In this episode we gain the School Governor perspective to the Recovery Curriculum through a presentation and discussion with Polly McMeeking.
Governors have a unique perspective to bring to our thinking around a Recovery Curriculum, and what their role in such a process can be.
Polly McMeeking, Chair of Governors at Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School, asks if your school Governors can pass the Covid test?
… and is their response compassionate governance?
She discusses the strategic responsibility of Governors, and how responsive that needs to be in the current crisis; from sensitive listening to the Headteacher having to interpret ever-changing Government guidance, to ensuring the school environment is safe to receive returning pupils, to simple acts of kindness towards staff …. in the case of her school, expensive hand cream for all staff to cope with the endless handwashing but also to say ‘we value you‘.
Please make sure your Governors have an opportunity to listen to this thoughtful and reflective message to inspire them in these challenging times.
The title and theme of Polly’s presentation is:
“Strategies for Recovery – Compassionate Governance & The Covid Test”
The video below contains the audio from LearningShared Episode 11 with visual slides from the presentation.
About Polly McMeeking
Polly McMeeking is Chair of Governors at Chaddesley Corbett Endowed Primary School in rural Worcestershire. She has had a long career in mainstream and special education, retiring in 2011 as Director of Education for the Arc group of independent day schools serving children with complex emotional needs and their families for whom the state sector had not been able to make successful educational provision.
Previous work included SENDCO posts and Headship of outstanding SEMH special schools.
Polly has always worked tirelessly within the voluntary sector, including roles for IPSEA, independent consultancy for parents facing SEND challenges, and serving in multiple school governance roles.
As a Chair of Governors, she has been a forceful advocate for the Recovery Curriculum approaches which she feels have application potential within governorship management as well as in children’s services during this period of readjustment and rebalancing.
Barry Carpenter’s website
https://barrycarpentereducation.com
More info on the Recovery Curriculum
For information on the Recovery Curriculum, including the original Think Piece entitled “A Recovery Curriculum: Loss and Life for our children and schools post pandemic”, lectures, resources, reference materials and details of the online communities of practice, visit:
https://www.recoverycurriculum.org
Join the conversation about The Recovery Curriculum:
Clearly any form of Recovery Curriculum will need to be unique to each and every school, contextualised to the ethos, culture and values of that school, as well as its existing curriculum and crucially reflecting and addressing the needs and aspirations of its unique population of learners.
We have created private groups in LinkedIn and Facebook where colleagues and peers can discuss and share thoughts, ideas, experiences, resources and learning in relation to education and provision post pandemic. The groups are also an opportunity to connect people and help you to build a network that can support you on your own important journey over the coming months.
Facebook Group: Recovery Curriculum
We’ve set up a private facebook group specifically for The Recovery Curriculum at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/recoverycurriculum
or search for “recoverycurriculum” in Facebook.
Facebook: EfL SEND Community Group
Join us at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/eflSENDCommunity/
or search for “eflSENDCommunity” in Facebook.
The purpose of the group is to provide a safe, closed space to seek out and share ideas, experience and resources that can help with any and all aspects of SEND provision. It’s also a community for practitioners and schools that use Evidence for Learning and Insights for Learning to share ideas, resources and support each other in using these apps. This is a peer-moderated and supported group.
Linkedin Group: The Recovery Curriculum
The group is called “A Recovery Curriculum for children & schools post-pandemic” and you can find it at:
