RichardS

There is no getting away from it - Sweden is a nice place and Swedes are nice people. There has been connection between North Lincolnshire Children's Services and Jonkoping Municipality education service for about a year now, starting from a visit to Scunthorpe by a group from Jonkoping in 2006. In September 07 a group of headteachers and a couple of council officers visited schools there funded by the British Council, and this month 3 more people went over thanks again to the British Council. I was lucky enough to be one of the three. Jonkoping is a town of about 60,000 in a council area of 125,000 people right in the middle of southern Sweden on the southern shore of an enormous lake. It's home to some well known names including the original Huskvarna factory, ABB, Electrolux, SAAB and of course Ikea. Traditional industries are being complemented by newer activity in logistics based on the town's central location. They have an exhibition centre of national significance. There is a successful and very internationally orientated university with a big education department training teachers and undertaking a lot of research. They have the best ice hockey side in Sweden - they said that several times (Huskvarna 71). Ice hockey is big in Sweden.

I spent a lot of time in schools in the town and visited the University. The pre-schools start at 0530 am - yes 0530 am. I asked why - they said "because that's what the parents need for their jobs".....simple really. There was a lot of interest in UK performance management techniques both in our schools and in our council. The 20 something politician in charge of the council's schools was especially interested. I also met his former headteacher who was able to give me the story behind the story! He had been "very political" from an early age it seemed.  The measured pace and absolute calm of a Jonkoping secondary school is something to behold for those used to the smells, bells and clamour of the British school. The students are polite, hard working and have excellent English (its a compulsory subject from age 7 through to 16 and there is lots of English TV broadcast without dubbing which no doubt helps). As one North Lincs Head said to me " Give me 800 Swedish kids in my school and I'll give you the best exam results in country!" I guess the message is that what works is what works where you are, with those you work with and for. Having said that, we can learn a lot from the Swedish approach to education and local government and they can learn a lot from us. Particularly impressive are the links between local industry and FE provision.

I hope the contact can become a link - they plan a repeat trip to North Lincolnshire in September, and some teachers from Jonkoping were in a school here only last week on the back of the September 07 visit by one of our Headteachers, so there is clear interest. 

For more see  http://www.jonkoping.se/2.e9493a107fae400e180004254.html  or http://www.jonkoping.se/sprakversioner/en.4.e9493a107fae400e180005022.html for pages in English.

I go to a lot of council meetings. Last week I went to a very special one. The School Council at St Hughs Communications and Interaction Specialist College in Scunthorpe. St Hugh's is a special school for students aged between 11 and 19 years with a wide range of moderate/complex learning difficulties associated with physical/social needs. It's a brilliant learning place. The School Council meets regularly to discuss an agenda set by the students themselves. The agenda includes questions which hold the Headteacher and staff to account. The discussion also helps to improve the school. I was really impressed by the meeting - it's engagement in action. Real people talking about real things that matter to them. Learn more about St Hughs at http://www.st-hughs.n-lincs.sch.uk/index.htm .  And see  http://www.st-hughs.n-lincs.sch.uk/games.htm for some great games.......

While I was at school the Head, Chris Darlington, spoke to me about a few things that were on his mind, including the development of integrated children's services across North Lincolnshire and the benefits to his school of taking part in the council's annual Points of View Survey (a survey of all council staff). The survey and the school council are founded on the same principle - you have to talk to people to find out how be sure about how well you are doing, and what needs to change.

The bike racing season starts in a few weeks - my son and I had a really cold day at Cadwell Park in deepest Lincolnshire this week testing out the winter's improvements to the Kawasaki - by the end of the day it was clear he was slower than last season....I think we will need to have another think!