COUNTY BOROUGH OF BLAENAU GWENT
REPORT TO: /THE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION & sKILLS sCRUTINY cOMMITTEE
REPORT SUBJECT: /Education Achievement Service (EAS) perfoRmance
REPORT AUTHOR: /Steve Davies
managing director eas
LEAD OFFICER/ DEPARTMENT /Steve Davies
Managing Director Education Achievement Service
Summary Report
1.0 /PURPOSE OF REPORT
To provide the committee with the progress made by the EAS in its work with Blaenau Gwent Borough Council in the 12 months Sept 2012 to Sept 2013. The outcome of the report will be that members of the committee being more informed of the performance of the EAS in its work with Blaenau Gwent BC and how the service will develop further in 2013/14.2.0 /
LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGIES
- Education Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP)- Corporate Improvement Plan
- The Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy
3.0 / SUMMARY/PROPOSALS
The report gives evidence of the progress made in the key areas of implementation of the EAS’s work within Blaenau Gwent BC. These include:
· Establishing a service that has the capacity to deliver the Business Plan agreed by Blaenau Gwent BC
· Services that support the monitoring and evaluation of the performance of schools in Blaenau Gwent BC. These include:
o Systems Leadership
o Learning Intelligence
o Governor Support.
· Brokerage, Intervention and support services which are provided for schools in relation to national and local initiatives. These include:
o Literacy
o Numeracy
o Foundation Phase
o Welsh
o 21st Century Learning/ICT
o Leadership
o Teaching and Learning.
Good progress has been made during the last 12 months and this has been recognised by external evaluations, including a Welsh Government/ISOS review, the Robert Hill Report and the recent paper ‘A National Model for School Improvement’. Examination and test results for Blaenau Gwent BC as a whole have improved this year. These not currently available for publication but we will be able to report further details at the meeting. However, there are still developments that need to be implemented and there are some schools for whom this year’s results are both disappointing and unacceptable. These are set out in the main body of this report.
4.0 /
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the committee recognise the progress made by the EAS, the remaining areas for development and the key actions the service intends to take to address these.
DETAILED REPORT
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 In September 2012, in response to Welsh Government requirements for the establishment of Regional Consortia, the five local authorities of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen formed an Education Achievement Service (EAS) which is designed to raise education standards in South East Wales.
1.2 Standards in schools have got progressively worse and secondary school banding information revealed that South East Wales had the highest number of schools in the lower bands. This information highlights the underperformance in schools, and the need for a significant shift in the way that education services are structured to support improvement. It also shows where the greatest need is in the region and where the EAS will need to focus its resources.
1.3 The EAS has been created by the five local authorities to raise education standards. By working together as part of an integrated service to support and challenge schools effectively, enhance front line services and make the most of the available resources, progress will take place quickly and effectively.
1.4 This report sets out the key areas in which the EAS has made progress from September 2012 to September 2013. It also highlights the remaining areas for development and the key actions the service intends to take to address these.
1.5 This report set out the key areas in which the EAS has made progress from September 2012 to September 2013. It also highlights the remaining areas for development and the key actions the service intends to take to address these.
2. THE STRUCTURE AND CAPACITY OF THE EAS
2.1 Appendix 1 sets out the structure chart for the EAS at September 1st 2013. During the last year there have been significant challenges in recruiting high quality staff, in particular Systems Leaders, to the EAS. This experience is shared by the other 3 regions in Wales. We are now at full complement and have strengthened key areas of service to meet local and national challenges. The key areas of development have been the leadership of the Brokerage, Intervention and Support (BIS.) service, the leadership of the National Support Programme (NSP.) and the establishment of Principal and Senior Systems Leaders. These posts will considerably strengthen support to Local Authorities in Estyn Categories and schools causing the greatest concern across the region. All posts within the structure are now filled.
