Minutes of the MAAIA Regional Meeting

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Martineau Centre, Harborne, Birmingham

Attendance / Apologies
Mick Adams
Julie Ash
Andy Baker
David Bartlett
Dave Beddard
Gill Bladon
Andy Checkits
Ann Davis
Ruth Fitton / Pam Hatfield
Mavis Humphries
Amanda Johnson
Helen Masefield
Mick Marks
Cathy Openshaw
Jill Painter
Anita Willars / Peter Brown
Kath Butler
Hayley Dilks
Duncan Gregory
Collette Higgins
Elizabeth Lewin
Lisa Morris
Rose Payne
Pat Peel / Dorothy Rickerby
June Ryan
Joan Wilcox
Matters arising from minutes:4th November 2009 / Action / Resp.
Conference in March:
AD had contacted speaker but he is unable to attend
AC – not yet contacted speaker Pauline Pitman, re: Progression Guidance / Approach for June meeting (poss whole day – email members for firm commitment to attend).
Confirm availability / AD
RF
AC
Keith Remnant had not been able to confirm Val McGregor’s availability. (Group noted their best wishes for his recovery) / Follow up when possible / CO
Executive Minutes
1.  Bulk of meeting was spent considering the bids for website development and maintenance.
2.  Handover to new Membership Secretary imminent – members will be contacted for their fees shortly.
3.  APP/AFL paper from Anne Neesom ( agenda item)
4.  QCDA eprofile lock (agenda item under EYFSP Working Group feedback) / Decision to be advised
Check likely date and arrangements with EL / Exec
CO
Today’s Agenda: Standing items
March Conference:
There have been difficulties in confirming speakers. The following inputs/discussion acitivites were suggested:
1.  Pam Hatfield will provide input. Collette Higgins unable to attend. Focus would be SLTs, intelligence on results of last round of entries and likely future of any regime.
2.  APP, group activity focussed on sharing:
- How are people managing recording
- Ideas for using standards files in varied ways
- How colleagues are supporting schools to evidence progress/learning if attainment is low
3.  RAISE – developments and headlines from upcoming consultation meetings (MM/MA)
4.  Sharing information/intelligence on LA plans for assessment elements involved in the World Class Primaries initiative, and likely implications.
5.  Report Cards – update based on information from schools involved in the pilot in Telford (MM)
6.  Progression Papers (if speaker confirmed) / Confirm agenda
Email nearer the time to remind colleagues what they need to bring to meeting / CO
RF
Working Groups
EYFSP Group – AW reported back
No FS Working Group meeting had taken place. Was to be held along with KS1 Manager’s Meeting (cancelled with regret). New date agreed 4 March 2010 Warwick Racecourse.
Anita summarised Jan Dubiel’s response to AAIA Exec Letter re:EYFSP Lock; which was unbending and felt by members affected to be condescending. Requirements to complete proforma to justify change is a burden on LAs, also just 8% of applications accepted – RF noted that this is without actually knowing the child.
CO reported that she had been selected for a monitoring visit again - also one LA reports 4th year in a row. Alleged computer problem has caused this!
GB reported that Mike Meeson or John Beattie at DCSF were contacts for EYFSP. / Inform all groups by email
DB suggested that AAIA letter to OFQUAL may be a suitable course of action.
Address via QCDA liaison group / AW
AW/DB
KS1 Group
CO asked if anyone had been informed of selection for monitoring by QCDA. JA and MA both reported that they had been questioned about their plan.
JP provided copies of S/L DVD for LAs attending Nov moderation conference.
Discussion followed about CRBs for Moderators.
DB expressed thanks to group for running the day. / Managers meeting re – note date.
Ensure LA has provided schools with evidence that Moderators are appropriately certified / All EYFSP /KS1 Managers
All
Secondary/Data Group
Nothing to report
AFL group
GB reported that group had met identify next steps. Feel focus should be around new curriculum and implications for assessment.
AB mentioned 12 new Regional Curriculum Advisers appointed by QCDA (12 month contracts)
AD highlighted the existence of new level descriptions. Concern was expressed about apparent lack of congruence with APP criteria.
Members had discussion around meaningful activities for AFL group. Suggestion was that a paper ‘AFL - a bag of tricks?’ should be put forward to form basis for discussion activity at March conference. / Collate paper and bring to March conference / GB
