences to talk about his experiences, Dave not only shares his views on the benefits of 3-18 schooling but also challenges the accepted nature of modern schooling itself, focusing on the ethos for learning, the need for love and respect in the staffroom as well as in the classroom, the relationships and the success – or otherwise – of communication across the whole school community.
In fact, a look at his CV reveals the expertise he can bring to a range of Events:
• Through schooling/ transition
• Leadership through passion
• Practical strategies for developing learning
• Forming an extended school
• Collaboration/ federations/ amalgamations
He even has experience of education from an international perspective, having a Masters degree in International Education, and working with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg for five years.
Dave strongly believes that every school in the country can benefit from stronger cross-phase collaboration and will challenge (or support you) to consider projects, federation or even amalgamation.
One area that has not yet made it onto his CV is his work in the area of sex education in schools, something that led to him being invited to take part in the Channel 4 TV programme with Davina McCall called Let's Talk Sex.
And if you're looking for testimony of Dave's skills as a speaker you won't find better than this from raconteur extraordinaire Gervaise Phinn: 'It was so good to listen to you. Your input was inspirational - you were a hard act to follow. I know that everyone found your session useful and very informative quite apart from being immensely entertaining.'
Feedback about Dave's work from recent Events include:
- I am writing on behalf of the Federation to thank you for your inspirational and hugely enjoyable address
- The response to the presentation was unanimously favourable and I think you may be able to form a fan club in this area!
- For Dave's prices click here
- People who benefited from Dave have also enjoyed Jackie Beere
So, to experience what primary education can teach secondary and vice versa from someone who has feet firmly in both camps (Dave’s latest article for ASCL and featured below is entitled You’ve Never Known Fear Until You’ve Given an Infant Assembly and contains the memorable line, ‘So, what has led me to a point in my career where I have been persuaded to join a KS2 disco dressed as Pudsey Bear?’), for insights and ideas that relate to all schools and to all children or just to find out what Davina is really like, please make contact with Dave Harris by calling the Independent Thinking office on 0709 239 9617 or e-mail us at learn@independentthinking.co.uk
Articles by Dave Harris:
Books by Dave Harris:
TV Programmes with Dave Harris: