South Bank Multi Academy Trust

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY

Written by:ANNA CORNHILL

Review Date:JULY 2018

1DEFINITION

1.1For the purposes of this document and to avoid uncertainty, school improvement is defined as “the processes through which schools can raise standards: the changes they can make and the strategies they can use to improve pupil outcomes.”

2PURPOSE& approach

2.1There is a need for the Trust to have an explicit strategy for ensuring that it secures its goal of “excellent outcomes for every child”.

2.2This means ensuring that the Trust has an in-depth knowledge of each of its academies and their current performance in order to:

  • Sustain success where it already exists
  • Develop strengths where there is a need to improve
  • Implement rapid improvement strategies where performance is weak
  • Share strengths through mutual support and challenge

2.3The Trust will deliver school improvement by:

2.3.1Appointing a School Improvement Team

2.3.2Carrying out Due Diligence on new schools

2.3.3Allocating specific funding for this purpose

2.3.4Providing a core offer for all Trust academies

2.3.5Providing additional support appropriate to individual academy needs

2.3.6Alignment and standardisation of appropriate processes and systems

3ACCOUNTABILITY & RESPONSIBILITY

3.1The Trust’s Standards Monitoring Procedures set out how Trustees will monitor individual academy performance through an annual cycle of accountability, including a Trust-wide Risk Assessment process that leads to categorisation of schools (A-D).

3.2The Trust’s Education & Standards Committee will take the lead in managing these procedures and in instructing individual Headteachers, the Trust Principal or appointed Executive Leaders to implement agreed plans for improvement, as appropriate.

3.3Each Headteacher is held accountable by their own Governing Body for the overall effectiveness of their academy, including the academic standards. Each academy provides challenge for the Headteacher directly through their Appraisal Committee, which is supported both by an External Adviser and also the Trust Principal. The involvement of the Trust Principal ensures consistency in terms of the rigour and challenge of objectives, success criteria and agreed evidence across the Trust. Each committee meets at least twice a year in order to include a mid-year review of progress towards objectives.

3.4There is an expectation that each Headteacher will take the lead on their own school improvement processes, but there are a number of elements that the Trust expects to be in place and to be shared with the Trust Principal and/or the Headteacher Group:

REQUIRED SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ELEMENTS / RATIONALE
An annual School Development Plan / To enable leaders to outline the goals, success criteria and monitoring mileposts for improvement over the next 12 months, and to share the school’s current performance, goals and aspirations with staff and governors.
A School Self-Evaluation document / To generate an honest and reflective document that summarises the academy’s overview of its performance based on its self-evaluation.
An effective self-evaluation process / To put in place processes thatenable leaders to measure:
  • the quality of teaching and learning,
  • the quality of leadership,
  • the quality of safeguarding and
  • the school’s overall effectiveness.

REQUIRED SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ELEMENTS / RATIONALE
An effective tracking system / To establish a system for monitoring pupil progress and pupil outcomes throughout the year for all pupils, as well as through statutory assessment at the end of Key Stages.
Pupil voice / To ensure that a mechanism exists for listening to the pupil voice.
Parent views / To draw upon a range of mechanisms to enable leaders to gather the views of parents.
Staff voice / To draw upon a range of mechanisms to enable leaders to gather the views of staff.
CPD plan / To ensure that there is a mechanism for aligning CPD with the School Development Plan and across the MAT.

3.5The appraisal of the Trust Principal is carried out by a sub-committee of Trustees, including the Trust Chair, with the specific goals and overall outcomes being shared with Trustees.

4due diligence

4.1Prior to any school joining the Trust, the Trust Principal (supported by an additional member of the Headteacher Group) will carry out a Due Diligence process (see separate document for full details).

4.2At the end of this process, a report will be compiled and shared both with the applicant school and with the Trust Board, prior to Trustees making a decision about whether to approve the school’s application to join.

4.3Where a school has already been identified as a sponsored school i.e. a school in Special Measures or a school where there are serious concerns about its performance (i.e. a Category D school) additional Due Diligence activities will be implemented prior to any decisions being taken about whether to approve the school’s application to join.

