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Kirklees LA > School Improvement in Kirklees

School Improvement in Kirklees

Introduction

We are again setting out the School Improvement strategies that are in used in Kirklees so that those working to support them in the Education Service and other Services are clear about the mutual expectations and the context within which we are working.

School Improvement strategies in Kirklees :

It is within the individual school that improvement is achieved. Staff and governors need well-attuned support and accessible comparative data to implement their strategies. Some of the support is from families and the communities within which the schools operate. Some of the support will come from external agencies with the ability to provide wider perspectives or to bring specialist services which aid the overall process. The government has given LAs specific responsibilities for providing key elements of such external support and to challenge schools in order to improve the levels of attainment of all young people.

The LA has a duty to promote high standards of education and the responsibility to ensure that governing bodies have access to national and local performance and benchmark data, to discuss with governing bodies or their representative the school targets, how they were set and how they will be achieved.

In carrying out these responsibilities, Kirklees LA works closely with Diocesan authorities where appropriate. Other elements come from the Teachers Training Agency, NCSL, OFSTED, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Learning and Skills Council, Teachers' and other Professional Associations, the Initial Teacher Training providers, and Government offices, most notably the DCSF and the Regional Office.

The Education Development Plan defines the priorities, the strategic objectives and the activities necessary to raise standards and to improve the performance of schools. These priorities are:
The following strategies support school improvement:
1. School self-evaluation

In order to ensure ongoing school improvement, all schools should be undertaking the cycle of school improvement:
The vision of the school - how do we see ourselves? - should be the basis of this cycle. The headteacher, governors and staff should be involved together with pupils and parents.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures
Development and Training:
Monitoringand Evaluation
2. Advice and guidance for governors and headteachers

Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the conduct of each maintained school is under the direction of its governing body and the governing body is required to conduct the school with a view to promoting high standards. The governing body sets the broad strategy for the school's development. The headteacher with other senior staff has responsibility for the leadership, direction and management of the school within the strategic framework set by the governing body.

In undertaking their responsibilities, headteachers and governors are involved in decision-making in many areas and have to ensure that appropriate policies are in place. Advice and guidance of high quality facilitates efficient use of time and supports effective governance and management. LA officers maintain an up-to-date knowledge of school governance through access to information, attendance at national and regional conferences and networks, liaison with professional associations etc. This ensures that appropriate advice is available to heads and governors.

Policies, Procedures and Guidance
Development and Training
Monitoring and Evaluation
3. Training available for governors, headteachers and deputies, senior and middle managers, subject leaders, teachers and support staff

It is now recognised that all those who work in schools should have access to training and development opportunities.

Within the Learning Service, the curriculum staff has a range of experience and expertise covering the subjects of the National Curriculum and Religious Education and aspects of teaching and learning. The curriculum staff maintains its expertise through working with national agencies like QCA and OFSTED, attending national and regional conferences, national, regional and local networks and working within schools.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures
Development and Training
Monitoring and Evaluation
4. School Comparative Data

Schools require detailed data on their own school and on other similar schools in order to inform decision-making and planning.

Kirklees provides the school profile comparing a range of data with other schools. For primary schools, the schools are grouped in clusters of schools within similar socio-economic communities.

Schools receive Fischer Family Trust comparative data including predicted results by cohort.

In September each year, Kirklees curriculum staff analyse the national attainment results of each school, identify strengths and weakness in curriculum areas and any significant gap in attainment by gender or ethnicity. This information is then discussed with the headteacher at the Single Conversation.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures

Development and Training

Monitoring and Evaluation

5. Target setting

The DCSF agrees targets with the LA in attainment at Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, and in exclusions and attendance. The government expects schools to set attainment targets and the LA is expected to ensure that these targets are challenging.

Schools set their attainment targets through data analysis relating to previous school attainment, cohort information and individual pupils' progress and Fischer Family trust information. Through their school self-evaluation and development planning, they may, in addition, set targets in other areas.

Support is also provided by primary consultants and KS3 consultants through the national strategies to schools who require intensive support to ensure that attainment in their schools becomes closer to the national average at KS1, KS2 and KS3

Guidance, Policy and Procedures
Development and Training
Monitoring and Evaluation
6. School Contact Officer Visits Kirklees LA considers that the most effective way of raising standards, ensuring school improvement, promoting appropriate curriculum and an ethos which encourage social inclusion is through working in partnership with headteachers, school staff and governing bodies. Each school has a School Contact Officer (SCO) who undertakes the key role in this area and carries out many of the monitoring and support activities. The entitlement is 1.5 days a year with additional entitlement according to need.

Middle and High schools are also entitled to a visit once every two years by each subject specialist to monitor and evaluate departments' strategies for raising attainment.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures Development and Training
Monitoring and Evaluation 7. LA review of schools It is essential that the LA has an overview of the performance and progress of maintained schools and is aware of issues developing within schools which may require additional support. It is also important that there is moderation of the SCO work in schools in order to ensure consistency and coherence.

Annually for all there is an in-depth review of each school undertaken by School Improvement Partners who are senior, experienced Learning staff, the school SCO, the Headteacher, and the Chair of Governors. This meeting is informed by centrally-held data including budget and personnel information, PANDA and OFSTED reports, SCO notes of visit and the school self evaluation. The report of the meeting is sent to the headteacher and the Chair of Governors. The process followed will be in line with the DCSF "single conversation"

Guidance, Policy and Procedures Development and Training Monitoring and Evaluation 8. Guidance and support to schools identified by OFSTED or the LA as having exceptional need in raising of standards. Where a school has been identified either through OFSTED inspection or through local review to have one or more serious weaknesses in standards, quality of teaching and learning, leadership and management, inclusion etc, the Education Service endeavours to work in partnership with the headteacher, staff and governors to address the issues. Additional support may be provided through the LA. The school will be expected to prepare an action plan to address the issues and will be required to do so when they receive additional funding.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures

Development and Training

Monitoring and Evaluation

9. Intervention In order to protect the interests of the pupils, the Code of Practice LA School Relations requires the LA to intervene in those schools, which need to improve significantly where that improvement is not occurring. The intervention should be early and preventative so that severe failure is avoided.

Guidance, Policy and Procedures

Development and Training

Monitoring and Evaluation

Other LA Services Although the Learning Service is central to the school improvement strategy, the effectiveness of other aspects of the LA's activities is also important to the improvement process. Sometimes contributions are self-evident because of their impact on developing practice in schools. Sometimes they are less direct, but no less important, in their provision of support services which allow the energies of these in schools to be properly focused on the quality of teaching and learning. It is essential that the Education Service and its Resources Group seek to improve and consolidate the processes by which the quality of these services and their relevance to school needs are reviewed.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR DEVELOPING AND MONITORING STRATEGY The School Improvement Strategy Group with representation from Members,

governors, headteacher phase groups, professional associations, Diocesan authorities together with senior Education Service officers meets each half term. Its main focus is the monitoring of the Education Development Plan and it also takes account of any emerging issue that relates to school improvement. The School Improvement Strategy Group meets with the School Forum to ensure that there is a coherent overview to the strategic planning for school improvement.