February 2015

A heartfelt note of welcome to you. I am looking forward to working with you all as, together, we work to secure the very best outcomes for children and young people in Walsall: so we are genuinely ‘Better together for Children’.  We are all in changing times but for me an enduring value is to make sure that we enable children to be the very best they can be, and that absolutely includes being the very best learner they can be: aspiring, achieving and ambitious about themselves, their now and their future.

The world is changing fast, expectations are rising rapidly and a more diverse education system is swiftly developing. Nationally and internationally we have to grow and achieve a more educated and skilled workforce and cannot afford to lose the potential of any young person. Our role is to be ambitious, focused and strategic in championing the needs and priorities of children and young people living, learning and growing up in Walsall by:

• Developing a new partnership, through system leadership, with all schools and other providers, based on collaboration, co-production and shared effort, to build greater capacity in the system.

• Focusing relentlessly on improving the quality of educational provision and raising educational standards at each key stage, through support and challenge to schools and other providers to improve quickly.

• Supporting greater choice for parents and families by commissioning a sufficient and diverse supply of places in strong schools and quality early years settings.

• Making the most effective and efficient use of all of our resources to support improving outcomes for children and securing the best arrangements for sustainable success.

• Supporting vulnerable children, including those looked after, pupils with SEN and disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, so that they achieve well and make good progress.

• Ensuring every child has fair access to all schools.

• Promoting and championing an accessible education, training and skills system that is clear and understandable and delivers a range of options and progressions pathways for all young people

Challenging times ahead, but I’m confident we have a shared passion, ambition and drive for the very best educational and employability outcomes for children, supported by quality settings, schools and learning and skills providers.

I look forward to getting to know you and your school and look forward to making a visit as soon as I can.  I hope that we can draw on your support as we move forward together.

With every best wish,

David Haley

Executive Director: Children's Services