5funding for school improvement activities

5.1The Trust applies a levy, which is used to support central services, including that of the Trust Principal, who plays a key role in School Improvement activities for the Trust (and is an accredited NLE).

5.2In addition, the Trust top-slices any de-delegated School Improvement Funds from the City of York Council, to provide a central School Improvement.

5.3The Trust Principal represents South Bank Trust on the YSAB (York Schools & Academies Board) which allows Trusts to bid annually for school improvement funding. The Trust Principal is responsible for submitting bids and for monitoring progress towards any funded action plans approved by YSAB and the Trust Board.

5.4In 2017-18, the funding available for School Improvement at South Bank Trust is as follows:

AMOUNT / FUNDING STREAM / MECHANISM / ACTIVITY
£100,000 / YSAB / Bid application(successful) / York High School Improvement Plan
£ 6,000 / YSAB / Bid application(successful) / Scarcroft Primary School (writing)
£ 6,000 / YSAB / Bid application(successful) / Woodthorpe Primary School (reading)
£ 27,000 / CYC / De-delegation to each school (top-sliced by the MAT) / York High School Improvement Plan
£17,000 / Trust levy from 4 schools / Top-sliced by the MAT / One day per week of Trust Principal salary to support School Improvement work across the MAT
£70,000 / York High budget / Invoice from the MAT / To fund three-fifths of the salary for the Executive Headteacher (who is on site at York High 0.6)
£32,000 / York High budget / Invoice from the MAT / To fund school improvement activities carried out by other Millthorpe Senior Leaders
£150,000
(TBC) / DFE / Bid application
(outcome TBC) / York High School Improvement Plan

5.5The Trust has had confirmation that the £100,000 funding required to support the York High Recovery Plan will be paid.

5.6Funds from York High totalling £102,000 will be used to fund support from within the Trust from Millthorpe School staff.

5.7The Trust is aware that there is a significant risk of failure of these plans if the further £150,000 requested from the DFE is not forthcoming.

6the core offer for all trust academies

6.1There are a series of School Improvement activities that take place in all Trust Academies (where age-applicable) as set out in the table overleaf:

ACTIVITY / DETAILS / COST
Headteacher Peer Review / Termly review with two other MAT Headteachers – details set out in the Peer Review Guidance. / Leadership time
Headteacher Performance Management / Annual Performance Management review with academy governors, supported by the Trust Principal / Trust Principal time
Annual Safeguarding Review / Annual Safeguarding audit of practice and procedures / Trust Principal time
Annual Health & Safety Review / Annual Health & Safety audit of practice and procedures / Trust Principal time
Senior Leaders Network / Termly meetings to explore current themes and share good practice / Levy contribution
SEN Leaders Network / Termly meetings to explore current themes and share good practice / Levy contribution
Early Years Network / Termly meetings to carry out cross-school moderation; explore current themes; and share good practice / Levy contribution
Year 2 Network / Termly meetings to carry out cross-school moderation; explore current themes; and share good practice / Levy contribution
Year 6 Network / Termly meetings to carry out cross-school moderation; explore current themes; and share good practice / Levy contribution
TA training programme / 10-module programme focusing on individual school challenges; current themes in education; and effective support in the classroom / Levy contribution
Middle leaders training programme / 3-module programme focusing on: leadership styles; how to implement improvement strategies within a team; effective self-evaluation through a range of mechanisms; holding others to account / Levy contribution
Bi-annual Governance support / NLG training and support relevant to the academy’s self-review actions or relevant to topical issues within that academy / Levy contribution

7support for academies in each performance category

7.1The Trust’s School Improvement funds are allocated on an annual basis, depending on the performance category of each school, which will be identified in September as part of the Annual Standards Risk Assessment:

SOUTH BANK ANNUAL STANDARDS RISK ASSESSMENT
PERFORMANCE
CATEGORY / DESCRIPTOR / EXPECTATION / TRUSTEE
ACTION
A /
  • Schools that are currently judged by the Trust to be securely good or better.
/
  • These schools will be expected to share best practice and deliver school-to-school support within the Trust
/
  • N/A

