Do You Know My Dream? You Can Help Me #BlackpoolChallenge

Monday night was the launch of the Blackpool Challenge.  Two incredible hours of children and young people showcasing their talents, the best of Blackpool on stage.

The conference was organised by the Blackpool Challenge Board’s Chair Professor Sonia Blandford with guest of honour Brian Rose who was brought up and educated in Blackpool, before going on to a world class boxing career.  Please take a few moments to watch the Blackpool School Partnership’s video below, it’s fantastic:

Do You Know My Dream?

Will You Help Me?

You Help Shape Lives

What You Do Matters

Blackpool has for too long languished at the bottom of every educational league table and the top of too many deprivation tables.  The challenge to transform Blackpool whilst rooted in schools aspires to be so much more.  With the help of businesses, the local authority and partners drawn from far and wide we hope to change this.  We’ve set our Values and Ethos to establish a more collaborative way of working, a range of challenging targets and some key task groups to get major strands of our work up and running.

Our Values and Ethos

The Blackpool Challenge Board seek excellence for Blackpool children by being:

Supportive

• Work to understand a situation and empathise with the situations of others
• Champion the Blackpool Challenge Board and its partners
• Always go the extra mile – we will succeed or fail by the last 1-2%
• Celebrate the success of others
• Challenge where we need to, but always provide constructive feedback

Humble

• Be willing and able to self-reflect, seek feedback and constantly improve
• Ask for help sooner rather than later
• Respect the contribution that others have to make
• Give credit where it is due

Honest

• Be clear and open about limitations and assumptions
• Build honest, trusting relationships with colleagues and partners
• Do what is right

Collaborative

• Be easy to get on with – listen, understand and respond to the views of others
• Communicate clearly, making simplicity out of complexity
• Develop lasting, sustainable partnerships focussed on maximising social impact
• Build the solution with our partners

Aspirational

• Aim to achieve the best possible outcome for every child
• Understand and plan for how we are going to reach our aspirations, setting SMART goals
• Have high expectations of ourselves, children and adults and clearly demonstrate those high expectations

Accountable

• Be clear with the targets we are trying to achieve as individuals, schools and as a town
• Assess progress regularly and robustly and analyse results to understand progress
• Use evidence and qualitative investigation to constantly adapt and improve practice

Blackpool is a great place to work.  I’ve been here for fifteen years and there has never been a dull moment.  Can you help us?  Why not come and join the challenge.

Please click our logo below to show support and help us spread the word

Acknowledgement: John Topping on behalf of Blackpool Challenge

100% of Children Progressing 100% of the Time