Schools Forum / Agenda Item 3
Date: 1st July 2009

REPORT TITLE: NARROWING THE GAP INITIATIVES

Report by Terry Reynolds

Contact details 01245 436031

1. Purpose of report

To update schools forum on the progress on implementation of initiatives which Schools Forum agreed to fund on 4 February 2009.

2. Recommendations

That Schools Forum notes the report

3. Relevance to Strategic Plans

All of the initiatives are central to the delivery of the CYPP objective to Narrow the Gap in outcomes between disadvantaged groups and the average outcomes.

4.Finance Implications

These were identified in the original reports.

5. Other Resource Implications

6. Background

Schools Forum has requested information on the progress of these initiatives. In subsequent reports (from September onwards and the beginning of the new school year) it is intended that reports willidentify reach in terms of schools, teachers and pupils affected directly by these initiatives. Impact measures will not be immediately available.

7. Consultation with stakeholders

8. Background / Supporting papers

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APPENDIX 1

Implementation table

PRIORITY / ACTIVITIES / 2009-10 / 2010-11 / PROGRESS TO DATE
Narrowing the Gap
Debbie Holmes
Current appointments agreed interim whilst CYPP and therefore Narrowing the Gap Strategy is agreed / Project manager NTG funding / £32,000 inc on
Costs
Sept 09- April 10 / £66,000 inc on costs
April 10-Aug 11 / Interim NTG programme manager Band 6
Agreed from August 1st 2009 NTG funding
Lead Officer NTG Band 9
LA Interim NTG advisor Band 7
NTG AFA Lead officer 0.6 from Sept 2009
4 area NTG advisors
LA funded / £50,000
inc on costs
Sept 09- April 10
£40,000
inc on costs
£40,000
inc on costs
April 09-April 10
£160,000
inc on costs
April 09-April 10 / £100,000
inc on costs
April 10-Aug 11
£80,000
inc on costs
April 10-Aug 11
£80,000
inc on costs
April 10-Aug 11
£240,000
inc on costs
April 10-Aug 11 / Permanent Lead Officer NTG Band 9 appointed - LA funding
LA Interim NTG advisor Band 7 appointed –jointly funded LA /NTG
Advertised June 2009 for Sept 2009
Establishment Control for Sept 2009 or asap LA funded
NTG lead officer for Youth Offenders / 40,000 / £60,000 / Proposal going to YOT Executive management board June 2009 NTG funding
Admin support / £31,000+
(£31,000) / £62,500 / Currently 1fte advertised for recruitment for asap
Increased in Sept to 2
Training, data tracking, courses, national and regional programmes / £500,000 / £500,000 / This money will fund successful bids re NTG projects to improve outcomes for priority groups beginning September 2009 schools
PRU Transformation
Gary Bloom/Pauline Edwards / Staff costs / £0 / £169,000 / Appointments scheduled to pilot programme no additional resources allocated by School Forum in 2009-10.
Primary Behaviour Support
Wendi Ogle-Welbourn / Staff costs / £305,000 / £305,000 / Funding used toemploy 5 behaviour support teachers and 2 behaviour support workers.
The teachers and workers were allocated according to need to the following TASCCs
1 Uttlesford north to share with south
1 Epping forest rural
2 Colchester north east plus a worker to work across Colchester
1 Basildon west plus a worker
Because of recruitment timescales and teacher resignations dates teachers will be in place after October half term.
CAMHS
Jane Harper-Smith;
Gary Pocock / Staff costs / £400,000 / £400,000 / 8 fte recruited to CAMHS central core;
2 fte recruited to each quadrant to provide additional support to schools (Total 16 fte)

Alternative Education
Gary Bloom/Alison Stanford / Procurement of BESD places / £0 / £400,000 / Contract to provide alternative education services to years 9, 10 and 11 procured from Transitional Care and Education Services due to start for 40 places in South and West Essex Sept 09 and a further 40 places in Mid and East Essex Sept 10. Cost of contract slightly under £30,000 per pupil.
14-16 Flexible Learning Programme
Clare Kershaw / Procurement of provision / £276,000 / £413,000 / The funding will be allocated on the same basis as the funding for 2008/09. It will be allocated equally across each of the 10 Area Planning Groups (APGs) and termly reports will be collected from the APGs in respect of the volume of students, types of courses and outcomes from the 2008/09 year. Regular reports provided to the Schools Forum.
Recruitment and Retention
Keren Prior / Overstaffing costs / £195,000 / £240,000 / Area Development Groups have nominated headteachers to oversee the project;
Draft Protocol For Over Staffing agreed;
5 schools have expressed an interest in being a home school, some have already identified they will be overstaffed from September and feel they would be in a good position to support this project
CPD / £40,000 / The money will be allocated to the home schools to provide additional funding for role specific CPD, identified through Performance management and the needs of the host schools.
GTP support / £54,000 / The money will support those schools who are in receipt of a training grant only for their GTP places, and would provide a proportion of the salaries, it was agreed that the allocation would provide for salary support (not full salary costs) for 2 GTPs per area

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APPENDIX 2: Update on PRU Transformation Programme

PRU TRANSFORMATION PREPARATION - staff costs allocation 2010-2011 (£169,000)

Remodelling of the Integrated Support Services (ISS) and the Behaviour Support Services (BSS) to form one integrated service “Children ‘s Support Services” from September 09 completed (both informally and formally) Staffing levels for all centres reviewed and adjusted in light of forthcoming legislation and cohort of centre and BAP needs.
Day to day incremental management changes with respect to preparing the ISS/BSS managers and staff, for the launch of the remodelled service planned and delivered via specific training sessions, to improve consistency in practice for existing and new members of staff.
Detailed gap analysis of staff skill base/sets mapped out and incremental management changes initiated, to ensure that the short, medium and long term needs of the young people are met, and future staffing levels match need.
Gap analyses compiled and work undertaken to improve ICT staffing levels and skills across all centres in consultation with a National Challenge Consultant in order to ensure BECTA ICT kitemark achieved for al centres.
Consultation with both students and parents/guardians to guide future staffing structures according to need and locality has taken place.
All pilot studies planned in different localities around curriculum development, leadership and staffing levels for September 2009-2010 to inform future staffing levels in 2010-2011
Regular updates to BAP’s, students and staff on progression with staffing levels and staffing developments.
Funding streams and frameworks for effective collaborative working between different locality groups, with respect to staffing levels in centres identified to create sustainable systems of management.
Linkages between school improvement, Children’s Support Services and School Admissions and Planning firmly established to enhance joint working and build staffing capacity.
Accountability lines for all staff increased via SIP allocation to all centres, AST’s and involvement in national initiatives.
Early closure of centres in the summer term to accommodate staff training planned and implemented.
Staff appointed where appropriate, and includes 5 CAMHS workers to further address needs from September 09, with a particularly emphasis on the growing cohort of complex Behavioural, Educational and Social Needs.
Planning to ensure recruitment and retention of high quality staff within the service completed.

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