B1 /
  • Schools that are currently judged by the Trust as good, but which have a significant identified area of improvement.
/
  • These schools will be expected to have the capacity to bring about improvement in their own organisations and may also have the capacity to support others within the Trust
/
  • N/A

B2 /
  • Schools that are currently judged by the Trust as good, but are at risk of being judged as coasting or requiring improvement.
/
  • These schools have the capacity to improve with support from within the Trust
  • These schools must submit an Action Plan for approval to the Trust’s Standards Committee and provide a termly update
/
  • A letter of concern issued to LGB

C1 /
  • Schools that are currently judged by the Trust as requiring improvement, but are making rapid progress.
/
  • These schools require support and will work with the Trust Principal and identified School Improvement Leads
  • These schools must implement an Action Plan drawn up jointly by the Trust Principal and Headteacher, for approval by the Trust’s Standards Committee
  • These schools must provide a half-termly update on the Action Plan to the Trust Principal and Chair of Standards
/
  • Warning Notice issued to the LGB

C2 /
  • Schools that are currently judged by the Trust as requiring improvement, but are at risk of going into a category because they are making slow or limited progress.
/
  • These schools require significant external support and will work with the Trust Principal and identified School Improvement Leads
  • These schools must implement an Action Plan drawn up jointly by the Trust Principal and Headteacher, for approval by the Trust’s Standards Committee
  • These schools must provide a half-termly update on the Action Plan to the Trust Principal and Chair of Standards
/
  • Warning Notice issued to the LGB

D /
  • The school has been designated by Ofsted as in Special Measures: OR
  • The Trust has been asked to sponsor the school due to serious concerns over its performance: OR
/
  • This academy will be led by a Trust appointed Executive Leader, who will lead on the implementation of an approved and costed Improvement Plan
  • The Improvement Plan will be approved by the Trust’s Standards Committee
  • This academy will require a staffing re-structure in order to implement improvement strategies
/
  • The school’s governance will be run by the Trust, either through an appointed Chair or an Interim Board

7.2The Trust’s School Improvement funds will be used to provide the different levels of support required, as set out below:

PERFORMANCE
CATEGORY / SUPPORT PROVIDED BEYOND THE CORE OFFER
(OVER THE ACADEMIC YEAR)
A /
  • One day per term (Trust Principal)
  • Annual School Partnership Officer visit

B1 /
  • One day per term (Trust Principal) plus other support as requested
  • Annual School Partnership Officer visit

B2 /
  • Two days per term (Trust Principal)
  • Support from relevant Lead Teachers within the MAT to implement an agreed action plan (up to 20 days)
  • Progress against Action Plan monitored termly by the Standards Committee Chair and Trust Principal
  • Termly School Partnership Officer visit

C1 & 2 /
  • Two days per term (Trust Principal)
  • Support from a MAT Improvement Lead (drawn from the Headteacher Group) to implement an agreed action plan (up to 12 days)
  • Support from relevant Lead Teachers within the MAT to implement an agreed action plan (up to 20 days)
  • Progress against Action Plan monitored half-termly by the Standards Committee Chair and Trust Principal
  • Termly School Partnership Officer visit

D /
  • Executive Leadership provided by the Trust
  • Four days per term (Trust Principal)
  • Support from Lead Teachers appointed within the Academy
  • Support from Lead Teachers in the MAT partner school
  • Weekly direction and support from the Executive Lead (at least 0.5FTE)
  • Progress against Ofsted Action Plan (or equivalent) monitored termly by the Standards Committee
  • Half-termly updates to the Standards Committee Chair and Trust Principal
  • Termly School Partnership Officer visit

8school improvement team

8.1In the academic year 2017-18, the Trust is able to draw upon a range of skills and experience as follows:

8.2Anna Cornhill is the Trust Principal, working three days per week (and two days as Headteacher of Scarcroft Primary School). She is an accredited NLE with 8 years of school-to-school support experience. She has been a Headteacher for over 17 years and took her school to Outstanding status in 2009.

