The last 15 months have shown how committed, creative and determined the teaching profession has been. Whether it has been learning new IT systems, turning a school virtual overnight, dealing with frequently changing guidance or managing complex issues such as Covid testing, a different approach to transition or TAGS, teachers and leaders in schools have given it their all.
PiXL exists to serve school leaders, their staff and their students through whatever situations arise. This year especially, we have been proud to stand alongside a profession who, in the face of adversity, have done the most remarkable things. Despite everything that they have had to face, schools have acted with the best interests of their young people at the very heart.
As our school colleagues have adapted, PiXL has adapted to support them. When our national conferences in London had to be cancelled, we moved to our new PiXL TV platform – enabling colleagues to watch any meeting they wanted either live or on demand, at a time that suited them. This new approach has enabled thousands more colleagues to engage in what PiXL are offering and to watch the events with colleagues so that they can share ideas more easily. We have held national and regional networking hubs on the big issues of the moment, Leadership Live events to hear from panels of Headteachers and we have had three festivals: the Leadership Festival in June, the Curriculum Festival in October and the recent Primary Reading Festival in May. All of this is on top of the many strategies and resources we offer for leaders, teachers and students, including the Oracy package at Primary, the Stretch Talks at Secondary and Post-16, as well as the focus across all sectors on reading.
PiXL itself has also undergone a period of significant change too. In January 2020, the founder, Sir John Rowling, died after a short illness and Rachel Johnson, who had previously been Head of Strategy, was appointed as PiXL CEO. Since then, many things have changed but one thing has not: PiXL exists to serve schools, to harness the power of the network and to make a difference to young people.
What PiXL aims to do:
- To improve life chances and outcomes for pupils
- To influence leadership at all levels, regionally and nationally, as the best way to improve schools
- To equip school leaders to be agents of change and betterment
PiXL achieves these things through leadership development, networks, strategies and resources, as well as our events.
As we move into the next academic year, we are determined to continue supporting and equipping our school colleagues. Across all sectors, we are committed to helping schools improve life chances and outcomes for students in 2021-2022 by investigating what a range of evidence suggests and finding practical ways to have impact.
We have some new and exciting things coming this year. At PiXL Primary, the focus is on challenging the most able and the launch of a new ‘Readers and Writers project’, in collaboration with national experts and well-known authors. At PiXL Secondary, there are new long-term projects on reading, teaching and learning and oracy, as well as the launch of a new ‘Insights’ series. PiXL Secondary will also be re-introducing a focus on subject specialist support for middle leaders through our programme of subject conferences. At Post-16, the focus is on supporting students in their studies now, and on securing the future best suited for them, with a focus on academic writing as well as academic reading.
PiXL believes we are better working together. We can all learn from each other and, in doing so, we can achieve even greater things.
If you are interested in joining PiXL or would like to come to the June National Conferences (Primary, Secondary and Post 16) as a guest, then please email membership@pixl.org.uk to receive your invitation.
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