C.E. Jottings

The freedom in freedom of speech

I enjoyed these two paired blog postings. I just wanted to share them with you. That's all. The Freedom in Freedom of Speech Going Beyond Social Media to Connect Deeply Read more →

Re:Lease

It's been a busy week since first thing Monday morning and looks like being that way right up to close of play on Friday. Monday was a bi-monthly Trustees' meeting, with a focus on management accounts for the current year and how the year looks like panning out by year end; Monday and Tuesday we hosted a visit from a special visitor who will be helping us transform Paces and Paces Campus - on Monday she joined all Trustees and... Read more →

Childrens Trusts and Non-Maintained Special Schools

Non-maintained special schools will be 'relevant partners'. Persistence by NASS has resulted in DCFS agreeing that non-maintained special schools should have a statutory right to be a partner on their local Children’s Trust Board. I quote from a communication from the Chief Executive of NASS, Claire Dorer: "Children’s Trusts were established to help address the fragmentation of services and lack of a clear line of accountability so heavily criticised in the Laming Report into the death of Victoria Climbie. Their... Read more →

Building relationships - contributing to the blogosphere

I took some time tonight to catch up with Glenda Watson Hyatt's blog. I've been away far too long. There's always something interesting to read. I was prompted to catch up with Glenda by her contribution in a Comment to Susie Mallet's blog posting "Sex and the City". Glenda won't mind, I'm sure, me sharing with you her thoughts on blogging, in her posting "Review of 2008". Here it is, and if you don't know Glenda's blog, take a look... Read more →

Paces awarded Web2.0 grant for staff training

Paces has been awarded a small grant from Children England for staff training. The grant is under their Workforce Development strand funded by the Children's Workforce Development Council. What's unusual is what the grant is for. The characteristic feature of the internet widely known as Web2.0 is interactivity. From blogs to YouTube and Facebook, people are finding new ways of communicating and new uses for communications. The conductive education world, like many 'non-profits' in the 'third sector' is rapidly embracing... Read more →

Funny old world, innit?

As we start on 2009, in an admittedly difficult financial climate, we at Paces are planning the transformation of the charity over the next 5 years. How bold will be our Vision? What do we dare set ourselves to achieve? Here's a funny thing. What should we make of it? What do you make of it? On January 4th, The Sunday Times carried a story under the headline "Charity made illegal donations to Labour". Other papers picked up on the... Read more →

State-run community centres?

The media have been having fun. "Don't use the S-word. This is a place of learning, not a school", thundered The Times: and gave over a main news item from Education Editor Alexandra Freen and a Third Leader "School's Out - Rebranding a primary school 'a place for learning' is a euphemism too far" . The Yorkshire Post reports that "campaigners for both education and plain speaking" derided the decision as "laughable". The Sun goes for blunt-and-to-the point: "School bans... Read more →

A Parent first & foremost

I'm never far from remembering I'm a parent, even when duties as Paces CEO drive my life. I'm glad to say that this Christmas and New Year, I have been able to spend the time 100% with my family for over two weeks. And not once in those two weeks have I been tempted to open up my Paces' laptop. Remarkable. This afternoon, as we wait for the best moment to tell our daughter that she will be spending the... Read more →