Gill Jones Head of Standards and School Effectiveness

1. Gill Jones Head of Standards and School Effectiveness

2. Education standards in England and Hertfordshire • An overview of national framework for promoting high standards in schools • Key national drivers for education • The responsibilities of the local authority (Hertfordshire) • The school’s perspective (The Highfield School) http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/

3. School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Gave local authorities (LA) the duty to promote high standards of education • Required the LEA to produce an education development plan • Set out the powers of intervention in schools exercisable by LEAs Ten years after the introduction of the national curriculum the standards and framework act came into place. School Standards and Framework Act 1998 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980031.htm

4. The national strategies • A national framework with local delivery for driving up standards • Local authorities held to account for targets and performance at authority and school level • Programmes designed to support teachers and schools to raise standards • Increased emphasis on whole school initiatives such as literacy across the school and assessment for learning • Recently rolled out school improvement partners http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/

5. Every Child Matters (2003) Every Child Matters: Change for Children is a new approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19. • Greater emphasis on the overall well-being of pupils • Expressed through the 5 key outcomes: • Being Healthy • Staying Safe • Enjoying and achieving • Making a positive contribution • Achieving economic well-being • Requirement for LEAs (LAs) to become Children’s Service Authorities http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/

6. Ofsted Inspections (1983) • Schools inspected periodically by Ofsted • Overall effectiveness graded • achievement and standards • teaching and learning • leadership and management • Judgements against ECM outcomes • Judgement on capacity to improve • Judgement as to whether a school is causing concern www.ofsted.gov.uk

7. "Local Authorities will move from being providers of education to being the champion of parents and commissioners of all children's services, including schools." Ruth Kelly (25th October, 2005) The White Paper (2005) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/schoolswhitepaper/

8. Education and Inspections Bill (2006) This Bill implements the proposals in the White Paper – Higher Standards, Better Schools. The next stage of radical reforms for schools is set to be implemented shortly through the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 which is likely to be enacted in November this year. To read a short guide to the Bill visit: www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/educationandinspectionsbill

9. Trust Schools • The Bill will enable all schools to become Trust schools by forming links with external partners who will be able, should the school choose, to appoint the majority of the governing body • Trust schools able to:- own their assets - employ their own staff - set their own admissions - apply additional flexibilities • The Bill will tighten the admissions framework to ensure fair access for all by reaffirming no new selection by ability and banning interviews as part of the selection process

10. Role of Local Authorities • Duties to:- promote choice, diversity and high standards- promote the fulfilment of every child's educational potential- respond to parental concerns about quality • 'Decision maker' on school organisation:- able to propose new community schools- able to set the terms for school competitions • Responsibility to ensure young people have a range of things to do, places to go and people to talk to • Powers to intervene earlier where schools fail their inspection • Required to appoint School Improvement Partners • Encouragement of Education Improvement Partnerships

11. Education Improvement Partnerships Schools of the future could operate within large formal partnerships to which the majority of its resources and central services direct to schools. http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/sie/si/eips/

12. Education Improvement Partnerships • Enable some smaller but effective sixth forms to flourish • A framework through which schools canengage with wider partners • Networks through which to disseminate best practice and support weaker schools • A framework to support the inclusion agenda- collective responsibility for all children in an area • Arrangements through which to devolve resources both in terms of finance and staffing. http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/sie/si/eips/

13. School Improvement Partners • School improvement partners (SIPs) replace LA advisers • SIPs should be serving or recently serving headteachers or LA advisers • SIPs are assessed, trained and accredited • SIPs should support and challenge schools and also advise governors on headteacher performance management http://www.ncsl.org.uk/programmes/sips/index.cfm

14. The 14-19 Strategy • Securing the basics • Reform of vocational routes • Stretch and differentiation • Greater breadth in A level subjects • Specialised diplomas at 3 levels* • Addressing disengagement – more choice of places to study, moving school, college and work place Key proposal for reform set out in the 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/14to19/14-19whitepaper/

15. * The new specialised diplomas ICT Health and Social Care Engineering Creative and Media Construction The Built Environment Land Based and Environmental Manufacturing Hair and Beauty Business Administration and Finance Hospitality and Catering Public Service Sport and Leisure Retail Travel and Tourism http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning/14to19/14-19whitepaper/

16. Hertfordshire • Children’s services authority as a local authority since 2001 • High and rising levels of attainment • Achievement gap for particular schools, groups and communities • Strong school improvement service http://www.hertsdirect.org/

17. Hertfordshire Learning Partnership • Sets out the key principles for schools and the local authority working together to raise standards • Describes the framework for monitoring, challenge, support and intervention (MCSI) • Details the categories of school effectiveness • Sets out procedures for the identification of, and intervention in schools causing concern http://www.thegrid.org.uk/

18. Joint Annual Review Visits (JARVs) • Annual audit of performance of all schools based on school self-evaluation • Carried out by the adviser (SIP) with the headteacher, other seniors, leaders and the chair of governors • Includes a scrutiny of performance data at school, group and pupil level data • Involves discussion about and agreement of the school’s statutory targets • Will conclude with an agreement on the school’s category of effectiveness • The category will largely determine any programme of support http://www.thegrid.org.uk/

19. Categories of School Effectiveness • Outstanding (1), good (2), satisfactory (3), • Schools requiring significant improvement (4a) • Schools with complex weaknesses (4b) • Schools in Ofsted categories (4c) Additional support is provided for schools in categories three and four http://www.thegrid.org.uk/