2.2 Appendix 2 sets out how the Performance element of the structure, which provides the challenge agenda and enables the service to know its schools well, relates to the BIS element of the service which sets out how the service supports schools who are different levels of performance in the key aspects of Literacy, Numeracy, Foundation Phase, Welsh, 21st Century Learning (application ICT to teaching and learning) and 14-19.
3. PERFORMANCE DIVISION
3.1 The Performance Division of the EAS is made up of the Systems Leaders (SL) team, Governor Support Team and the Learning Intelligence Team. System Leaders, who are attached to all schools in the region, play a critical in challenging schools to ensure their performance is high and that their self-evaluation processes and development plans are sufficiently focussed and rigorous. Schools have received different levels of SL engagement dependent on their placing within the regional 5 level categorisation (see Appendix 3). All schools are challenged on their targets for performance of groups and cohorts of pupils, the quality of leadership and teaching and learning and their plans for achieving performance targets. The SLs are also engaged in the Performance Management of headteachers. In order to ensure transparency and efficient communication the EAS has put in place an online system of recording and sharing the notes of visits called ‘School Secure’. Where a school is categorised as in either the 4th or 5th of the 5 categories the SL agrees an intervention plan which in turn is discussed and agreed with the LA Director.
3.2 In addition to SLs the Performance Division of the EAS includes Governor Support (GS) and Learning Intelligence (LI). The GS service is made of the previous 5 LA teams and has provided training and information to governors across the regional as well as offering a clerking service for all schools. The LI team works closely with the SLs and GS to ensure up-to-date data and information on school performance and progress.
3.3 Key actions for improvement of the Performance Division of the EAS in 2013/14 are:
3.3.1 The recruitment and deployment of SL Partners who are Headteachers of successful schools who have been trained to support SLs and schools.
3.3.2 Improved Pupil Level target setting carried out with school by SLs supported by Learning Intelligence.
3.3.3 Published annual agenda for SL visits.
3.3.4 Presentation by SLs to full governing body on the classification of the schools with clear evidence for discussion.
3.3.5 Recruitment of 4 Senior SL to focus on most challenged schools to ensure the quality of Intervention plans and associated actions are monitored and evaluated.
3.3.6 Re structured GS service to secure consistently high quality service across the region, removing the previous inequality of provision.
3.3.7 Implementation of the WG Schools Causing Concern Policy across the region, including the supporting the implementation of LA powers of intervention.
4 BROKERAGE INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT
4.1 The Brokerage, Intervention and Support (BIS) services is made up of the Literacy, Numeracy, Foundation Phase, Welsh, 21st Century Learning /ICT and 14-19 teams. Each team provides a range of support to schools based on their levels of performance and the Welsh Government requirements. Each team has a business plan which has been agreed with LAs and is based on a financial year basis. Appendix 4 shows an example of the plans for Literacy and numeracy. Schools who are underperforming are identified for targeted support with the resource required being shared by the EAS and the school, through its School Effectiveness Grant.
4.2 A significant programme on support and challenge has been implemented in Literacy and Numeracy. This has been aligned with the Welsh Government’s National Support Programme (NSP) for Literacy and Numeracy and serves all schools in the region. The work of the Literacy and Numeracy teams has been strengthened by 4 additional appointments to each teams, taking the number of staff to 10 in each.
4.3 The 21st Century Learning/ICT teams have worked across all 5 LAs reviewing provision and implementing strategies which will maximise the benefits from the Welsh Governments introduction of the Hwb, which is an on-line learning platform to support schools and teachers in their work.
4.4 The work of the Welsh Team was reviewed in November 2012 which included consultation with all schools. The outcome involved establishing a more balanced team which is better placed to meet the needs of Welsh medium and English medium schools. Requirement associated with Welsh Government grants in 2014/15, will lead to further modifications in the balance of the service to all schools.
4.5 A key strategy within the BIS teams is the use of ‘school to school’ improvement initiatives, whereby the engagement of a successful school in supporting a challenged school is key to the work of the service. Each team is identifying very good and outstanding practice to engage schools, with remuneration, in raising standards.
