Hello Neil,
I wanted to drop you an e-mail to thank you so much for your inspirational words yesterday at Woodland School. Your thoughts and suggestions have been at the forefront of my mind since.
I came to the meeting in my capacity as a Parent Governor at Roecroft Lower School , but sincerely believe that everyone from any walk of life should receive value based sessions...and that is something I would love to be a part of!
I also look after Year 3 each lunchtime. I use this time to become their friend, we have a great relationship and have a lot of fun. Today I decided to try out your 'Take a minute' after coming in from playtime. The whole process was fab. In fact a couple of boys came up to me as I was leaving and said " Do you know, Mrs Martin, that really made me feel good, can we do it again tomorrow?"
Thank you again
Claire Martin
Bedfordshire
April 2010
Dear Neil
Thank you very much for yesterday's inset day on Values Education. I must say how delighted I was in seeing all the staff enthused and eager to make Haydon Wick a values based school. It has probably been the most positive start to a new school year I have had. The teaching staff today in school were very complimentary of your presentation and passion for values education.
We all took a minute at the beginning of the staff meeting and with my SLT I have already drawn up an action plan to implement Values Ed'
Simon Cowley
Headteacher
Haydon Wick School
Dear Neil, Thank you so much for your work with us on Monday. My goodness me, the staff were buzzing in school yesterday. Staff voiced their enjoyment of the day with 'it was fabulous', ' wonderful', ' inspiring',
' made me really think'..... so, your impact has been great.
It was good to work with you and I hope that we will be able to get you moreinvolved in some Birmingham work.
Many thanks again for being so inspirational.
Pam Matty
Grove School
Dear Neil,
Thank you so much for your presentation at the Wiltshire Heads conference this week. Your contribution was very well received and I have had nothing but very positive feedback from all the Heads I have
spoken to and they are very good at letting me know when they are not happy.
You were able to allow the audience to re-connect with the reasons that they became head-teachers in ways that enabled them to make a difference. The fact that you have been in the most challenging
circumstances and achieved success gave credibility so that everyone was able to give credence and value to what you were saying. This is exactly what was needed and I am very grateful to you for your
encouragement, support and professionalism.
Best wishes
David Ross
Head of School Support - Wiltshire LA
The visit by Neil Hawkes was both a confirmation and a revelation.
He confirmed that our adoption of Values Education, now deeply embedded in our curriculum and school ethos, was the enhancement of the prevailing environment within school, in which both academic and
social skills would continue to flourish.
The revelation was the extent to which Values Education could be introduced, almost imperceptivity, into the daily activities of the school from Assembly to Staff Meetings, Music to Physical Education.
Neil Hawkes, in a modest, almost self-effacing way, imposed upon his audience - single or group - a desire to embrace the philosophy and values he was expounding. Each child returned from conversing with
him filled with the pleasure of having found a new friend. Each group recognised the vital importance of his views on all the inter-locking activities that comprise school life
All his listeners from the Headteacher to the Cleaner, Pupil to Governor, derived great benefit from his visit.
Mr Raymond Barker
Chairman of Governors
Stoke Prior School, Herefordshire
Thanks Neil, I've since had time to read (twice) your chapter on Values Education. I'm not yet going to say it's inspirational, as I've learned from getting to know you better, that that's not how you want to be
characterised. Neil.... the chapter is inspirational ....... as we say down here you are a legend!
Professor Ron Toomey
Australia
I find that chap Neil Hawkes quite inspiring.....I need a dvd of him to watch every 6 months or so........and share with some very needy patients.....or maybe just time to reflect!!!! Iam thrilled for you and all the staff
that he thought so highly about what was happening at LPS.....although actually I already knew what is happening there is very special...it was though such a positive appraisal about all the staff...which is
lovely.
Dr.Debs
Chair of Governors - Ledbury Primary School
A Commendation from a Teacher
Dear Dr Hawkes
I have spent today (5th January 2009) listening to you speak at Heckington School, Lincolnshire (second row, terrible body language - crossed legs, folded arms!!!!!!). I may have appeared to have been paying
little attention, but please believe me when I say how inspired I was by your words. I am going into work tomorrow and starting the new term in the most positive frame of mind I have been in for a long time.
Recently I have doubted my commitment to education and have been asking myself 'why.........?' but after hearing you speak I feel inspired to change my way of working and regain the enthusiasm I have lost.
Tracy Phillips
Welsh Medium Headteacher Conference on 28 April 2009x
Hi Neil,
The evaluation forms were a delight to read and without exception praised your inspirational address and method of delivery. Many of the headteachers have contacted me personally to express their delight
and asked me to pass on their gratitude. I'm certain many will contact you in the near future to arrange further Cluster based training.
With Thanks!
Duan Evans
Ymgynghorydd Cynradd / Primary Adviser
We began our values journey by forming a small group of staff to steer the project. I Invited Dr Neil Hawkes to audit the climate for learning and asked the Governors for dedicated time to bring all staff together. The College sought parental views on core values and asked students their views. Significantly we considered staff behaviours that model our values.