8.3Trevor Burton is the Executive Headteacher appointed to lead both Millthorpe School and York High School and the Secondary Improvement Lead. Trevor also has school-to-school experience and in recent years has been brokered by City of York Council to support schools in difficulty. He has taken Millthorpe on a successful improvement journey since his appointment in 2011 and the school was graded as Good at its last inspection in 2014.

8.4James McGann is the Primary Improvement Lead. He is Headteacher at Woodthorpe and has taken the school on a rapid journey of improvement, from Requires Improvement to Good. This took place over a period of less than two years, in a school that had previously been stuck at RI for some considerable time. He will take the lead in providing support and challenge for any new primary school joining the Trust in challenging circumstances.

8.5Adam Cooper is the Trust’s Primary Maths Lead. He is Headteacher at Knavesmire, which was designated as Outstanding in 20017. Hehas previously worked across the City as a Specialist Leader of Maths - he will support this aspect of curriculum improvement as required. He will be supported by Tim Gillbanks, Deputy Head at Millthorpe School, who is the Trust’s Secondary Maths Lead.

8.6Ash Atherton is the Trust’s English Lead. She is the Deputy Head at Woodthorpe and has supported James McGann in moving the school forward through a period of rapid improvement. She will provide support and challenge as appropriate. She will be supported by Tanya Andrle, Deputy Head at Millthorpe School, who is the Trust’s Secondary English Lead.

8.7Jenny Wogan is the Trust’s Expert Moderator. She is a Year 6 teacher at Knavesmire Primary and is a trained moderator in KS2 Writing for the City of York. She will provide support and challenge in this area as required.

8.8Mary Simpson is the Trust’s SEN Lead. She is an experienced SENCO with a previous background in leading the Council’s Disability team. She will work across the MAT schools to provide support and challenge as required.

8.8Edwin Thomas is the Trust Chair and has just been awarded NLG status. He has a range of governance experience and is able to provide support, challenge and training as needed. He takes a lead on governance self-evaluation and effectiveness across the Trust’s schools.

8.9Nicki Mitchell is the Trust Vice-Chair and has significant governance experience, previously at Millthorpe School. She will provide support for the Trust Chair and will provide interim leadership for Governing Bodies in difficulty.

8.10The Trust has plans to review its School Improvement Team roles in March 2018 in order to ensure that there is sufficient capacity as the Trust seeks to meet its Growth Plan to expand to 10 schools by September 2020. Trustees are currently exploring the financial viability of a separate School Improvement Officer, to work alongside the Trust Principal.

9alignment across the trust

9.1The Trust is in its early stages and the focus to date has been on aligning central policies.

9.2Trust policies and procedures are outlined in the tables below:

NEW TRUST-WIDE PROCEDURES
  • Collaborative Working Model
  • Corporate Business Plan
  • Financial Regulations
  • Growth Plan
  • Peer Review for Headteachers
  • Reserves Policy
  • Scheme of Delegation
  • Statement of Principles
  • Strategy Document
  • School Improvement Strategy

STANDARDISED PROCEDURES / ALIGNED
PROCEDURES / AUTONOMY
  • Appraisal
  • Budget Monitoring
  • Business Continuity
  • Code of Conduct for staff
  • Complaints
  • Data Protection
  • Declarations of Interest
  • Health & Safety
  • Pay
  • Safeguarding
  • Safer Recruitment
  • Staff Absence
/
  • Assessment & Tracking
  • Charter for Children with Disabilities
  • Disaster Plan
  • Equalities
  • Governance goals
  • Governance clerking
  • School Improvement Planning
  • Self-evaluation processes
/
  • Behaviour strategy
  • Curriculum design
  • Governing Body structure
  • Subject policies
  • Teaching & learning approaches

9.2Initial steps towards the alignment of assessment within the Trust’s primary schools have been taken. While final decisions are being reached in this area, specific mock papers for KS2 in Reading and Maths have been used in order to benchmark performance across the three schools. Moderation events have also been organised, facilitated by the Trust’s Expert Moderator, in order to ensure that there is alignment around teacher judgements and assessment levels.