4.6 In addition to the work of the 6 BIS teams the division has focussed on the development of the ‘Excellence in Leadership’ and ‘Excellence in Teaching’ programmes. The Excellence in Leadership Programme has been developed with the University of South Wales and Portal training. It caters for almost 200 middle and senior leaders and is accredited by the University and the Institute of Leadership and Management. The Excellence in Teaching programme was developed following the annual primary and secondary headteacher conferences and includes a common framework for monitoring evaluating and developing teachers’ effectiveness. It is further supported by a CPD opportunity for all teachers across the region.
4.7 Key actions for improvement of the Performance Division of the EAS in 2013/14 are:
4.7.1 Further strengthen business plans for all BIS teams.
4.7.2 Embed the NSP across the region ensuring schools receive the levels of support and challenge which their performance demands.
4.7.3 Review and extend the Excellence in Teaching Programme.
4.7.4 Ensure consistent application of the Excellence in Teaching Framework and pilot and review the CPD programme and Teacher Exchange Programme.
4.7.5 Ensure that all schools maximise the benefits they gain from Hwb.
4.7.6 Complete the review of the Welsh Service to ensure we are compliant with WG grant requirements for 2014/15.
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Appendix 1 – Structure Chart
Appendix 2 – Performance Element of Structure
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Appendix 3 – School Categorisation
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South East Wales Schools Intervention Framework. Version 5.0: Revised 5 November 2012
Part I: Aspect categorization and contributory criteria
/ Routine support andMonitoring / Specific support and monitoring / Sustained support and challenge / Intensive support and challenge / Support and challenge for schools in critical need /
Overall intervention / Up to 5 days allocated / Up to 5 days allocated / Up to 15 days allocated / Up to 25 days (primary)
Up to 30 days (secondary) / Up to 30 days (primary)
Up to 45 days (secondary) /
/ Overall intervention is based on best fit judgment derived from range of aspects. Intervention category can be no higher than the SSU banding position or the Estyn Inspection follow-up position. However, it can be lower if there are issues of greater concern in other aspects. Actions in respect of school categorization are summarized in the EAS Schools Intervention Framework for monitoring, support and challenge. /
Description for each Aspect: / “strong and improving”
Containing elements of: / “Minor issues ”
Containing elements of: / “significant issues”
Containing elements of: / “Issues of particular concern”
Containing elements of: / “Issues of critical concern”
Containing elements of:
Safeguarding
· Safety of pupils
· Training of staff and governors
· Policies and procedures
· Site Security
· Health and Safety / · Designated member of staff has received recent enhanced training within time scale in accordance with LA policy
· All staff have received basic training in accordance with LA policy Designated Governor has received training within time scale in accordance with LA policy All staff including governors and appropriate visitors have valid CRB checks in accordance with LA policy Child Protection and safeguarding policies and procedures are embedded. / Safeguarding and child protection is of paramount importance in schools. For this reason it is inappropriate to consider any issues arising as being “minor”. / · Designated member of staff has not received recent enhanced training in accordance with LA policy
· Designated Governor has not received training within timescale in accordance with LA policy
· All staff have not received basic training within timescale in accordance with LA policy
· Child Protection and safeguarding policies and procedures not fully embedded / · Designated member of staff not confident in process and procedure and unaware of appropriate signposts / · Where the safety of children is in jeopardy.
· Absence of designated member of staff and/or governor
· Child protection and safeguarding policies and processes are ineffective
Academic
Performance (standards)
· Raw scores
· Performance at expected and higher levels.
· Comparison with national averages
· Benchmarks
· School families
· Trends
· Value added
· Gender
· Groups / · Good performance sustained over time at expected and higher levels
e.g.
· Above the median performance with substantial first quarter performance over a 3-5 year period. / · Mostly good performance sustained over time at expected and higher levels, but performance in a specific subject area gives cause for concerns