Professional discussion
APP and KS2 test results query
RF, JA and JP/MH had received a QCDA email requesting info on support given to schools for moderation of APP judgements and for marking appeals. AB explained that Mick Waters had asked for the info. Group expressed concern that this was already collected by other agencies. Before responding RF had thought it interesting to see if her LA was in line with others - broadly similar models for APP moderation, Lead Teachers figure largely. Focus of question itself was unclear as LAs had taken different stances on their response. Info may not be very helpful in final form. / Feed back to QCDA / AB
APP Lead schools
CO asked for updates on implementation of Assessment Lead Schools
Derbyshire - 9 lead schools (in sense of willing to have a go) paired with one other each in district. Then auditing all schools to pair up in next tranches
Wolves – Primary assessment collaboratives with allocated consultant time. Secondary schools have an Assessment Champion to work across depts.
Telford – KS3 Assessment Champion model (not HoD’s and not to be taken out of the school!). Organising training from CIEA accredited trainer – then delegate is accredited for membership of CIEA.
Coventry – using APP ‘lead’ Ts (advocates from the classroom – not true ‘lead t’s’ as QA model)
Leicestershire – Have insisted that lead schools are for ‘AFL with APP’. KS3 lead depts, to work with other depts. Leading moderation. Focus on opting in to develop accountability measure for high schools
Walsall – hubs and 2 leads using stronger primaries
Birmingham – AFL Action Research group. Have a practitioner in schools who supports three others.
Strategy Manager’s Meeting Feedback:
GB Primary
Much about World Class Primaries as above. Also Pete Dudley spoke about accreditation of Lead T’s as ‘Lead Consultants for Improvement’. Some confusion around how this would be managed – not through CIEA as before, with significantly more required in days than process for SIPs; suggestion is that LA consultants would be fast tracked through accreditation to then coach Ts through (effectively compromising their own roles?)
MA Secondary
QCDA interested in developing methods to engage parents and pupils in APP ( not APP in pupil speak!). 2010-2011 £1000 funding per school.
APP in foundation subjects – some talk of pulling back and not releasing this after all? AJ asked q for JW, how are we supporting schools with KS2 TA for science: Assessing Pupil Progress in Science mentioned.
Transition activities:
RF asked for contact details where good practice is in place. Members suggested contacts. / Inform named people that RF will contact them please! / GB
AW
PH
KS2
Ballot:
There are legal requirements in timescales for balloting and subsequent action. Consultation figures suggest that 49% of Heads responded and of them 2/3 would support. Some discussion about our role. There is feeling that the government have no intention of losing tests, and MA observed that Y9 TA has rocketed since the withdrawal of KS3 tests!
Science sampling:
AB reported that LAs will be informed of their schools selection before 8th Feb when the 775 selected schools are to be notified, and appear on the NCAtools website. (Some indication that MGP schools are unlikely to be selected). Both papers will be administered. Schools will subsequently be given information about access arrangements, and feedback about their pupils’ performance.
No expectation that Science information will appear in Raise. / Teachernet summary useful.
CIEA
Solihull have accredited APP Moderation through CIEA.
PH had investigated this but CIEA could only offer model for Lead Assessors (£2000).
MA reported that he had arranged two training days for his Moderators to achieve full membership status (a lower level of accreditation?).
Group recognised that there is general confusion around accreditation, comparative statuses, and skills of the group behind any model: EYFSP monitoring and Moderator accreditation through QCDA. / Forward CIEA web address and information on accreditation. / CO
Anne Newsome’s Paper:
This had been presented to Exec. Group were unsure of the purpose and therefore content. However, there was some use in investigating the issue raised about standard’s files. PH suggested that she could amalgamate issues in presentation on 10 March. / Revisit at conference / PH
Meeting finished 4.00pm

Next meeting: WEDNESDAY 10 March 2010: MAAIA Conference Beaumanor. Invite and agenda to follow.

Page 1 of 4